From Donna...

Well, here it is, the long awaited "bald shot'" I told y'all I looked cute bald!




Between my last treatment and now, my sister, Angela came to visit. I told her to come the week before chemo because that's when I feel my best. We had such a great time. You know that she is my baby sister. When she came along, I was grown up and getting ready to get married so I really didn't know her. We spent one day in our pjs just talking all day - what fun. It was a day of talk, FoodTV, catching up, and just being sisters. She and my dog, cocoa are now best friends. The time was so short with her. It seems like she just got here and she was gone. I really miss her and our time together was precious - it really gave me a chance to get to know her.

When we took her to the airport and we were waiting to go through baggage check, who was also standing in line but Laura Bennett off of Project Runway. Angela saw her and of course, you all know me, I walked up and introduced myself and then we proceeded to tell her what fans we are and how we had rooted for her during the competition. In case you are scratching your heads wondering what the heck I am talking about, Project Runway is a competition for clothing designers to become Top Designer and start their own label.

I have included a couple pictures for the blog from my sister's visit and a picture of me and my honey.










I had my fifth treatment yesterday and it went well. I snored through part of it. LOL Only one more to go, then I will take another step in the journey. Those decisions are yet to come. I know that I have said this before but I am so blessed to have been put into the hands of Dr. Hollady. He has made the correct decisions in my treatment and he is so supportive and compassionate. And, to top it off he has a great sense of humor. Thank you God for this wonderful man.

Needless to say I am looking forward to moving on after chemo and I am excited about what the future holds for me. I know that I will be forever involved in breast cancer awareness and that new opportunities await me.

Take Care and God Bless until next time.

I had a great visit with my friend, Susan today. She stayed about five hours and we laughed, cried, and talked about so many things. It was uplifting and I am so grateful that she is my friend.

I started going through some of my old stuff that I have written and came across this poem that I would like to share with you. I wrote it in 1987 after I went back home to Michigan. As I get closer to another step in the completion of my journey with breast cancer, I think that this poem is relative to my own rebirth, not only in spirit but in my own capacity as a human being, a woman and a survivor.

Enjoy!
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Rebirth

The end of my journey, my last night home,
Above the black of night shines ebony.
Sparkling jewels cling to the darkened dome
A restless spirit quiets within me.

A whisper washes against the white sand,
The touch of His presence brushes my face.
Soft curtains of color dance over land,
The spirit within me calls to this place.

How wide the expanse of the universe,
And, I am a moment a cosmic wink.
My search is certain, but the path diverse
My spirit in time will sustain the link.

As I walk forward and look straight ahead,
I know in my soul my spirit is fed.

Well, it's four down and two to go and I gotta tell you, it doesn't get any easier. In this last treatment the (ugly) red medicine was given to me in a more concentrated form and really made me feel weird. I got a headache, a hot flash, dizzy and nauseated, all in about 30 seconds - not fun. I have been very weak, tired and diarrhea everyday, all day (sorry).

Sometimes when I am awake late at night (like I am tonight) I know that I think thoughts that I should not. I do think about having cancer. There is so much more that I want to do; I am not ready to leave yet. Life is short and we should live each day to the fullest and like there is no tomorrow. Sorry, I don't mean to be morbid but I have days that are great and I have my not so good days. And, I don't mean to complain because I am alive and God is good. On the other side of these late night thoughts, I dream about eating my way through Italy when this is all over. I really think that I am obsessed with food - probably because it all tastes alike and I don't eat too much of it.

You know many of my friends have said that I am an inspiration but I'm not. I'm just one of the, one out of eight women who gets breast cancer, prays that the surgeon got it all, prays that chemo kills any stray cells, and prays to be a survivor. I am not special; I have many "sisters" in my journey.

Speaking of sisters, my sister, Angela is coming to see me next week and I am so excited. We will get to spend some quality time together. She is a Christian singer/songwriter. If anyone is an inspiration, it's Angela. She has lifted me up more than once during these recent times.

I really miss all my friends at work. You don't realize it but the people you work with become an extended family. We see our co-workers more than we see our own families. So, if anyone from work reads this, know that I do miss you all and look forward to getting back.

I know that I said that I would post a "bald" picture and I will. Be patient. Until next time, God bless.