Saturday, January 31, 2009

Second Opinion

Well, I finally have a date for the second CT scan - February 5th - after which I will be able to head on up to NYC for my second opinion at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. My gyn/onc had dinner with one of their sarcoma specialists at a conference last weekend and they spoke about my case, so I will see her in NY and the two are already collaborating. I feel that this gives me the best of both worlds, as I have two (more actually, since I'm so popular at tumor board) great minds working on getting me better, and they want to work together to determine when I should move on to my next surgery where the actual rest of the tumor wil be removed. They are not able to do so until the metastases in the lungs clear, but hopefully that good news will come on the 5th. We feel that the results have been quite positive based on outward signs, so the CT will give us some real answers.

I'm heading to Sloan Kettering on Thursday February 12th, which happens to be the same day my dad and step-mom fly into Richmond to visit me. I am just shooting up for the day, though, and will land back in Richmond by 6:50 PM. I really hate going to NYC and missing fun, but its just up and back in one day, sad to say, no Broadway, no great restaurants (although I may sneak into Candle, a good veg restaurant not too far from the hospital for lunch, if i can swing it time-wise). I still have a procedure planned to remove whatever that basal cell relative on my chin is on the 13th, so the next couple of weeks are going to be super busy.

This weekend's main thrust is getting those books for the contest out of my house, and my friend has been diligently helping me, for which I feel bad since there are SO MANY books! Then concentrating on getting ready for chemo Monday, and it looks like the port is back in action and good to go, so that should make life much easier than last week. more soon! PL

The Port...Again!

So it's been awhile since I've had a chance to log on, since last weekend was all about the port getting infected again. That lead to another day of non-port-use for chemo last Monday, where they had to go through the arm again (yowza, did it hurt this time, after 4 sticks to find the right spot...I was a bit dehydrated from being out of it all weekend). I ended up checking myself into the hospital on Tuesday and stayed until Thursday to get IV antibiotics to finally cut the infection down. I saaw my oncologist on Monday right before chemo, and she told me that if it didn't get better I needed to check in, so I went ahead the next day when the new antibiotics didn't seem to be having much effect. I was starting to get a bit paranoid and obsessive about it, taking my temperature every half hour, checking to see if a red line was coming off the port, so when I noticed the infection seem to drop from the line in the port more into the body iteself, and get swollen and red, I finally listened to a couple co-workers who insisted I go check in.

It ended up being a good decision, as I felt peace of mind almost immediately and was no longer trying to self-regulate and second-guess what the doctors "might" say. I don't want to seem hypocondriacal but I tend to try and be too stoic sometimes as well. It's back to "if there's no blood or bone showing, how bad can it be?" All in all the doctor's backed my decision and I was able to almost watch the infection disappear, as the IV antibiotics really seem to have a leg up on the garden-variety pills you normally get.

The good news is I'm out and about, the bad news is hospital food is horrible and you get virtually no sleep while you are there, so I've been doing practially nothing but sleep since I've been home (although I did go to work Friday to feel normal again). i have a couple other thoughts, so will add other posts in a bit.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Insult to Injury

So, I realize I'm the Pink Leopard is the name of the blog, and I know it's because of this allergy to the cancer, which has me in pink spots all over, but now I have broken out in a heat rash (new, different pink dots!) in the head, neck and chest area! Apparently this is from sweating at night, just to make sure it's really appealing, and covers my bald head, neck, sides of face and forehead and chest (pretty much only that area exposed by clothes, nothing really anywhere else, of course). Just when you think I couldn't get less attractive, yay, something happens to ensure I can!

Most of it is actually easily covered by the wig and a good turtleneck, and it is winter time, but still... When I put on my wig today it was a bit itchy, all due to these new spots. I have an appointment with the dermatologist Feb. 4th, so I think I'm going to wait rather than try to get in sooner. I am quite sure of what it is, basically a baby acne stuff, and I'm treating it accordingly, I just wish there were not new ways of getting less feminine on a somewhat regular basis. I'm also waiting for day 14 after my second round of taxotere (which is this Sunday) since that is when I lost my hair last time.... Maybe some of my baby fuzz that is growing back will fall out, or maybe my lashes and brows (what fun!). I already don't have to shave legs or underarms, so by the time I have hair again my "et ready" time will be less than half of what I was formerly spending. There is something to be said for having good hair, everyday, without having to make any effort or spend any time on it, but the pink spots I could live without.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Daily Grind

