Met with the Medical Oncologist this morning - Dr.M (a different Dr.M - not Dr.M the Surgeon). She explained that I am HER2 positive and have a rapid growing cancer. Even though the tumor was removed, there is a possibility that cancer may be "unseen" in other places - she stated that unequivicably I must have Chemotherapy due to the manner in which cancer cells grow in my body.
I will have six cycles of Chemotherapy (cycles occur every 3 weeks), my chemo cocktail will be Taxotere, Cytoxan and Herceptin. After the six cycles I will continue with Herceptin every 3 weeks for 6 months. Dr. M's nurse gave me three pages of definite and potential side affects I will encounter. She also provided me with prescriptions for a steroid and two anti nausea drugs along with with a recipe for a mouth rinse and a nose spray.
It was all just too much today, information overload! I honestly stopped listening because my mind just floated away as I started to think about what I did to deserve this. Why me?
The nurse kept asking me if I wanted a prescription for a wig - "you sure you don't want one?" Losing my hair is not a major concern for me. I've worn a short hair cut for almost 15 years - hair, or the lack there of, is not a big deal. I was also told that I will have to have Dr.M (Surgeon) put a port in my chest for the administering of the Chemotherapy. I DO NOT WANT A PORT IN MY CHEST!!!!
Next week, I have to get a bone scan, chest scan, and some heart analysis shit!! The Chemotherapy is set to begin the first week in June, after the test next week and the port placement.
I reviewed my medical claims submitted to insurance since the diagnoses in March - $29K and counting. Cancer is expensive! Thank god I have insurance.
With all this treatment news, beside the fact I'm heading into another weekend with this freakin drain still hanging at my side - it seems things would be better if I just put a pistol to my temple and pull the trigger.
Show us your gorgeous eyes.
Submitted by [Susan].
Apparently (and by that I mean according to wikipedia) only 1-2% of the world's population have green eyes and it is the least common eye color. Usually you can't tell my eyes are green in photos, but in this one you can.
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Jason Yudoff just released his second studio album, Tragic Hero last Tuesday, May 13th. Apparently this album's been hitting the music industry rounds for a while now, because, despite just officially released to the general public, it's already been nominated in the 2008 Grammy Ballot in four categories: "Best New Artist", "Album of the Year", "Record of the Year" (for the song "Personal Addict") and "Producer of the Year" (Ron Thaler).
Since the song "Personal Addict" is nominated for "Record of the Year", I thought it that would best represent him: a little funk and jam. Even his funky voice on this song sounds a little like Jamiroquai, doesn't it?
I also really liked the frantic piano-driven song, "Locked in a Box", which really shows off Yudoff's piano-playing skill.
There's also a studio version of "Too Late Janie", which originally appeared on his live album, LIVE at The Cutting Room, which sounds a little more controlled. It even sounds better in the studio, but I did missed the improvised piano in the middle of the live version.
Tragic Hero is out now, you can find his music on amazon and itunes as well as cd baby. He's playing one show in New York at the Make Music at the Waterside Plaza on June 21st.
Links:
jasonyudoff.com
myspace.com/jasonyudoffandthenewhotness
The other day I posted an entry for Mochachocolatarita’s Chinese Take-Out Party…(if you guys haven’t checked out her party yet, get over there! There are tons of delicious dishes to be had!)…Of course, once the round-up was posted, my fingers couldn’t click the mouse fast enough to get to her site. There are main dishes, rices, noodles, appies, soups and desserts. There were a couple (ok, ok *more* than a couple!) of dishes that really caught my eye. The Kung Pao Chicken entries were especially insistent with the powers that be within my grumbling stomach. Kung Pao Chicken is basically chicken and peanuts, stirfried in a delicious brown sauce. But take this simple dish and add a bunch of ginger and vegetables, and you have elevated it to something sublime. The entries on Rita’s page inspired me to go out and make some Kung Pao, go and see what inspires you! 
For the Kung Pao Chicken recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com/?p=183
I know I've been away for awhile, but I don't have the energy to 'splain what I've been up to. Maybe tomorrow. Okay, probably not tomorrow either. Stop pressuring me.
Anyway, I just stopped by to fly the flag of equality. Take a gander at this headline ...
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CALIFORNIA'S TOP COURT ISSUES HISTORIC RULING IN SUPPORT OF GAY MARRIAGE!
Thursday May 15, 2008 -- Today, California's top court issued an historic ruling in support of gay marriage. "We are thrilled by this amazing victory that ensures deserving legal equality for ALL Californians." said Rodney Scott, President of Christopher Street West, producer of Los Angeles LGBT PRIDE.
