Day 10 has been a SWEET day!

Winding down another long and busy day!  Day 10 of my October selfie project ... my parents have arrived for a visit.  And they brought my favorite sweets from New Orleans:  king cake, chocolate petit fours, and Krispy Kreme donuts!

 

 

Wearing a classic, but retired, Pink Ribbon Shop original t-shirt design from several years ago:  One Day a Cure Will Come.  This one has retained its position in my dresser, despite several periods of it NOT fitting.  You know you love a shirt when you can't seem to part with it, even when it no longer fits.  Glad I held onto it, because today, it fits!

It's been a long day!

It's been a long day. I'm tired & cranky. I'm sore & tender all over. My purply-pink cheeks peaked last night...sorry you guys missed it. Not really!  Having iPhone troubles, family squabbling, and stress on top of stress.  Need some rest and peace!!!

Here's today's selfie, taken late this evening at the "old" house, which we are still working on getting ready to go on the market. Can't wait to get that baby sold and out of our hair!

 



My pink ribbon for today is actually a DIY little something to jazz up your purse or bag.  I cut a piece of pink/white chevron patterned ribbon, looped it around my purse's hook, and used a glue dot to hold it into an awareness ribbon shape.  Voila!  (Note:  The ribbon was crafted much, much earlier today, when the day was new and my energy hadn't yet been zapped by life's problems)

Day 8 - Grrrr

Day 8.  I'm not too thrilled to be selfie-posting today or in the next couple of days.  Yesterday was a long day that started early and included nearly four hours at MD Anderson for chemotherapy, 2+ hours of driving, a big lunch (not complaining!!), a fair-sized grocery trip, and the usual "driving kids places."  I was really tired, and I felt like my (too) big lunch wasn't digesting properly or in a timely manner, but then I had a bad, bad night of sleep, which I attributed to the Dexamethasone (a steroid) that I receive, IV, as part of my chemotherapy pre-med package of three drugs:  Dex, the steroid; Emend, an immediate-acting anti-nausea med; and Aloxi, a long-acting anti-nausea drug.  To be honest, I'm not sure what benefit the steroid gives me.  I should probably know that, but sometimes it gets rather tiring trying to keep up with all of the details of all of the treatments that I've been on.  I am, however, acutely aware of what the steroid gives me in the way of side effects!  A restless night's sleep!  I've only noticed this on the first night after getting the infusion, and I can live with that (unlike my 2-month stint on Dex in 2014 which was an absolute nightmare!!... but I digress)  I'm telling you all of this, because I'm begrudgingly posting my Day 8 selfie.  Feeling pretty run down, and looking the same!!

 

 

 

Additionallyyyyy, if you look on my cheek where I'm pointing, you can see the start of what I call my "Carbo Glow."  The Carbo Glow is a disturbing and embarrassing side effect of the Carboplatin.  It starts with purplish-red splotches, then progresses to cover my entire cheeks in a deeper purply-red color.  My cheeks "feel" hot and they are hot to the touch as well.  I try to limit my time out in the public during this time, which only lasts 2-3 days, but if I have to go out, I will.  I'm not real strict about that ... I'm able to think to myself  "Hey this is me, if you don't like it, too bad," but in reality I'm very self conscious about it, as you can imagine.  Thankfully this side effect is short-lived.  And I know, I know.  In the big scheme of things, this is VERY, VERY MINOR.

 

Today's pink ribbon item of the day, in honor of breast cancer awareness month, is my pink silicone wrist band.  These have been around a looooong time, but they're still pretty popular.  Easy to wear for guys, girls and kids, they show up nicely on the wrist, and they're super affordable.  Even though I have collected a ton of pink ribbon goodies over the years, I'm pretty low-key in what I actually wear/use myself, so these definitely fit the bill in that sense.

