Here it is less than 3 weeks before the big run, The Boston Marathon. The last time I ran that challenging course was back in 1992. This year I am fortunate to be running as a member of the MMRF Power Team. The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation is an organization very near and dear to my heart, as I am a Multiple Myeloma Survior.
I have been blessed to be a stay at home mother with two sets of twins. Back in 2010, at the age of 39, ( my children were 9 and 7 ) I made the commitment to get into the best shape of my life and participate in my first triathlon. Training was going very well. I had a few setbacks however. I developed what looked like a cyst on my chest. I saw my doctor and she removed the cyst in her office. She sent a sample to the lab and it came back benign. However the area on my chest where the cyst was located, was still tender. One day in the gym, I was working out with a friend tossing a medicine ball back and forth. Unfortunately, one toss resulted in a direct hit on my chest where the cyst was removed. It just about knocked the wind out of me. The pain was excruciating. I later went to to the Emergency Room for an X-Ray. No break was confirmed. It looked as though I just badly bruised my sternum.
I learned to deal with the pain of my sternum healing and did physical therapy while continuing my training. I completed my first triathlon in May. My next race was a triathlon in July.
Life came to a complete halt in June 2010. My cyst on my chest grew back and I had it removed by a plastic surgeon in May. I received a call a week later, with the unexpected news. It was a malignant tumor. Before I knew it I found myself receiving my first bone marrow biopsy. It was confirmed by my oncologist that I had Multiple Myeloma.
It seemed as though along the the shock of receiving news that I had an incurable cancer, I began to experience excruciating pain in my ribs and sternum. It was confirmed that I had indeed broken my sternum with the medicine ball incident. Apparently my x-ray was misread. Also I had a few broken ribs. The disease was weakening my bones. I began my chemotherapy regimen in July 2010.
I went from being in the best shape of my life, to being a cancer patient supported 24 hours a day on morphine. My body appeared to be weakening by the day, along with my spirit and hope. My children saw me go from "super woman" to a tired, weak, depressed soul.
Our lives quickly become consumed with doctor visits, pills and chemotherapy. By late August, I felt relief from the bone pain and began to gain some of my energy back. I started back running and in September I ran the MMRF Race for Research 5K in Boston. In November 2010, I went in for my life saving Stem Cell Transplant where I received an autologous stem cell transplant. The recovery was slow. But in March I found myself ready to regaining my strength and building back the muscle and endurance I had lost. I started with lifting light weights. But returned quickly to my first love, running. Not only did I start to regain my strength but also started to rebuild my broken spirit.
In October 2011, less than 11 months after my stem cell transplant, I completed the Bay State Marathon. The race was an incredible challenge. I battled fatigue and severe dehydration the last 5 miles. Once I crossed the finish line I was quickly carried to the medical tent where I received some much needed fluids.
I have trained all winter (fortunately outside thanks to Mother Nature) for the Boston currently in a complete remission. Today, there is no myeloma detected. However, I am still on a maintenance regimen consisting of Revlimid and Dexamethasone, to improve the quality of my life and prolong the recurrence of the disease. Although my legs have endured the long miles logged, my endurance has been my biggest challenge. The side effects of fatigue from the medicine I am on have taken it's 'toll. What might just be a cold for someone becomes a month long struggle for me. As soon as I start to feel strong and energetic, it seems like I hit a wall plagued with illness and or fatigue. This is life as a Multiple Myeloma Patient.
It has been a struggle to keep my spirits high especially during these last few crucial weeks before the marathon. I have learned that I need to re-evaluate and set realistic goals for myself, even if that means taking days off from my training. Even today, I was planning on running a good 7-10 miles; however, I am still struggling with feeling run down with a nagging cough from over a month ago. So, I took the day off. Completing the course in less than 4 hours will probably not be feasible. However being blessed to be running each and every 26.2 miles of that challenging course with my MMRF Power Team Shirt , albeit it however long takes me to finish, is reward enough for me. I am proud to be running and raising money to support the MMRF and their goal to cure Multiple Myeloma, a disease that has taken the lives of so many. It has challenged me in more ways than I ever thought possible. It has changed the priorities in my life completely. Although the future may be unknown, today I am strong in mind, body and spirit. Running has renewed that broken spirit. I run today because I can.
If you would like to support me in my efforts running this year's Boston Marathon in LESS than 3 WEEKS (Yikes) with the MMRF Power Team, please click on the link below:
http://www.active.com/donate/2012mmrfBoston/JDreyer8
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Embracing Each And Every Day The Good, The Bad And The Unexpected
I can't believe how quickly time seems to be passing by. It is already the end of February and here in New England it almost feels like we haven't even had winter. Usually by this time we are all feeling pretty housebound and desperate for warm days, sunny skies, and to be able to see the ground beneath the several feet of snow. But this winter we have been blessed with days in fifties and no snow on the ground at all. OK, not such good news for skiing and my love of snowshoeing. But the fact that I have been able to run outside all winter and that we have not had to shovel or snow blow the driveway....... I am loving it!
