Unexpected Kindnesses

Today I had two very heart-warming experiences.

I had an appointment to get my hair trimmed- just a little buzz to even out the fuzzies that have started to grow in. I went to Annette at About Faces Hair Salon in Tano Mall on Amboy Avenue. She has been my hairdresser for over 9 years. (Annette, some other beauticians and the owner Sandy did the hair, makeup and nails for my daughter's entire wedding party last year. I must admit we all looked marvelous. ) Annette was nice enough to give me a quick buzz and she asked about my treatments and how I was doing. As I walked up to the desk to pay, Annette leaned over and said "That's OK Dee no need to pay- it took me less than 10 minutes - I'll see you next month for another trim" . She really could have charged me what she would have charged a man but she didn't. Of course my eyes got teary and I gave her a giant hug and said "thanks". That was true kindness.

Then Nick and I headed over to Boro Hardware in Metuchen. This is a small family run local hardware store. My friend Pam had given me a key blank with an end shaped like an awareness ribbon and painted teal. I went up to the counter and asked the man if he could cut the key for me. He said sure, took the blank and cut me a new house key. He came back to the counter handed me the key and said "There you go. ". I asked " What do I owe you? " and he said"Nothing. Have a good day". I thanked him and turned away as my eyes teared up again. Such unexpected kindnesses. Twice in one day. It so moved me that two people could be so kind and touch my life in such a wonderful way.

So if you live in the Edison Metuchen area of NJ, I recommend visiting About Faces Hair Salon and Boro Hardware. They employ truely wonderful, caring individuals. Thanks Annette and Boro Hardware.

LiveSTRONG
Dee
Every Day is a Blessing! I was certainly blessed today.

PARP inhibitor - NIH Phase I trial

I received this info from OCNA for women who have BRACA1 or 2 mutations.

"Ovarian cancer physicians are excited about the potential of this new class of agents in their use for breast and ovarian cancer of mutation carriers and hope that they will have potential for women with sporadic ovarian cancers as well. Dr. Elise Kohn and her colleagues at the National Cancer Institute have an ongoing phase I study using olaparib (AZD2281) in combination with carboplatin recruiting mutation carriers with breast and/or ovarian cancer (contact: 1-888-624-1937). "

I met Dr. Kohn last year and her Ovarian Cancer research is very exciting.

LiveSTRONG

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Unremarkable

Just wanted to share the good news from today's CINJ appointment.

The scans I had earlier this month were "unremarkable" . I know I like to think of myself as a pretty special woman but in this case I don't mind at all being unremarkable. My physical exam was good and my CA-125 was stable.

I am one happy camper.

LiveSTRONG

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

Changes

After a year and a half of writing this blog I decided to change the layout. I hope you like it. Like my life I am trying to simplify and this layout is simple.

LiveSTRONG
Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Help Pass Johanna's Law 2009

I received this e-mail regarding Johanna's Law 2009. Please write your representative and help raise awareness of Ovarian Cancer.

Johanna's Law 2009 Introduced in the House of Representatives

Johanna's Law Introduced in the U.S. House of Representative Take Action! Ask Your Member of the House of Representatives to Co-Sponsor Johanna’s Law Johanna's Law: The Gynecologic Cancer Education and Awareness Act was signed into law in 2007. The law authorized a national gynecologic cancer awareness campaign over three years. We must now work to reauthorize the program. Ask your Representative to become a co-sponsor for the reauthorization of Johanna's Law: The Gynecologic Cancer Education and Awareness Act. This bill will provide more than $ 16 million in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to continue work on creating and running an awareness campaign. The enhanced Johanna's Law also calls for collaboration with nonprofit gynecologic cancer organizations and creates a grant program for groups to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer.

LiveStrong

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing! Today my blessing was taking a walk with Murphy Dog.

Two Special Dads

There have been two very special Dads in my life Robert, my dad, and Nick, my husband.


I was 5 years old when my mother died and my Dad became a single dad to my two sisters and I ( with help from his sister Dora who came to live with us). The photo is from when he served in the Army during World War II.

My father was the one who kept telling me I could do anything if I worked hard enough at it. He was a plumber who had an 8th grade education. He worked long days to make sure all three of his daughters had college educations. He was behind me 100% when I applied to the engineering school at Rutgers. He had taught me how to weld pipe, change the float on a toilet and install a faucet so he figured I could be an engineer. I was so proud he saw me graduate and get my first job. He passed away in July of 1977 the same month I started work and met my husband. I wish my dad had been alive to meet my husband and kids. I know he would have loved them.

Nick is an awesome husband and wonderful Dad to Terry and Matt. When the kids were growing up he played ball, helped with homework, went to parent-teacher conferences, taught the kids how to drive and was always there to listen. Even now that Terry is married and Matt is in graduate school he still loves to have them visit or visit them and is still doing what dads do best- give advice and help with projects.

Nick has been my life line these past few years, taking me to almost every doctor appointment, chemo treatment, scan and blood test. He has been the one telling me I can do this. And he has helped me to find the strength to get through it not once but twice.



Thanks Dad and Nick for being the best Dads in the world.

LiveStrong

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing.

Taxol Toe

The other day as I put on my sandals I noticed a very wide white area on the big toe of my left foot. Today when I went in to have my port flushed ( yup, I still get a flush every 6-8 weeks) I asked my nurse about my toe. After she looked at my foot she said that the Taxol ( placitaxel) treatments I completed in April had caused my toe problem. She said that many patients on Taxol type chemos experience issues where the nail separates from the nail base.

So how big is this problem? I came home and did a quick Google Search of placitaxel nail effects and sure enough there were a large number of journal articles ( 313,000) some with photos of toes that looked like mine.

Here is a neat word I learned which relates to Taxol and nails:

onycholysis on·y·chol·y·sis (ŏn'ĭ-kŏl'ĭ-sĭs)
n.
The separation or loosening of a fingernail or toenail from its nail bed.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source


LiveSTRONG

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing ! Even if you find your nails are doing funky things!