I’m still here … just trying to process yesterday.  I’ll share the facts now and get to how I feel about them soon.

* The cancer’s appearance is improving, but the tumor is still inoperable.  In fact, every time I get chemo, it seems that the tumor shrinks for the first two weeks, but grows back in the third.  That’s why

* My treatment regimen has been upped to every week.  That’s right; I have to go down and sit in the chair and get chemotherapy dripped into my arm every week from now until Christmas.  But

* The dose won’t be as high as on the every-three-week cycle, so perhaps it won’t knock me on my tush as hard.  I hope not, at least.  The last three weeks have taken me 8 days to feel decent again.  And now I go every 7 days.  At least

* I don’t have to go out to the local blood draw and testing facility to get my blood drawn on the alternate weeks anymore.  Their needlesticks invariably hurt and left bruises.  However

* I’ll still need a needle stick downstairs and my IV upstairs at the hospital.  Oh well.  At least

* WhyDaddy is still going to be able to come with me to chemo.  There’s only one that he’ll have to miss, for work.  He and

* My mother and father were with me this week, keeping me company, and it really helped.  Also

* The news crew came along too, filming everything from check-in to needle-stick, and a bit of the drip.  Lovely.  But

* It’s more awareness for IBC.  The segment(s) will air the last week of October, on Fox, channel 5/25 here in D.C. and surrounding areas.  It looks like it will be on the web too, so I’ll link up when it comes out.  I’m the one in the pink converse tennies and the hat.  I’m wearing a soft new chemo cap now, from

* My amazing Moms Club, the local Team WhyMommy, who showers me with a pink bag of encouragement and fun items to help me through each chemo cycle.  AC was really hard for me, and it’s been amazing to have their help and support all the way through this.  I certainly don’t expect them to do this for every chemo treatment now!  An email or a note would be enough, since it’s weekly.  (Although I will miss the chocolate chip cookies, the brownies, and the veggie breads.)  I’ll have to email them and let them know that instead of three more treatments, I now have

* Eleven.

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