No doctor appointments, can it really be?

That is how I felt last two weeks.. it has been great. I feel more and more like myself everyday. My hair is growing (everywhere!), on my head it is still pretty short but I could go around as Sinead O'Connor I guess. And today I noticed that my big toe nails are growing back also, I had almost given up on them, thinking that I would be nail-less for the rest of my life, but there is hope :). Isn't it funny how we start worrying about small stuff when the real scares of life seem to subside? But I have not forgotten, I thank everyday that my liver biopsy came back with no cancer cells and that I am healthy!

This Monday I have a thyroid ultrasound and then on Wednesday I will see the oncologist again. I will have full blood tests to check on my liver, CBC and Vitamin D levels. We'll also talk about the thyroid U/S. I am pretty sure the liver enzymes will not be back to normal levels yet, but I hope that they won't have elevated either. I have been to acupuncture 3 times so far and I like it. If nothing else it is a very relaxing experience - first two times I laid on my back and the needles were on my feet, lower legs, wrists, behind ears and on my scalp. The last time, I laid on my tummy, and had several of them on my back. I will be going every other week. I am still exercising 6 days a week, trying to eat well (lots of veggies, little red meat, almost no white bread/rice, etc.). My weight seems to have reached a plateau, which is fine, I am almost where I want to be, and I am sure it will continue to come off as long as I continue what I am doing. Since February I have lost over 20 pounds, gave away all my "fat" clothes, got out "skinny" pants that I had been accumulating through years. It has been fun to go to work all dressed up.

On the 22nd of October we had a HUGE 41st birthday and end of chemo party. Friends from work, book club, neighbors.. all came, we had over 40 people in our house (mostly our sunroom). It was fun to celebrate!

OK I better go and wash the girls so they can go to sleep early tonight. I don't know how they know it but they wake up all by themselves and early on weekend mornings, but I need to scrape them off the bed during the week.

Wishing you a great weekend, ve Iyi Bayramlar!

Acupuncture rocks!

Today I went in for my first acupuncture session. I had heard a lot of good things from many friends and other cancer survivors so I decided to give it a try. The person who I saw, i.e. my acupuncturist has a PhD in Chinese medicine and acupuncture and 3 of my friends from the department have been very happy with her treatment. I had to fill in a long questionnaire about my health. So she listened to me asked questions, looked at my tongue, felt my pulse on both wrists and started the first session. Basically I took off my shoes and socks, my hat and my wig, and my watch. She rubbed alcohol on the spots that she was going to put the needles, and then put them in (wrists, feet, lower legs, behind my ears and on my scalp - it helps not to have hair :) ). It really didn't hurt, I almost didn't even feel them go in. Then she turned on a red heat lamp and shined them to my feet, turned on soft, calming music, put on an eye mask to keep the light off my eyes and left. For probably 20-30 minutes I laid down and relaxed.

When it was time to leave I felt more relaxed than I ever have even after a massage. I will go back next Friday for another session. She told me to eat 2 eggs/day for 5 days! OK I think I can do that :). She said that my yin was low, and the yang was causing the sweating and stuff at nights. She also thinks that the elevated liver enzymes are a sign of my liver overworking to get the toxins off my body. She advised against a "cleanse".

Cannot wait till next Friday :).

Tomorrow morning I will be doing the Making Strides against Breast Cancer walk. I am excited, it will be fun to be with people from my university and other members of the community and most likely other cancer survivors. I will try to take a few pictures and maybe post them later this week.

I feel sooo happy and relieved after the liver biopsy, I feel like I was handed a new LIFE! and I intend to live every day of it to its fullest!

Have a great weekend everybody!

Good news, la lala laaa!

No cancer in the liver biopsy! We will repeat the MRI at some point. But no cancer cells were seen! Thank you all for all the prayers and positive energy! I just want to recover from the chemo and have a happy, healthy life as long as I can. Love you all!

still no news

I am still waiting to hear from the Dr. I left a message with her nurse, gave them my cell phone number so they can reach me. I am freaking out a little. The weekend went quite well. I have been actually sleeping well since Friday night - it must be all the positive energy and the prayers y'all have been sending my way. But today our anxiety levels are high. I am trying to keep busy with teaching. I will post when I hear anything.

some pictures from the summer

I had been promising some pictures so here we go.

The girls on the apple tree:

Everyone making bubbles:



Deniz and Pelin. First day of school for Deniz, Travel back to Turkey for Pelin.
No words for this one.. just Ada, being herself:


Ada holding a tomato horn worm, we had a similar picture with Deniz when she was just 2 years old.



One of my favorite family pictures:

This was when we went on a hike to Devil's Kitchen.

Three generations together:


Ada all ready for a hike with sun screen on her face, and the scarf (don't ask me, I don't know why)


My parents at Arches National Park:


Dan and I at the end of our "anniversary" hike, to the Independence Monument;

Day after liver biopsy

is much better the day of the biopsy. I actually slept more and better than I have over at least a week! Maybe the drugs helped, maybe it was the emotional load of not only last week but last eight long months. Anyway I woke up feeling much better. We are planning to have a normal weekend as much as possible. Deniz and Dan are off the ballet. Ada and I are at home. In the afternoon the kids friends are coming over for a play date.

I don't want to think about the pathology results, not until the time comes. Talking to my body, cells, trying to be nice to them, good food, lots of water. I don't think I will exercise today but hopefully tomorrow we can go on a short hike as a family.

I wish y'all a great weekend also (except for those of you who already had their "weekend" on Thursday and Friday :) )!

Biopsy done

It was much easier and faster than I thought. Finding a vein and and putting the IV took much much longer, 2 nurses, 3 pokes later they suceeded. Right after the biopsy I had some pain, but now it is much better now. I think they will let me go home in a few hours. The pathology results should be out by Tuesday. Keep the positive energy and prayers coming please.

Waiting for the biopsy

I am in the waiting room, they should soon come and get me. I am not sure if they will let Dan in, I hope so, I want to hold his hand through it. I hope they give me something to calm me down. OK I just foind out that Dan won't be able to come in. Gotta go. I will try to update afterwards.

Had the MRI

This morning I went in for the liver MRI. I will get the results back from the Dr on Wednesday. The scan itself wasn't too bad, they accessed the port without any problems. It didn't hurt a bit, the dye for the contrast did not cause any reactions. Now I have to wait .. My anxiety level is a little high but I am trying to keep it under control.

short update

Sorry, I couldn't write yesterday. Yesterday's check-up went OK. The ANC count was over 3000, so it looks like my immune system is recovering. But the liver enzymes were still higher (I guess they went even a little higher than they were 3 weeks ago) so the Dr. wanted me to have an MRI scan. I will have it on Monday and see her on Wednesday to get the results. So it is time to send positive thoughts, prayers and good wishes again.. I am a little anxious. I guess it is not uncommon to have liver to be stressed because of chemo (I know of three survivors who had high liver enzymes as a result of chemo) but the fact that the doctor wanted an MRI is stressing me out a little. But there is nothing I can do right now so I try to keep calm and just wait till Wednesday.

She said that the ENT should decide if a biopsy is needed for the hyperpigmetation in my mouth. We'll see...

Time to try to go sleep now..