So now that the terror, excitement and disbelief of diagnosis is over and chemo is started, I'm settling in to living with cancer. Not quite as glamourous as you would imagine, let me say. While I had some pretty significant ups and downs at first, now it's just a matter of coping with the exhaustion and the chemo cycling in addition to everything else regular life holds. I find that I get quite frustrated with being tired, especially over a long weekend like this one, where cycle two chimed in to make me sick and tired (not debilitated, just sick enough to keep me from doing what I wanted to do) and made me feel like I was wasting time lying around. There is still plenty to do around here, and it seems like I get a bit more behind every day. I stayed home from work today with flu-like symptoms, even though I think its chemo-related and not actual illness, but it's getting to me to have to do things in five minute spurts of energy, then a big rest period. I am basically frustrated with exhaustion and not sure how to get any additional energy without more resting (ugh!).

Now don't get me wrong, I like lounging around reading a good book as much as the next person, but it's getting to be a bit ridiculous. It seems that I'm in bed more than out of it when at home, and I have stuff to do! As you can see my mood is a bit flat and I want to add some life to my life, if that makes sense, but TV, books and the like are not cutting it for me right now. I guess I just want to feel good. I did my first FORCE workout, and that felt good, but it also made me sweat (alot!) after only 10 minutes on the treadmil at 2.5 mph! That's serious low blood count, I guess. I'm feeling bottled up but with no energy to burn. I just don't know how much of the day-to-day tired cancer living I'm going to get behind without an alternative plan to help me perk up the mood a bit. Visualizations are great, but it does sometimes feel like more relaxing and lying around. So, next step: find mental stimulus that will occupy me, make me feel accomplished yet not sap physical strength....

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Purge, Purge, Purge

In the spirit of getting rid of bad things and inviting good things in, it seems that the time has come to purge the house of "bad stuff" or clutter. Now, this certainly won't get done in just a few days, so I'm going to start with things that can have a negative impact on my (and Scott and the dogs') health. I'm working on an EMF (Electro Magnetic Field) audit, where we unplug everything that is not used daily (appliances use 5% of their energy when plugged in even when turned off, not to mention sending EMFs through your body, not great for cancer, I imagine). I already went through and made sure the windows were shut tight during this super cold weekend as well.

The next purge is a household cleaning product purge, and will get rid of everything that is not "green" and environmentally friendly. No more bleach or products that are toxic. I can actually feel my lungs hurt whenever I smell Clorox products or bleach, so out it goes. There are so many good products that are healthy it makes no sense to use the hazardous chemicals that pass for cleaners these days.

A third audit is all my hair stuff, since even once my hair comes back I'm keeping it short. This one is not particularly dangerous, but will help clean out some space in the cupboards. Also working through the makeup and skin products as they can have many bad items as well, starting with aluminum in deodorant. A final audit is supplements and over-the-counter medications. I have accumulated many more OTC products than I have ever had before, especially when I was feeling bad and before my diagnosis, as we tried to get me feeling better, so I'msure many things are either outdated, ineffective or can plain old go .

Now many of these changes have been in effect around here for ages, but stuff does manage to creep in and its time to put order to the shelves. I think that having the clutter gone and giving the place a good cleaning (as energy allows) will help make an environment more conducive to healing.

I would also love to get rid of excess electronics, but this is the biggie that Scott will need to participate in fully to make work, and I know he loves his electronics! I guess I have my work cut out for me on that score. Join me if you will in purging if you feel so inclined, I bet we'll all feel better for it.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Achilles Heel

Sorry for the dearth of posts lately, but I think I have found my Achille's heel with this stuff. Day 8 in each cycle just saps my strength!. I'm good Day 1 through 7 of the three-week chemo cycle, mostly because after the rest week all my levels are up (red blood cells, white blood cells, etc) but Day 1 when I get Gemzar zaps them down for the next week, so by Day 8 when I get the Gemzar/Taxotere double-whammy the levels are little more than half what they were one week earlier, then we hit them hard. Now, I 'm not complaining, we seem to be getting results, and all tenderness and pain I was feeling from the tumor/sarcoma area is gone (I used to feel it between chemo acting up in cycle one like it felt right before surgery, when it was really painful) but it does make Jane a dull girl, to coin a phrase.

