nancylife

Celebration Time

2010-11-08T07:52:00.003-07:00

I'm off for a week in Kauai with my BFF Mary Lou - celebrating the end of this tumultuous year, just to get some R&R. Two weeks ago I had another followup with my oncologist and the coast is clear, no signs of cancer 8 months post-op!

I have another small procedure that needs to be addressed by Dr. Brown, the plastic surgeon, in a few weeks but it's just a minor outpatient surgery. Other than that, lookin' good and feeling even better!

Saturday evening I attended an event called "Pink Tie for the Cure" which was a fundraiser put on by Susan G. Komen Denver. More than 800 people turned out for the event, and I'm not sure how much money was raised in total, but it was substantial. I ran into my surgeon and radiologist there, and it was great for them to see me recovered!

Most importantly, I just scheduled my next mammogram for January 2011 - which was the eent that catapulted this whole turn of events almost a year ago. I asked them if I could get it half price because I only have one "real" breast but they just laughed at me.

Aloha for now . . .

Nancy

More Info on the Mammogram Debate

2010-10-11T11:22:00.003-06:00

The debate continues on whether regular mammograms should be optional for women under 50 in the US. Here's an interview that ran on National Public Radio this morning. It's a good listen.

Bottom line: Mammograms DO save lives but people are freaking out about false positives. Of course my (strong) opinion is that mammograms starting at age 40, or earlier if a woman has a family history of breast cancer, are important. Check out the link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130437187&sc=17&f=1001

P.S. I'd like to know how many MEN were on the Federal Task Force that recommended optional mammograms under age 50!

One Month Post-Walk

2010-09-24T10:09:00.014-06:00

Below are some photos from the Susan G. Komen 3Day walk in Denver which took place a month ago -- how time flies! (My feet have FINALLY recovered.) Reflecting back, it was very humbling to be surrounded by so many survivors, family members and friends who are committed to eradicating this disease and who shared their stories about their journey with breast cancer with me along the way.

This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Hopefully some day in the future there won't be a need for fundraising, races, walks and events like this when a cure for breast cancer is found. In the meantime, I'm now up to 47 women who have gotten their overdue mammograms since I started keeping track back in February.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DETECTION!

DAY ONE: 6:00 a.m., prior to the Opening Ceremonies (I was one of the survivor flagbearers, carrying the flag "Optimism")

The Pink Divas (Right to left, Nan, Nancy, Kathy and Sandy) beginning our 60 mile journey

My teammate Kathy with one of the many colorful cheering staff along the route to keep us going - the "Cow Ladies"

The super hard working "Lunch Ladies" who served us our meals throughout the 3 days

Delivering my survivor speech to the group on Saturday evening

Getting ready to cross the finish line on Day 3 - energy flagging but still walking!

On stage with my fellow survivors at Closing Ceremonies in City Park

Reuniting with my son Will at the end of the walk - the best reward ever!

The walk is over - the quest for 100 has just begun

2010-08-31T12:28:00.012-06:00

View a slideshow from the Denver Walk for the Cure

There are six slides. Nancy is #5. Her usual brillant smile, yet look closely and you will see the tears of joy as she hugs fellow survivors in the closing moments on the podium.

As the representative of Survivors in Denver, Nancy delivered a moving speech on Saturday night (well sundown was late on those days!). The speech and many other scenes were captured on our flips! We promise to post ASAP - probably Tuesday September 7. Here is a link to the Denver Post slideshow from an article about the walk posted August 31.

Now that the 3Day walk is over -- its time for the challenge to be made. In her speech, Nancy challenged everyone to do what she is doing - -
Ask 100 women if they are up to date on their mammogram. Beg those who are not current on their mammogram to schedule and go to a mammogram appointment. If insurance is the reason NOT TO -- that is not good enough, and if you have any cancer anywhere in your family - let them know you are in a high risk category according to insurance companies. And the insurance companies will pay for mammograms for any age person in a high risk category.

Here is a video to share video.about.com/breastcancer/Getting-a-Mammogram.htm

-- posted by Fellow Pink Diva Walker Kathy as Nancy is Diva Experiencing San Francisco and returns about Sept 10.

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I am Optimism

2010-08-26T21:46:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow morning I will be a flagbearer at the Susan G. Komen 3Day for the Cure 60 mile walk during the opening ceremonies. Alongside 7 other breast cancer survivors, I will be bearing a flag with the word OPTIMISM on it. I'm honored to have been selected for this particular banner.

My teammates on the Pink Divas will be taking video and photos of the opening ceremonies, after which we will be walking for 22 miles to our first night's camping in pink tents! My heart is full of optimism tonight, for myself and for all the other people out there who have been touched by breast cancer.

On Saturay I'll be giving a speech and sharing my my personal story with all of the other participants, volunteers, and staff - hope to get that recorded on video too!

Look for updates over the weekend, as they promise to have computers set up for blogging, etc. at the event.

Two Days and Counting

2010-08-24T21:08:00.002-06:00

It's hard to believe that a little over 48 hours from now I'll be putting on my Nikes and my "Pink Diva" gear to start the 60 Mile walk. I'm a little apprehensive, not so much about the walk but about getting up in front of 1,000 people to give a speech about my personal experience with breast cancer. I've written my speech and have rehearsed it numerous times and I've yet to get through it without crying.

But I guess if I do cry (which I probably will), no one will be surprised. I'm always amazed to see how stoic people can be when speaking to a large group in public. All I can do is be myself, tell my story, and whatever happens, happens. Of course, it will all be recorded for posterity on my trusty Flip video!

My teammates arrive tomorrow from Chicago and Aspen, and we'll do our last check of packing items, etc. So tonight I'll enjoy my mattress because later on this week I'll be sleeping in a tent! If only it were a Westin Heavenly Bed . . .

One Week to Go . . . Camping Dry Run!

2010-08-18T10:42:00.004-06:00

I'm now 10 days out from the 60 mile walk and am continuing to step up my training. Last weekend I did a 4 mile uphill bike ride on Beartooth Pass, which is in Montana just outside of Yellowstone (suffice to say it was a BEAR, no pun intended).

I've been asked to give a speech at the 3 Day walk on Saturday evening about my experience with breast cancer and the journey I've been on. Of course I accepted the invitation so now I have to come up with my speech! I'll be blogging more over the next week as we get closer to the event, and also during the walk in the evenings as there is internet access for participants. The opening ceremonies are on Thursday evening, August 26 and the walk starts bright and early on Friday morning.

More later but I wanted to post this brief update! Here's a photo of me on top of Beartooth Pass getting ready to do the climb, 4 miles uphill at 10,000 feet. If I made that, the 60 mile walk will be a piece of cake (NOT). Also including some pics of the wildlife at Yellowstone and photos of camping - a FIRST for me. Maybe they won't be able to call me the Starwood Queen anymore!

Elk resting in the shade along the roadside at Yellowstone

Buffalo grazing in the meadow at Yellowstone

Dennis setting up camp for the Diva - a far cry from the Westin!

Setting up camp for the night in "Bear Country"

Gathering firewood - no Duraflame logs allowed!

Waking up from a not-so rested night's sleep but still all in one piece

4 Month Post-Surgery Checkup

2010-08-05T10:54:00.002-06:00

I had my first quarterly checkup with the oncologist last week and all of my blood tests, including the one that measures the "tumor markers," came back with glowing results! The doctors will follow my progress for 6 years, taking blood tests on a quarterly basis to ensure that there are no cancer markers in my body.

Of course, this will be accompanied by annual mammograms per the usual guidelines. (By the way, another friend of mine scheduled her WAAAY overdue mammogram this week - so I'm now up to 40 women who have done so!!!

I'm feeling great physically, emotionally, and mentally and am now 3 weeks out from the Susan G. Komen 3Day Walk for the Cure. The Pink Divas will be documenting our progress on the walk with photos and videos so stay tuned - it's all happening the last week of August, starting with the opening ceremony on the evening of Thursday, August 26th. The walk begins at the crack o' dawn on Friday, August 27 and concludes with closing ceremonies on Sunday, August 29th.

Now I just need to keep on walking . . . and stock up on blister bandages from what I've been told!

Even Dogs Can be Divas

2010-07-25T18:37:00.013-06:00

Our "Cuticles, Cupcakes and Cosmos" fundraiser today was fantastic. The Pink Divas raised almost $1,400 in support of our Susan G. Komen 3Day Walk for the Cure!!!!

THANK YOU to everyone who came out today, and a special recognition to our donors and our hosts at Doorway 2 the Sole Salon in Cherry Creek for donating the manicurists' time and skills to make this day possible. Diane and her girls rock! Here are some highlights from the day, including Sadie (my dog) getting her first "pet"icure, and a few minutes later almost snitching a cupcake off the tower.

Our Awesome "Manicurists for the Cure" Patty, Diane, Suzanne, and Casey

Sadie Trying to Poach a Cupcake - Caught in the Act!

Sadie the "Canine Diva" getting her first "pet"icure

Our Youngest Client (Diva in Training)

Bet You Can't Eat Just One!

Bill's very first manicure . . . just goes to show it's never too late to start being a diva!

Needless to say, a good time was had by all and everyone ended up looking fab, although a few calories heavier after the cosmos and cupcakes. We are now $1,750 away from our fundraising goal. It so so graatifying to know that we've touched so many people, and best of all I met two more women today who were overdue on their mammograms, who have promised to schedule them.

Cuticles, Cupcakes, and Cosmos

2010-07-22T11:36:00.003-06:00

On Sunday, July 25 the Pink Divas will be holding a fundraising event called "Cuticles, Cupcakes, and Cosmos." For a $35 donation to our team fundraising for the Susan G. Komen 3Day For the Cure, participants will receieve a fabulous manicure, a cosmo (prepared by moi!), and some yummy cupcakes made by my teammates Sandy and Nan (former owners of Classic Cakes of Aspen).

For everyone in Denver reading this blog post, come one come all! The event will be held in Cherry Creek at Doorway 2 the Sole Salon, 3rd and Columbine, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

We'll also have door prizes from local merchants that will be raffled off every hour. See you on Sunday!