Up until a couple of weeks ago, my training for the Boston Marathon had going really well. I had been really sticking to a training program which involves following a nice running program averaging about several 4-6 mile runs a week and then a nice long run once a week. Also hitting the gym for some weight training. I have also been really committed to learning all I can about fueling during my runs so that I do not end up in the medical tent this marathon. Much to my surprise it has really made a difference in the way I feel during my runs, as well as my recovery. As I was saying, I really had been feeling great and was gearing up for my long runs coming up in the next several weeks.
Well, as things seem to go, just as I was feeling great I hit a few brick walls. When I was out in California I experienced some "womanly issues". This was a quite surprise to me. as my doctor had confirmed to me that I was post-menopausal. My menopause was drug-induced thanks to a shot of Lupron before my stem cell transplant. Last spring/ summer I had the joy of experiencing some major hot flashes and all the other lovely things that come along with menopause. I really had it in my mind that I was now past all that. But to my surprise out in California all that came to a halt. I called my doctor right away and she confirmed with me that I would need to go for an ultrasounds as soon as I got home from my trip. So that is what I did. Like most tests, it took several days to get the results. When I did get the results, the phone call went something like this......" Can you talk? We found a few concerns with your ultrasound. " Oh crap, here we go again. Apparently I had a thickening Endometrian wall and Hydronephrosis (blockage of the kidney). What the hell was that? The nurse explained vaguely that there appeared to be a blockage of my kidney and that we would have to schedule a CT Scan and I would need to see a OBGyn Specialist for another ultrasound and perhaps a procedure.
I got off the phone and just wanted to cry. What did all this mean? Does this have anything to do with all the chemicals I continue to push in my body to keep my Myeloma quiet; ie: Revlimid and all the risks of secondary cancers associated with it? Mike was away on business but I knew I had to tell him. I caught him while he was driving. He pulled over and began looking all this stuff up. We did as we have been told by doctors many times not to do....we googled. Together we read that these two conditions exist, the thickening of the Endometrian Wall and Hydronephrosis in stage 3 cervical cancer. Really? Come on!!!!! This cannot be happening!!! Mike did his best to calm me down, but I could hear in his voice his concern. He offered to fly home early, but I told him there was no reason. We had to wait until I had the additional tests to really find out what was going on. We promised each other we would try to remain calm and not freak out. What ever the situation was, we would deal with it, just as we had done before.
I was fortunate enough to get a CT Scan right the very same week. Mike was home and took me. We both were scared with so many thought running through our heads. We both felt like we were paralyzed. We had no focus on anything but worrying. The next day we went to see the OBGyn Specialist. When we arrived at the doctor's office we were escorted to her office. We were told she wanted to speak with us first. Oh brother. In the past, sitting with the doctor has not usually meant good news. She could see the concern in both of us. Mike and I sat down and squeezed each other's hands. At this point we just wanted to know what we were dealing with, what ever it was. Just tell us! Well, immediately addressed all our concerns. And then quickly dismissed all that we had been so worried about. She explained that she was going to do another ultrasound and take a sample of the Endometrium wall to rule out any abnormalities. Cervical cancer was not a concern at all. Damn WebMd! And we know better! Ugh!
So in to the ultrasound room I went. Everything looked good to her, in fact very good. In fact most young women would LOVE to see what she saw on the screen. Yup I was a spring chicken again! She saw follicles, lots of follicles! I was ovulating! Really? Heck even in my twenties I had trouble with that. In fact Mike and I had to go through Invitro-fertilization to have our four beautiful babies. And now I was ovulating? It was as if we reversed the clock! My Endometrium wall was thin as it should be and everything looked great. She still did take a sample (ouch!) just to confirm that all was OK. I guess Mike and the kids are going to have to be prepared to ride the hormone roller coaster with me. And on the bright side when I do go through Menopause again, at least I'll know what to expect!
As soon as we walked out of her office, I received a call from my other doctor's office with my CT Scan results. Everything looked normal. The kidney looked fine. There were no blockages and no concerns. Ok so went from thinking I was dying to now being a fertile young thing with a great looking functioning kidney! What the heck! What a roller coaster ride. Mike and I fell into each others arms and let out a few tears. He looked it me and said OK, can we now go out for coffee and make some travel plans this year?
So lesson learned..... Stay off WebMD. Yeah like I'll do that the next time. Probably not! We are our worst enemies.
