A great big Thank you

Hey friends!

I wanted to take a minute to give you a great big thank you!!! Your comments and responses lately have been a huge encouragement and source of joy to me. I just love hearing from you. Let me update you on the choice I have made in reading.....Dunt dun daaaaaa.

It is House of leaves!

Years ago, when House of Leaves was first being passed around, it was nothing more than a badly bundled heap of paper, parts of which would occasionally surface on the Internet. No one could have anticipated the small but devoted following this terrifying story would soon command. Starting with an odd assortment of marginalized youth -- musicians, tattoo artists, programmers, strippers, environmentalists, and adrenaline junkies -- the book eventually made its way into the hands of older generations, who not only found themselves in those strangely arranged pages but also discovered a way back into the lives of their estranged children.

Also, this book is supposed to have different colored lettering that spell out subplots and other stories within the story. There are foot notes that written up the edges of the pages. It sounds like a very layered sort of book that gives you lots to think about and things to solve. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the hard copy of this through amazon. It would not have been an easy read on kindle because of the different colors of lettering and the up the side foot notes. I felt it would be easier to read with an actual book. LOLd.

So, that is the new book choice. I will keep you posted. Let me know if you decide to read it with me!

How was your fourth of July weekend? Ours started with fire works at Two Rivers church on the 3rd. It was a great display. My favorite are the gold fuzzy fire works that just drift right out in a big pinwheel design. What are your favorite fire works? Saturday we spent the day in the Great Smoky Mountains. We had lunch in Gatlinburg, and then took a drive through Cades Cove. It was a beautiful day. I was worn out yesterday. The pups got a bath and the regular house work got done, but for the most part I just laid around watching tv and reading.

That is all that is happening in my world. What is happening in yours??


Thanks for stopping by,

Leslie

Xeloda cycle 12, cancer perks, say what?

Hello Friends,

Oh my gosh, the weather here in Tn is just beautiful. Sunny but not too hot, with afternoon showers that cool things down. Long days with daylight till around 9 pm. Just around that time the fireflies come out and light the forest surrounding us with twinkle lights. It is simply magical. I have to say I'm adjusting to life here in Tennessee quite nicely. I just didn't believe I could love a place as much as I loved Flower Mound Texas, but here I am. I'm smitten! How is it where you are? Are you enjoying your Summer as well?

Earlier this week, my daughter and I discovered a new hiking trail nearby. It was so nice to go hiking with her and the dogs. The dogs just go crazy for being in nature, and want to drag us along on the adventure. They start out by being in the lead, and by the end of our hike you can see a nap is in their near future! Sweet pups. There have been lots of yard projects happening around our house. Mainly a lot of lower limbs being trimmed back from trees and bushes being trimmed. The yard is beginning to look more cared for a less neglected. It is sooooo awesome to feel well enough to partner with Mo in these yard improvements. I'm just loving it.

Tomorrow I begin cycle 12 of xeloda! Yay! Just kidding. Not yay. I'm really sort of dreading it. Chemo is just no fun. Well I will leave you now, and let you view the video for more information on THAT. Thanks for stopping by. I'll see ya next week on Wednesday.

Leslie

Cancer, why me? Why not you?....part two.

Hello friends,

Here is part two of the ezine series I wrote about the cancer journey I have taken. This will bring you to the beginning of my metastatic cancer diagnosis. To find out what happens beyond these two articles you can read the archived posts on my blog here, by starting with the oldest post and working your way forward. My hope is that sharing these deeply personal parts of my story with you, you will be helped or blessed, or educated, or reassured, encouraged. or all of the above.

Here is the 2nd half of the middle of my story:




I have shared in the past that I am a breast cancer survivor. Now I will share that I do not survive breast cancer, I live with metastatic breast cancer. You see, my cancer has gone beyond the breast and now exists in many parts of my body. Having spread to a major organ makes a cancer a metastasis. My breast cancer has spread to my lungs, chest wall lymph nodes, bones in my pelvis and right arm bones. For the past two years I've been treated for fibromyalgia. This was a misdiagnosis. But I won't go into the high rate of misdiagnosis in breast cancer and mets breast cancer. Instead, I will share this. The pink ribbon notorious for breast cancer awareness is no friend to women and the few men who have mets breast cancer. Less than 1 % of money raised for research goes towards studying or finding treatments or cures for metastatic breast cancer. You may ask yourself this, If Susan G Komen began fundraising for a cure in 1998, why more than 13 years later are we no closer to a cure?

This year in March, I discovered that the persistent cough I had suffered for months was caused by fluid in my lungs. On biopsy this fluid was found to be metastatic breast cancer. Further test by PET scan showed the cancer to be in my arm, pelvic area, and chest wall. As of now I have had 4 procedures to drain my lungs. Which is insert a needle into your lung to drain the fluid so that you can breathe. Since diagnosis I have received 5 chemo therapy treatments. My lungs no longer are filling with fluid, I can breathe, and I have energy. The drugs that are used to treat me are Taxol and Avastin. You may have heard of Avastin in the news recently. It has been decided by the FDA that Avastin isn't a drug that benefits patients with mets breast cancer. The original studies found the drug to extend the life expectancy by 5-6 months. The FDA disputes that claim stating that the study really reveals a life expectancy of 1-2 months. I ask you, if you could have 1-2 extra months of life would you take it? I know I would. The side effects of this drug are high blood pressure, nose bleeds, and possible intestinal problems. There are a few a law suits pending due to some of the side effects. This drug will continue to be used to treat liver, intestinal and brain cancer. The same side affects still apply.

Having just learned that the FDA has removed this drug as a treatment for my cancer is frustrating. They say that Doctors may still prescribe the generic form for mets breast cancer treatment. But in fact insurance companies will no longer pay for this. That would mean an average of $100,000 out of pocket from the patient. I am not independently wealthy. This paying out of pocket would not be an option for me. There are no drugs that I am aware of waiting in the wings with as much promise as Avastin has at treating this disease. So far I have completely stopped all tumor growth. My lungs have cleared, and my energy has increased. My quality of life has gone from being sick and weak to being active and energetic. The FDA's decision has left me sad and worried. This is not a place that is healthy for someone who has a shortened life expectancy to be in.

Let me leave you with this, if you have any lumps, bumps or swelling, do not let a Dr tell you it is probably nothing. I had a radiologist tell me this. I asked him, If he had a lump or swelling on his testicle, would he just ignore it because someone told him it was probably nothing. He said he would get it checked out. Of course he would. It is different when the problem is yours and not someone else. So, if you have a lump, pursue getting it checked out. Even go as far as demanding a needle biopsy. It could save your life! If not for the insistence on pre-surgical testing for my recently cancelled breast reconstruction by my cosmetic surgeon, I would still think I had fibromyalgia and would not be receiving medical intervention. Get mammograms, and insist on follow up on anything you find that is suspicious.

Leslie Bowlus url: http://www.missditz-thebeautifullife.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leslie_Bowlus

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6391933


Thank you for stopping by,

Leslie