Update: Making Strides Walk Against Breast Cancer this Saturday 10/22

Wow, this thing has gotten bigger than I ever expected! The Hillsborough community has really come out in force for this event, I'm totally overwhelmed by the support. It looks like team "Newblanc's Vikings" will have 40-50 people in it, most of them students. (who, to be honest, are receiving community service credit for coming so it isn't totally selfless) The school has paid for matching team t-shirts for everyone. I'm pretty sure we'll be the biggest, pinkest team out there. We've also raised over $10,000, which is pretty mind blowing as well. In fact, the organizers are so impressed with our numbers, of both people and $$, that they have asked me to speak at the event. (gulp!) I'm waiting to hear from their PR people for some direction on what they'd like me to say. We'll see, should be interesting.

You can still get involved if you'd like.
Here is our team page:
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?team_id=1012762&fr_id=35954&pg=team

And here is a page with general logistical info:
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCFY12California?sid=144435&type=fr_informational&pg=informational&fr_id=35954

For those of you planning to come, I look forward to seeing you and walking with you on Saturday!

Chemo Round 2: Feeling Good!

Two weeks after my second treatment and I'm feeling good. This round seems to be following the same pattern as last time. First two days after treatment are energetic from the steroids, followed by several days of achiness, GWBM's, nausea and low energy. This time I was at a yoga retreat during those tough days so I had plenty of distraction and it helped to be around good friends. The achiness and nausea were a little more pronounced this time around and I definitely noticed the emotional come down after the steroids wore off. But knowing it's a chemical side effect helps with the blah's.
By one week past treatment I'm feeling good again. I've been going to more yoga classes and feeling strong. I'm thinking about exploring Tai Chi.
Some new symptoms this round include headaches and losing much of my ability to taste. That last one is particularly sad making. :( The front half of my tongue, which detects sweet and salty, is the most effected. The sides and back, sour and bitter, seem to still be working. Hasn't slowed down my eating any but has definitely decreased my enjoyment of it.

I've mapped out the rest of my treatments and it looks like I'll be in my 'feeling good' phase for both Thanksgiving and Christmas! My last chemo treatment, barring any unforeseen delays, should be December 28th. New Year's Eve will probably not be so fun but it will be nice to start the new year with chemo treatments behind me.

BSP: Dance Video

Here's a video of my performance on Sunday. It felt really good to be dancing again. Overall a super fun show with lots of great dancers. Thank you to Dave, Jen, Michelle and Andrea for being there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUr28Ui_Hik

Blatant Self Promotion: Belly Dance Show Sunday Oct. 16th!

This is a bit late, but if your Sunday evening is free, come on down to Club Fox in Redwood City for a very entertaining evening of belly dance! The Red Desert Dance Company presents "Shake, Shimmy, and Shiver!!! A Halloween Belly Dance Spectacular!" We have an amazing lineup of great dancing talent. I myself will be performing just one brief solo during the first set but I will have a sword on my head!
Show starts at 6pm and will run about 2.5 hours with a short intermission.

There's a $10 cover at the door.
Here's the website for Club Fox: http://www.clubfoxrwc.com/

Chemo: End of Round 1/ Start of Round 2

I have to say that my first round of chemo went quite well. Some digestive issues at the beginning, as I mentioned before, but once that settled out I felt quite good for the second two weeks. In fact, last weekend I hosted a dinner party for 10! Cleaned the house, shopped, made dinner, the whole deal. No problem.
This bodes well for the remainder of my treatments because I've been told that the only cumulative side effect is the fatigue that usually comes about a week after treatment, everything else should stay pretty consistent. Well, I can't say I really noticed any fatigue this first time through so I'm starting at a pretty good place.

I had my Round 2 infusion yesterday, this time my awesome mother in law, Sherri, brought lunch and hung out with me. Today I'm feeling pretty good, got some shopping done, went to a meditation class, answered a bunch of emails, saw the chiropractor, visited my mom and went to dance practice.
And now getting a blog post done! Steroids are great!
This weekend I am going away to a yoga retreat in Healdsburg. It is being run by a dear friend at another dear friend's amazing home/retreat and will be attended by even more dear friends. This weekend is probably when I will be feeling my worst but I'd just as soon be feeling crappy in one of my favorite places with my favorite people. Gadg and Jet will be there too.

Hair update: head stubble is still patchy and weird looking, mustache and whiskers are disappearing (hooray!), eyebrows and lashes are hanging in there, leg hair isn't budging .....aaaaand looking more prepubescent by the day!

Activism

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there are so many ways to be active in the fight against this disease. Here are just 3 I'd like to encourage.

1) Ladies, first of all be an activist on your own behalf. Don't feel bad for me because I'm the one who got it. I'm really just the first one among my community of friends. Odds are still 1 in 8 by age 75. So learn how to feel yourself up each month, eat well, sleep much, take care of and honor yourself. And get your damn mammogram. Speaking of which....

2) Women who have dense breast tissue, which is not uncommon, are more likely to have their tumors missed by a mammogram. A bill authored by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, to improve breast cancer detection has passed the California State Legislature and now goes to the governor for consideration. Senate Bill 791 requires that following a mammogram, patients with dense breast tissue be informed and advised to have an ultrasound or MRI.
The bill has made it through the legislature and is sitting on Gov. Brown's desk, he has until October 9th to sign or veto it
You can help get this important bill turned into law by calling or emailing your support of SB791 to Governor Brown .
Also check out the link to the website areyoudense.org

3) If you like more actual activity in your activism, come join Team "Newblanc's Vikings" at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on October 22nd in Golden Gate Park. My team was started by some wonderful parents in my school community. We have a team of about 20 parents and students so far, including myself, and we have reached about 60% of our fund raising goal.
There is no charge to participate in the walk and I'd love to have more folks join our team!
Here is the website:
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?team_id=1012762&fr_id=35954&pg=team

Hair Watch 2011: The Shaving

On Saturday we had "Family Head Shaving Day". Jet balked and said he didn't want to be bald, so we let him keep the mohawk. I let Gadget use a longer attachment and I love how his shaved head and long beard/goatee make him look like some kind of sinister magician.
Today the little short hairs started falling out en masse in the shower. Hopefully I will be smooth soon because right now it looks all patchy and weird. And then I shall have a clean canvas. :)