Exciting News!

2010-07-20T22:29:00.004-06:00

I learned over the weekend that I've been chosen as one of 10 cancer survivors to be a flag bearer in the opening and closing ceremonies at the Susan G. Komen 3Day for the Cure in Denver next month . What an honor! I believe there are over 800 people registered to participate in the event.

We're coming down to 6 weeks pre-event and my training is going really well. I did an 8 mile training walk on Saturday and felt great afterwards. Also, I bought a new mountain bike last week and participated in a 10 mile Moonlight Ride on Saturday in downtown Denver. What a blast! Here's a photo of me with my new mountain bike!

One more bit of positive news - I had my stitches removed from my last surgery today and everything is healing up well. It's great to be back to normal (whatever that is).

At Last . . .

2010-07-07T20:43:00.002-06:00

Today Dr. Brown performed my final reconstruction surgery at St. Joseph's Hospital. I was a little nervous and apprehensive the evening before, lots of emotions bubbling up to the surface. I arrived at the hospital around 7:00 a.m. and while waiting in the pre-surgery room I reflected at how much has happened in my life over the past 16 weeks. My mastectomy surgery took place almost 4 months ago to the day so there was a deja vu quality when I checked in at the registration desk.

The surgery (outpatient) went well, took about 2 hours and was performed under local anesthesia. When my son Will picked me up later that morning, I have to say that I had the most amazing feeling of completion. My life is so blessed to be cancer-free and I have so much ahead of me to look forward to. I thank my lucky stars for such great doctors, my friends, my health insurance, and of course my family. Without the support of my friends and my sons, I'm not sure how I would have gotten through this ordeal.

My mother used to tell me that God never gives you more than you can handle. I really believe that's true, and once you face and conquer some serious challenges, it makes you stronger and certainly more empathetic towards others.

As the song does, "The future's so bright I've gotta wear shades!" After a few days resting up, I plan to resume my training this weekend for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk. Eight weeks to the countdown!

Training Update

2010-06-28T17:00:00.003-06:00

It's been a few weeks since I've posted an update on how my training for the 60 mile walk is going. This past weekend I did a LONG hike - I think it was 8 mles or more but my trusty pedometer isn't working well. I'm averaging 3-4 miles a day, and am trying to step up my pace.

I did a beautiful, peaceful walk along the Potomac River while visiting my friend Liz in DC two weeks ago. So my progress is steady - the biggest issue I have is finding the time, so on weekends I try to take advantage of the situation. Don't you hate it when works gets in the way of real life?

Yesterday I went for a 20+ mile bike ride up in Ft. Collins. I was puffing and panting at the end but amazingly I'm not sore today. Thank you Dennis for making me do that!!

In Vegas for most of the week so I will have to hit the gym at the Westin since it's 108 degrees in the shade. You know what they say, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."

WOW!

2010-06-14T10:44:00.009-06:00

I'm totally blown away, I just learned that I was nominated for and received the "Spirit of Cisco" award for my efforts in raising awareness for breast cancer!

The award was announced on a Cisco TV broadcast today by our US Channels VP, Wendy Bahr. What a way to start my week! Woo hoo!! What a journey this has been since February. I'm still continuing to train for the Susan G. Komen 3Day Walk for the Cure and I'm now up to 30 women who have gotten their overdue mammograms - thankfully all of them had a good outcome! So far I've raised over $5,000 and I'm the top fund raiser in Denver!! Thank you to EVERYONE who has donated in my name to this worthy cause.

Just so everyone can see how healthy I am, here's few photos from my son Andy's going away party on Memorial Day weekend to wish him Bon Voyage for his summer internship at Yelp! in San Francisco . . .

Cupcakes anyone?

George and Sadie resting up for the party

Andy and his proud Mom

Will and Mom getting into the spirit of things

A Banner Day

2010-05-25T20:27:00.005-06:00

Today was momentous for more than one reason.

First: Andy, my 21 year old son, was offered an internship in San Francisco for the summer. I'm elated that he has such a fantastic opportunity to start his business career as he has one more semester to complete before he gets his degree from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado. Go Andy! (But I'll miss you, except for the dirty cothes and towels you leave strewn all over my bathroom.)

Second: Will, my 19 year old son, got a job with Denver's largest catering company for the summer. Cooking is his passion and I'm sure he'll have a blast. It sure beats mowing lawns.

Third and perhaps Most Important: Today my fundraising for the Susan G Komen 3Day Walk for the Cure reached over $5,000!!!! Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the tremendously postive impact my breast cancer diagnosis could have had. Here I am 3 months later, feeling and looking great, training for the 60 mile walk and I can honestly say I've emerged from the dark tunnel of the past few months. Each day just gets better and I'm so grateful for everyone's support, belief in me, and continued prayers.

What a great way to begin the summer!

It Takes Dedication

2010-05-13T20:36:00.005-06:00

I'm now 16 weeks out from the Susan G. Komen 3Day Walk for the Cure. Not so great weather in Denver but I put on my rain slicker and gloves and did a 3 mile walk even though I wanted to do nothing but cocoon in my living room in front of the fire.

Sadie accompanied me but George (senior citizen, 10 years old, but 60+ in dog years) decided to forgo the occasion. Who knew I would have had such discipline, me the original Couch Potato?

Off to snoozeland . . .

The Best Mother's Day Ever

2010-05-10T09:22:00.011-06:00

Yesterday was the most memorable Mother's Day I've had in years. Somehow this experience of having cancer has crystallized the joyous moments of my life and taught me to savor every experience and just live in the moment. It was so fantastic to be with my boys, but there was a bittersweet edge to the day as my own mother celebrated her 90th birthday yesterday. I spoke to my Mom briefly but as she's descending down the slippery slope of Alzheimer's I'm not really sure she actually knew it was me.

My mother instilled such a strong role model in me as she courageously raised three children after being widowed suddenly at age 44. It is her courage and tenacity that gives me the emotional and spiritual strength to face my personal challenges. She always taught me that life is unpredictable, and you need to have faith in God's plan when you're faced with obstacles that life throws your way. When my spirits are low, I think of how she faced tragedy with courage, grace and optimism, and that inspires me to carry on with a positive attitude.

Yesterday I focused on how much I have to celebrate this Mother's Day, as I'm blessed with good health after going through hell and back over the past few months! I spent the day with Andy and Will and the dogs in Boulder, starting with a 3 mile hike on one of my favorite trails. It was a glorious Spring day so we just took in the beauty of nature and reflected on all that's happened since the beginning of the year. Here are some photos from our hike, starting with Andy leading off at the trail head with George.

Pausing for a rest to take in the view.

Sadie and George enjoying the water .

Proud mom and her boys.

Self-portrait of "one crazy guy" Andy man

We ended the day with lunch at Lucile's, a favorite spot in Boulder. All in all a perfect day and I can't think of anything I would rather have done.

Climbing a New Mountain

2010-05-06T16:10:00.005-06:00

Many of you know that I had total knee replacement on my right knee in December 2007. Lost in all the drama of my breast cancer this Spring is the GREAT NEWS that my knee is so strong now that I've been invited to participate in Colorado Joint Replacement's Annual 14'er hike! Every summer, a group of people at my orthopedic surgeon's office, including staff and selected patients, get together for a full day's hike to climb one of Colorado's mountain peaks with an altutude of 14,000 feet or more.

To explain the significance of this, prior to my knee reconstruction I could barely walk more than a city block without limping, and had to wear a brace when I walked my dogs. I had a severe case of bone-on-bone arthritis, with absolutely no cartilage remaining as a result of a skiing accident many years ago.

This has been on my "bucket list" for some time now, so I figured, what better time to train for this than now, and combine it with my 60 mile walk regimen?

So . . . in addition to signing up for the Susan G. Komen 60 mile walk, I'm taking on this additional challenge. Call me crazy, call me Rambo, but there's no stopping me now! Above is a photo taken from the summit of Mt. Sherman, which is the specific 14,000 foot mountain we're going to climb.

Pink Divas Rock!

2010-05-05T11:23:00.007-06:00

I'm so excited to unveil our team's official "Pink Divas" logo! My team members Sandy, Nan, Kathy and I will proudly wear this logo on our training apparel as we prepare for the Susan G. Komen 3Day For the Cure. I'll be posting it soon on my Personal Page on the Susan Komen website (click on box at right to access that page and follow my progress).

Seriously, we're really not a bunch of divas. We're just normal women who have taken on the (some may call it crazy) challenge of walking 60 miles in support of a cure for breast cancer. We will wear this logo in honor of all the people who have so generously contributed to our fundraising efforts, and of course in honor of all the men and women who have been personally touched by breast cancer.

I count myself among the fortunate group of SURVIVORS! At the risk of repeating myself, consider these sobering facts:

* Roughly 190,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009

* The average US female has a 12% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer

* In other words, 1 in 8 women in the US will develop breast cancer

* A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 90 seconds in the US

* Breast cancer is the leading cause of female cancer deaths worldwide

But the GREAT news is that the Susan G. Komen Foundation has raised more than $1.5 billion for breast cancer research and that number is growing every day! As of today, I've raised $3,825 for breast cancer research. Thanks for everyone's financial contribbutions, moral support, and good wishes as we march on towards August 27, when the Pink Divas will walk 60 miles in support of this wonderful cause.

You've Gotta Check This Out

2010-05-02T11:18:00.006-06:00

My friend and co-worker Heather Andrews sent this YouTube video link to me. It's a light-hearted tribute to curing breast cancer by some dedicated folks who work in a hospital in Portland, Oregon. It goes to show that the subject of breast cancer doesnt have to be some big dark cloud. I'm going to put this song on my Ipod Touch since it's so upbeat and I usually do my daily 4 mile training walk to fun music.

Also, a new update on my fundraising: I have now officially raised $3,475 towards my goal of $5,000 for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk for the Cure. I'm pumped up!

