Hey Everybody

Monday was the 2-year anniversary of my cancer diagnosis; I am a 2 year survivor! Woo hoo! Since inflammatory breast cancer has a 40% 5-year survival rate and I had cancer metastasisto my bone and liver this is an extra special milestone for me (http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_Is_bone_metastasis_66.asp)! I have been "disease free" (stage IV/NED) since completion of chemo, so about 18 months now!!!! I do have some "low level uptake" seen on the PET/CT scans in my ribs and sternum but the doctors feel it is more likely healing bone tissue rather than metastasis. Still taking Herceptin (to prevent cancer from comming back) every 3 weeks and Zometa (to heal bones) every 6 weeks. These are IV drugs that I go to the doctors office to receive. Thankfully I have a chemo port (http://www.breastcancer.org/pictures/treatment/chemo_port.jsp) so they don't have to poke my (very scar-tissued filled) veins. Side effects are mild nausea, muscle ache, bone ache, and fatigue. I have lots of perscriptions to help control these. I also have arthritis throughout my spine and neck (previous tumor locations) and get chronic headaches which currently are pretty well under control. So I'm no longer the hyper bouncy spaz I use to be (although to talk to me on the phone you wouldn't guess it). I havne't had a heart scan in a while (MUGA); but the last one was normal and the doc gives me regular check-ups and everything looks good. He doesn't want to burn me out with all the tests (too late) so since I'm so healthy he isn't following the every 3-mos standard (Herceptin can cause congestive heart failure). I "graduated" from my lymphedema doc; I'm doing such a good job of controlling my "arm swelling" that I don't have to go in for regular check-ups anymore, just if I have a problem. One less doc to go to, woo hoo. I was doing accupuncture to help control treatment side effects, but it didn't seem to help with that though. It did however help when my fatigue and pain level got out of control; so I am no longer seeing this doc on a regular basis either.

The kids are growing up so fast. Brady just turned 5; he can ride his bike without training wheels and learned how to push/pump himself on the swing. He can hit a baseball off of a pitch and is working on his catching/throwing skills. We're working on tying his shoes and he is back in the water being a little fish. He had a great soccer season; he was the best goalie on the team (and one of the youngest kids as well) and it looks like he'll be a great blocker in football based off of his defense skills (I was really worried he was going to get a penalty called on him). He starts t-ball and swim lessons next week. In the fall he starts kindergarten, he can't wait! Morgan will be 3 in August, she just finished up dance class and is too cute! She was the best in her class and ofcourse I forgot my camera for the last day when they preformed their bumble bee dance (she was the only one to do the whole dance and sing), not even my phone on me! She can't wait to start preschool in the fall; and also wants to take gymnastics and soccer on top of dance class (pacing myself...). We are working on returning back to being potty trained, she does a great job when we're at the pool so we may have to spend all day at the pool this summer, such a hardship, she will be taking swim lessons as well which is really more just her personal play time with the lifeguards.

Kevin is still with ABB on the Dow contract. He's working from home with the occasional trip to Midland, MI and Houston, TX. He occasionally gets out with buddies for wallyball, golf, or the occasional sporting event. We're looking forward to lots of fun family trips upnorth to "the property" at Bear Lake Township in Kalkaska and trying to plan a vacation on top of that as well. The kids both want to move upnorth, they love playing in the woods all day with their cousins and visiting all the "moms and grandmas" to see who has the best goodies.

I'm a "group leader" for the breast cancer support group at http://www.mdjunction.com/. It feels good to help guide women and support them on this unfortunate journey. I had an article I wrote published on the site (link below along with my two blogs) and there is a chapter about me (along with a quote from my Dad) in a newly released book (see link below). The book itself isn't all that impressive; but I've never been published before. I have good and bad days; but overall I'm doing pretty darn well. Monday was a really good day (just getting over a nasty sinus infection so I've been sleeping a lot lately), I walked the dog twice, took the kids to the pool, played outside, did dishes and laundry, grilled dinner, ... you get the point. Anyway, Tuesday after Morgan's last dance class I looked out the window and suddenly had a huge muscle spasm in my back which left me on the couch the rest of the day taking muscle relaxers. I'm feeling much better today but sore. As I've said a million times before, I don't do well with being delicate and need to learn how to pace myself!

blog: http://360.yahoo.com/jessica_harris9

blog: http://www.myspace.com/ned_rocks

article: http://www.mdjunction.com/breast-cancer/articles/too-young-for-breast-cancer

book: http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail~bookid~45777.aspx