My Doc

Chris and I found this in a book called " Texas Medicine Men". Dr. John Adams is my oncologist and we think he's the best!!  He cares for his patients just as he says.This has been just one of the reasons we have chosen him as my oncologist.

A Few More Miles!

After receiving the news we had all hoped and prayed for I now face another decision. To stop chemo at the recommended time of 18 treatments, OR, go a little further, do a little extra to chase this cancer as far away as possible!

There are good reasons to stop as well as to continue on. Neither have any statistics. Making this decision has been difficult to say the least. Physically, I do believe I can handle going a few more miles. Once I wrap my brain around that, I will need to prepare mentally/ emotionally for a longer treatment process. It has now been 7 months since the hospital/chemo began and I am so ready to be done!

I have sought opinions from my oncology team as well as friends in this field. I very much trust these people's opinions and know they will be honest with me.

Most of all Chris and I have committed this to prayer and feel completely at peace with the decision to keep going.

There were/are some key factors we  are looking for in helping with this decision.
1~ The scans came back clean, showing No Evidence Of Disease. Done and Praise God!
2~ Getting second opinions. Done!
3~ Tumor markers are all in normal range ( Tests are tomorrow, Monday) We are close, very, very close!
4~ One more consult with my Oncologist ( after test results).

I have scheduled my LAST three chemo treatments, taking me to 21total
and ending on our 29th wedding Anniversary! A big day!

With all that said, I am well aware that any and all of this can change. I am looking at it like when you are out there having a really good run and decide to go a few more miles past your intended run and to push a little more to get the best results possible....just because you can.

Z- Zip-Lining

Last summer my husband and I took a trip to the San Juan Islands in Washington State. An amazing trip filled with lots of fun, adventures and  outdoor activities.
We kayaked with whales, we rode bikes around the Island, hiked and took a Ferry to the other surrounding Islands.


One of the highlights of the trip was our first time to go Zip-lining! It was so much  fun climbing up the first tree to get started and then zipping through the forest and over water to get from tree to tree! I wish we could have gone twice, we were just getting warmed up!

We had to learn a lot in a short amount of time.How to wear and put on your equipment, the dangers and safety rules while zip-lining, to watch for the guides hands so you know when to do certain things before "landing", and how to land in a tree!

As we all seemed more and more comfortable they began to give us options like letting go, spinning, and jumping off backwards. I tried them all and they were all fun. I was grateful that this experience was fun and I did not feel afraid.

Don't our lives seem to be similar to many of the experiences we had that day? Sometimes we have to cram a lot of information into a very small amount of time whether we are ready or not!

Sometimes we have to trust people we do not know and even put our lives in  their hands. Hope that they get us from "tree to tree".

Sometimes we have to take risks, some are fun and some not so much. Sometimes to take the risk it is well worth the outcome at the end.

I am now finished another year in the A~Z Challenge and just about to finish my chemotherapy! The challenge, like the zip-line has been fun. I have crammed a lot in a short period of time but it has all been worth it!
The chemo was a risk I took, trusting my "guides" to get me from "tree to tree" and the risk was, in the end worth it as my tests have shown "No Evidence of Disease"!
I do believe it is now time to get back to some of these great adventures once again!
Thanks to all of you that have followed along and prayed for me and my family.I hope to meet up again with you next year in the A~Z challenge!

Y~is for yoga

Right up to the time I was hospitalized and began chemo I had been enjoying Yoga classes at LifeTime Fitness. The classes were intense and I LOVED them!
Prior to the classes I had some videos I would do at home so I was familiar with yoga but these classes took it to a whole new level, with my favorite being Yin-Yoga.
http://elayneminich.blogspot.com/2012/04/y-is-for-yin-yoga.html

I have missed my workouts at the club, swimming, cycle classes and yoga of course.

I began searching for yoga videos that I could do at home and found two I am happy with. After taking such advanced classes I worried these might be too easy. However after about 9 or 10 rounds of chemo, these were perfect! Honestly good for anyone starting out or with some yoga experience. There are just tips how to modify for those of us who have had surgery, are going through chemo and the like.

 I plan to use these DVD's to gain my own strength back and then teach them in my classes...which I can't wait to get back too!

Ocean Soul, Yoga for cancer recovery with Claire Petretti. Photo from Amazon

Thriving Yoga, Yoga for breast cancer. Photo from Amazon

X is for X-TERRA

This is the same title of the post I wrote last year with a different story. The link below is part 1 of this post.
http://elayneminich.blogspot.com/2012/04/x-is-for-x-terra.html

 Less than a year later I was able to get my "dream car"! I realize it may not be many people's first choice for a car and maybe not even a "girlie" car, but it is a perfect match for me.
We live an active lifestyle and need a vehicle that can tow boats, hold kayaks and bikes on the roof and room in the back to pack up gear. This car does it all!
The day after we received my great test results my husband took the X-TERRA and had a heavy duty hitch put on it. We are ready for summer now!
I wondered where the name X-Terra came from and here is what I found
From Wikipedia.The ironic part is before I knew this was the car I hoped to own one day I also have two passions; first to return to Hawaii as much as possible and two, to complete a Triathlon. Who knows maybe both in Maui.