 

While I'm on the subject of pink silicone wristbands, just want to mention that we carry LOTS of different styles of them on our online store.  Here's a link for reference http://www.pinkribbonshop.com/breast-cancer-bands.aspx.  Funny thing, glancing at that page to add the page hyperlink, I quickly mentally noted that my favorite breast cancer band is the wide CANCER SUCKS one.  That doesn't exactly jive with my previous statement of liking more low-key items, does it?!  Can it still be my favorite, even though I don't wear it??  How's this ... it's one of my favorite designs, and the phrase Cancer Sucks just sums up my feelings really nicely on the subject of cancer.  It's only in this context that I allow my kids to say "sucks."  They can say Cancer Sucks, but not that anything or anyone else sucks.  In front of me, that is ... I know it's an extremely common word for teens to use these days.  And I'm sure they do!  Anyhooooo ...

 

The last thing I want to mention about our pink silicone wristbands is that our LEAST expensive band is just $1.00 each.  All of the proceeds from the sale of our "Funding the Cure with the Pink Ribbon Roundup" band is donated to our Pink Ribbon Shop Fund for Breast Cancer Research at MD Anderson Cancer Center.  The entire dollar!  There is a minimum purchase of 5 of these bands though.  No one should mind, though.  Right?  Because it's for such a great cause.  Here's a link:  http://www.pinkribbonshop.com/pink-ribbon-funding-the-cure-with-the-pink-ribbon-roundup-silicone-bracelet-band.aspx.  There, you can read all about the wrist band and our Research Fund.

 

Thanks for reading, y'all!

Day 7: Brought to you by the letter C

Hey there!  Day 7 of my breast cancer awareness month selfie project is brought to you by the letter C.  Chemo, Christa, and Carrabba's!

Earlier today I was sitting in a recliner at MD Anderson's St. Luke's location-- getting my life-giving chemotherapy infusion of Carbo-Gem (Carboplatin & Gemcitabine, plus three pre-meds). Thankful to have Christa with me today! She only has classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so she's mostly available to accompany me to my appointments.  The last "C" is Carrabba's, my favorite Italian restaurant.  The bread, the oil & spices, the salad, the chicken marsala ... Mmmmm!  I almost always go out to lunch on my chemo days if I'm feeling up to it.  Just because I deserve it!  Had a nice day with my sweet girl.  Lotsa laughs and silliness.

 

I was pleased with this picture of us.  However, I am just noticing that I appear to be wearing a white lab coat.  I assure you, I am not!  It's actually a really cute, off-white denim jacket with very subtle, tone-on-tone polka dots.  Incidentally, I've been out of the medical profession for quite some time and have permanently crossed over to the receiving end of nursing and medical care.  At least my crystal pink ribbon pin is nice and visible though.  Like it?  http://www.pinkribbonshop.com/pink-ribbon-crystal-pin-with-dark-rose-crystals.aspx.

 

Thanks for reading!  And goodnight.

Selfie Project, Day 6 ... I hate you, selfie stick!

My pink ribbon selfie project is going strong!  However, the selfie stick is NOT my friend!  Evidently I'm a real spaz.  I'm not going to say how many shots I had to take before I settled on this one (cough, cough ..8..cough), taken on The Pink Ribbon Shop's Porter, Texas campus.  Okay, I know ... it's just one acre, but true to country living, this one acre has three separate buildings on it, four if you count a little storage shed.  And the well shed would make five. And you know you're in the country when you're also storing your brother-in-law's storage trailer and boat on the property!  So, campus it is!  In seriousness, though, we refer to it all as simply "the shop."  I'm going to the shop. You goin' to the shop?  I'll be at the shop late tonight.  You get the idea!

Anyway I've digressed off my selfie stick soapbox.  How do the teenagers do it so effortlessly??  It's so heavy when it's fully extended out. Hard on the wrist, then you have to press the button while keeping it steady. I'm weak ... weak I tell ya!

