Monthly Archives: April 2007

Since my cancer relapsed in mid-February, there is one question that has repeatedly been asked of Dave and me….and it the question that really drives me crazy. The question is asked in a number of different ways but it comes down to asking how much longer I will need to go through treatment:

“So, how many more rounds of chemo will you have?”
“How much longer until you think you’ll have surgery?”
“When do the doctors think you’ll be done?”

And my answer is always the same: “I DON’T KNOW AND STOP ASKING ME THAT QUESTION!” It reminds me of an episode of The Smurfs (remember them?) when Papa Smurf was taking one of the baby smurfs somewhere and every 2 seconds the baby asked “how much father Papa Smurf?” By the 10th time, Papa Smurf exploded and said “We’ll get there when we get there!” Well, that is how I feel.
I don’t mean to get so angry. It is a completely rational and appropriate question to ask. Like Dave and me, …

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I had my first CT Scan this week and the results are very encouraging. Dr. Maki reported that one of my tumors is already considerably smaller and the other one has “shown signs” of reacting to the chemotherapy. Originally, the Dr. thought that the second tumor was attached to my pancreas which might make for a more difficult surgery down the road. However, the second tumor has moved a bit within my abdominal area which is a sign that it may not be attached to an organ which is good news for both my surgeon (easier surgery) and me (easier recovery).
Apparently, only about 50% of the time, Dr’s can see a response to chemotherapy after just six weeks of treatment so this “activity” is very good.
And my prize for responding so well to the chemo…another 6 weeks of chemo! The Dr. told us to be prepared for 3-12 months of chemo so this is not surprising. Although I was hoping he would say I am done!
I left the …

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One of the many things I truly love about Dr. Maki is that he allows me to live the life I want. He refuses to let cancer get in the way of a patient’s life.
I remember the first time I met him in January, 2005 he told me that he would see me “exhausted because I was living my life to the fullest” rather than have me “live like a boy in a bubble and stay at home waiting to feel bad”. I knew at that first meeting that he was the Dr. for me! Since my original diagnosis, he has encouraged me to go the gym, go out with friends, work a full week and take trips to visit family and friends.
Many Doctors do not allow patients to travel during chemotherapy for fear that their low immunity will cause a severe infection. Dave and I were so grateful that Dr. Maki wholeheartedly agreed that it was good for our bodies and our hearts to visit Florida to celebrate Barbara …

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There is an angel who resides at Barry Hendrickson’s salon on 60th and Broadway. His name is Edward and he is responsible for “outfitting” me with my wigs both times I have had the unfortunate experience of losing my hair.
Edward cut hair for over 15 years and then decided to go into the wig design business because he believed it was a way for him to produce more creative work and to “do good” by helping people who lose their hair as a result of chemotherapy treatments. He is gentle, kind and can make you look and feel fabulous at a time when you don’t feel that fabulous at all.
Although I hate to admit that I am vain, the prospect of losing my hair was a lot harder to digest this time around. The first time it was a bit of a novelty and I had NO IDEA how long it would take to grow back. I finished chemo 14 months ago and I was finally in a place where …

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I have completed one round of chemo and I feel really good. This time I have chemo as an out-patient at the MSKCC clinic and it is so much nicer and easier than last time when I had to spend 3 consecutive days in the hospital. The nurses are wonderful (here is a picture of me with Heather who takes care of me every week).
My chemo regimen is fairly quick and easy. I spend the first Friday getting one drug (Gemcitabine) for an hour and a half. With the free lunch I get and the Law and OrderMarathon on TNT, those 90 minutes goes by very fast! The next Friday, I receive two drugs (another dose of the Gemcitabine and Taxotere), which takes 2.5 hours. This also goes by very quickly. Then, the following Friday, I get a day off before we begin the 3 week cycle again.
Like last time, I have been acutely aware of my body and all of the symptoms and …

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On Tuesday March 6th, I experienced one of the most amazing things I have seen in a LONG time…my mom’s acting debut in a benefit performance of The Vagina Monologues!
When my mom retired about 3 years ago, she created a list of things she would love to do while she is still on this earth…and she has slowly but surely conquered every single one!

Very high on the list was to do some sort of performance. Little did she know when she joined up with the National Council of Jewish Women that the play she would be signing up for was The Vagina Monologues! Talk about an intimidating way to get your feet wet.

For those of you who are not familiar with the play, The Vagina Monologues is an award-winning episodic play written by Eve Ensler.  Ensler wrote the piece to “celebrate the vagina,” and the play is a series of monologues with women speaking about various experiences with their vagina. Ensler sees the vagina as being a …

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So, on to the good news…when it rains it pours! Right after I found out about my cancer, I got a really exciting job opportunity that I did not want to pass up.
Ordinary people would never think about switching jobs right after they found out they had a cancer relapse but I decided long ago that I am not ordinary!
I approached my prospective boss and explained my situation to her (and the company). It was a great litmus test to see how comfortable I would feel in the company and how supportive they were of employees in general when challenges arose. The great news is that they could not have been more willing to help me through my “condition”. After I heard their response, I decided to accept.
So, as of April 16th, I will be starting as the VP, Marketing for Ann Taylor Corp. I will be overseeing both the Ann Taylor and Loft brands and basically be in charge of helping the company “present” themselves to the public.
I am …

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