Thursday, March 25, 2010

FUNdraiser--Come One, Come All


Last week the Princesses got together for our monthly meeting to discuss fundraising and other details about the 3Day. We met at the Ale House, our usual spot. I was delighted that Kaitlyn was able to make the drive up from Watertown, especially it being her birthday. Many of us also met Tina for the first time as well.

Our main priority was to discuss our fundraising event set for May 8th. The original plan was to have a smaller venue, and make it an intimate evening; however, due to such an overwhelming response from friends and family, we made the decision to host the evening at a larger hall to accommodate more people--more people=more money! We wanted a venue that would allow us to bring in the most profit. What good is it having a large place if you have to spend a fortune for it? We decided to look at the Lafayette Club in Amesbury. We felt it was important to try to keep revenue in our town--most of us are townies at heart. Cheryl had the great idea to just walk over to the Lafayette Club that night to see if it was available. Four of us journeyed past the raging Pow Wow through the Mill Yard, over to High St. We nominated Cheryl to go in. Five minutes later the hall was booked--no charge! Many of you have heard the details already, but here they are again!!!

SAVE THE DATE!!! The event takes place on Saturday, May 8th from 7PM-midnight. We will have a silent auction with items such as Red Sox tickets, a catered dinner party, a day on a sailboat, a bucket of joy, electrical services provided by George White, a clambake in a bag, Celtics tickets (if they make the playoffs) and many other items. For a small fee, you will also be able to purchase pink ribbons on which you can write a loved one's name. Each of us will carry these ribbons on our entire 60 mile journey. In addition to that, there will be drinks, dancing, and loads of fun! To purchase tickets in advance, you may give any team member cash or a check payable to the Susan G. Komen 3Day for the Cure. Tickets are $10 per person. You may also purchace tickets online by going to a team member's site and making a $10 donation. Instead of including a message, just write that you would like tickets. If you choose to donate online, there are still team members who have not raised their minimum of $2,300. In order for our team to raise as much money as possible, I would prefer that you purchase your tickets from someone who has not raised their minimum. Many people have already purchased tickets, so I urge you to get them fast, before they are all gone. Line your babysitters up--you won't want to miss out on this fun-filled evening.

Now that you are all planning to attend...on to other news. Last Saturday Patty convinced me to go to her running club. As you know I have been running on my treadmill. I said I would give it a whirl, but told her that I may not be able to go every week because of baseball. As you may remember, Saturday was absolutely gorgeous--unseasonably warm for this time of year. We arrived just before 10 and I was prepared to run. I knew that running on the street is different from indoors, but I was up for the challenge. The program is a C25K program. We were on week three, so I figured it wouldn't be that hard. They usually meet at Fuller Field in Newburyport, but the track was taken so we went on the bike path. I had never been over there before; it is fabulous. Unfortunately we had to run back and forth so that we would stay together and be able to hear the whistle (it is timed intervals). I started off well, but by the end I was definitely fading. I had met a friend of a friend named Michelle, and thank goodness for her. Just when I felt I was going to give up, she pushed me onward. I am so appreciative to her for that. I made it, and felt so energized. I have to admit, I was pretty proud of myself. When Patty asked if I would do it again, I said of course--that was before I saw the temperature for Saturday morning. Yikes! I enjoy running, but my flannel sheets were calling my name. However, I did run, just on my treadmill.

One last thing before I go "dark" for Earth Hour. As I've said before, I have been volunteering my time at 3Day Get Started meetings. Just the other day I received an email from a woman who is in charge of media relations for the 3Day. She asked if I wouldn't mind being a 3Day Ambassador. "I would be honored," was my response. So who knows, maybe you will be hearing more from me in the future.

Royally yours,
Sherri

Friday, March 12, 2010

It's swell to run

Well, I was on a roll for a while, but as usual, life got in the way of writing my blog. Actually I didn't feel like I had much to report, but of course that has changed.

As some of you may know, I started running this fall. Those who know me well, understand that running is something I have never done, nor had any interest in. This story begins on a beautiful fall morning when Patty and I had gone out for a bike ride. We rode up to the AHS track and she said we were just going to run a lap. I laughed in her face. My body does not run. After much coaxing, she convinced me. After all, she was only a few months out of surgery and was still in treatment. It had been years for me. So I ran, well at least I tried, albeit not very successfully. That day I went home and told Andy. I don't want to say that he laughed, but he had this look on his face that I had never seen. He was the one who was the runner, not me. For the next week I thought about it continuously. I thought about my friend Tracy who did the walk with me last year. She lost over 125 lbs. and was now running every day! Our lives parallel in so many ways, why not this one? I could run too. Maybe we could even do a race together. So I started, little by little. I began in my basement on my treadmill--heaven forbid anyone see me struggling on the street. I increased each time I ran, and before Christmas I was just over 2 miles--not a lot, but more than I had ever done. I was never even a walker before the 3Day. I actually started to enjoy it, then the holidays came, and with them came a decrease in my running. There was little time to run, and I took a few weeks off.