Thank you to EVERYONE who has donated to my cause so far. Go Pink Divas!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEdVfyt-mLw

The Meaning of Skin Saving Mastectomy

2010-04-29T12:44:00.003-06:00

I hope this isn't too graphic for some, but so many people have asked me details about just what happens during a mastectomy, and therefore I thought I'd share some information on the subject. Prior to my diagnosis, I assumed that when a woman had a mastectomy the surgeon would just remove the breast and somehow a "replacement" breast would be sewed onto the location where the original breast existed.

Not so . . . it just goes to show you how naive I was!

The good news is that plastic surgeons now perform what is referred to as a "Skin Saving Mastectomy." In simple terms, the nipple is removed, the tissue inside the breast where the cancer exists is removed, and either an implant (or in my case tissue from my stomach) is inserted into the cavity, and a flap of skin is temporarily placed where the nipple used to be.

I know, it sounds weird and believe me it LOOKS weird. However, after several months when everything is healed up the surgeon actually tattoos the skin flap and from what I've seen in the before & after photos, the end result is visually identical to a normal nipple. There's minimal scarring, and women I've spoken to who have gone through this tell me that in a six months to a year, the scars fade to the point where they are almost unnoticeable.

So there you have it. Again, I know this may be too much information for some, but it seems many people are interested in what the process entails. And had I known this level of detail when I received my diagnosis, it certainly would have spared me some mental agony wondering what I was going to be facing from a surgical perspective.

The bottom line is that my plastic surgeon is a total perfectionist, and I have total confidence in his ability so I'm leaving it up to him!

Who would have thought that someday I would have a tattoo????

Ask and You Shall Receive

2010-04-27T12:40:00.010-06:00

Yesterday I sent an email out to my friends and co-workers telling them officially that I'm participating in the Susan G. Komen 3Day Walk for the Cure in August. I will be walking with my team, the "Pink Divas," for 60 miles (20 miles a day for 3 days) to raise money and build awareness for breast cancer research.

There's not much that makes me speechless, but I have to say I was overwhelmed with emotion when, in less than 24 hours, I exceeded my initial goal of raising $2,300 for this cause. When I saw the emails rolling in saying, "You have received a donation . . ." over and over again, it was one of those "aha" moments when you know in your heart that you're doing the right thing. Here's a list of those who have helped me reach my initial goal -- THANK YOU to everyone for your generosity!

Judy Alden
Mary Lou Hely
Geary Morris
Pam Nale
Tracy Brown
Marlene Lehky
Kim Aitken-Young
Janet Cunningham
Angelique - Web Storytellers
Cheryl Sabin
Linda Beaton
Victor DiLeo and Marlene Bunch
Rich Villalobos
Tina Gangel
Amy Alfano
Lisa and Bill Rolland
Bob Abrams
Mike French - INX

This means more to me than I could ever express in words. I know in my heart that one day the world will be free of breast cancer, and if we all do our part that day will come sooner than we can imagine. To everyone who has donated: I am proud to call you my friends.

Here's a photo of me with my fellow teammates Sandy Hargrave and Nan Cutler. Go Pink Divas! And welcome to our newest team member, Kathy Knorr who will be traveling from Chicago to walk in the Denver event.

Making Strides for Breast Cancer

2010-04-26T15:42:00.005-06:00

Yesterday I participated in a 5K walk sponsored by the American Cancer Society called "Making Strides for Breast Cancer" and I thought I'd share some pictures from the event. Despite a soggy weekend here in Denver, the sun came out and Mother Nature cooperated to make it a fantastic morning. I walked with the folks from the St. Joseph Breast Care Center, which is where I've been having my treatments.

Photo of the St. Joseph team

A view of the crowd - lots of PINK!

During the Walk

It was a great way to start the morning and it really felt good to be surrounded by so many people who care about eradicating this disease. Now it's back to training for the 60 mile walk in August!

Better and Better

2010-04-25T20:03:00.003-06:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about a friend of mine, Joy Sandberg, who died of brain cancer in September 1999. Joy was such an inspiration to me and as I experience this journey with breast cancer I think of her so often. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1991, just after her 40th birthday.

The doctors told her she had at most a year to live and she defied all odds and lived for almost 9 years, had a child who was 8 years old at the time of Joy's death, and she embodied hope and courage for all those years as she lived with her diagnosis. Every time I spoke with Joy and asked her how she was feeling, her reply was always, "Better and better." When I compare my experience to her incredibly brave journey I realize that she was brought into my life to teach me a lesson - that no matter how down you get, no matter what the doctors say, that hope and faith in yourself is such a powerful thing.

Today I participated in a 5K walk to raise money for breast cancer research and I thought of Joy all the way around Washington Park as the throngs of people surrounded me, everyone dressed in pink which is the universal color of breast cancer.

I feel so fortunate to have shared Joy's journey and know that she is looking down at me from wherever she is. It's quite humbling to think about how graceful and courageous she was, and when I start feeling sorry for myself all I need to do is remember how she handled her situation. So tonight I'm saying a special prayer in her honor and I'm just feeling damn lucky to be alive and have the positive prognosis that I have.

Notes From the Big Apple

2010-04-19T14:46:00.009-06:00

I spent a few days in NYC attending an All Hands Meeting at Cisco and also met with one of my partners at the Cisco office. What a great feeling to be back at work and see everyone again (some in person, some via TelePresence). My energy level was fairly good and I was able to hang in there for almost a full day, which is a big deal considering that I've been out for almost 2 months.

In my free time I did a lot of walking, in preparation for the 60 mile Susan B. Komen walk I'm training for. Here are some photos I took along the way . . .

Park Avenue on a Sunday morning

Random Tulips springing forth

South Entrance to Central Park

My friend Janet Cunningham and I walked almost 7 miles on Sunday (leisurely walking, not fast paced), including a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge:

Our reward on the other side was a yummy pizza and a glass of red wine! All in all a wonderful time and a relaxing way to usher in Spring and celebrate my good news from last week. Now I'm off to Chicago to meet with some of my other Cisco partners. It feels great to be back at work!

Back in the Saddle Again and Reflections on Thailand

2010-04-15T06:40:00.002-06:00

I’m in New York for my first “back on the job” sojourn at Cisco after my surgery. I’ll admit I’m a little apprehensive about my energy level and stamina after being off work for six weeks, but at the same time I’m excited about getting back to work and engaging with my partners.

During my convalescence I’ve been compiling some Flip videos from my December Thailand trip with Andy and Will. Check out this video of our volunteer experience at the Elephant Nature Park near Chiang Mai, where we had the amazing opportunity to get up close to feed, bathe and interact with 34 elephants who have been rescued and now live in the happiness of a nature reserve where they’re free to roam and exist in their natural habitat. At the end of the video you'll see one of the baby elephants playing with a soccer ball -- probably one of the cutest things I've ever seen in my life. This unique experience is one of my favorite memories with my boys and I’ll treasure it forever. (Pardon the amateur videography but I wanted to share this with everyone.)

As an aside, I met a woman named Beth on my United flight yesterday who’s one year overdue on her mammogram, and she’s promised to get on it ASAP. I’m up to 25 people now on my quest to find 100 women who are overdue on their routine exams. It just goes to show that you never know how or when you’ll have an opportunity to make a random difference on someone’s life!

Time for Celebration

2010-04-13T15:03:00.004-06:00

Today I spoke with my oncologist, Dr Dev Paul, who informed me that I definitely do NOT need chemotherapy as all the genetic tests on my tumors came back with very low numbers with respect to the chance of the cancer recurring at a later date. According to him, I have a 91% chance of being cancer free over the next 10 years. This is the best news I could have gotten!

I'm off to New York tomorrow morning to start work again and I'm really looking forward to a change of scenery. It's been 6 weeks since this journey began and I'm ready to get back into the "real world." I can't wait to see everyone in US Channels Marketing and re-engage with my partners. Yippee!

I wish every woman with this disease could have the same positive optimistic prognosis that I have. I must have a guardian angel out there looking over my shoulder.

The Waiting Game

2010-04-12T06:39:00.003-06:00

Today is the BIG day - I awakened this morning and did my daily meditation and I'm ready to face the news, whatever the outcome. I will find out today for certain whether or not I'll need chemotherapy from my oncologist, as the results of my tumor testing will be complete. It's been kind of a rough weekend, very emotional as I developed an infection late last week at the incision site of my mastectomy. My plastic surgeon had to remove some dead tissue and put me on some strong antibiotics. Not sure whether I look like Frankenstein with all my scars, or maybe the Bride of Frankenstein. Frankly I've been healing really well so hopefully this is only a blip on the radar screen.

I was so moved last night watching the news to see Phil Mickelson after he won the Masters, embracing his wife who has been fighting breast cancer. I heard over the weekend that another friend in our community (mother of one of Andy's basketball friends from high school) has been diagnosed with breast cancer. However, to balance that news out I was just informed this morning that 2 more people in my circle have gotten their mammograms which had been postponed!

I'm off for my 4 mile walk this morning -- training for the 60 mile Susan B. Komen walk is going well so onward and upward to face the day! Will post more later when I hear from the doctor this afternoon. Thank you for all of your prayers and keep them coming strong today especially.

The Andre Center

2010-04-10T06:01:00.004-06:00

Many people (myself included) are frankly overwhelmed when first hearing a diagnosis of breast cancer. My initial reaction was shock, followed by an numbness and feeling of disbelief. A member of the team of amazing people at the St. Joseph Breast Care Center, Sandra Walters, runs The Andre Center for Breast Cancer Education and Navigation. This organization exists solely for the purpose of assisting newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and their families navigate through the healthcare system and guide them in making the right decisions as they consider various treatment options.

I liken Sandra to a "concierge service" in a way, as she was so helpful to me after my diagnosis when I was overcome with anxiety and paralyzed with fear about my future. The Andre Center doesn't give medical advice, but Sandra helped me identify my surgeons and oncologist, and even assisted in making the appointments for me when it was all I could do to drag myself out of bed in the morning. At one point prior to my surgery, she arranged for me to meet with an Oncology Therapist on the St. Joseph staff, who was invaluable in helping me identify and prioritize what I needed from my well-meaning friends.