So I got back to my running last week and in fact Suzi and I did 16 miles last Friday. It was a beautiful February day. It hit almost 50 degrees during our run! I had been battling a cough on and on but other than that, I felt great. I was pumped to pass the 16 mile mark and I was looking forward to hitting 20 the following week. But as things go, I once again hit a wall. Saturday I woke up feeling worn out and coughing more. By Sunday morning I had the chills and a very high fever. So off to the emergency center we went. They did a chest x-ray. Although my lungs looked OK, they treated me for pneumonia and gave me a shot ( a booster to jump start things) , and inhaler and prescription for antibiotics. So this meant a week without running. I focused on eating well and getting some much needed rest. Thursday was treatment day at the hospital. Usually the nurse starts off my appointments with asking if I had any hospital visits, scans, x-rays since my last visit. This time I had to answer yes to all those questions thanks to my eventful last few weeks. Thankfully all my blood work came back normal. I slept during my 3 hours in the Infusion Room. After a bag of fluids and my Zometa infusion I was free to go home!
This morning I finally felt like I was getting some energy back and my cough has finally for the most part gone away. Mike, Flower and I went for a very slow 3.2 mile jog. It felt so great to move again. I took it very slow. I know it is going to take some time to get back to where I was. I am hoping to get a few 3-5 mile runs in Florida and hopefully in a couple weeks I'll tackle that 20 miler. The Boston Marathon is only 7 weeks away. I just keep reminding myself that I am better prepared for this one. I am not trying to break any records. I just want to feel good running it and have fun and to avoid the med tent so that I can celebrate at the finish line! It is going to feel so good running with the MMRF Power Team! Please visit my link to my fundraising page http://www.active.com/donate/2012mmrfBoston/JDreyer8. I have a big goal of raising $5000 and I'm hoping to get there. Anyone who would like to honor a loved one who is fighting a cancer battle or has lost their fight, I would be be so honored to wear their name on my running shirt. With your donation I will honor your loved one as I run the many miles to the finish line.
So like seemed to get back to hectic normal. It seems like the kids are getting busier and busier and therefore I am getting busier and busier. Having four very active kids all the same ages in different after school activities doesn't leave much time to be lazy. Between karate, baseball camp, piano, gymnastics team, basketball, ski club, and drama practice and homework, the endless piles of laundry, grocery shopping and cleaning and keeping up with my running it feels like there isn't enough time in the day. But busy is good. Busy equals normal! And normal is nice for a change. After my little health scare Mike and I decided we are longer going to put things off. We need to embrace these healthy days! So we decided to start filling up our calendar. Next week, I am taking the kids to Ft. Myers, FL to visit my parents for a week. We are so excited! My parents are counting down the hours until we get there. In April we are planning a surprise trip (details soon!) And recently Mike was awarded with Salesman of the Year! I am so proud of him! He is so dedicated to his job and it is wonderful that he has been recognized for all of his incredible efforts. In the past 3 years he has been the top salesman of the year. And to think they have been the most stressful years here at home. As part of his recognition, he has been awarded an all expense paid trip for two to Bali, Indonesia!!!!!! Yup all the way across the world to Bali!! My parents are coming to stay with our kids and we are going to have a second honeymoon in Bali!!! We just confirmed our trip and made our reservations to go on an Elephant Safari (I get to ride on an elephant) and to swim with Dolphins!! I still cannot believe we are doing this. Before cancer I don't think we would ever get on a plane together and leave our kids behind and fly across the world for a week. But there is no way we are passing this up! This will be a trip of a lifetime! Not to mention my parents are very excited to spend the week with the kids and Flower! So between all the traveling and baseball season, it is going to be a very busy spring.
This past week a couple of my dear friends have lost their mothers to cancer. My friend Shayna's mother lost her courageous fight after years battling esophageal cancer. She was an incredible strong woman who lived a full life and kept an amazing attitude despite her many years fighting this terrible disease. Also, my friend Leslie lost her mother very quickly after a recent diagnosis of Leukemia. My heart and prayers are with them during this very sad difficult time. At my friend Leslie's mom's funeral service the minister said alarming message in his sermon. He told us that at each funeral we are reminded that we are closer to being "in the box" than outside "the box". I could see around me that everyone was shocked as I was at his statement. In fact at the cemetery my friend Melissa and I talked about how we thought his message was very morbid. I still do think he could have stated it more appropriately but I think I am understanding his message more. Every day is truly a gift. We really don't know when we wake up in the morning if today will be our last day. So every day should be embraced. We don't know when our time will be "to be in the box". I still can't believe he put it that way.
Barbara, a high school friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with Neuroendocrine Cancer. She is just beginning her battle. Every time I hear of a new person diagnosed my heart aches for them. Just knowing firsthand the fear that comes along with a cancer diagnosis. As I read her CaringBridge updates tears roll down my face. I feel like I am holding on to each update waiting for more positive news. My prayers and thoughts are with Barbara as they begin this roller coaster ride.