Yesterday I came home from work, ate something, got in bed at 4:30 PM and slept, with only a few wake up breaks for meds and bathroom until 6:30 AM when I got up for work today! That's nearly 14 full hours, and still I'm tired. Well, I guess priorities are set, and getting better is it, so sleep it is! I still enjoy going to work, no matter how tiring, because I feel like I'm a contributing member of the household/society, so that's not the issue, it's just getting a handle on things. This cycle is MUCH better than last cycle at this time when I was so sick, so I think I'm finding a balance, and in another cycle or two I could be breezing through it.

One other note, I found the FORCE program book and am excited to start a slow-building cancer workout program. I think their approach is great, incorporating workouts to build strength, stress-reduction and nutrition (see, I do love a multi-pronged approach!). They say I will probably be in better shape in a few months than I was before I was diagnosed, and of this I'm sure, since I was basically being a bit of a slug with a foot issue (long since cleared up, fortunately). So this weekend I start my new VERY slow building workout program and am quite excited about it! Anytime I can be proactive I feel better about the whole situation, and regardless of my tired state I am feeling more positive about beating this than ever. Huzzah!

Monday, January 12, 2009

It Seems to be Working!

Super tired so this will be short, but have to post the good news. Today was Day 8 of Cycle 2, meaning I got Gemzar and Taxotere today, and I was pretty tired going into it, so you can imagine how badly I'm dragging at this point. There was extremely good news, though. I dropped by to have my gyn/onc take a look at the previously infected port catheter and was told to go ahead and use itit's all better, and she also told me (she actually jumped up and down at this!) that my prolactin levels are now normal! Before my surgery the had been the highest levels my OB/GYN had ever seen, even on pregnant women, and it was later determined that my tumor was actually producing prolactin and making me lactate. Well, the levels are normal, dowm by more than 2/3 since Dec 5th, so somewhere between hormone therapy and chemo my tumor is reacting the way we want it to! You can imagine how exciting that was to hear, especially with her happy reaction. It really made going into chemo today a positive experience where I was able to visualize it doing the job and getting all those malformed, bad little cancer cells. Every day I get better and better!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

A Whole New Kind of Tired

Well, here I am on day 5 after the beginning of this chemo cycle, and I managed to push back the Big Tired till today, since I had to work yesterday. I got pooped out around 11 yesterday, but got through the day alright. I guess I didn't realize how much the dermatologist's prednisone was helping with my energy levels, since I was taking it before I started chemo. Now that the dosage is reduced to 10 mg every other day the chemo is really catching up after day 4.

The tired is different, too, than anything I've experienced before. I've been exhausted from physical exertion, maybe a bit achy, but you can feel yourself getting stronger when you rest, and I've been stressed and mentally exhausted, both where you are too exhauysted to sleep and when you can't stop yourself from sleeping. I've been so tired that it feels like your body is melting into the bed when you hop in to get some sleep, but this is a whole new tired.

It's like you feel yourself (me, at least) get a little cranky, then all of a sudden you hit a wall. It's almost like my brain shuts off and just won't compute the next step to take. I had a meeting today and barely made it through, which was a shame since I wanted to participate in the after-meeting lunch, but it was all I could do to get home and take a long nap. Even now I could still be asleep, but with limited time to accomplish stuff now I have to make sure I get a bit done here and a bit done there. I thin it's the best way to stave off the tiredness. It's just so different on chemo weeks and non-chemo weeks, and I haven't mastered any balance or learned enough tricks yet. I'm sure they'll come in time, just need to experiment more.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Compelled to Add My Two Cents

In a recent interview actor Patrick Swayze of Dirty Dancing fame (and thats about it, unless you liked Roadhouse or Point Break, which....well, just no) addressed his 2008 diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. I have to say I take issue with three particular points that were made in the interview, and as recent diagnosee (?) myself feel obligated to comment upon. These are of course my opinions only and outside of my standard blog sphere, but please bear with me, I have to blow off some steam!

1) He continues to smoke. This seems like the most ridiculous thing that you can do, knowingly introducing toxins into your body when it's in the fight of (literally) your life. I can't express how happy I am that I have been a non-smoker for almost two years and this is a non-issue for me, and I can certainly appreciate how hard it is to quit, but this has to be "step one" of any healthy living plan, cancer or no. Of course it's his choice, but I hate to see a celebrity jack up the public with this lameness in a public forum. Some people consider these people role-models.