We've come so far from the days of women suffering this diagnosis in silence, and being left to fend for themselves while being in a highly emotional state after being diagnosed with breast cancer. It's people like Sandra who make this journey easier. Check out their website at www.andrecenter.org to learn more about the Andre Center, and see the attached video clip to get a glimpse of this remarkable and caring woman who runs the organization.

You'l be receiving an request from me in a few days to support me in the 60 mile 3 Day Susan Komen Walk I'll be participating in during August. Wouldn't it be wonderful if some day in the future we will no longer have a need for something like The Andre Center if breast cancer is eradicated. But for now, please keep those donations coming!

An update - I am now up to 23 women who have had their mammograms that they have been putting off. Go Pink Divas!!!!

Easter Frivolities

2010-04-06T16:38:00.008-06:00

I had a dozen or so people over for Easter dinner and thought I'd post these pics showing how much fun we had. (And no, I didn't cook the entire meal -- all I did was order the Honey Baked Ham and everyone else did all the work!) As you can see, George Clooney and Sadie were all decked out and resting up before the guests arrived.

Here's George after a little too much partying! The proverbial lampshade on the head look . . . or maybe he's been watching too much MTV with Will and he's going for the gangsta look.

Seriously, my friends Sandy and Nan (who will join me on the Pink Divas 60 mile walking team) made an AMAZING coconut cake. Here's a pic of us getting ready to do our mile walk to get rid of all those calories we ingested. I'm still walking them off three days later!

Walking For a Purpose

2010-04-04T23:08:00.003-06:00

Here's a photo of my brand spanking new shoes I bought yesterday. Some of you may be thinking, "Hmmm, Nike? Not Burberry, Coach or Prada? What does this have to do with Nancy Miller? She doesn't wear athletic shoes."

Well . . . I've made the commitment to walk 60 miles to cure breast cancer in the Susan Komen 3 Day Walk in August 2010 in Denver. Soon you'll be getting an email with details on this event, for which I am committed to raising $3,000 in funding. I know . . . it's really amazing to think that me, the Starwood Queen, will be sleeping in a tent for 2 nights and taking a shower in a semi-truck. But that's what this freaking disease has done to me. It's made me look deep inside and say to myself, "What can I do to make a personal statement about the importance of curing this damn disease?"

One way to get closer to that goal is to march alongside 1,000 women in Denver this August. So I'm doing it -- me, the original couch potato who truly has never exercised on a regular basis. My team will be called the "Pink Divas" and our tagline will be: SAVING THE WORLD ONE BREAST AT A TIME.

Check out my video below to see my first day of training. I'm proud to say that I walked 1.5 miles today, just 4 weeks post-surgery. I'm pooped but happy and invigorated to know that I can make a difference for other women and perhaps prevent them from going through the personal hell that I've experienced over the past 6 weeks since my diagnosis.

Slight Turn in the Road

2010-04-01T10:02:00.005-06:00

Ok, after I posted my GREAT news last night (see previous blog post), the oncologist called me again this morning to say that the Oncotype Dx test was only performed on the largest tumor.

So now it's down to another two weeks of the waiting game as they need to perform the same dang test on the second tumor, which according to Dr. Paul has a totally different pathology. Long story short, there are two types of breast cancer: lobular and ductal. Tumor A was a mix of lobular and ductal, Tumor B is ductal. I still have good vibes that it will turn out ok, but I must say it has put a little damper on the news.

I might add that this is part of the dysfunction of our wonderful health care system in the US. Not to place blame on anyone here, but United Healthcare will not cover testing of both tumors at the same time. Why? Your guess is as good as mine.

So that's the scoop for the day. I'm still feeling positive but what a ride this has been. I feel like I'm on a cross country road trip with a bunch of detours, but at least I'm continuing on the journey and will hopefully reach my destination soon.

VERY frustrating. Some days it seems like it's one step forward, one step backward.

Prayers Answered - NO CHEMOTHERAPY!

2010-03-31T21:20:00.005-06:00

After days of nail biting and positive thinking, I finally got the FANTASTIC news today that I won't have to undergo chemotherapy. I can't describe the feeling of elation and relief that coursed through my body when the oncologist called with the good news! I actually broke down in tears in front of a total stranger while I was in line at the Post Office. It was a true Kodak moment.

I'll try to explain this in layman's terms because it's really pretty interesting, and something that any woman diagnosed with breast cancer should be aware of. I've dumbed down what the oncologist said because he's so brilliant that whenyou speak to him you know that he's probably among the top 5 smartest people you'll ever meet. (He's got more info in his little pinky on the subject of treating breast cancer that I'll ever have in my entire brain.)

The old school of thought was that ALL women diagnosed with breast cancer were given chemotherapy as "insurance" -- liken this to living in Southern California and getting earthquake insurance -- you get insurance even though the likelihood of an earthquake destroying your property is quite low. This is because 20% of all breast cancer patients with no lymph node involvement (which is my circumstance) are susceptible to cancer recurring somewhere else in their body at a later date. But there was no way of knowing which 20% would be the unlucky ones. So . . . everyone was given chemo as a precaution, just as everyone in So Cal gets earthquake insurance because it's not possible to predict the specific location an earthquake will strike.

Thankfully, in the last 5 years technology has evolved to the point where it's possible to test cancerous tissue to determine if the DNA indicates a less destructive or, conversely, a wickedly bad type of pathology. It's called an "Oncotype Dx" test. My tumors were sent to a company called Genomics for Oncotype Dx testing. As mentioned above, the good news is that my tumors came back with very low biomarker scores, hence the diagnosis that I don't need chemotherapy as it's highly unlikely that the cancer will recur elsewhere in my body.

Once again I'm reflecting on how thorough my doctors are, how fortunate I am to have excellent health insurance (the tumor tests alone cost $8,000), the fact that my cancer was caught early, and how prayer and positive thinking are protecting me like some huge golden aura. When I picture myself I envision "Glinda the Good Witch" on the Wizard of Oz, as she floats down to Munchkinland surrounded by that golden orb of light.

I'll sleep well tonight knowing my journey will be a little bit lighter and I'm free to totally focus on healing my body without the worry and distraction of chemotherapy.

I only wish that ALL women with breast cancer could be so lucky. This disease strikes randomly and although I'm going to survive, not everyone with breast cancer is fortunate enough to be in my position. My prayers tonight will be focused on all women out there whose diagnosis is not as positive as mine.

Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk for the Cure

2010-03-30T13:43:00.008-06:00

I'm honored to say that my friend Kathy Knorr in Chicago (former roommate from San Francisco days, boy does SHE have some stories to tell!) is establishing a team in my name to walk the Colorado event for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk for the Cure. It's taking place August 27-28-29, 2010 and basically involves a group of people walking 20 miles a day for 3 days to beat breast cancer. We will have a team logo (under development) and will walk in my name.

If anyone reading this blog wants to participate, I guarantee it will be a FANTASTIC time! So far the following people have committed to walking with me:

- Karen and Bill Martin
- Sandy Hargrave
- Kathy Knorr
- . . . and of course myself!

It's a gorgeous Spring day with birds chirping, sunshine and 80 degree temperature in Colorado. I'm taking that as a good luck omen that my meeting with the onocologist will go well this afternoon.

Flowers and Cupcakes

2010-03-29T16:34:00.003-06:00

Here's a short video clip that was taken when I returned home from the hospital two weeks ago. (This is the closest my house will ever get to qualifying for inclusion in House Beautiful Magazine.)

As you can see, my friends and family have been very good to me. Not only was I surrounded by flowers, but I also received some incredible Coconut Cupcakes (Barefoot Contessa recipe - YUM). There's nothing like digging into a trash novel or watching Oprah with a cupcake at your side!

Seriously, the meals are still being delivered and I'm eating so healthy it's a crime. As of last night, I'm on my own now without any caregivers staying at my house for the first time in 3 weeks. I must admit I enjoy being here alone with the dogs now that I'm strong enough to do what I need to around the house (yes, Mary Lou, I PROMISE I'm not vacuuming!).

Getting stronger every day . . .

Girls Gone Wild Denver

2010-03-26T07:38:00.011-06:00

Last weekend, Julie Sarpy and Dianne Bruno came to visit for a few days. They both work with me in Channels Marketing at Cisco and we had a great time kicking back with the boys, who were home for Spring Break. We had a surprise snowstorm (about 10 inches fell overnight), and Julie Sarpy was the official snow shoveler -- being from Louisiana, I'm not sure she had ever experienced this amount of snow in the past. But as you can see from the photo, she did a great job!

George enjoyed himself as well, as you can see.

Dianne arrived and of course that's when the action began!

On Saturday we had a relaxing day at the Woodhouse Spa. Here's a pic of us settling in with a glass of champagne before our treatments

This last photo just goes to show what happens when someone tries to keep up with Dianne on the party scene. My 21 year old son Andy didn't stand a chance . . .

Mind the Gap

2010-03-25T04:27:00.011-06:00

In the hospital earlier this month, I was pondering on how antiquated and unfunctional those silly hospital gowns are. There you are, at your lowest state emotionally, and you're wearing something resembling a paper thin rag you clean your windows with. Being a true clothes horse, I thought to myself: "Who on earth is in charge of choosing that horrid material for those ill-fitting garments?"

Well, all is not lost. I came across an article the other day that made me smile. Hopefully this trend will be coming soon to Denver . . .

London AP - In a boon for patients, stylish hospital gowns that snap down the side were unveiled Tuesday to eventually replace those shapeless cloth sacks with useless ties that flash open at the worst possible moment.

Designers were give 25,000 Pounds ($37,500) each to develop protoypes for products that would increase patient dignity.

The most eye-catching product was a jaunty striped hospital gown by US-born fashion designer Ben de Lisi. Made from high quality cotton with a classic pajama stripe pattern, it includes a pouch for a mobile phone and comes accessorized with a snuggly fleece blanket.