As written by Chief Justice Ron George for the court's majority, "Our state now recognizes that an individual's capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation."
For more on this story: see NYT here
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That's right. Cali's the second state in the Union to officially recognize same-sex marriage. I wonder what affect this news will have on this weekend's Pride parade down in Long Beach. I'm actually going to try and attend this year, thanks to a suggestion from a chica over on LJ. The parade's on Sunday morning, but instead of driving down to LBC and spending a shockingly large amount of gas -- we're up to $3.85 per gallon here in VN -- I'm heading down on the subway. I still haven't planned my entire trip yet, but essentially, I'm gonna hop on the blue line, watch the parade, browse the boulevard, meet up with a buddy for lunch, then ride the rail back to the Valley. :-) I'm really looking forward to it.
Of course, I plan to take photos, but you know me. I probably won't post them until September. :-P
Number of times my daughter escalated into an uber tantrum because she wanted to wear her red and white mary janes to bed: 1.
Number of meals I ate today: 4 (plus a dessert of trail mix - yes, the bad kind with chocolate in it).
Number of online shopping carts I have open with stuff I don't need: 5.
Number of dollars it took to fill up my non-environmentally-friendly SUV: 70.
Number of plants visibly wilting in my backyard due to unseasonably warm weather: at least 10.
Number of times I missed my husband who gets back tomorrow from a business trip: Countless.
I'm crying hysterically right now because I just watched a video of pigs being inhumanely slaughtered... it's not so much about it being an animal, but pigs are as sensitive and smart as dogs... (i don't know if smart is saying much though for some dogs) and they were just dragging them into a room and when they saw their pig friends tied up and screaming... literally screaming, I'm not even kidding... on the ground, they started freaking out too. and all I could think about was my dogs. I don't know what to do. I am so torn. All of the research I did about factory farming and the books I have yet to finish reading (Michael Pollan: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Peter Singer: Animal Liberation and The Way We Eat, Why Our Food Choices Matter)... I don't know if I can eat animals anymore... it's so sad. I know places like Whole Foods have huge long criteria that the farms must meet where they get their meat from... and they are raised humanely and slaughtered humanely... but even so... that's still eating another animal.
and honestly, in this day and age, it's completely unnecessary to eat
meat... we do it for the taste...I do it for the taste, to please my
palate... There are plenty of legumes that contain the protein of
meat... it's not necessary... but so convenient... what do I do?? I'm
so confused 
and so very sad I can't believe how much it hurt me inside to watch that.
and the thing is, I'm just one person, I'm just me.. even if I swear off meat, I won't really be saving any (many) animals...
I love meat... but I can't stop thinking about what I'm doing now. and i feel soooooo guilty. In one of the books, I think it was one of Peter Singer's books, he talks about giving a vegetarian who does it for moral reasons the chance to slaughter his own chicken so it's done humanely for sure.. and the vegetarian does it.. and eats the chicken with no problems!
I think it's the complete OPPOSITE for most people... if I had to kill my own food, I wouldn't be able to eat it... think about this: I love lobster... boiling them alive is inhumane... a humane way to kill them is by taking a very sharp knife and slicing them straight down right between the eyes... they don't even feel it.. but I know if I couldn't do it.. and if I did do it, I wouldn't be able to eat it. It'd be so much easier to just stick the lobster in the water, put the lid on and walk away until it's done cooking.
Out of sight, out of mind... I'd rather have someone else murder my animals for me.
but I'm starting to see the horror of it staring back at me from my plate every time my plate is filled with animal flesh... I should have never done my speech, ethics paper, and american government paper on this topic... I'll never feel the same way again
On the flip plus side, I do really honestly like tofu... so who knows... maybe I can do it
In the meantime, I highly urge you guys to check out these books... because they are good, not because I want you to feel the way I do.
I agree with Peter Singer. I want to meet the guy.
Show us a photograph from a wedding.
Submitted by Connie.
August 19, 1999. Santa Cruz Boardwalk in the front seat of the Giant Dipper. The train is FULL of our friends and family. We'd gotten married on the pier just 30 min prior and this was our first ride as Mr. and Mrs. Lehman. We are wearing the shirts we tie dyed for the event, every one is - we made 70. hm... I look younger now than I did in the photo and Ben looks older now! Wait, is that HAIR on his head?! <3
So fucking nice in San Francisco today. Good call by Simon Wistow to go get pissed at Zeitgeist with some good peeps and talk some shit. Now I'm chillin' on the couch with Rudy, who is fully worn out from his long day at work, waiting for my sweet to get home from her happy hour so we can watch Hellboy and have a private party. It's a good day!
