Let the Good Times Roll

This week was filled with preparation for chemo, celebrating, and visiting with good friends. To start off our week, we had dinners coming for the entire week.  I can not express how thankful and appreciative we are for the Meal Train and all of you participating.  It has been a dream come true and the meals have been outstanding.  I also want to add that you all are so amazing that we haven't had a repeat meal yet and my kids have enjoyed them all.  We are loving it...more than McDonald's because that's what we would be eating if it were left up to me. In preparation for chemo, we have been doing some heavy duty wig shopping.  As scary as it is to lose your hair....it's mortifying to think of yourself completely bald as a woman...however, it is sort of fun trying on new hairstyles to see what fits.  During this process, I have learned so much and I am now comfortable with the idea of wearing a wig.  Unfortunately, I am sick and I just want so much to get back to normal, so this is a quick fix to cover up the evidence...let alone, I DO NOT want to scare my new first graders at the beginning of the school year.  I also want to be able to go in public without getting the cancer eyes all of the time.  Choosing a new look took some time however, and a lot of wigs.  Here are a few pics of my wig experience: The Short Look The Reverse Mullet A Typical Amy Cut The Poof The Long Cut With hair loss comes a huge lack of control...I've learned that I, myself, don't really like that....at all!  So, I went to see my wonderful stylist, Sarah, and had my hair cut short.    Again this took time to decide what to go with and if it wasn't for Sarah, who knows what kind of mess I would have come out with.  Before we chopped my hair off, I let my kids take a hack at it.  Payton was all for it...paybacks for all the pulling and yanking on her hair every morning.  Rylan was much more reluctant, but finally made the plunge and took a couple of turns.  Brent was filming, so he didn't take a turn, although I am sure he would have been happy to hack at it a little to pay me back for all of the wig shopping we have done.  When all was said and done, so much hair was lying on the floor and I left with a ca-ute cut.  I loved it immediately and my husband asked, "is this an 'I love it permanently?' kind of cut?"  I responded first with, I don't know and then followed up with I like mid length, you know that!     Our family has had many dinners with friends for visiting and laughing this week.  Brent and I also celebrated 8 years of married bliss!  On our anniversary, we started off by sleeping in...why not!  Followed by breakfast at the Silver Grill....a first for all of my family.  The verdict is we will definitely return.  Then we headed to a store in Old Town to check out the wig selection.  Next, we got my hair chopped off along with my sweet Payton.  Then we headed for Chemo Ed.    Now it started off with a video about all of the side effects from Chemo that I get the privilege to endure....that was a sleeper! Followed by a discussion with Dr. Wing to go over the medications....holy guacamole!  There are a couple million...says this lady. Overwhelmed is an understatement.  Brent told me I needed a pill box, and I had to smack him because there is an age requirement on those things....a few days later, I bought a pill box.  I can't keep them straight and just a quick question...Why do all pills need to be white and round?? I mean my app only allows so many descriptors and they all look the same....dude, they need a teacher in the medical profession to make their pills colorful with a beginning letter in a good font.  Teehee! As we move into Monday, my nerves are heightened and my anxiety may not be in check....definitely not!  My chemo consists of two drugs, one that starts with T and one that starts with C....this is my response when everyone asks what kind of chemo I will have.  That's my first grader coming out.  Works for me!  Really I will have Taxotere   and Cytoxan.  The side effects aren't the worst,  but are still pretty terrifying.  The super awesome news is that these drugs aren't harmful to any other organs, so I'm not having to worry about that yet...dude!  However, on my fourth treatment my eyebrows and eyelashes will either fall out completely or thin tremendously....I don't love that! I have already started popping the pills in preparation for my first treatment.  I'm not sure how these treatments will go, but Brent keeps reminding me that it is going to be over and this is only short term....I love his simple reminders.  Honestly, I know I could not do this journey without the love and incredible amount of support from my husband.  He is ALWAYS there for me, whether its a meltdown of tears during the day or in the middle of the night.  He is ALWAYS there to hold my hand through the doctor appointments, blood draws, and the many walks to and from the car when he knows my anxiety and worry are at their peak.  And he always says, it's time to focus on you.  As hard as it is to hear, it's what I need to be reminded of because I would much rather think about all of the wonderful people in my life than focus on this sickness.  Know that the next week will be tough and then only three more treatments after that.  I will need words of encouragement, support, and just knowing you are all pulling for me will help ease my mind.  Please know that I check the comments on my blog, on Facebook, emails, and texts all the time and if you feel the need to reach out, please do so!  If you are feeling the need to be encouraged like I will this week, click the link to Pep Talk by Kid President.  This video will be watched by me every day because not only has it inspired this journey...it makes me laugh!  I will be in touch and let you know how the treatment is treating me...whether its being helpful or hurtful.....