Hi everyone!

Thanks for all the well wishes over the last month. Changing to the new treatment plan is pretty scary but I am doing well so far. With all chemo the effects are cumulative so we shall see how this next week goes before I have my week off the chemo pills. As a reminder it is chemo pills for two weeks on, one week off; brain pills every day; herceptin infusion every 3 weeks.

My main side effect is the extreme fatigue which seems to come and go without cause. I can wake up one day and feel like my old self but then the next be completely zonked out by 10am. Trying to pace myself with activities is something that will take practice and just learning my body's new limits. This past weekend we went to the Milwaukee zoo and it took me 2 full days to recover Yesterday I laid on the couch nearly all day. We had to cancel plans with friends on Sunday because the thought of getting out of the house with the kids was too much for me. I had wanted to get back at riding my bike this summer but now I'm a little nervous to expend too much energy during the day and not be the mom I want to be in the evening. They say activity actually helps with fatigue but its difficult to find the line between helpful and too much.

My nail beds had become infected and I got antibiotics at my last office appointment. They finally took a turn for the better in what feels like the last 24hrs. Sure they still look pretty busted up but to not be oozing is a good sign! 

I am hopeful that my hair may be starting to grow back. I have a little peach fuzz mustache! This new chemo does not have hair loss as a side effect, only hair thinning. My random hairs can no longer be plucked out with my fingers and seem to be holding on better. All the hairs that are growing are white but who knows if they'll stay that way, color and texture changes are common after treatment. I've been using temporary tattoos for my eyebrows and they're life changing. The loss of my eyebrows happened so suddenly and made me feel like I looked so "sick". It is amazing to look in the mirror and feel like myself again. The bald head really doesn't bother me too much, I have a beautifully shaped head, but the eyebrows are a game changer.

I've been enjoying starting seeds for this summer's garden and watching the few things we planted directly in the ground pop up. We are planning to get a fence this year so the kids can run around only semi-supervised and not run into traffic or the pond. 

This afternoon I have my first appointment with a psychologist. Like a real PhD type doctor, not just a therapist or counselor. He specializes in cancer and chronic illness patients so I am hopeful he can help me process the last 6 months and what's to come. I tried talking to a therapist a couple months ago but she had sad eyes and sad voice and that's not the energy I need. So far his voice has been incredibly soothing and I may suggest to him to start a podcast of reading boring books to help people fall asleep. 

So that's where I'm at, just plugging along always trying to get used to the next thing. We have fun plans this weekend I am hellbent on doing and then Mother's Day weekend and Bobby & Niel's birthdays! If the weather keeps being this beautiful I will be one happy lady. I am READY for summer!