Recently at dinner Mike and I had a talk with the kids. We said a prayer for our friends who lost their mothers. We talked about how blessed we feel that I was doing so well. In keeping it "real" we also talked about the fact that we should embrace all these healthy days that are a gift. Our kids know that I may likely relapse at some point and that is why I stay on maintenance medication. They asked what we would do when the cancer comes back. We explained that we would fight that much harder this time and that together as a family we would get through it. My beautiful sensitive Sarah broke down in tears and cried. She told me that she can never lose me because she wouldn't know how to live without me. My beautiful baby. I am so truly blessed in so many ways.
I hope you all enjoy the weekend ahead. Ours will be busy as usual. The kids have ski club tonight. I will be going to support my friend Shayna celebrate her beautiful mother's life and mourn her loss. Tomorrow between flag football, birthday parties and play dates I'll be heading to the salon hoping my stylist can do something with this crazy hair! The kids begin their February Vacation after today so it will be time to pull out the shorts and flip flops for sunny Florida!
Embrace today and Enjoy!
Love,
Jeanie
Up until a couple of weeks ago, my training for the Boston Marathon had going really well. I had been really sticking to a training program which involves following a nice running program averaging about several 4-6 mile runs a week and then a nice long run once a week. Also hitting the gym for some weight training. I have also been really committed to learning all I can about fueling during my runs so that I do not end up in the medical tent this marathon. Much to my surprise it has really made a difference in the way I feel during my runs, as well as my recovery. As I was saying, I really had been feeling great and was gearing up for my long runs coming up in the next several weeks.
Well, as things seem to go, just as I was feeling great I hit a few brick walls. When I was out in California I experienced some "womanly issues". This was a quite surprise to me. as my doctor had confirmed to me that I was post-menopausal. My menopause was drug-induced thanks to a shot of Lupron before my stem cell transplant. Last spring/ summer I had the joy of experiencing some major hot flashes and all the other lovely things that come along with menopause. I really had it in my mind that I was now past all that. But to my surprise out in California all that came to a halt. I called my doctor right away and she confirmed with me that I would need to go for an ultrasounds as soon as I got home from my trip. So that is what I did. Like most tests, it took several days to get the results. When I did get the results, the phone call went something like this......" Can you talk? We found a few concerns with your ultrasound. " Oh crap, here we go again. Apparently I had a thickening Endometrian wall and Hydronephrosis (blockage of the kidney). What the hell was that? The nurse explained vaguely that there appeared to be a blockage of my kidney and that we would have to schedule a CT Scan and I would need to see a OBGyn Specialist for another ultrasound and perhaps a procedure.
I got off the phone and just wanted to cry. What did all this mean? Does this have anything to do with all the chemicals I continue to push in my body to keep my Myeloma quiet; ie: Revlimid and all the risks of secondary cancers associated with it? Mike was away on business but I knew I had to tell him. I caught him while he was driving. He pulled over and began looking all this stuff up. We did as we have been told by doctors many times not to do....we googled. Together we read that these two conditions exist, the thickening of the Endometrian Wall and Hydronephrosis in stage 3 cervical cancer. Really? Come on!!!!! This cannot be happening!!! Mike did his best to calm me down, but I could hear in his voice his concern. He offered to fly home early, but I told him there was no reason. We had to wait until I had the additional tests to really find out what was going on. We promised each other we would try to remain calm and not freak out. What ever the situation was, we would deal with it, just as we had done before.
I was fortunate enough to get a CT Scan right the very same week. Mike was home and took me. We both were scared with so many thought running through our heads. We both felt like we were paralyzed. We had no focus on anything but worrying. The next day we went to see the OBGyn Specialist. When we arrived at the doctor's office we were escorted to her office. We were told she wanted to speak with us first. Oh brother. In the past, sitting with the doctor has not usually meant good news. She could see the concern in both of us. Mike and I sat down and squeezed each other's hands. At this point we just wanted to know what we were dealing with, what ever it was. Just tell us! Well, immediately addressed all our concerns. And then quickly dismissed all that we had been so worried about. She explained that she was going to do another ultrasound and take a sample of the Endometrium wall to rule out any abnormalities. Cervical cancer was not a concern at all. Damn WebMd! And we know better! Ugh!
So in to the ultrasound room I went. Everything looked good to her, in fact very good. In fact most young women would LOVE to see what she saw on the screen. Yup I was a spring chicken again! She saw follicles, lots of follicles! I was ovulating! Really? Heck even in my twenties I had trouble with that. In fact Mike and I had to go through Invitro-fertilization to have our four beautiful babies. And now I was ovulating? It was as if we reversed the clock! My Endometrium wall was thin as it should be and everything looked great. She still did take a sample (ouch!) just to confirm that all was OK. I guess Mike and the kids are going to have to be prepared to ride the hormone roller coaster with me. And on the bright side when I do go through Menopause again, at least I'll know what to expect!
