Chicago

I was greeted in Chicago on Saturday afternoon with giant snowflakes. It was so beautiful and not nearly as cold as last time. Had lunch with a friend and by that evening wasn't feeling so well. By 10 PM everything inside of me had been removed in some violent fashion. I didn't stop vomiting until around 3 AM when my friend, Josh who is also a patient, brought me some Gatorade, water, and Imodium. Thank goodness he was still awake and not sick himself. I felt well enough to go see Slum Dog Millionaire on Sunday (love it), but not well enough to be to far from the restroom. Therefore, sit seeing in Chicago was out, again...I did get to see a friend from my tennis team who now lives in Milwaukee. So good to see her and she is coming with my old tennis partner to the race in April, Yeah.

My visit with Dr. Citrin went as planned and he reduced my meds to one week on/one week off instead of 2 and 1. Hopefully this will help my side effects and i will start feeling better. I also spoke with the mind/body person who helped me realize what i was feeling was grief. I have been grieving my old self and not sure what to do with the future. She helped me figure a few things out and hopefully i can reinvent myself since i mostly likely will not be marathon/ironman Laura anymore. I also started taking about 20 more vitamins a day and that should help my immune system, fatigue, and bouts of nausea. Love my natural path. I also had a Raki treatment. It may be the most relaxing thing i have ever done in my entire life. I think Travis needs to try it. I was also able to get my nails done for $5.00. Not bad for a medical manicure.

Wednesday came and i have been dreading it for a week. I had an appointment to see the podiatrist. Turns out his wife is a breast cancer survivor and he is funny as hell. He shot me up with Novocaine and cut out my nails. The pain really didn't hit until 3 hours later, but he gave me Vicodin and all was good, for the most part. I was so worried someone would step on my feel especially Gavin. Although i could barely walk i did manage to get myself together and see Cirque du Soleil with my babysitter and her family (thanks for taking me). Travis is taking Sammy Saturday night for her 9th birthday, it was that good.

Back to Sammy's birthday...I cant believe my baby is going to be 9. Time is going by way to fast.

Hope all is well with everyone
Love the X-Ironman Laura

PS The Dr said i couldn't get my Ironman tattoo until my immune system improved. I just cant do anything these days.

PET Scan Results

We saw the Dr here in Atlanta and got some good news, yeah! My tumor is half the size and only 1 of the four lymph node sites is active. Not exactly sure what that means except 3 or the 4 sites are inactive. There is no sign of new cancer or any new activity. No cancer in the brain, bones, or any other organ. We are very happy, but i still don't feel any better so they are looking into a shot that boosts my red blood cells. I would love to start feeling more like myself.

I am headed to Chicago on Saturday and am looking forward to see what they have to say. Hopefully i can reduce my meds and that will also decrease my side effects. I have to see a podiatrist on Wednesday due to an infection i have in my toes. I wont go into detail cause it is so gross, but i am having trouble just walking. This is due to my immune system being shot and a previous chemo that messed up my nail bed. Not looking forward to the pain that will occur, so i will need lots of prayers and meds that day.

I am looking forward to seeing a lot of you in April and am overwhelmed by every ones generosity. The Crofts have organized this entire thing and i am just amazed. I have said it before, but i cant stop saying thank you. You guys are just amazing.

My friends from Cali sent me an incredible gift and i was able to get an iphone to organize all my Dr. appointments, keep med records on it, and feel more in control of my life. Funny how something so simple can make me happy and organized. Thanks to everyone who donated to my iphone happiness. Love all you guys.

Also i want to thank all the Fcup boys for being such great friends to Travis. He was really struggling over what to do about the golf tournament and you guys made the decision for him. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. He gets over looked in the support department since i suck it all up and he greatly needs a boys trip. Love you guys too.

Thanks to my book club for the house cleaner. She came today and changed the sheets. That is a task that really takes all my energy and a privilege i have so greatly missed. Love my girls

I am hoping to have a great time in Chicago and get some much needed R and R.

Love to you all,
Laura

Happy Valentines Day

Valentines came early for me this year. My tennis team, friends from home, and my mother-in-law all sent sent me some amazing gifts that made me feel so special. Some of these people i haven't even seen in years and yet they are right there for me. Thanks y'all. Then on Saturday my running group ran the virtual Breast Care Marathon and i did support for them. Not only did they collect money for me, they ran in my honor and gave me a poster from the race that the was singed by all of them. I am very touched.

Happy Valentines and thank you all for your generosity

love always,
laura

CTCA hope

www.rayofliferace.com

This is Travis. I had to share some wonderful news from my client whose wife is the reason we are doing all we can to make sure Laura has treatment at CTCA in Chicago.

As you all know, Kathy has been battling a nasty form of cancer in her lungs for over 2 years now. She has been through 4 rounds of cancer therapy as well as an experimental mega dose induction of vitamin C.

When last we heard, she had just finished some very promising direct radiation that had all but eliminated the original 3 tumors that two other hospitals had deemed inoperable and untreatable only to discover a new aggressive tumor in her other lung and another on her rib.

She finished 6 weeks ago treatment for these new tumors and just had her verification scan yesterday to learn that these tumors as well have been destroyed.

Needless to say Dick and Kathy are euphoric. All of the tumors are completely gone and the rib has totally re-grown. There is one spot in her lung on the scan that remains and they think that it is either scar tissue or that it is the reduced tumor encapsulated.

Ray of Life Race

The Croft family has graciously put together a fund raiser for us. It will be help April 25th in Atlanta and we would love it if you could all come play with us. Travis and i would like to thank the Croft family for all they have done. We are so appreciative and overwhelmed with their generosity.

Here is the link http://rayofliferace.com/

BTW - Things are going well here on the home front. Sammy seems to have digested what is going on, i am having more good days than bad, Gavin still keeps us laughing and Travis is the glue that keeps us all together. Hope all is well with y'all.

3 day walk

www.the3day.org/goto/michellebooth

Besides the 5K fun run that will be held in my honor on April 25th in Atlanta, more details to come, a friend is doing the 3 day walk to benefit breast cancer. If you would like to contribute to her walk the link is above.

Thanks Michelle for the support.

Sammy

Tonight was the night...Sammy asked me if i was going to do kick boxing again when i am better and I had to tell her that i am not getting better, that this is as good as it gets. Of course the water works started for both of us and we talked about how it is now considered a "chronic disease" and although manageable, i will have cancer for the rest of my life. We discussed why they cant removed the cancer/tumor, how do i know if the meds are working, if i will every loose my hair again, etc. She then hesitated and asked me what happens when i die. We talked, hugged, cried some more, and hopefully got to a point that makes it not so scary. She is such a great kid and it was very hard to put this burden on her, but my prayer is that we can talk enough about it so when the time comes she will know what to expect and we can have the right people lined up for her to lean on.

On a better note, Dr. Citrin called and the path report that he performed at CTCA indicates that i am her2 + and er/pr +. This doesn't change anything as of yet, but may in the future. I guess i am relieved that they didn't treat me incorrectly at Emory, but am still interested in finding out what happened to my first path report.

I met with the counselor at the doctors office and she gave me several ideas on how to reinvent myself, exercise options since running seems to be very challenging at the moment, and some mind tricks when i cant sleep.

Please keep travis in your prayers, this economy is just one more stresser the poor guy doesn't need.

Love Laura