I know what you're thinking. Where's your pink ribbon, Kim?  You said you would wear a different pink ribbon item every day in October.  No worries, people, they're there!  On the ears. Which leads me to my next epic selfie FAIL!  I really did try to get a close-up of the earrings. Really I did (even more than 8 times.)  Have you ever tried taking a picture of your own earrings while they're in your ears?  I got my cheek, my neck, my hair, and a handful of fuzzy, out-of-focus and off-center earring shots. And to be honest, what I saw, even through the fuzziness, was skin that was way too wrinkly and old looking to be seen that close-up, by the public. I'm not using photoshop or any filters, so the raw results have forced me to abandon the in-the-ear earring pic. You're just going to have to trust me that I'm wearing them. Petite little crystal ribbons:  3/8-inch of breast cancer awareness cuteness.  If you must have a look, here's a link:  http://www.pinkribbonshop.com/pink-ribbon-crystal-mini-earrings-light-pink.aspx.

All of this selfie drama transpired before I left this morning for MD Anderson. Today I had labs done and saw my nurse.  Labs are great, so I'm good to go for chemo tomorrow.  I knew they would be, considering how super I'm feeling.  Just lllllloving this every-3-week chemo schedule.  Normally I have labs, doc visit, and chemo all done on the same day, but they weren't able to work it all out on the schedule. Wish I didn't have to go!  I don't wanna!  I don't wanna!

 

This evening was my baby's football game (he's a teenager now, sniff, sniff.)  Go Colts!  He wore his pink socks, wristbands and gloves for his momma!  So of course I wanted a picture with him after the game.  He was, let's say, "resistant" to the idea of taking a picture with his mother on the sideline.  But he eventually (involuntarily) relented.  Sweet boy.  Hey at least he smiled!  A bonus pic for today!

 

 

Day 5's Change of Plans Selfie

DAY 5!!!  I was totally planning today's selfie to show you guys what a crazy busy place our warehouse is these days.   Pink ribbon items piled up and laid out on our big order-processing table, stacks of orders waiting to be filled, boxed-up orders piled high and ready to ship out, and Danny and our worker bees all abuzz making all of this happen in an efficient, timely and accurate manner.  But then this happened ...

 

 

It was just so gorgeous OUTSIDE that I decided THIS was wayyyy more picturesque than inside the warehouse.  So here it is, the front corner of the exterior of our warehouse!  Oh, and me, wearing one our newest breast cancer awareness t-shirts.

Actually, the small ribbon "Promote Breast Cancer Awareness" tee is one of The Pink Ribbon Shop's earliest shirt designs, dating way back to around 2001.  Our second ever pinkribbonshop.com design!  It's still one of my favorites, perhaps because of sentimental reasons.  So, we decided to bring it back and give it new life on a black t-shirt in a ladies' fit.  Hope you like it, too!

Day 4 of October's Selfie Project

Don't know about where you are, but here in Kingwood, Texas the weather is be-You-tiful!!  Sixty-five degrees and sunny, y'all!  Today's wear-something-pink-ribbon-every-day-this-month item is a silky pink ribbon infinity scarf that I paired with my *new* bright pink blazer.  (*new* = first time wearing, even though it's been hanging in my closet for many months.)  Lotsa pink, I know!  Maybe too much, but ya only live once.

Tried the selfie stick after church, which was less embarrassing in front of my own home then out in public, but ultimately decided to go with this arm's length shot taken before I left for church this morning.  Love, love, love the garden (see background) left by the previous homeowners:  azaleas, duranta, verbena, golden thryallis, and I think, camellia.  Have all of my windows OPEN today to let the fresh air in.  :) 

After church, I got to thinking.  So many families, couples and singles in attendance.  I thought, what if everyone had turned to the lady beside them and reminded her to have her yearly mammogram?  It's breast cancer awareness month, after all.  Why didn't I think of it while I was still there!?  With all the pink going around this month, we have so many opportunities to start a conversation about what it's really about.  Let's starting taking them!  How 'bout you?  Are YOU up to date on your yearly mammogram and monthly breast self exams?  Who's nearby who you can ask?  Ready, set, go!  Just do it.