As soon as we walked out of her office, I received a call from my other doctor's office with my CT Scan results. Everything looked normal. The kidney looked fine. There were no blockages and no concerns. Ok so went from thinking I was dying to now being a fertile young thing with a great looking functioning kidney! What the heck! What a roller coaster ride. Mike and I fell into each others arms and let out a few tears. He looked it me and said OK, can we now go out for coffee and make some travel plans this year?
So lesson learned..... Stay off WebMD. Yeah like I'll do that the next time. Probably not! We are our worst enemies.
So I got back to my running last week and in fact Suzi and I did 16 miles last Friday. It was a beautiful February day. It hit almost 50 degrees during our run! I had been battling a cough on and on but other than that, I felt great. I was pumped to pass the 16 mile mark and I was looking forward to hitting 20 the following week. But as things go, I once again hit a wall. Saturday I woke up feeling worn out and coughing more. By Sunday morning I had the chills and a very high fever. So off to the emergency center we went. They did a chest x-ray. Although my lungs looked OK, they treated me for pneumonia and gave me a shot ( a booster to jump start things) , and inhaler and prescription for antibiotics. So this meant a week without running. I focused on eating well and getting some much needed rest. Thursday was treatment day at the hospital. Usually the nurse starts off my appointments with asking if I had any hospital visits, scans, x-rays since my last visit. This time I had to answer yes to all those questions thanks to my eventful last few weeks. Thankfully all my blood work came back normal. I slept during my 3 hours in the Infusion Room. After a bag of fluids and my Zometa infusion I was free to go home!
This morning I finally felt like I was getting some energy back and my cough has finally for the most part gone away. Mike, Flower and I went for a very slow 3.2 mile jog. It felt so great to move again. I took it very slow. I know it is going to take some time to get back to where I was. I am hoping to get a few 3-5 mile runs in Florida and hopefully in a couple weeks I'll tackle that 20 miler. The Boston Marathon is only 7 weeks away. I just keep reminding myself that I am better prepared for this one. I am not trying to break any records. I just want to feel good running it and have fun and to avoid the med tent so that I can celebrate at the finish line! It is going to feel so good running with the MMRF Power Team! Please visit my link to my fundraising page http://www.active.com/donate/2012mmrfBoston/JDreyer8. I have a big goal of raising $5000 and I'm hoping to get there. Anyone who would like to honor a loved one who is fighting a cancer battle or has lost their fight, I would be be so honored to wear their name on my running shirt. With your donation I will honor your loved one as I run the many miles to the finish line.
So like seemed to get back to hectic normal. It seems like the kids are getting busier and busier and therefore I am getting busier and busier. Having four very active kids all the same ages in different after school activities doesn't leave much time to be lazy. Between karate, baseball camp, piano, gymnastics team, basketball, ski club, and drama practice and homework, the endless piles of laundry, grocery shopping and cleaning and keeping up with my running it feels like there isn't enough time in the day. But busy is good. Busy equals normal! And normal is nice for a change. After my little health scare Mike and I decided we are longer going to put things off. We need to embrace these healthy days! So we decided to start filling up our calendar. Next week, I am taking the kids to Ft. Myers, FL to visit my parents for a week. We are so excited! My parents are counting down the hours until we get there. In April we are planning a surprise trip (details soon!) And recently Mike was awarded with Salesman of the Year! I am so proud of him! He is so dedicated to his job and it is wonderful that he has been recognized for all of his incredible efforts. In the past 3 years he has been the top salesman of the year. And to think they have been the most stressful years here at home. As part of his recognition, he has been awarded an all expense paid trip for two to Bali, Indonesia!!!!!! Yup all the way across the world to Bali!! My parents are coming to stay with our kids and we are going to have a second honeymoon in Bali!!! We just confirmed our trip and made our reservations to go on an Elephant Safari (I get to ride on an elephant) and to swim with Dolphins!! I still cannot believe we are doing this. Before cancer I don't think we would ever get on a plane together and leave our kids behind and fly across the world for a week. But there is no way we are passing this up! This will be a trip of a lifetime! Not to mention my parents are very excited to spend the week with the kids and Flower! So between all the traveling and baseball season, it is going to be a very busy spring.
This past week a couple of my dear friends have lost their mothers to cancer. My friend Shayna's mother lost her courageous fight after years battling esophageal cancer. She was an incredible strong woman who lived a full life and kept an amazing attitude despite her many years fighting this terrible disease. Also, my friend Leslie lost her mother very quickly after a recent diagnosis of Leukemia. My heart and prayers are with them during this very sad difficult time. At my friend Leslie's mom's funeral service the minister said alarming message in his sermon. He told us that at each funeral we are reminded that we are closer to being "in the box" than outside "the box". I could see around me that everyone was shocked as I was at his statement. In fact at the cemetery my friend Melissa and I talked about how we thought his message was very morbid. I still do think he could have stated it more appropriately but I think I am understanding his message more. Every day is truly a gift. We really don't know when we wake up in the morning if today will be our last day. So every day should be embraced. We don't know when our time will be "to be in the box". I still can't believe he put it that way.