2) He says to live for five more years is "wishful thinking". Yes, I suppose with that attitude it certainly is. While I understand fully the statistics and feel that a Will, Durable Power of Attorney and Medical Directives are crucial for anyone, especially in this situation, I prefer to have long-term plans as well and not write an end to my story just yet, thank you very much. I have things to do, places to see and the best intentions of doing/seeing them. Deciding in advance when my time is through will virtually guarantee it, become a self-fulfilling prophecy, if you will, so I choose a different approach, again his prerogative, but so sad, when you think about it. To live with no hope cannot be the way to go.

3)He will do nothing to change/improve his diet, since it "helps the cancer stay healthy too" or some hooey. Hmmm, cancer bad, anti-oxidants good, fight bad stuff. Seems pretty straightforward to me. The bad part is I've heard this echoed by doctors, who, as is well-documented, have 1-2 hours max of nutrition education in medical school. While I believe they can address my cancer, I don't believe, based on reactions, that they know how best to support all of my other systems while I get better. He says he wants to enjoy life and not chase after a cure. I can fully appreciate this, but feel that a modicum of interest in your own health and healing is essential to getting better. Taking the time for a good nutrition plan is a stepping stone for any healthy living plan, whether addressing weight, diabetes, high blood pressure or just basic longevity, so it seems pretty essential to do all you can when you are ill. Plus, alkalinity is the enemy of cancer, so continuing to eat a high acid diet is just feeding the beast, it seems. I could go on here, but I think my point is made.

I have had many recent discussions about what we believe in the head is what will most likely work for us, as long as positive attitude plays a huge role. Some believe supplements cured them of cancer, others their diet, others affirmations or still others straightforward chemo. All can work, its about the outlook you have toward them. I believe they can all work together (back to my multi-pronged approach) but I will continue to make sure I'm making decisions that make sense to me, feel right in my head, heart and gut as well, and will steer clear of things that I feel negatively toward.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Skin Cancer Update

I heard back from the dermatologist already about the biopsy he took last week, and it's good news. it's a tricoepitheloma (sp?) and is a benign cousin to the Basal Cell they were pretty sure it was, so not dangerous and very slow growing. He said they still prefer to remove them and he had actually already scheduled me for a Mohs procedure, where they shave very small portions out until they have removed only the bad and left as much good tissue as possible. He says the Mohs surgeons do better work than plastic surgeons due to the precision of the procedure and the number of times they do the same thing, as opposed to focusing on several different areas, like a plastic surgeon does, so I feel pretty good about it. I will have that done on Feb 13th, (yay, a face bandage for Valentines Day -not a big problem for me, though).

We also discussed reducing my Prednisone (taking it for the Pink Leopard rash) down even further to 10 mg. every other day. It seems to be working, however I forgot that the Prednisone is also giving me extra energy, so between not taking it today by design and forgetting my multi-vitamin, I was dragging a bit on my third day back at work. I'm still catching up with people around there, and it's so good to see everyone! Don't worry, I've been plenty busy with work too, and I'm a bit rusty on some things so it's a good thing I held onto all my notes.

It is quiet around here this afternoon with Neut gone, and sad, but the other dogs seem calmer already and it is definitely for the best overall for my situation and the sake of the household and of course for Neut himself. And that's the last timeI mention that sad subject.

On with the healing!

TECHNICAL ISSUE: Posting Comments

I think I have sorted out the problem many were encountering while trying to post comments, so now anyone should be able to do so. Sorry for any inconvenience, and please let me know if you still have difficulties if you choose to post a comment to the blog.

Thanks! The Pink Leopard

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Cute New Hat

Not too much to report today, as I am sad about Neut going tomorrow morning. I did get a cute new hat in the mail today, though! It's called a cupcake hat but it's not costumey at all, in spite of its reminiscent appearance to a cupcake. I also received some lovely roses in the mail, and they certainly brighten the dreary rainy day we had here today (and yesterday). it's quite windy outside right now.

I have to call and report the status of my port tomorrow to my oncologist's nurse-practitioner, and I'm not too sure what to say. It seems much better than Monday, but I would have expected a bit more improvement today. I want to avoid going into the hospital for IV antibiotics if I can, but not at the expense of my health or the port, obviously. I will sleep on it and try to run by tomorrow after work for someone to take a look at it, perhaps let the medical professionals make the call (since that's what they do).