October Selfies, Day 3

It's Day 3 of my October selfie project, and I've already goofed.  Yesterday I blogged and posted to Facebook, except that I only posted to my personal Facebook page and not The Pink Ribbon Shop's.  Grrr!  I can do this!  I can!  I will.

Not only that, but the public selfie-taking that I'm doing is WAYYY beyond my comfort zone!  I'm a 40-something year old mom and g****ma, for crying out loud.  I am committed to the project, though, so I will press on.  Just didn't want to take a selfie every day in the front of my computer or the bathroom mirror.  How boring would that be?!  As I said in the beginning, my goal for the month is to wear a different pink ribbon t-shirt or other apparel item every day, plus provide a little insight into my everyday life.  So I'll try to make each selfie a reflection of my day, and not merely a pic just for the sake of the project.  Got it?

This weekend, Danny is still working on our soon-to-be-on-the-market home, and I didn't want to miss my daughter Bethany's high school band's marching contest today.  Feeling super BLESSED that this morning I was able to drive there, alone.  I impressed myself!  The ramps and steps at the stadium were a little tough on me, a reminder that I'm not fully back to the super woman (haha) that I used to be, but I did it and surely it made me stronger.  Am I right?
The KM4B had an awesome performance, considering it's early in marching season and this was their first contest this year.  So proud to be a Kingwood band mom!  Definitely needed my pink ribbon sunglasses on this gorgeous & sunny Day 3 of breast cancer awareness month.

 

See the teeny tiny ribbon on the lens?  So cute! These have been around for awhile, but I still love them (a) because of the teeny tiny pink ribbon, and (b) because of their timeless design.  Of course that's just my opinion and I'm certainly no fashionista (I'm basically a t-shirt & blue jeans kinda gal.)  I mean maybe their design is totally out of style and somebody out there is silently mocking my timeless design statement, buuuuuuut hey they are pink ribbon sunglasses and darnit I like 'em!  FYI:  Check out pinkribbonshop.com if you're interested in these or other pink ribbon items to support the breast cancer awareness cause this month or all year long.

Day 2 of my Pink Ribbon Selfie Project

Day 2 of my pink ribbon selfie project for breast cancer awareness month!  I was intending to only post these to Facebook.  However, because a VIP friend of mine is not on Facebook, but is a faithful follower of my blog, I will also post the pics here as well.  You know who you are!  Love ya!  :)

Here I am at the KHS football game.  Donning a pink ribbon baseball cap.  Friday night lights with the Kingwood Mustangs!  The KM4B drumline (snares) pinked out their sticks in honor of breast cancer awareness month.  I happen to be the #1 fan of a certain snare drummer girl.  Nobody said selfies had to be just myself, right?  Thanks guys!  And girls!  The pink sticks looked great and y'all rock.

I admit I felt a little foolish taking a selfie with the high schoolers.  I'm such an amateur!  I borrowed my daughter's selfie stick, which certainly added to the foolish factor.  When she uses it, you can't even tell in the pic.  I use it and my hands are all awkward, visibly holding the stick, and the picture is crooked.  Goofball.  Maybe by October's end my technique will improve?!

Good Times

Well hello there!  It's October 1st, the first day of breast cancer awareness month.  We'll be seeing lots of pink this month.  Let's keep it in perspective, shall we?  Fundraising efforts by individuals, teams, and companies small and large have led to millions of dollars being donated to breast cancer research.  Trickle that way, way down to little ol' me, and know that BECAUSE OF THESE EFFORTS, I AM STILL ALIVE TODAY!  And the same can be said for 100's of 1000's of women LIVING with stage IV breast cancer.  It matters.  You matter.  Whatever you have to contribute to the cause, you are making a difference!  Thank you!  (and keep it up!)