Barbara, a high school friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with Neuroendocrine Cancer. She is just beginning her battle. Every time I hear of a new person diagnosed my heart aches for them. Just knowing firsthand the fear that comes along with a cancer diagnosis. As I read her CaringBridge updates tears roll down my face. I feel like I am holding on to each update waiting for more positive news. My prayers and thoughts are with Barbara as they begin this roller coaster ride.
Recently at dinner Mike and I had a talk with the kids. We said a prayer for our friends who lost their mothers. We talked about how blessed we feel that I was doing so well. In keeping it "real" we also talked about the fact that we should embrace all these healthy days that are a gift. Our kids know that I may likely relapse at some point and that is why I stay on maintenance medication. They asked what we would do when the cancer comes back. We explained that we would fight that much harder this time and that together as a family we would get through it. My beautiful sensitive Sarah broke down in tears and cried. She told me that she can never lose me because she wouldn't know how to live without me. My beautiful baby. I am so truly blessed in so many ways.
I hope you all enjoy the weekend ahead. Ours will be busy as usual. The kids have ski club tonight. I will be going to support my friend Shayna celebrate her beautiful mother's life and mourn her loss. Tomorrow between flag football, birthday parties and play dates I'll be heading to the salon hoping my stylist can do something with this crazy hair! The kids begin their February Vacation after today so it will be time to pull out the shorts and flip flops for sunny Florida!
Embrace today and Enjoy!
Love,
Jeanie
Friday, January 27, 2012
A Trip of A Lifetime!
I'm back from California! Although I just returned on Tuesday night, it seems like so long ago. Yesterday, I was back in the infusion chair for several hours. I was in for my monthly Zometa infusion. My labs came back with my potassium low, which meant it was not going to be a quick visit. After receiving a bag of fluids and potassium, about 4 hours later, I was given the thumbs up to leave! Never a dull moment living with MM!
Well, that's enough with the drama, now on to the fun stuff! What a trip Suzi and I had! We were busy from the time we stepped off that airplane on Friday! Let me first start off with saying how CRAZY the drivers are in LA!! Everyone is in a rush to go who knows where! Not to mention the multiple 5 lane freeways! Thankfully we had a our little GPS friend "Betty" on my Iphone who got us everywhere! Sometimes she led us the long not so scenic way, but she got us there! Our first day we headed to lunch at the Ivy in Hollywood! No celebrity sitings, but we had an incredible lunch! After that we headed to Rodeo Drive!
The next day, we hit Hollywood Boulevard! It was fun to see the Hollywood stars and visit the Wax Museum. It is crazy to see how dirty Hollywood Blvd. is and how run down and not so glamorous it really is. Once we got our fair share, we headed out to the hills. Yup, we did our own tour of Beverly Hills. We just followed the numerous tour buses and headed to Robertson Blvd. Our GPS buddy Betty led us some pretty crazy narrow hilly roads. But we were able to find Michael Jackson's house!
Once we got our share of LA we headed out to Pasadena. Ahhhh...... there was a definite slower pace there. What a beautiful city! It is full of beautiful shops and incredible restaurants. Everything is beautiful and clean. The drivers are polite and drive slower! It has a little New England Charm to it, but on a larger scale. Our first night we enjoyed a delicious dinner at a great Mediterranean restaurant. We were able to walk everywhere from our hotel. After dinner, we walked a couple miles back to our hotel, but realized we needed a chocolate fix. So we headed out again and found a delicious pastry shop where we purchased cupcakes! Again, we walked back to the hotel, put on our comfy pjs and indulged!
The next morning, Suz and I headed out to do a 12 mile run. We were both a bit nervous. We hadn't run over 10 in a while. We headed out towards the Rose Bowl to do our run. We quickly were distracted by the incredible smells and sights! The air smelled like Eucalyptus! The flowers and lush greenery were beautiful and definitely a nice welcoming change to brown New England! As we got closer to the stadium we noticed a lot of runners. Well, it turned out that the Rose Bowl Half Marathon happened to be going on. So what did we do, join in! We had a blast! It was definitely a great way to see the city. And for a few miles we were led on a dirt rocky trail with some challenging hills! The spectators cheering us all on carried us through! Although we didn't have a bib number, we were definitely invested in this race! We crossed the finish line which ended right in the stadium with the crowd cheering and the announcing commenting on our smiling faces! Once we finished the race, the people at the finish line tried to grab our timing chips on our ankles. Oops !!! We of course didn't have any! The race was great! We are definitely getting excited to run the Boston Marathon in April! I am just so happy Suzi was able to run without any pain in her hip and I didn't have to visit the med tent! After the excitement of finishing the race, we then realized we were still several miles from the hotel. Trying to get our legs to move again was a bit of a challenge! After we climbed the first hill, they loosened up and we ran back to the hotel!