"Fine feathers make fine birds," said de Lisi, who has made dresses for stars including Kate Winslet. "If you look good, you feel good."

"Patients in hospitals are at their very lowest ebb, and you want them confident and buoyant so they can ask doctors the questions they need to ask."

Other designs included "modular bed pods" that improve privacy by funneling sound from bedside chats down instead of out and a recovery chair modeled on first-class airplane seats and designed by the team behind Virgin Atlantic's sleek Upper Class cabins.

Health Minister Ann Keen, a former nurse, said the new gowns would improve the hospital experience for everyone and could even help President Barack Obama in his efforts to overhaul US health care practices.

"We can export our ideas to Barack Obama, who has been very successful but needs that extra bit of support," she said.

The Labour Government has promised to get the designs in hospitals acrosss England next year -- if it wins a national election this Spring.

(Copyright 2010 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Geez Louise! Many of you know that I'm a true Anglophile at heart. For a country that gave us such wonderful items as Burberry purses, plays by Andrew Lloyd Weber, High Tea (one of my favorite traditions) and Gin & Tonics, you have to wonder about the merits of this focus on fashion in the hospital setting.

I would humbly suggest that the National Health Service put their money towards permitting insured women to a yearly mammogram, instead of today's current standard in the UK of one mammogram for every woman every THREE years!

Above are some photos of my "home girl" Dianne Bruno and me last year in London with my dear friend Moyra and her daughter Isla, during our visit to the UK for Dianne's 40th birthday. Long live England!

Nighttime Thoughts

2010-03-23T23:44:00.004-06:00

I've been cranking along at a brisk pace for the last week, occupying my time with friends and my boys and thinking every day just gets better and better. Well . . . as with many things in life, perhaps I've been fooling myself. Suddenly tonight I hit a wall -- I started watching the movie "The Blind Side" with Sandra Bullock which sounded like an uplifting and inspiring tale, but halfway through I was overcome with a tsunami of sadness and couldn't shake it.

I know I'm not facing a life or death situation but the seemingly small things really frustrate me at times -- negotiating with the insurance company (they're balking at paying for the cost of testing both tumors for biomarkers), the fact that I can't drive and am therefore dependent upon others to take me places, the thought that I'm not strong enough to walk my dogs, my constant feeling of fatigue, and a dozen other items not even worth mentioning.

As Scarlett O'Hara said in Gone With the Wind, "Tomorrow is another day." So on that note I'm signing off for the night.

A Word on Symmetry

2010-03-23T07:03:00.004-06:00

I had another fascinating visit with Dr. William Brown, my wonderful plastic surgeon. He is about the most dedicated medical professional I've ever known. The guy starts his day with hospital patient visits at the crack of dawn, ducks into surgery for 6-8 hours, and then checks in with his hospital patients once or twice again every afternoon. He is apparently "The Man" in Denver when it comes to breast reconstruction. Not only is he a perfectionist and the consummate professional, he's also one of the funniest people I've ever met.

When my friend Ellen Chandra was camped out in my hospital room several weeks ago, Dr. Brown commented that he was surprised the hospital didn't suffer a brownout due to the extreme amount of technical equipment we had connected to the electrical outlets in the room. Here's a short list: 2 Cisco PCs, 2 Blackberries, 1 Ipod Touch -- you get the picture! My room looked like a cross between a flower store and a PC Repair shop.

Anyhow, he told me today that from the perspective of health insurance companies, it's all about symmetry. When a woman has reconstruction on one breast, he often performs surgery on the other one so that everything comes out looking perfectly matching when it's all said and done. A law was passed in the early '90s guaranteeing that health insurance companies pay for this so that women don't have to deal with self-image problems, prostheseses, etc. after the surgery. (Without getting too graphic, he can reverse the effects of gravity over a number of years on ye old body.)

Thankfully I have great health insurance with Cisco so once I'm back in the saddle so to speak I'll be "lookin good!" Just another little anecdote along the great journey of breast cancer . . . but seriously, we've come a long way with respect to the way in which this disease is treated and I thought this little tidbit was worth sharing.

Above is a photo of Dr. Brown and me in his office, as well as a little video clip from my hospital stay featuring Ellen and a special surprise visitor, Yogi the Therapy Dog.

Crazy Sexy Cancer and Other Reading Materials

2010-03-22T19:07:00.003-06:00

It's been two weeks since the surgery and I'm healing quite well. The incision in my abdomen is a wicked 12 inches and the reconstructed breast - well, let's just say that I refer to it as my medicine ball. Sorry if that's too graphic for the feint of heart but I'm told by the surgeons that it will take time for everything to settle down.

I've gotten so many great books, ranging from trash novels (great to read while on Vicodin), inspirational books, funny reads, good novels, self-help books, and I'm planning to absorb them all over the next few weeks. There's even one book called "Crazy Sexy Cancer" - I may need to do a late night x-rated blog post on that one!

And of course, I LOVE the Enquirer and the Globe - I'm all current on the latest Hollywood gossip and the most recent updates on the life of Octo-Mom so just give me a call if you want the scoop.

Wow. I think back to a month ago when this all started and I'm just overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from everyone - from meals, books, flowers, visits, phone calls, emails, shuttle trips to and from the airport, and just unsolicited love from everyone. I'm on the mend and feel very uplifted spiritually and emotionally thanks to all of you.

Thank you everyone - and THIS BEARS REPEATING and is a testament to the quality of my co-workres at Cisco: We've raised almost $1,500 for the Susan Komen Foundation and I've inspired over 20 women to get their overdue mammograms since this journey began.

I should know within a week whether the lab tests on the tumors will indicate chemo as a therapy I will have to undergo. Please keep the prayers coming! My current caregiver, Sandy Hargrave, tells me I need to sign off now and behave as I'm getting too rowdy.

Nancy

Sisterhood

2010-03-17T01:02:00.007-06:00

I never had a sister, and as a child I was a serious tomboy sandwiched in between two brothers (hence my childhood nickname "Chuck").

Through my childhood and teenage years I always wished for a sister. Maybe that's why I cherish the depth of my female relationships so seriously and value them so intensely. I've found over the years that my "sisters" have sustained me through challenges and we've been there for another time after time regardless of the curve balls life throws us.

Above is a shot of my friend Mary Lou Hely who took over duties from Ellen Chandra for the past week and literally doing ANYTHING I need her to. We've shared laughter, tears, hope and sadness over the past few days and I can't imagine getting through this experience by myself.

My friend Shelley from Dubai sent me an email this week that really struck a chord, so I decided to post it on my blog as it articulates perfectly the love and support I'm receiving now from my friends literally all over the world: Denver, San Francisco, Albuquerque, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Chicago, North Carolina, Copenhagen, New Jersey, New York, Tokyo, Massachusetts, Washington DC, Chicago, Dubai, and London where I have female friends. Here goes:

The Importance of Sisters

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her mother. As they talked about life, marriage, and the responsibilities and obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

"Don't forget your sisters," she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. "They'll become more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband or the children you may have, you're still going to need sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then, and do things with them. Remember that 'sisters' means ALL the women . . . your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. You'll need other women. All women do."

"What a funny piece of advice!" the young woman thought. "Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couples world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!"

But she listened to her mother. She kept in contact with her sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her mother knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, sisters became the mainstays of her life. After more than 50 years of living in this world, here is what I've learned.

Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't always do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.

BUT . . . sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girlfriend is never further away than a phone call or an email. When you walk that lonesome valley by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they'll even break the rules and walk beside you or come in and carry you out. Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, nieces, cousins, and extended family all bless our life! The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I.

When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other . . . every day, we need each other still.

Pass this on to all the women who help make your life meaningful. Short and very sweet. There are more than twenty angels out there. Ten are peacefully sleeping on clouds. Nine are playing. And one is reading my blog at this moment. Send this message to ten of your friends, including me. If you get 5 replies, someone you love will surprise you. Celebrate the joys of friendship and tell your friends what they mean NOW. This may impact someone you haven't talked with in a while, or reinforce the friend you just saw yesterday, or last week.

Thank you ALL out there for being part of my unique circle of friends. I wouldn't trade one of you for anyone else in the world.

Nancy

Thoughts on our Perfection Obsessed Society

2010-03-14T00:39:00.011-07:00

It's 1:00 a.m. on Sunday morning and I've been home from the hospital for 2 nights. This evening I finally steeled my nerves and screwed up the courage to look at myself in a full-length mirror. You'd be amazed how difficult that was (especially since I'm taking some pretty strong painkillers and therefore stone cold sober - you know how you always thing you look so much better in the mirror after a couple of drinks!). I won't bore you with the gory details - I acknowledge my body wasn't exactly like Jennifer Aniston before all this began, but it's quite a shock when you take a hard look at your naked reflection for the first time after breast reconstruction.

So often we pass people on the street who aren't attractive and put together, may not have the cleanest clothes, have an unkempt appearance, or may possess a physical disfiguration that somehow makes us turn away in aversion. I'm as guilty of it as the next person. I vow from this point on to commit random acts of kindness when I'm faced with that situation in the future.

I know the physical body is only one dimension of an individual, and as everyone knows you're your own worst critic. But knowing that intellectually doesn't alleviate my insecurities. Will these bruises ever completely fade? What will I see when the bandages come off? What will the scars look like? How much of what I'm seeing is swelling and how much is my true body shape? How close will the breast reconstruction look to my original? Time will tell . . .

Here's a recent photo of Andy, Will and me when we volunteered at The Elephant Nature Park in Thailand in January. I love looking at this picture and remembering how much fun we had that day.

UPDATE - I'm now up to 19 people who have scheduled their overdue mammograms! And last but not least, my friends and co-workers have donated over $1,000 to the Susan Komen Foundation in my name over the past three weeks! It's great because Cisco has a matching policy so your donations are automatically doubled.

There's No Place Like Home

2010-03-12T08:39:00.002-07:00

I do feel a bit like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz - when I was wheeled into the hospital room after my surgery on Monday everyone was peering around me and I was just so glad to have the ordeal over! The week has been a bit of a drug-induced blur so I'll recount what I remember about things.

