enough about cancer- how are the kids

Let's take a break from all the cancer updates shall we ;) Instead how about something more fun and interesting- my kids. What are they up to these days you ask? Besides enjoying all the letters & care packages that come to the house (thanks again everyone).....

Well- Nate is doing great at school. He is used to the routine and rhythm of school. (I am the only one who sometimes forgets the library bag or water bottle). It is a good thing we live so close to the school- as we usually head over at 9:05 for a 9:10 start. Nate has become friends with several of the boys and formed a tight posse. His laid back, easy going, "Natedog" attitude is working great for him- the self confidence and not caring seems to attract the other kids. If he could keep it up he'll be set for life. Apparently his gang want to be like Nate- wear sneakers to school, play soccer with on his team, etc.... of course I'm sure Nate doesn't notice any of it.

I like the school very much and his teacher seems great- very organized and on top of everything. Nate's reading has advanced so much since the start of school. They kids have to read nightly to parents at home and daily to the teachers/reading volunteers at school. I'm very proud of him. In terms of non-school we spend many afternoons at the playground/park nearby (scooter tricks are advancing too), or in our pool. Nate just started soccer (go Ravens)....Michael is the team coach (lots of running in their future). I'll keep you posted on the games once they start in April.

Reese just got her own scooter and is learning how to ride it. So far she really enjoys just standing on it (anything to be like her big bro) and occasionally scoots. I'm sure she'll pick it up quickly. Otherwise we enjoy going to her Art n' Move class and ballet class. Plus her new interest in nail polish- pure joy over having pink toes ;) Sometime she is very girly She is looking forward to starting preschool in June (I think she would join Nate as school if she was allowed). We are making major progress on the potty training but need to step up our effort over the next couple of months prior to school starting. I'm sure that she'll love being a big girl (figuratively as she is still quite short!!!) and going to school. Of course she is going to need to diversify her lunch choices as the preschool has a no- nuts rule. I wish she liked some veggies too....another thing to work ;)

Here are some recent pictures: (the naked soccer playing occured after Reese pulled off her diaper and pee'd on the grass - she later walked all the way home naked)

showing off her mani/pedi-

follow on to update

I forgot to mention another cancer/chemo "positive" - my nails are long. Bizarre really- my nails are long and pretty strong- so much that I need to trim them for fear of cutting myself. Of course I am not "allowed" to go to a nail salon and get a manicure (can't risk cutting my cuticles and getting an infection). Yet on the other hand if I get a paper cut or minor scratch or even a pimple (surprisingly my complexion is clear- must be my calm zen like state of mind), it takes weeks to heal. What like I don't have any white blood cells left working anymore. Anyway it is all fascinating to notice how my body is impacted. Of course I would have been willing to read about it versus experience it first hand.
ok- biology class is over....

update on Mimi

Dear family and friends
Sorry for the delayed update. It must be a while since I wrote last because I’ve started to get calls of concern. I am happy to report that I am fine. This week I had my 6th chemo session- my second with my new drugs Taxol & Carbopatin. I had planned to write this update during my session on Tuesday but somehow the 6 hours past without me accomplishing much of anything. Two cooking magazines, some mediation and music later and all of sudden I was done. Here is a picture – for those who wonder what Chemo sessions looks like. Not so scary is it. Would be better if there were massage chairs and pedicures given (probably in Seattle with personalize flat screen TVs or so I imagine). I'll put some ideas on the suggestion cards ;)



My energy level and appetite has been good (no such luck on losing weight on chemo) despite most foods tasting off. Not a real taste for wine either- bummer. I still have icky taste in my mouth most of the day (thanks for those who sent sucker candies) but it appears to be better in the last week or so. Not sure if that is due to my Chinese herbs or the new meds. On the downside I experience some random aches and body pains with the new drugs. We’ll see what this week brings (as I usually feel the worst Fri- Tues after chemo).

Great news to report- the wonder drugs (I no longer call it poison) are working. Tons of appreciation going out to the pharma companies for making these amazing drugs that stop me from puking and rebuild my white blood cells. I don’t care that they cost thousands of dollars (just awaiting my insurance company to choke on my latest claim). As of two weeks ago the tumor has shrunk down to 17 x 11mm vs. the original size of 33 x 26mm and the peak size of 40 x 29mm. For those of you weaker in math or don’t have a calculator handy- the tumor is about 1/3 of its original size. The radiologist wrote on the report “ considerable reduction” – it is pretty uncommon for them to meet folks doing chemo first and everyone in the last was dutifully impress with the results. Hopefully Taxol will continue to as great a job shrinking the tumor as AC did. I am hoping that my surgeon has very little left to remove. But there still will be surgery – to remove any bits left plus some margin around and double check for lymph node involvement. I am still hoping/planning on making it to Seattle in July assuming no complications arising between now and then.