Well, that's enough with the drama, now on to the fun stuff! What a trip Suzi and I had! We were busy from the time we stepped off that airplane on Friday! Let me first start off with saying how CRAZY the drivers are in LA!! Everyone is in a rush to go who knows where! Not to mention the multiple 5 lane freeways! Thankfully we had a our little GPS friend "Betty" on my Iphone who got us everywhere! Sometimes she led us the long not so scenic way, but she got us there! Our first day we headed to lunch at the Ivy in Hollywood! No celebrity sitings, but we had an incredible lunch! After that we headed to Rodeo Drive!
The next day, we hit Hollywood Boulevard! It was fun to see the Hollywood stars and visit the Wax Museum. It is crazy to see how dirty Hollywood Blvd. is and how run down and not so glamorous it really is. Once we got our fair share, we headed out to the hills. Yup, we did our own tour of Beverly Hills. We just followed the numerous tour buses and headed to Robertson Blvd. Our GPS buddy Betty led us some pretty crazy narrow hilly roads. But we were able to find Michael Jackson's house!
Once we got our share of LA we headed out to Pasadena. Ahhhh...... there was a definite slower pace there. What a beautiful city! It is full of beautiful shops and incredible restaurants. Everything is beautiful and clean. The drivers are polite and drive slower! It has a little New England Charm to it, but on a larger scale. Our first night we enjoyed a delicious dinner at a great Mediterranean restaurant. We were able to walk everywhere from our hotel. After dinner, we walked a couple miles back to our hotel, but realized we needed a chocolate fix. So we headed out again and found a delicious pastry shop where we purchased cupcakes! Again, we walked back to the hotel, put on our comfy pjs and indulged!
The next morning, Suz and I headed out to do a 12 mile run. We were both a bit nervous. We hadn't run over 10 in a while. We headed out towards the Rose Bowl to do our run. We quickly were distracted by the incredible smells and sights! The air smelled like Eucalyptus! The flowers and lush greenery were beautiful and definitely a nice welcoming change to brown New England! As we got closer to the stadium we noticed a lot of runners. Well, it turned out that the Rose Bowl Half Marathon happened to be going on. So what did we do, join in! We had a blast! It was definitely a great way to see the city. And for a few miles we were led on a dirt rocky trail with some challenging hills! The spectators cheering us all on carried us through! Although we didn't have a bib number, we were definitely invested in this race! We crossed the finish line which ended right in the stadium with the crowd cheering and the announcing commenting on our smiling faces! Once we finished the race, the people at the finish line tried to grab our timing chips on our ankles. Oops !!! We of course didn't have any! The race was great! We are definitely getting excited to run the Boston Marathon in April! I am just so happy Suzi was able to run without any pain in her hip and I didn't have to visit the med tent! After the excitement of finishing the race, we then realized we were still several miles from the hotel. Trying to get our legs to move again was a bit of a challenge! After we climbed the first hill, they loosened up and we ran back to the hotel!
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| Suz and I at the finish line at the Rose Bowl Half Marathon, Pasadena, CA |
After we showered we got ready to meet some very special people for lunch. Let me start by sharing with you, that since I was diagnosed I have been in touch with a guy named Mike from California who is also a Multiple Myeloma survivor. During the first few weeks of my diagnosis when I wasn't getting much sleep at night, I spent a lot of time researching my cancer. I was desperately looking for anything positive. In a sea of negativity, one night I received a glimmer of hope. I was on the MMRF facebook page. There was a question about how Multiple Myeloma was affecting your life. I decided to write in. In my words, it was quite clear that I was scared. Mike responded to me about his situation. From that initial contact, our relationship blossomed from corresponding in long emails, to text messages, to long conversations on the phone. Mike, was also 40 when he was diagnosed. As an avid boxer and mountain biker he was in great shape. Multiple Myeloma attacked him fast and furious, as he was in renal failure at diagnosis. He had recently completed his transplant when he reached out to me. His honesty and willingness to share his experiences with me helped me tremendously. Although we had never met, I felt this incredible connection to him. As we both were dealt the similar cards. Mike and wife drove out to Pasadena to meet us. As I exited the elevator in the hotel lobby I spotted Mike and his beautiful wife Kathy. Tears filled my eyes as we greeted each other with a big hug. That moment was so overwhelming. I felt so connected to both of them. We traveled a similar journey in a lot of ways together, although we had never met before that moment. We all talked effortlessly at lunch. Time seemed to stand still. I could of spent hours chatting with them. Here we were sitting across from each other both currently enjoying life in remission! We are both enjoying getting back into shape and figuring out life living with an incurable cancer. When we walked back to the hotel and got ready to say good bye I felt sad. I wished so much that my husband Mike could have met them. I felt so close to them and didn't want our visit to end. Suz and I both encouraged them to come out and visit us in New England. I really hope they do some day. Mike and Kathy are two beautiful blessings that came into my life with cancer!
