Another Great Event

Lowell Pink Arrow Pride

Here is a recap of Sept 12, 2008. Lowell Pink Arrow Pride football game.

Lowell High School did a community project headed by the football team. This event raised over 93,000 dollars as of the last update. The Community did a great job of getting involved with this project. First the parents sponsored their sons and bought Jersey's (pink of course) and 31 of 41 families bought their Jersey for 200 dollars. The other 11 Jersey's were in a silent auction and one went for 1000. The 41 Jersey's in all raised 14,000. The Parade was led by Lowell's finest , the police Chief wearing a pink red arrow pride shirt. The council named Sept 12 as Lowell Pink Arrow Pride Day from now on. They sold pink shirts you could buy that said Pink Arrow Pride for 20 dollars. If you wore this shirt you could enter the game free. There were pink balloons all over the stadium. They papered there garbage cans pink. The goal posts were pink, the yard lines, goal pylons, padding for the goal posts. I'm sure I am missing something but you get the pink point. They went all out. All the money raised goes or should I say stays right in the Lowell community. Two scholarships and Lowell Community Wellness Program which will help a family in need that is going through cancer. A High School Football game Raising over 93,000 dollars. Is that amazing or what? That is bodacious! Coach Noel Dean said after the game, that he has never been involved in something so big. He was touched. We all were touched.

I was honored to receive the big Jersey my nephew wore in my honor. It was a tad wet, and a tad smelly but worth every ounce of sweat that was on it. What a great event!

Pregame parade from high school to field

A close up of Josh Drake

One of many Pink ribbons on the field

The sea of Pink Thunder Sticks-3000 to be exact

The Cheering Section for #74

Coach Noel Dean, Josh and Myself

The million dollar jersey worn by the 6'5 200 pound , #74

Our Hero Josh Drake

Aug and Sept Update

This is a video of the Susan G Komen Race for the cure that I participated in on Sept 27. I wanted to post it on my blog so that all my friends and family and everyone else that has traveled down that nasty detour I was forced to take and helped me find the smooth sailing road once again.

The Susan G Komen Race was Awesome. For those of you who didn't/or couldn't or didn't even know, this year I captained a team with the encouragement of a few friends and had 30 fellow teammates. We raised 1800 dollars. I hope that next year we can double both numbers.

I have 3 more treatment and I will be free from any doctor visits for my first 6 months. It's hard to believe I won't have any doctor appointments for that long. WOW that is success!

I'm planning a party! Remember I mentioned I was going to have one when I was done with this Herceptin stuff. So be ready to have a blast.

Love you all

Kelly

May, June, July

No news is good news. Sorry that I have not posted but that is a sign that I have been too busy to sit by the computer.
Medically things are well. I had a bone scan and a echocardiogram last month and the tests came back with no change from the first time I had them. Meaning my heart has not been effected from the herceptin drug that I am taking and there's no sign of cancer in the bones.
I had my first visit to the new lemmen-holton cancer center across from spectrum down town hospital. It is beautiful. However it did not alleviate any timing issues as my mom and I waited 1 hour and 40 minutes for my treatment to begin. I guess they still need more people.

I have decided to be a captain for a SUSAN G KOMEN team. The run/walk is Saturday, Sept. 27 if you have Internet you can join the team, and/or pledge money for the team. Kids can join and walk too. It is less that 45 days away so come join my team. Thank you. Feel free to tell others about it. The web site is http://www.komengr.org/

School ended on a great note for the all the kids. Great report cards. Softball was fun to watch. Rachel enjoyed her first year of player pitch. She almost struck one girl out. IF the girl would have swung her bat. Emily hit and fielded seasonally and is more that ready to move on to player pitch next year.
James enjoyed playing on the play ground during his sisters games and didn't miss baseball at all. All the kids are enjoying the pool and we have visited Lake Michigan a few times now. The garden is growing cucumbers, green peppers, pumpkins and watermelon and corn. We have not tasted any harvest yet. We planted late.

Hey if you have a chance email me or post something here and if you want let me know it's you.
Thanks again for your continue support and prayers.
I couldn't have and can't do it with out you.