2015 marks my 15th year as a breast cancer survivor, and my 9th year as a stage IV (metastatic) breast cancer survivor.  9 years, people!!!  This past year, well really the last two years have been difficult.  If you're a regular follower here, you may know that there was a period of time when it was not looking good.  We were planning for the end of my earthly life.  Not exaggerating, just truth here.  However, since March I've been on combination chemotherapy of two different drugs.  Since then, I've been steadily improving, both subjectively in how I feel, and objectively in my scans, tumor markers, and other lab values.  My latest CT scans show a decrease in size of all tumors, or they are stable (no bigger, no smaller.)  There is very little fluid in my lung.  The bone metastases are stable.  The tumor markers CONTINUE to go down.  It's been amazing!!! 

One year ago today, I was having a thoracentesis to drain excess fluid that accumulated in my lung.  This turned out to be the first of two that I required, because the fluid re-accumulated.  My "tumor burden" (a name for the volume of cancer in and affecting the body) was so great, that I was having trouble breathing after any small effort or activity.  I was coughing constantly.  I was tired and slept a lot.  My heart rate was consistently (and for months) over 100 beats per minute at rest.  My heart was actually pushed to the right side of my chest by the expanding fluid in the left lung!  Bad times!!!  Bad, bad times.

Also, earlier this year, I required a blood transfusion.  My hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were critically low as a result of the chemotherapy agents' attack on my blood-producing bone marrow.  I was having shortness of breath any time I tried to get up and DO anything.  Interesting what missing a couple units of blood will make you feel like!  The improvement after receiving the blood was truly amazing.

The chemotherapy has been working phenomenally, but it's been complicated.  I was getting two drugs on Day 1, then one of those drugs on Day 8, then a week off.  My doctor tried several dose adjustments, but it just seemed that I was more often than not having to miss my Day 8 infusion because of low blood counts of some kind.  Low platelets, low H&H, low white blood cells, etc.  Eventually (just a few weeks ago) she altered the chemotherapy schedule by doing away with my Day 8 infusion altogether.  Now, I only have to go every three weeks!  Hopefully that gives my body enough time to rebuild so I can get regularly scheduled infusions and not be so hit or miss with treatments.

On a more personal note ... we have moved!  We found a house in a sweet location in a great neighborhood that is close to all the kids' schools.  Wish we had moved sooner!  Hate moving, but loving the new house.  The old house is still being "fixed up" and will hopefully be on the market in the next week or so.  Prayers please for a quick sale!

My graduate girl decided to stay home and attend a community college until she figures out what she wants to study.  Yayyy!  So happy to have her home with us.  It was the right decision, for lots of reasons.

We are busy at The Pink Ribbon Shop, and that is awesome but stressful on the family.  It took longer than we expected to find a house and move, thus putting the move right when school started and also right when we need to prepare our business for the busy season.  Tough times, but hey, at least I am leading a more normal life, healthwise, than I have in a long time.  So thankful for that.

More exciting news ... My oldest daughter and her husband have just adopted a baby girl.  This makes child number 5 in their household!  They are fostering, but it is looking like a pretty sure thing that they will adopt this little one with rather unfortunate birth/family circumstances.

Lastly, since it's been so long since my last blog entry, and since it's breast cancer awareness month, I decided to try something kinda fun.  You may get tired of seeing me!  I'm going to post a selfie to Facebook wearing a different pink ribbon shirt or apparel item every day.  Little glimpses of a month in the life of Kim.  Who's with me?!  Here's the first:
 

 

This is in front of our modest lil office in the country.  Still can't believe this is what I look like ... that this is the best I could do after several selfie attempts, but it is what it is!!  I do have some hair, and it's growing, but it's very thin.  And my forehead is huge, uggh.  The good thing is, I am UP 20+ pounds from my cancer low a few months back, so at least I have some chub in my cheeks, and color!  I'm sportin' my Saints t-shirt ... supporting my favorite home team and promoting the breast cancer awareness cause all at the same time.

 

Thanks for reading, y'all!