I called Memorial Sloan-Kettering in NY today about a second opinion and got a bad seed on the phone. She basically told me that I had to have cancer and need chemo to get treated there, since she didn't understand High Grade ESS as the term I used, and when I clued her in that that is cancer and I was in chemo she told me the dr. wouldn't see me if I was already being treated. Well, I was quite upset after she basically roadblocked me at every turn, eventually ending the call with "my dr. was going call their drs." I called my mom to vent I was so mad, and she got on the horn, and don't you know soon I was talking the the supervisor and have a plan of action to get an appointment there with a compatible dr. to my specific files/diagnosis (already being faxed up) after my next CT scan (which I should have during the week of Feb 9th). So, I feel better about that, after a bad start to the experience. I do look forward to having the records reviewed by another doc, even though I have full confidence in my team. It makes sense to get what insurance will provide, and there is a sarcoma center at Sloan-Kettering but not one at MCV (where I go) so paying attention to/treating this rare type of cancer is right up their alley, and the best option for me, I feel. I would still get treated at MCV, regardless of the outcome, since My doc tells me they have a good reciprocal relationship and do this somewhat regularly. More when I find it out!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Hi Ho, Hi Ho

So today was my first day back at work, and it was sure great to feel fairly normal again! I did get to "flip my wig" (show off my bald head) at a couple people, so that was fun, too. It was great to see everyone and catch up, get caught up on e-mails and phone messages there (mostly defunct by this point, so pretty easy to work through). By the end of the day I was getting pretty tired, but working 6 hours a daylooks like it is going to be fine, as long as I remember to get to bed on time and take good care of myself. That is one of the hardest things for me, taking the time to do everything right for me.

I guess I was a pretty "easy keeper" when I was younger. Thats a term for a horse that doesn't require much food or extra attention, and it applied to me. I could get away with little sleep and still perform well at work, I could stay out way too late and drink way too much and pull it off the next day, and I've always been bad about taking off my make-up and brushing my teeth at night, but I have decent skin and good teeth still. Well, things have changed! Between general aging and the chemo treatments (not to mention the effects of the disease itself) things are catching up with me. Unfortunately bad habits are hard to break, and I am having to concentrate just to get my face washed at night!

There is some sad news, and that is that we have decided to surrender our most recently acquired dog, Neutron, back to the no-kill shelter where we got him in late 2007. It's not something we had ever planned on doing, but he is a very high-energy dog who requires far more attention and exercise than we can give him, particularly now that I am sick. He is intelligent and very hyper and has been making even napping a challenge. We feel horrible about it, but in the best interest of my health it was a decision that had to be made. He will go back Thursday morning and I am defintely stressed about it, but it has been a long time coming. He escaped one day and I chased him through several yards before catching him down the road. he thought it was a game and it's the happiest I've ever seen him. He needs a long-distance jogger or bicyclist, or someone who lives in the country who can really run him. The walks he gets do not wear him out, and he is bored with the same old backyard, but still its going to be a sad day, as we do love him very much. Hopefully he will find the perfect home and have a great, active life.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Chemo- Cycle 2 Begins

So today I had a big appointment with the oncologist, then I had my first chemo of cycle 2. I think I'm starting to get in the rhythm a bit--first lab work to get it going, then a visit with the oncologist, who got the labs mid-visit, then the nurses send the new orders from the oncologist to the pharmacy, then I get the pre-meds, then the chemo. It went pretty smoothly if long today, and Scott and my mom both accompanied me. It gave my mom a chance to meet my gyno-onco (who she liked very much) and then mid-way through waiting for the chemo Scott took her to the airport, so she has now gone home and I am turning my attention toward tomorrow and a return to work.

There was an issue that came up this weekend, and that is the apparent infection of my port catheter. The chemo nurses would not touch it due to redness and swelling (and plenty of pain, too) so I had to get my labs out of one hand and an IV in the other to deliver the chemo. The nurse who set the IV did the best job ever, so that wasn't too bad, but the drug did burn a bit going through, and she said it can be tough on veins, another reason for the port. The oncologist gave me an antibiotic prescription and made me promise to call Wed PM or Thurs AM to report on its condition either way (earlier if it swells or reddens further). If the antibiotic does its job, I should be good, but if there is still a problem I will have to be admitted to the hospital for IV antibiotics, something I would rather avoid, of course. I have full faith in Keflex, the drug I've been given, since I've had good luck with it in the past, so keep your fingers crossed!