April Update

Sorry it has been 2 months since my last update. No news is Good news!
I have elected to stop physical therapy. Which my therapist was fine with. The improvements were minimal. I have been done for a month now and it is great not having my day interrupted for therapy. Just another mile stone back to normalcy.
My hair is still growing back curly. If it is humid out you would think that I got a perm.
I see the oncologist every three months now. If I was to have any issues he thinks that I would have had them by now. I am getting information from his nurse practitioner and our insurance company on genetic testing. See if it is covered and how much it is if it is not covered. With a sister, niece and two daughters I would like to know if any testing is possible.
The Herceptin Therapy is going well. I don't have any ill side effects . I receive this intravenously and it takes about an hour and a half. I usually nap during 1/2 or most of it as I am given Benedryl prior to the Herceptin. I go to the Cancer and Hematology Center on Kenmore for this. I receive treatment there for two more times and then the Center is moving across from Spectrum Butterworth downtown on June 30. That just seem closer to me.
It was April 4 a year ago that I was diagnosed and started chemo-therapy 10 days later.
I recently went to Gulf Shores Alabama with my niece to be a room mother for her spring softball trip. The rest of the family stayed in Michigan. It was a relaxing trip and a great time spent with my busy niece. We visited LSU on our way down. What a great campus they have.
We also visited and stayed one night with my brother in laws brother and wife in Mississippi. They live on the Mississippi River. While there the river was cresting to a record high. What a huge piece of water.
All in all I am feeling Good. I tire easily which is a side effect from Chemo still. And that lasts a good year after Chemo. Paul was able to teach a college class again this spring and is settled into his new work schedule. The girls are busy with softball now. James chose not to play baseball this year. Rachel will be turning 10 this month and is counting down the days to call herself a fifth grader. Which is only 30 days away. Emily and James are ready for summer with the way the weather has been. I see on the long range forecast though the real Michigan spring weather is coming next week. BRRRRR!
I thought after all the comments I've received that I have not posted in a while that I should post again. So thanks for staying with me through out this journey. I will continue to post until the end of November for sure. That is when I should be done with the Herceptin Treatment.
Thanks for the prayers and your support. With-out you ........???
Kelly

February Update

Hello Everyone,

I have had my reconstructive surgery and I hope my last surgery. It was on Jan 28th. The surgery was performed at the Amway Grand Hotel where West Michigan Plastic Surgery Associates office is. They have a surgery floor and a physicians floor. Amazing . Anyway it was 2 hours long I probably only spent an hour in recovery too. Not that it was that quick of a recovery either. More like they pushed me out with my pants half on. I recovered quickly at home with drain tubes for a week. Sleeping was few an far between but we got throught it.

I'm continuing with physical therapy. Before this surgery I was able to lift my arm above my head. Now I'm only able to lift it to my shoulder with my arm extended in front of me. Hopefully that will come back fast. I think it will.

My hair is growing and still very curly. I think I need a trim actually. Some areas are longer than others and some hair has fallen out. I'm hoping its like a baby. They have hair when they are born and it sometimes falls out and grows back.

I am still going every three weeks for my Herceptin treatment and my body has become use to that drug as I have no side effects with it. However surgery was on the date I was suppose to have my last treatment so I'm not sure if being off it for 4 weeks will play any affects on me when I start up again. Monday I'll find out when I start again.

It's nice that I only have updates to tell you about monthly.

Thanks for all your prayers and support. And Yes I still need both.

Kelly

Jan 2008 Update

Monday I had Dr appointment with the surgeon and she reaffirmed me that my incisions were healed nicely and to continue with physical therapy since it is making progress with range of motion in my arm. I also saw my oncologist Monday. I had to complain because of the 4-5 hours I am there every three weeks, for an infusion that is supposed to last 90 minutes. It was worth it because miraculously I was out of there in 120 minutes . We'll see if it will last though.
I will continue to see the oncologist every 9 weeks. I then had an appointment with the plastic surgeon on Tuesday. At this appointment he explained the different type of implants there are
and the benefits and/or drawbacks from each one.
How come he kept the implant in his hand the entire time?
Anyway I will be having my surgery in January and after this surgery I will be another step closer to putting this all be hind me.
Explaining to the kids that I had to have another surgery was interesting because they didn't know or they didn't think that had anything removed. Even thoough it was explained to them. They just thought that the cancer was removed... The innocence of children. After about 9 weeks post surgery I get to have two tattoos. Never thought I would say that. But the tattoos are for cosmetic reasons. Here I am trying not to get too personal what am I thinking.....I guess if you can't figure it out you can email me and I'll tell you more descriptive details.
The implant surgery is outpatient and lasts about 2 hours. I will have drain tubes for about 5-7 days again. Not sure on the recovery period. I wouldn't think it would be much .
Treatments are getting easier. And they weren't terrible to begin with compared to the chemo.
I just have the terrible bone archness for two days .
My hair is curlier every inch it grows. I feel good and seem to be back to my old energy with a nap here and there.

I'll post again after surgery.
2008 will be great
Kelly