We arrived at St. Joseph's hospital Monday morning and Ellen had arranged for a prayer session with Deacon Dominic, after which I was taken to pre-op. No Blackbeerry allowed so of course I was twiddling my thumbs and trying to read my book but couldn't concentrate. Ellen and my friend Karen Martin were in the surgery waiting area and kept shuttling in notes from Will, who was texting me all morning with his good thoughts and concerns.

The next thing I knew, I was wheeled into the operating room and the world fast forwarded to 7:00p.m. when I woke up in recovery after my 6 hour surgery. The doctors informed me that all had gone well and I was being taken to my room on the 10th floor. The first 24 hours were a morphine-induced haze, thankfully I have little memory of that time. On Wednesday I had a bit of a rough go as I was withdrawing from the narcotics with a nasty headache, but my friend Leslie stayed by my side until I got through that rough patch. Friends came and go, people called to check in, and my room began to look like a floral shop.

Thursday was a new day - I was determined from the moment I got up that I was going to defy the odds and go home early (they had originally projected a 5 day stay). After meeting with the plastic surgeon Dr. Brown, he agreed that I was in good enough shape to be discharged under the supervision of my friends, so we arrived home around 5:00 p.m.

To my friend Ellen Chandra: I could not have survived this week without you unfailingly by my side, acting as part concierge, part nurse, and of course taking care of my dogs at night. It was SO GREAT to get home yesterday and be surrounded by my things and have Sadie and George licking my hands as a welcome greeting. (Not to mention that I looked unspeakably grimy - this experience has make me more convinced than ever that I NEVER want to camp again in my entire life. I am not the "roughing it" type and never will be!)

After all is said and done, I feel like the luckiest person in the world. Yes, this was a gruesome week and I feel like I have been poked and prodded enough for a lifetime, but I am cancer free and there is no sign of anything in the lymph nodes.

More later - signing off from Kansas.

Nancy aka Dorothy

Tomorrow is the Big Day

2010-03-07T21:45:00.003-07:00

I'm sitting here with my "Goomba" (as she calls herself), Ellen Chandra watching the Oscars. There are SO MANY special people I want to thank for being there for me . . .

Ellen of course - for willingly flying in from California and giving up a week of her life to be by my side at the hospital this week (watch out nurses if she doesn't think the care is up to par!)

Kat, for making me certain that I've chosen the best plastic surgeon on the planet by sharing her personal experience with me

Judy, my dear friend in San Diego, who walked 60 miles last year in honor of breast cancer, and who is wearing her t-shirt again as she walks another 60 miles

Rich my "web toy boy" for helping me design this blog

My two BFFs, Mary Lou from Cleveland and Mary Lou from Half Moon Bay, for being there ALWAYS to listen

My friend Shelley from Dubai who has turned me on to Pranic Healing, which will allow me to go into surgery tomorrow with my chakras aligned

Dianne, Julie, Liz, Laura, and all of my friends who have sent me cards and well wishes

Val in Albuquerque who has been a rock since day one of my diagnosis, for openly sharing her wisdom

Patty, Marlene and Nancy H, who have accompanied me to all of my doctor appointments

Kathy in Chicago who is organizing this year's 60 mile walk in Denver for my friends and I

Marlys, Maureen, Deana and Marilyn for providing healthy meals for me during these past crazy weeks

I'm sure I'm forgetting some people but the bottom line is, I will sleep well tonight knowing that all of you have me in your heart and I will enter my surgery tomorrow knowing that you're all praying for me.

Nancy

Essential Checklist!

2010-03-06T09:05:00.006-07:00

I love making lists - there's something satisfying about checking things off and obtaining a sense of completion when everything is done. Maybe that's because I NEVER feel that way at work, the list just keeps getting longer and longer . . . Here's my "To Do" List of things to complete before the surgery on Monday:

1. Take a bubble bath every day (twice is good too).

2. Drink expensive champagne and eat some good dark chocolate (no cheap stuff allowed).

3. Relax several times a day with a cup of tea by the fire.

4. Go on a long hike with my dogs George Clooney and Sadie.

5. Have my son Will make me a new Ipod playlist so I can listen to mellow music as I'm drifting off prior to surgery.

6. Stock up on reading material: Currently on the list, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips, What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, back issues of The New Yorker.

7. Spend some time in solitude at church.

8. Get a manicure and pedicure (pedicure must be a WILD color - I choose electric blue).

9. Attend a Pink Yoga class (more on that later).

10. Buy some great loungewear for hanging out at home after the surgery.

11. Have a great dinner with Andy and Will.

12. Cry when I feel like it.

13. Watch a really funny movie.

14. Indulge myself with a Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte with TONS of whipped cream.

15. Start planning my next vacation . . . maybe a girls' trip to Provence this fall?

Notice that there's nothing on my list like "Clean the Bathroom,""Wash the Car," or "Pay Bills" -- this is total indulgence focused on ME. I love it!!!

Pink Yoga

2010-03-04T07:48:00.012-07:00

Yesterday I participated in one of the most POSITIVE, uplifting experiences I've had since this journey began - Pink Yoga. Don't you love that name? (For those of you wondering if that is me in the photo above doing a handstand, the answer is a firm NO. I am still on my training wheels when it comes to yoga.)

Pink Yoga was founded two years ago by Buffy Barfoot, a Denver yoga teacher whose mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother all had breast cancer. Her vision was to create a space for women diagnosed with breast cancer to come together and harness their beauty and power and potential to heal. The program is open to all women at any stage of breast cancer, from those currently in treatment to women who are years into remission. It's impossible to put into words the overwhelming feeling of support and nurturing I received yesterday from Buffy and Aimee Purcell, wife of my co-worker Eric Purcell. In true Cisco style, Eric reached out to me immediately after hearing about my diagnosis.

After attending this session, I feel a heightened sense of confidence in my body's ability to heal and remain strong in the face of adversity, as well as a connection to a community of wonderful women who are walking this path with me. Thank you, Eric and Aimee, for this truly special gift. (And my boys thank you for your awesome lasagna, Amy!) Below is a quick video featuring Buffy and Aimee at Pink Yoga, and a link to an article on their program.

http://www.komendenverblog.org/2009/12/23/pink-yoga-community-of-the-heart/

Movies for Healing

2010-03-04T07:35:00.008-07:00

One of my favorite, fun-loving friends is Janet Cunningham. She is a "movie maven" and lives in New York City. Of course when Janet found out I was having surgery she immediately asked, "What can I do to help?" So I thought the perfect thing for the recuperation was for her to put together her all-time favorite list of movies! Here it is -

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Albert Brooks’ flicks:
Defending Your Life
Lost in America
Private Benjamin
Mother

Coen Brothers:
The Big Lebowski
Burn After Reading

Christopher Guest:
Waiting for Guffman
A Mighty Wind
Best in Show

Almost Famous
Home for the Holidays

I've got a few of these on order and the only thing missing will be Janet and her husband Tony sitting on the couch with me munching on popcorn as I recover. I'll just have to make do with George and Sadie by my side.

Thoughts on Karma, Luck and Voodoo Catholicism

2010-03-04T06:50:00.009-07:00

When I visited Tokyo in December, my neice Laurie took Will and I to the famous Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo, where I received a "good fortune" that read:

* Your wishes will be realized. * A sick person will recover. * The lost article will be found * The person you are waiting for will come. * Building a new house and removal are good. * Making a trip is good. * Marriage and employment are all good.*

Here's a shot of my niece Laurie, my son Will and I at the temple:

On the next leg of our journey, we spent New Year's Eve in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where the tradition involves launching a lantern into the night sky, apparently to usher out the demons and welcome in good luck for the coming year. Here's a pic of Andy and Will launching their lantern -

I've also been receiving lots of religious "talismans" from people in my life who want to provide positive affirmations for the surgery on Monday. Here's a photo of my collection, which includes:

- Lucky Buddha necklace given to me by my son Will in Thailand
- Guardian angel bracelet
- Catholic mass cards featuring St. Theresa and Guardian Angel
- Gold angel pin
- Lucky talisman from Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo signifying "one wish"
- St. Anthony and St. William medallions that my sons wore when playing sports

And last but not least, on New Year's Day in Chiang Mai, Thailand I received a woven bracelet from a Buddhist monk who gave me a special blessing for the year, with the promise that if I wore it for 365 days I would live to be 100 years old! (Of course I still have it on but it's looking a bit worse for wear.)

I'm not normally a superstitious person, but with all these things coming my way, there must be some message from the universe for me. So, I'm going to ask the surgeon if I can put all my "lucky" items in a Ziploc bag and take them into the surgery with me. What the heck, it can't hurt.

Add to that ALL the well wishes, prayers, thoughts and positive vibes that my friends and family are throwing my way, and I think I'm in pretty good shape for Monday!

Making an Impact

2010-03-03T05:59:00.005-07:00

Since I started blogging about three weeks ago on the subject of breast cancer, here are some things that have happened:

- 14 women have scheduled their overdue mammograms (you know who you are, I'm not naming names) - AWESOME!

- Of those 14, three have been called back for rechecks

- My friend Susan Limoncelli donated $100 in my honor at a breast cancer benefit last week! Thank you, Susan, for your generous spirit.

That is truly the mission of my blog: To educate and raise awareness of the importance of getting annual mammograms, and to give back to the community so that others who are less fortunate can have equal access to annual screenings at no cost. I have a new motto (compliments of Sasha at the St. Joseph Breast Care Center):

SAVING THE WORLD ONE BREAST AT A TIME

Ice in Her Veins

2010-03-02T12:51:00.004-07:00

My BFF Mary Lou, who I've known since 1978, has always marveled at my ability to maintain composure during the saddest, sappiest movies. Remember Ali McGraw in Love Story, or Julia Roberts in Dying Young? Everyone else around me is pulling out the kleenex and I'm always the one sitting there stoically dry-eyed. Mary Lou's always joked that I must have "ice in my veins."

