Back from Mardi Gras
2/27/2004

Hi everyone!

Every time I think I just have a few quick updates it turns out to be much more, so the truth is a lot has been going on and will try to summarize as much as possible.

Family Reunion Alabama:
Our reunion was wonderful!! Couldn't imagine anything better. I was in the parade, all "blinged" out with a beautiful gown, lots of shiny jewelry, a silver mink stole (graciously handed down to me from my aunt who inhernited it from my grandmother), a gorgous red mardi gras mask with feathers. We had a ball throwing beads and stuffed animals. Erik even got into the action throwing beads while he was driving the benz!! The reunion part of the trip was on Sunday. The sun was shinning, everyone was playing footbal, kids were on the trampeling, and I was just soaking it all in. I got to spend more time with my grandfather that I don't know very well. He had a heartattack shortly before we got there, but I think this reunion did his heart some good as he had a grin from ear to ear, especially when holding my 9 month old niece Isabelle. I plan to scan in all the pics but my scanner is on the fritz and will as soon as I get it fixed.

Counts:
Had a minor scare on the way down to Alabama. My doctors nurse call while we were in the airport and said my counts were so low that I needed to get a blood draw right away. Of course I said that will have to wait until I land because I wasn't going to miss this for the world. We landed in New Orleans and rushed right to the hospital. My counts again are still low but stable. My doc said have a good time but be very careful...stay away from crowds. I wasn't about to tell them I was going to be in the middle of a HUGH crowd in the parade. It was worth the risk...luckily I didn't get sick. I start chemo this monday. My counts are still low, now it's more my white blood counts than my platelets. They are going to let me start on Monday but with a low (200mg) dosage again. They see them on a steady rise every week so in a couple months I should be back up to my typical 300 mg.

Anniversary:
My 6 month anniversary of my surgery is this March 5!! I am a 6 month survivor!! Now all we need is another 6, and another 6, and another 6, and so on.

Events:
Check out the American Brain Tumor Association website (www.abta.org). There are a couple of interesting things going on. March 26 & 27, Erik and I are going to the "Sharing Hope" Brain Tumor Conference in Washington. Also there is the "Brain Tumor Awareness Week" in Washington the week of May 2-7. The info can be found on www.nabraintumor.org and is generally just a good website. I believe there is an effort to collect hats for the march at Washington to represent brain tumor victims and survivors, but don't have much info on that just yet. The ABTA also has gray pins (they are metal but look like ribbons). The gray symbolizes the gray matter of the brain. They are only five dollars and the money goes to research for the ABTA. They also make a great fashion accessories which I can attest to as I wear mine all the time!! So when you are finished reading go and get yourself a pin and tell everyone who asks (most do because they have never seen a gray pin before, most are pink or red) about brain cancer. So few people know about it.

Once spring comes, I'm gonna have to get back to doing some kind of work or volutneering. This time off has been wonderful, but I would love to rejoin life again. No matter what my outcome will be, it will come either way, might as well enjoy myself!!

ps. If anyone has information about adopting internationally or privately, I would be very grateful if you could pass it on! I can't adopt through typical american adoption agencies because of my condition.

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