What else is new on the cancer front…..this week’s pros: (yes there are some positive benefits) I’ve never been fast getting ready –shower with no shaving, very little shampoo, so not much to do then no styling your hair and this week’s cons: hot flashes (body is sent into abrupt menopause). I heard a funny line that explained global warming on the number of female baby boomers experiencing menopause- enough hot flash to melt the polar ice caps:)

Overall I have very little to moan about (not that it would help) –sometimes I feel guilty that my body is handling it so well. Call it bizarre cancer guilt….but some horrible mouth taste and minor back and joint pain isn’t much to complain about given how bad it could be. Heck I know friends with worse pregnancy side effects and they get less care packages. Of course they don’t have my lovely collection of scarves to choice from. But let’s just hope my luck continues. I am doing my best to stay grounded and centered during the chaos and swirl of cancer. Only two more chemo treatments to go – YIPPEEEEE!

I really miss you all. Thanks for your sweet cards, messages, prayers and positive thoughts, plus the awesome care packages.
Many thanks for your and support. Love Mimi

here is a picture of me and my yoga partner (although she isn't great on staying calm and relaxed- she is more of a power yoga girl)- thanks Jen for the DVD.

Weekly update

Happy Friday and for those celebrating this weekend Happy Valentine’s Day

Just wanted to update everyone on how things are going here. It has been a good week!!!! Nate seems to have settled into school quite easily. After a long day at school he is wiped out and it takes about an hour and a Popsicle to recharge his battery. Luckily his classroom has A/C which is more than I can say for our rental house. It has been a hot week with little breeze- hitting 100- ugh!!! Not that it has stopped Nate from playing hard with friends at recess.
Reese started ballet lessons- I can’t even convey how excited she was. I posted some pictures on the blog. She was the smallest one there but had a ball and seemed to jump right in with no hesitation. Hopefully her feet will grow so she can fit into ballet shoes (she is two sizes too small for the smallest ones made :( ).
As for me despite the heat it was a good health week. I had good energy (maybe it my Chinese herbs?) and so far have managed not to catch the cold going around our house (nothing like week one of school to start the cold season). We are Purell freaks- little Reese goes around the house applying “special lotion” to all. Next Tuesday is my last dose of AC (yippee)!!! I’ll find out more about the next drug regime (i.e. poison) on Tuesday. I think it maybe weekly sessions for 10 weeks which I am a bit nervous about but we’ll see. In the meantime I feel ok and am maintaining a somewhat normal (yet paranoid) life. I wear my scarf collection and the kids are used to seeing me bald at home (oddly they didn’t seem fazed at all). I did goof one day this week and didn’t realize that I left the house without a scarf….it wasn’t until I was inside the school yard that I realized (maybe it was all the kids looking at me strange- like who is the bald chick). Too late to turn back – I did the school drop off sans scarf. I’ll try not to do that again :)
I got some great health news yesterday. The results from the genetics test came back negative- i.e. I do not have the breast cancer mutation gene. What does this mean you ask. It means my chances of getting reoccurrence is the same as anyone else (low) and the chances of getting breast cancer in the other breast is the same as anyone walking down the street (it would have been 50%+ if I was positive for the gene). So if the tumor continues to shrink I can do the lumpectomy surgery and not a double mastectomy. Huge news! Plus a big relief for the rest of the family and for Reese. Now she will only be normal to higher risk (with a paranoid mom and grandmother).
While on the topic of good news we found a new au pair to live with us. Her name is Laura (LAAra), 26, and from Italy. Her English is quite good and her Italian cooking is excellent ;). Yippee- naps for me :)

Ballerina Reese

Reese while not an extreme girly girl loves to dance. We read Angelina Ballerina books and even went to the live show in Sydney. This week her dream came true- she started ballet class. It was adorable to see her and about 4 other little girls prance and twirl around the room like fairies all dresses in tutus. Reese's little feet are too small for even toddler ballet shoes (she is only a size 5 and they seem to start at 7) so she just dances barefoot.

Check out the photos from class number 1:

Nate's first day of primary school!

Nate had his first day of school today ( I just dropped him off). No tears - not that I expect any from him as he has been going to preschool for a couple of years. But he looked so grown up in his school uniform (all Aussie public & private schools wear uniforms) and big boy shoes. Reese and I walked him over - the long commute of two houses over to the school gate. Then I had to embarrass him by taking tons of pictures. Good news is that Nate already knows at least one boy in his room from preschool - there are 20 kids to a class- not too big.

Here are a couple of photos to share- the older boy in the photo is Nate's new assigned buddy Jack.

The boys go to Brisbane

Nate and Michael went on a boys weekend to Brisbane last week. It was a chance to spend some quality time with dad before starting school. They flew (nothing a short drive in Australia) to the Sunshine Coast. After snorkeling in the lagoon at the Marriott and meeting some new lizard friends then headed to Moreton Island and the Tangalooma Resort via ferry. There they had an amazing day and half- snorkeling among 15 shipwrecks, hand feeding wild dolphin and ATV on desert safari across the beach and sand dunes. Nate got to drive his own ATV. Sounds amazing right. Then upon arriving back in Brisbane they headed north and spent the next day at the Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin's Zoo).

The full album is scrolling in the pane to your right. Check out some of the great pictures- most of which Nate took. I think one of his favorite was the picture of the leaf blower man (his second choice for his Halloween costume).