Well, all that has changed recently. Now I'm the one with mounds of used kleenex everywhere, and crying has become a part of my daily routine. Not a day goes by that I'm not overcome with emotion -- it can hit randomly when Andy or Will call to check in on me, when I hear amazing stories of courage from breast cancer survivors, when a total stranger hugs me in a clinical setting, when I feel the wet nuzzle of my dogs on my face, when I listen to a powerful piece of music . . . heck, I even started crying in front of the mailman the other day for no apparent reason!

This has been a great release for me. It's part of the necessary but painful process of removing my "strong" mask that I've presented to the world for so, so long. I'm accepting the fact that crying in no way diminishes my strength. I'm confident that my body is ready to fight this battle and that a few tears along the way are just a part of the self-discovery I'm experiencing. My life is enriched by the tears, just as a flower blooms after being nurtured and watered by nature.

I'm reminded of a quote by Anne Morrow Lindberg, author of one of my alltime favorite books, Gift From the Sea: "Woman must come of age by herself. She must find her true center alone." This is a book that I try to reread at least once a year, full of simple wisdom and using the sea as a methaphor for women's lives.

Gearing up for the Big Day

2010-03-02T07:09:00.003-07:00

I met earlier this week with Dr. Denise Norton and Dr. William Brown, who will be in charge of my surgeries on Monday, March 8.

Dr. Norton will perform the mastectomy, a one-hour surgery which includes a Sentinel Node Biopsy of several lymph nodes to get a definitive answer on whether the cancer has spread beyond the breast. If not, great news. If so, this will dictate a different course of post-surgery treatment by the oncologist.

Then Dr. Brown steps in to "put Humpty Dumpty back together again." He will perform a 4-5 hour procedure called a TRAM Flap (I know, it sounds like something related to NASCAR). This operation allows you to use your own body's muscle, fat and skin to reconstruct the breast. I like the idea of using my own tissue because an implant kind of creeps me out -- the thought of a foreign object being placed in my body. As my brother Jim would say, "I don't go for implants."

The body fat is taken, interestingly enough, from your stomach (goodbye muffin top!) and hooked up to to the blood supply of the breast and voila! -- they stitch you up and 3-5 days later you are released from the hospital. The recuperation from all of this is pretty major but I'll have my friend Ellen Chandra from California staying with me to help me through the first days.

Here's a video of the women who work at Dr. Brown's office. He is one of the most reknowned plastic surgeons in Denver so I'm putting my faith in him . . .

One question I've been pondering: Why is he called a plastic surgeon? I'm going to research that on the Internet to make sure they aren't planning to insert any Tupperware into my body.

An Unexpected Surprise!

2010-02-28T22:59:00.006-07:00

Today was kind of challenging and by the time evening came around I was feeling a little bit sorry for myself.

There's a group of people I get together with every Sunday night in Boulder. As I drove up there earlier this evening in a snowstorm I thought to myself, "Maybe I'm doing too much and I should have cancelled tonight." When I arrived, I noticed one of the women was wearing a HOT PINK sweater with sparkles on it and I thought to myself, "Wow, I wonder why she's so dressed up tonight."

Then I noticed EVERYONE was wearing pink, even the men! I was incredibly touched by their thoughtful and loving way of telling me that they're rooting for me. Thank you to my Sunday Night Group for your love and support and for lifting my spirits tonight. Check out this hilarious video:

We all saw a new side of Shaun (the 6 foot tall macho looking guy wearing the pink tutu)!

Countdown - Getting Ready

2010-02-28T08:58:00.003-07:00

For those of you who know me well, you know that I love planning down to the intricate detail level when I go on a vacation. So I'm approaching this surgery just as if I were planning for a big trip.

I'm taking a leave from Cisco to prepare mentally and physically for the surgery. This week I plan to spend several hours a day with my Blackerry turned off and FEEL my emotions (hard to believe I know, some people have asked if I'll tuck it under my hospital gown before the surgery). I need to clear my head and process through whatever comes up.

As one of my friends put it, "There's no emotion around losing an organ such as an appendix or a gall bladder -- but a breast has so many connotations and is connected to your core femininity, childbearing, self image, and of course your sexuality." I'll still be the same person after the mastectomy and the plastic surgeon can make a physically perfect replica, but there's a process of grieving and loss involved that can't be denied.

I know the surgery is unavoidable and necessary for my future health and well being, and by moving through this process and feeling the emotions I will emerge to live a joyful, resilient, and healthy life. Yes, I'll have a few battle scars but they will serve as proud testament to the fact that I've joined the community of survivors who have conquered this disease.

And what the heck, since I'm planning to use my own body tissue vs. an implant, it's like getting a free tummy tuck in the process!

Pac-Man

2010-02-26T21:47:00.008-07:00

For all of you Baby Boomers, I'm sure you remember the "old school" video game back in the late '70s called Pac-Man. There was a Pac-Man machine in just about every bar (not that I frequented the bars back then, my friends told me about it - NOT!)

Well, I have a new game that I play in my mind when I go to sleep at night. It's called "Cancer Pac-Man" - I envision those f---ing tumors in my body and picture the Pac-Man destroying them over and over.

My sons will tell you I'm not much of a computer game person nowadays but I must admit that back in the day I was pretty damn good at Pac-Man.

Getting it All Together

2010-02-25T21:59:00.005-07:00

There's a great resource at St. Joseph, an oncology social worker by the name of Jeanice. The advice she gave me this week was invaluable:

"Get everything unnecessary off your plate so you can clear your mind and focus on the decisions you need to make."

I'm taking her advice to heart and delegating to those who ask how they can help, which will allow me to relax, absorb the firehose of information I'm receiving, and prepare mentally for the surgery on March 8. My heroes this week:

Stephen - My partners are in good hands, thanks for stepping up to bat
Laura - Thank you for being my research queen!
Judy - Thanks for the wonderful, soul-soothing time in San Diego last weekend
Marlys - Mucho Gracias for organizing the meals to keep me healthy
Marlene - Thanks for rescuing me from my very own "19th Nervous Breakdown"

Peace and Love,

Nancy

Good News!

2010-02-25T13:48:00.004-07:00

I heard from the radiologist that the tests from earlier this week all came back benign!!! I believe that all of your positive prayers and support are playing a big role in the positive outcome I am experiencing. More later but I wanted to share the great news as soon as possible. I'm going to celebrate tonight with my sons. Bring on the champagne!!

This means that the cancer is totally contained in the left breast and the right one is completely normal so the surgery and post-treatment will be that much easier.

Family

2010-02-25T06:58:00.005-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about the importance of family lately and how lucky I am to have the family I have: My wonderful brothers Alan and Jimmy, my amazingly strong mother who is in declining health but still vibrant in her own way, my nieces and nephews (who help their parents keep up with the blog), and of course my rocks Andy and Will. Here's a recent picture that was taken at my brother Jimmy's retirement luncheon after 27 years with the FBI, as well as a photo of me with my mom taken several months ago. I love you all and really appreciate your support!

Special thanks to my niece Lindsay for you and all of your friends wearing pink bracelets in my honor, and to my brothers who check in on me religiously to make sure I'm hanging in there.

Videos of my Caregivers

2010-02-24T19:50:00.002-07:00

These are the wonderful people who are my caregivers at St. Joseph Breast Care Center and Rocky Mountain Cancer Center. THEY ROCK!!

Learning to Let Go

2010-02-24T15:12:00.002-07:00

Yesterday brought yet another MRI with a biopsy, this time to check out something suspect on the right side (try staying still for 30 minutes while they poke you with a needle, not easy). Somehow this procedure put me over the edge emotionally, realizing that I'm not in control of this situation and I have to put my faith in my doctors and focus what I CAN control, which is staying positive and being healthy. Instead of being the "strong one" all the time, I need to accept help from my family and friends. I'm also learning that it's ok to be angry and cry, in fact it's healthy!

Bottom Line: Although everyone wants to help, there are excruciating moments when you realize this journey is a solitary one, and on the other side somewhere is a place where I will look back from the top of the mountain and know that I have won the battle. I'm still working on getting the Flip video uploaded so stay tuned on that one - technically challenged. Special thanks to eveyone for their positive vibes and support, especially-

Nancy P - love the healing music, it is helping me sleep
Nancy H,Patty and Marlene - for accompanying me to my doctor appointments
My neice Laurie - for mentioning me in your blog
Michelle - for not making me feel guilty about work

I love you all -

Nancy

A Day With the Medical Professionals

2010-02-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

I spent most of today at the St. Joseph Breast Center, an amazing ecosystem with everything under one roof. Their goal is to make it easy for you to have access to the surgeon, radiologist, ultrasound and other diagnostic people in one facility so you don't have to go from one place to another hauling your records around. The staff here (see video) are so welcoming and kind that it makes the experience as pleasant as it can be considering the circumstances. The doctors are concerned about something on last week's MRI results, so tomorrow they plan to do another MRI combined with a special biopsy just to make sure all is ok with the right breast. My day ended with a 2 hour appointment with the oncologist at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center, who will recommend a course of treatment after the surgery, which will probably take place the week after next. I can't say enough about the people who work at the St. Joseph Breast Center.

Here's a brief synopsis of my day via Flip video! I really appreciate everyone's words of encouragement and I'm happy to report that 7 of my friends have scheduled their overdue mammograms as a direct result of this experience. My goal is to get 100 women to schedule their overdue mammograms so I now have only 93 to go!

The New Journey Begins

2010-02-21T15:07:00.003-07:00

Life has a way of knocking the wind out of you once in a while. When I celebrated New Year’s with my sons Andy and Will in Thailand on our “trip of a lifetime” several weeks ago, little did I know I was heading for a truly life-changing journey in less than 30 days. As I do every year, I had my routine annual mammogram in January and considered it just another nuisance to squeeze into my busy schedule. I joked with Pat, the mammogram tech, that I was wearing my lucky Buddha necklace Will had bought for me during our trip to Asia. After the appointment I raced out to my car and went home to start my usual hectic workday.