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| My good friend Mike and I in Pasadena! |
After another awesome day spent in Pasadena we headed to Burbank for the Ellen Show! Suz and I were so excited. When we got to the Warner Brother's Studio we registered and we were handed our VIP Tickets! There were so many people there. At this point, we really didn't know what the significance of VIP tickets was. There were several people with them. We had also put together a present for Ellen. It was here birthday this week so we figured, why not. You should have seen us in Pasadena trying to pick out the perfect gift bag and card. It is not everyday you get the opportunity to pick out a card for someone as special as Ellen! In the hotel, we spent about an hour writing a message in her card. We put together (with the help from our friends at the MMRF) a bag full of goodies! A MMRF Power Team Shirt, and hat and socks, along with pom poms and Multiple Myeloma burgundy bracelet. We also included a fun hair clip Sarah and Emily made for Ellen. We were thrilled when people from her show collected our gift. Hopefully Ellen received it!
Before the show started, Suz and I headed over to a local bar for a couple of glasses of wine to celebrate and loosen up! We were so excited and nervous at the same time. Suz had written to Ellen several times about my story. Also our friend Alicia over at the MMRF had got in touch with a member from Ellen's production team. Although we tried not to get our hopes up, we were hoping to have the opportunity either on or off camera to talk with Ellen. She has made such a difference in so many people's lives. She uses her platform in such a positive way. It would be so incredible to share my story and educate her a little about Multiple Myeloma. It is such an unknown cancer with such a low 5 year survival rate that affects 20,000 people every year. Just the remote possibility of Ellen being touched and inspired to give this disease a little attention would be so wonderful.
Well the time came to take a seat in the studio. With our VIP tickets in hand, we were told we could take a seat in the second row from the stage. At this time, our tickets did not have our name on them or any other identification. The studio began to fill up with music, excitement and energy! About 1 minute before Ellen was introduced on stage, a member from her production team came up to us and confirmed that we were in fact Suzi and Jeanie! Before we could even react, Ellen came out on stage! The show was so much fun! Ellen danced right by us! She is even more adorable in person! We were very surprised that the show runs like a live show with no takes. Ellen also doesn't interact a whole lot with the audience. But it was a lot of fun to be there. Sam Worthington from Avitar was there. He was adorable and very charming. Also Michael Strahan, former NFL Giant's player and current sport's commentator. He was hot to say the least and so funny! Also Ellen had the very first interview with Seal since the announcement of his separation from Heidi Klum. Seal definitely has a presence. He is so tall and handsome. Who knows what the real situation is, but he came across very loving and such a gentleman. And in fact, sounds like he is very much in love with his wife. Although, it was very awkward hearing him sing "Let's Stay Together" based on his current marital status.
All during the show there were unexpected moments. Suzi and I kept thinking are we going to be called up on stage? Why did the producers point us out? Ellen sat in her chair and announced she had a letter to read. And our hearts began to pound. Unfortunately it wasn't our letter. Before we knew it the show was over. Ellen came out on stage one more time when the cameras stopped rolling. We thought, maybe this is it. But instead she informed the audience that the paparazzi was outside hoping to get information from the audience about Seal's interview. There was a little part of us that was crushed. We almost wished that the producer never approached us. The show ran long, and perhaps they were planning on doing something but ran out of time. We will never know. It wasn't that we wanted a moment of fame, we were really just hoping to give Multiple Myeloma some much needed attention. I am still hopeful that she will be touched by our gift and card.
Well that is a little recap of our fun girls long weekend away! It was a trip full of fun, excitement and emotions! I am getting back to my "mommy world" now. I have a sick boy home from school today. Yesterday with the day spent at the hospital I haven't had any time to run this week. I am hoping to get in a nice long run this weekend! The Boston Marathon is only 79 days away. I feel so blessed to be healthy and strong enough to be running! I would love to honor all those who are fighting for the lives and those who have lost their fight. Please visit my page if you would like to sponsor me. I will proudly write your loved one's name on my running shirt! Every little bit helps and together we will run miles to save lives! The innovative treatments that are being funded by the MMRF are also being used in over 30 other cancers. The MMRF has recently been awarded by the Charity Navigator, America's premier independent evaluator of charitable organizations, its 4-star rating. It is the highest rating possible for the ninth consecutive year, demonstrating exceptional fiscal responsibility in the MMRF's efforts to bring patients the next generation of treatments and find a cure for multiple myeloma. You can be sure your donation will go directly to improving and extending the lives of so many. http://www.active.com/donate/2012mmrfBoston/JDreyer8
Enjoy all your blessings this weekend!
Love,
Jeanie
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