My mom and I had a great visit, and though it was jam-packed with stuff to do and of course never long enough to accomplish everything we'd have liked, it was fun and of course productive. I'm a bit behind on e-mails, phone calls, etc., so please bear with me as I get caught up with everyone. I will also need to get a bit of extra rest over the next few days in my down time, due to work and chemo combined, but will do my best to keep up. This is also the final week of accepting entries for the contest I'm coordinating, and if today's mail is any indication it's going to get busier before I get a break, but things should settle down next week when I just need to get the organizing portion of the project going (much easier from my perspective than checking in physical books).

At any rate chemo went well, although I did find out from the oncologist that that horrible debilitating sickness in week 2 of Cycle 1 I had was not just due to an electrolyte imbalance but was probably a side effect of the taxotere as well. This means I'm really going to have to gear up for Day 8 of each cycle, now that I know it can be that taxing (hence the name of the drug, I guess!) and make sure I'm prepared as much as possible for sheer exhaustion and nausea. At least i only get taxotere on one day of each three week cycle. Next week will tell!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Baldo

So I am now officially bald. We took the clippers to my head after it got patchy and now I feel a draft on top of my head. After time spent on the web looking for hats and wigs and considering shipping times, and because the wig place at the cancer center is not open until the 8th, we decided we had to find a local option. I really had no idea my hair would fall out so soon after chemo, nor that it would fall out so rapidly. I guess I didn't know what to expect, as I mentioned yesterday.

We ended up finding a very cute wig and several hats and headcovers at Merle Norman, of all places. One of the headcovers is super soft and cuddly, and perfect for around the house or sleeping. I also got a hat that is pretty cute and wore it to the grocery store in the afternoon. People can still tell I'm bald with the hat I think, simply because its pulled so low and no hair sticks out. You catch the long glances as you walk by, people look at you a bit differently. Well, they can't catch what I've got, so they're safe. It's not horrible, just a bit disconcerting (the looking, not the cancer).

I guess the worst part of being bald isn't the looks thing per se, it's more about it being the outward manifestation of the disease. Up until now we "knew" I had cancer, but there was no cast or bandages. The baldness (and the dark smudges around the eyes that seem to be developing) show that there is something wrong. I was much more stressed while the hair was falling out than after it was gone, though. It seemed once it was shaved off it was final, and not an ongoing process, just something else to deal with.

Well, I have to go put on a fashion show of hats for Scott, so I'd better be off!

Friday, January 2, 2009

Happy New Year!

This post is a day or so late, but we have been super busy. And my hair is falling out. Alot. I had a bit of a breakdown on New Year's Eve, a real crying jag, feeeling sorry for myself, the "why me's" etc. I noticed in the middle that my hair was falling out, which set me off again. Scott was very understanding, holding me and comforting me, but I cried for quite awhile. I think everything just caught up with me.

No one tells you what the timeframe is for the hair loss, so I had no expectation at all that I would lose it so soon after my first chemo treatment. I wish there was a handbook of what was to come, not so much with treatment but with how your body reacts and what to expect, kind of a "What to Expect When You Have Cancer" book. Maybe thats a project for me...

As I said we've been busy! Scott built a huge built-in bookshelf unit in the living room awhile back, and I was supposed to paint it out so we could load all my books. Well, based on the cancer diagnosis I have obviously not yet done the painting, so my mom suggested that since I wouldn't most likely be able to use paint and deal with the fumes for at least several months we could just load it up and worry about painting it a section at a time later. We went ahead and did that, and it looks great! Of course since I still have a 10- pound carrying limit Scott and my mom had to carry all the books, so it worked out great for me! Seriously it looks great, allowed us to clear out the room where all the books were stored so I can make my craft room and makes the living room look far more finished.

Today we are going in search of headcoverings. I will start the morning with the clippers, since my hair is really patchy. It may as well all go rather than look so ratty at this point. The cancer center has a salon and will even give patients a free wig, however they are closed till the 8th, and I am bald now, so we need to find something that will work for me since I go back to work next Tuesday. I found several cute wig styles online, but you cannot return them. If they look bad once you get them home you're stuck, so I'd prefer someplace I can try them out. I hope we have some good luck and can find good looking or at least acceptable coverings. Wish me luck!