Several days later, the mammogram facility’s phone number flashed on my Blackberry’s Caller ID. I thought “That’s weird, they usually send a letter in the mail telling me my results are normal.” I answered the phone, little knowing how that call would change my life.

“Hi Ms. Miller, the radiologist who read your mammogram results wants a retake. No worries, but we’d like you to come in as soon as possible.” GULP . . . a little butterfly started fluttering around in my stomach. I made an appointment for the following week and immediately called my OB-Gyn, who reassured me that this was quite common, and 99% of the time it’s nothing to worry about. So much for statistics.

I returned to the St. Joseph Breast Care Center on February 12, annoyed that my Friday afternoon was being interrupted by this silly procedure. I undressed, put on a gown, and strolled into the room where Pat was waiting for me. “Hop on over and let’s make this thing go away so you can get on with your weekend,” she said. After the procedure I stood around tapping my feet, thinking of everything I had to do that day, and checked the appointment off my ""To Do list on my trusty Blackberry. Several minutes later Pat popped her head in and said the radiologist wanted to do a quick ultrasound.

That’s when the REAL jitters started. I was led to a room with an imposing amount of equipment, told to lie on the table and wait for the ultrasound technician. “I’m not nervous,” I said unconvincingly to myself. “They probably just saw something innocuous and I’ll be out of here in 30 minutes after they confirm nothing is amiss.” A technician entered the room and performed the procedure, which lasted about 15 minutes. More waiting . . . this time no feet tapping, as I was lying prone on the examining table. A bit later Dr. Schroeder, the radiologist, entered the room and explained that he saw a mass he suspected was cancerous, and conducted a second ultrasound. Immediately I began the firehose of questions: “Could it be scar tissue, calcification, fibrous tissue, or something else benign?” He shook his head from side to side. “Not likely. The ulstrasound has also revealed a second mass that wasn’t picked up on the mammogram. I’d suggest a biopsy is in order.”

Stunned silence is the only way I can describe my reaction. (For those of you who know me well, not much makes me speechless.) Thoughts raced through my head: “This can’t be happening to me. There’s no cancer of any kind in my family, I’m healthy, I don’t smoke, and I’m sure this is all a mistake.” The radiologist went on to say that 85% of breast cancers are diagnosed in women exactly like me, the poster child with no history of cancer in their family and no risk factors. They numbed the skin, completed the biopsy, conducted yet another mammogram, bandaged me up, and sent me on my way. The weekend went by in a blur, with visitors from Aspen and a few of my close female friends at my side. Monday morning the radiologist called and said the biopsy results indicated two aggressive tumors and told me the next step was an MRI to see if there were any other masses in my breasts and/or lymph nodes.

On Tuesday morning my friend Patty accompanied me to the MRI and the results came back that afternoon: Three separate masses in the left breast, nothing in the right breast, and no sign of anything in the lymph nodes. My friends have rallied around me like a mother bear with her cub.

I’ve been astounded by a few things:

• Several friends are accompanying me on all of my medical appointments

• Others have offered to take care of my dogs

• Numerous people have offered to come to Denver if I need ANYTHING

• People have come out of the woodwork to share their stories of breast cancer survival, which is perhaps the most uplifting of all

• Offers of food are flying in – of course I am accepting all!

• At least 5 of my friends who’ve been putting off their own mammograms have scheduled them

• One friend has offered to be my “Web boy toy” and redesign my blog. (Did it take cancer for me to have a boy toy?)

This is the beginning of a new journey and I want to acknowledge the overwhelming love and support from everyone, every single minute of every day. I am comforted by you when I wake up in a panic in the middle of the night. My hope is this blog will spur women on to get their mammograms annually, especially for those of you who have been putting it off, for whatever reason. I’m documenting this process with my Flip Video . . . here is posting #1.

Next step: Meeting with the surgeon and oncologist, scheduled for this upcoming week.

Muay Thai Boxing

2010-01-06T02:51:00.000-07:00

One evening in Chiang Mai we attended a Thai boxing match. A lively crowd, lots of betting and yelling going on, and very ceremonial preamble to the actual match. We were also "entertained" (if you want to call it that) by music throughout the evening. Not sure I'd want to do it again but what the heck, it's a bit of the local scene.

Sights of Chiang Mai

2010-01-06T02:34:00.000-07:00

You never know what you're going to find in the streets here - came upon Ronald McDonald giving the folded hand sign for "Sawadee" which means hello.

We strolled through the streets and here are some of our other random sights . . . lots of interesting people, many street vendors selling everything from food to scarves to beautiful crafts from the hill tribes in the area. We also visited an amazing Wat (temple) on New Year's Day and saw local dancers, people making offerings to Buddha, and many amazing statues.

Mae Hong Son

2010-01-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

Arrived yesterday via 12 seater plane, very scenic mountainous area in far Northern part of Thailand, near Burmese (Myanmar) border. We're staying in a Tree Top hut over a valley that looks like The Mists of Avalon - breathtaking scenery. Off to an elephant ride this morning and then to hot springs in the afternoon. Will write more from Shangri-La later!

Sawadee Dy Pe Mai means Happy New Year

2010-01-01T18:51:00.000-07:00

New Year's Eve in Thailand is magical. All over town, people purchase paper balloons which are lit on fire with oil and set off into the night sky. This is to sympbolize the old year going out and all evil spirits floating away in the new year. The sky is lit up with thousands of floating lights, like nothing you've ever seen before. Andy and Will bought a balloon and launched it, then we went to a rooftop party where fireworks ending the evening at midnight. It's impossible to catch on film or photos, but we tried . . . Sawadee Dy Pe Mai to everyone!~!

A Day with the Elephants

2010-01-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

We spent the day volunteering at Elephant Nature Park near Chiang Mai, where an amazing woman named Lek has rescued over 30 abused and injured elephants and returns them to their natural habitat. A little history: Logging was made illegal in 1989 and since then 2,500 elephants have been "out of work" and many people have taken them to the streets for begging and performing, where their quality of life is very poor. Some are hit by cars, physically abused, and many of them are very unhealthy and suffering from malnutrition. At Elephant Nature Park they are restored to health and vounteers help with the daily bathing, feeding and interaction. Here are a few shots from our inspiring day there. Note that Lek is tucked away under the baby elephant I'm standing next to - she's actually singing her a lullaby as it's naptime!

Chiang Mai Visit

2009-12-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

Arrived last night in Chiang Mai after almost missing our flight from Bangkok. All I will say about Bangkok is, the traffic is unlike anything I've ever seen ANYWHERE. We're going to explore the Old City this morning, then maybe book a massage and take in Muay Thai (kickboxing) tonight. This is a very exotic place!

I hope you like the photo of my new "friend." He loves bananas!

Happy Reunion

2009-12-26T04:31:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from our re-uniting with Andy. Love my boys! Thailand is amazing and it's so great to have Andy fluent in the language so we can just relax and let him navigate for us. Tomorrow we're off to the "floating hotel" with no electricity or hot water - no one would believe it of me, the Starwood Queen!

Floating Market in Bangkok

2009-12-26T04:29:00.001-07:00

Today we had the most amazing day, cruising through a floating market outside of Bangkok. I'll post a video as soon as I can get the internet to work properly here at our hotel but suffice to say that it was a once in a lifetime experience.

Thailand at Last!

2009-12-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

Arrived from TOkyo at 1:00 a.m. and spent the day sightseeing, then finally hooked up with Andy at the hotel. It was AWESOME to see him again!

More Shrine Photos

2009-12-22T04:22:00.001-07:00

Temples and Fortunes

2009-12-22T04:11:00.000-07:00

Will, Laurie and I went to the Sensoji Temple, which was constructed in 678 A.D. Very peaceful and provided a time for reflection. Here is the fortune I received for 100 Yen: "The cloudy sky will get more and mor clear and the moon will appear. Te linen robe turns into a green one. What you've been troubled for a long time will soon begin to fade away. Your virtue and happiness willl reveal themselves."

Here are some photos - amazing that something 600 years old can co-exist with modern high rises.

How Many People Can You Fit in a Japanese Train Car?

2009-12-21T17:15:00.000-07:00

Spent about 40% of our time on trains today, really wild how complex the system is.
Fathom these facts:

- Busiest train station in the world
- 2 Million commuters pass through every day
- 60 Exits

If it weren't for my neice Laurie's navigational skills, we would still be wandering around trying to figure out how to get around!

2009-12-20T05:37:00.000-07:00

Just arrived in Tokyo, initial observations:

1. Will is taller than anyone we have seen here.
2. The towels in the bathroom are made for 4 year olds.
3. Why does the toilet in our bathroom have 20 separate control functions?
4. No Bible in the room, but there is a copy of The Teaching of Buddha.

Going to check out neighborhood and accommodate Will's request for sake bombs!

Tokyo and Thailand Prep

2009-11-11T06:22:00.000-07:00

I'm finalizing our trip plans . . . 35 days and counting. Itinerary as follows:

Will and I fly to Tokyo December 19 and stay at a Ryokan (Japanese B&B) for 4 nights, www.sawanoya.com We're meeting my niece Laurie, her husband Phil, and their 2 year old daughter Sophia. I'm leaving the itinerary up to Laurie as she is the resident expert. So far Will has nixed the public baths - "No way I'm getting naked in front of a bunch of guys!"

On Christmas Eve we fly to Bangkok to meet up with Andy, who's been gone since August 16. We stay in Bangkok for 3 days and then off to Kanchanaburi, where the WWII movie "Bridge on the River Kwai" was filmed. We're staying at a floating hotel (no electricity or hot water), http://www.riverkwaijunglerafts.com/activities.html Then to Chiang Mai for a few days, after which the boys will meet Kenn in Phuket and I will have 5 days on my own. I'm renting an apartment http://www.vrbo.com/230714 I hope to take some Thai cooking classes, do an elephant trek in the jungle, and visit the Hill Tribe villages. Of course shopping for the local handicrafts and silk is on the agenda too!