As relaxing as that time off was, I began to notice a change in my left arm. It started to hurt more, and I noticed some swelling--lymphedema. Lymphedema sometimes occurs after a mastectomy when lymph nodes have been removed. Your lymph nodes regulate your lymphatic fluid throughout your body. This fluid is what fights off infection. After surgery, you are given range of motion exercises to help prevent developing lymphedema. I was diligent about mine. You are also instructed to not go into a hot tub or to lift anything heavy. You have to be careful about wearing clothing that fits tightly on your arm, and be cautious about shaving and manicures because of the risk of infection. I did everything that I was supposed to.

Unfortunately, these symptoms did not just come out of the blue. Last year during the walk was the first time I started experiencing arm pain. If you read my blog last year, you will remember the bear of a hill on Day 2. That day I was wearing a short sleeve shirt and had pushed up the sleeves. They didn't feel too tight, but as I was walking up the hill, probably faster than I should have, my arm began to hurt. I immediately put it over my head and pulled my sleeve down. It helped to alleviate the pain momentarily, but it continued to return off and on throughout the remainder of the walk. When I came home, I took it easy for a few days, and my arm felt fine. Over the next couple of months, it didn't bother me too much, although it would sometimes return when I overdid it.

When the pain started in January, I was not able to relieve it as I had in the past. I figured it was because of the running; therefore, I stopped altogether. Earlier in the fall I had mentioned my lymphedema to my oncologist, and she gave me a prescription for a compression sleeve. I hadn't needed it up until then, so I never filled it. I tried to hold off a little longer, but it seemed to get worse. I finally bit the bullet and ordered my sleeve. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to wear it all the time. Meanwhile, I was not working out. My teammates had started to train, and I was fearful to.

Last week I drove to Salem to pick up my sleeve. It had been backordered, and took several weeks to come in. After I battled the Friday afternoon traffic, I excitedly arrived, knowing that I would finally begin to work out again. As I walked into the Hutchinson Medical Supply fitting room armed with 2 sleeves (get it?), I was not looking forward to wearing one of them all of the time. I took the first one out of the wrapper, folded it over, and slid it up my arm. It didn't stay. It didn't even fit loosely on my arm, never mind compressing it. Damn it! They ordered the wrong size. Come to find out, they didn't. The sleeve was actually mismarked. Obviously, they had to order me another one. More time wasted, waiting to train.

While I was waiting for my second sleeve to come in, I began talking to a friend who also has lymphedema. We talked about physical therapy, which I will be starting soon, and how her therapist said that cardiovascular exercise helps lessen lymphedema. HELLO!!! The reason I had developed more symptoms was because I STOPPED running!!! Stupid! I immediately went home, and ran that night--not too far, but it was running nonetheless. I felt great, and my arm didn't bother me!

So my sleeve still hasn't come in, but I have been walking and running every day this week. Yahoo! It has been great. Now I am ready--ready to really start training again.

So that was great news for me, but there is more, sort of.

THE GOOD NEWS:
On Wednesday, I went to DFCI for my 6 month check-up. They usually don't do much, just a breast exam, blood work, and I get an injection. When I met with Lisa, the awesome nurse who draws my blood, I was shocked with she brought over 6 vials to be filled. What!?! I have never had 6 vials! I didn't have good veins before chemo, never mind afterward. What were these 6 vials for? She explained to me that there is a cancer blood test. I had never had it before, and was more terrified than ever. She did a great job, got all the blood she needed, and didn't cause a bruise afterward. After my blood work and injection, I went to see Dr. Chen, my oncologist.
She examined me and said that everything looked great. She also checked my blood work and informed me that it was also fine. What a relief! Once you have had a cancer, it is a constant fear that it will someday return. This was fabulous news.

THE NOT SO GOOD NEWS:
After I arrived home, I posted my news on Facebook. I had so many people respond. My family and friends are what got me through that difficult time, and their encouragement and support never waiver. Later that evening I went to my basement to run. I had a good run, and went a little further than the time before. When I walked upstairs to take a shower, I noticed that my neck was red and blotchy. As a matter of fact, it was itchy too. I chalked it up to heat rash, showered, and went to bed. When I awoke in the morning, the rash had spread and was now on my face and wrists. A phone call to my PCP was in order. After a quick appointment, I found that I had an allergic reaction to my injection. I had been taking this drug for 2 years! I had never heard of such a thing, but I guess it happens. My doctor gave me a prescription for steroids, and as of today I am doing much better. Well, what exactly does this mean for me? We'll have to wait and see what happens the next time I get my injection in June. I'll keep you posted.

Royally yours,
Sherri