I have been busy "Living" Not Cleaning House!!!

It's hard to believe it's been two years since I ended my chemo treatments and started the 36 radiation treatments. It's like giving birth, you do forget about much of the fear, emotional roller coaster, side effects and the overall sense of having no control over your body.

I have recovered much of my mental acuity and some of my energy and stamina. I am back to taking names and kicking @$$.

In January I was diagnosis with sleep apnea and now have a C pap machine. I was stopping breathing 43 times an hour at night. It has done wonders for me to once again have rem sleep and dream again.

I have been on the Jenny Craig program for 6 weeks and have lost 14.6 pounds and from my last measurement session over 11 inches . I admit I am not the most consistent participant, my crazy schedule with my volunteer activities often sidetrack me from eating all of the food that is outlined in the program. I am making healthier food choices, learning portion control, and eat 2 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, plus dairy (for me in the form of lite yogurt.) I find I am not hungry, I even resisted all of the festival food at Art in the Park last week end! Not one corn dog or even a bite of funnel cake for me. It's crazy but I loose more weight when I eat all of the recommended foods for the day instead of skipping servings.

I also have been using the Rodan & Fields Reverse skin regiment for about six weeks. Jamie is a consultant and I wanted to try something to reverse the dark spots on my face that came up during chemo. It was like the mask of pregnancy or when you are on Birth Control pills and go out in the sun. Well the Reverse Program has really started to make a difference, even Dr. Tan noticed that the dark spots were fading at my check up 2 weeks ago. That with my weight loss he said to keep on doing what I am doing. All of my test came back great, my mamo was clear, no redo's!

I have developed Lymphodema in my left arm, hand and upper left quadrant of my chest! It seems the upper quadrant of my chest has been swollen, tender and with fever for over a year and it was only after I started physical therapy for my fractured wrist in March that my arm & hand became extremely swollen and I sought help from the Cares Health Services in Daphne which is based in Mobile on Air Port at University Blvd in the Big Lots shopping center. In just 2 1/2 weeks they taught me how to do the manual drainage therapy and fitted me with the proper compression arm sleeve, glove and bras. Blue Cross & Blue Shield pays for all of it. It was a life altering experience. My quality of life rose by 25%. I just thought that since I had a lumpectomy that I would have to live the rest of my life with a painful, hot, hard swollen boob! Not so, thanks to Cares Health Services, I now have two matching 56 year old ones that are equally floppy. YEA!

I am blessed to have my family, and many friends that have supported me through the past two 1/2 years. Also the excellent health care provided by my physicans and their staff.

I never thought I would be one to stop by the Chemo room at oncology about once a month to just talk to the patients. I don't know if it makes any difference to them but it allows me to give a very small portion back to others as they fight their personal battle. As my mom said "we are all family" in that room.