XTERRA is a series of off-road triathlon races, i.e. three-sport races which include swimming, mountain biking, and trail running. The XTERRA Global Tour is owned and produced by TEAM Unlimited. The XTERRA race series is the best-known series of off-road triathlons, and is considered by most to be the de facto world championship of the sport.^{[citation needed]}
It began in 1996 on the Hawaiian island of Maui as the Aquaterra, and was later renamed the XTERRA. The Japanese company Nissan Motors Corporation named their popular sport utility vehicle (the Nissan Xterra) in 1999 after the race and was the race series' primary sponsor from 1998 to 2006, when the two companies parted ways.^[1]

 My X-TERRA

photo by elayne M.

W~ Women

Twelve Extraordinary Women of the Bible. This book has been a great source of comfort and wisdom over these past weeks for me.
I have studied women like Eve, Sarah, Ruth and Hannah so far. The one thing that continuously stands out to me as I read more and more is their unwavering faith in God.

I have been amazed by the number of years that they remain unshaken in their faith, even when time goes on and what they are praying and waiting for seems more and more impossible.They wait, they pray, they trust and God answers them.

I kept thinking about these women as I was having my tests done, laying there in the machines, waiting.  I usually spend this time in prayer,it brings me peace and I feel completely calm.

This time was a little different. I had recently been reading about Hannah and how she prayed for a son, how she would go to the tabernacle and pray. What stood out to me about her was that she would bring her request to God and then leave it there. God knew her heart she asked for the desires of her heart and then trusted God with the rest.

When it was time for me to have the final test last week I had that same peace. I had prayed and asked God for the desires of my heart. To live, to be here for my husband, children and grandchildren. For my family and friends. To live the best life I can and hopefully I am doing what He has called me to do.
I went into the test knowing I have done all that I can possibly do and felt a calmness over me and a sense that I can rest now. He, once again heard our prayers and He answered them!
I hope that I will always have the faith that these women had. That I will not be shaken and will live my life the best I can for Him.

I have not finished the book yet and I am looking forward to learning about the rest of these Extraordinary Women!

U & V~ Ultimate Victory!

I have spent several days at the hospital having all kinds of tests done to see if the chemotherapy has worked.

Yesterday we met with my oncologist. He walked in, handed me 3 pieces of paper with my PET scan images on them.One from August...looked ok, October...looked bad, and yesterday...completely clear!!

My CT and PET scans look great, there is No Evidence of Disease!! I have three more chemo treatments left!

This has been such a long and scary ride over these past 6 months but I have been so blessed to have the support, love, help and prayers from all of you and Gods grace!

Before we left the doctors office I was already asking if I will have any limitations when I am ready to get back to my "former life" , he said no.
I will admit both my husband and I are having a little trouble taking this all in, putting our guards down. I am sure as the days and weeks go by, the chemo ends and my strength comes back, we will find our way back to the life we always have and will continue to love!

We thank God for this Ultimate Victory over cancer at this time!

T~Transitions

A few weeks ago I experienced a difficult situation that has led me to make a small change that has had a big effect.

My husband and I decided to get out and run a couple of errands on a Saturday, a windy day. My decision to not wear a wig, and only wear hats was tested on this day.
I don't know why but on this day I was feeling very self conscious, particularly about people staring at me or looking at me with sympathy. Normally I notice it but can just go about my day and it doesn't bother me. This day it did.

As we walked from the car to the store it was so windy I had to hold my hat on my head for fear of it blowing off and my little bald, gray straggly head being exposed for all to see. Normally something like this I would get a great laugh out of, but not this day.

The young clerk at the checkout doesn't make eye contact at the counter, more stares and looks of pity, at least that's how I felt, it's what I saw.

I shared with my husband that I felt uncomfortable. He reassured me that people were not staring. We then went to a favorite restaurant for lunch. Beautiful day, minus the wind, we decided to eat on the patio outdoors.It was very crowded and again I felt the stares. Becoming more and more uncomfortable I then found myself having to hold my hat on my head with one hand and eat with the other. Then my head sank lower towards my plate, just trying to eat and not loose my hat.

As soon as we were done my husband asked if I wanted to walk around the shops. I said no and looked for the shortest path back to our car.
I cried the whole way home. I just wanted to get back to my home and crawl under my blanket. I have never experienced this at this level before.
Am I embarrassed because I have cancer...NO! Do I have a bad day once in a while...YES!
So, what do I do to prevent another day like that one? Transition from "hat" to "hats with hair"! I bought a hair halo that I wear under any hat so it looks like you have hair. I gave it a try for the first time on Tuesday and it worked beautifully!

Whether or not what I felt that day was as bad as I thought or not, this small change that transitions me on the outside for just a little while seems to help. I think that's ok right now.