Faces for a Friend

My two friends who run a great kids' craft business called "Make a Mess" offered to produce a fundraiser for our family. They contacted Max (who happens to have an eclectic career history that includes face-painting at festivals) and arranged for a special Saturday morning event at their location. Max brought her facepaints, and there were crafts and activities for the kids, along with snacks... I can hardly express my gratitude to Jen and Susan for putting the event together; finances are very challenging at the moment and without prescription coverage it really helps to receive financial support like this. THANK YOU to everyone who attended and who donated (and you didn't even all want your faces painted!)

Details from Treatment April 7: Part I

This was going to be a hectic treatment recovery because Daria was on Spring break, Passover began on Wednesday (treatment was on Tuesday), and the Faces for a Friend celebration was planned for Saturday and Sunday was Easter! Oh, and just to complicate matters, I was in class the weekend before. Max wasn't able to arrive until Thursday, so I made arrangements for Daria to spend a few days with her grandparents. They fed the ducks, they went to the library and picked out movies and books, and they had a fun trip to the beach. Daria was especially excited about the toy "Sugar Glider" she was given at the arcade.

The Rose Angel made another appearance the day before treatment. I'm grateful for the loving encouragement for my journey.

My parents arrived on Wednesday with Daria and Mom had prepared and lugged along an entire Passover seder for Wednesday and Thursday. For the first night of Passover, Daria read us her special Passover book from school and we all participated in the "Plague Puppetry" (don't ask). We had a guest for dinner that night, our friend David, who had never experienced a seder before. We enjoyed sharing our tradition with him, especially hiding the afikomen. Daria and David both received special gifts for finding their afikomen.





For the second night of Passover, Aunt Max arrived with kosher beef and sour salt, prepared to tackle yet another dish she'd never made! My grandmother, who passed away in February, always made a beef borscht (beet soup) for Passover. I wanted to recreate her recipe, and tried to keep it a secret as a surprise for my mom... but as we got into the preparation process it became clear we had to clue Mom in because my tastebuds have been heavily impacted by treatment, and Max didn't know what the dish was supposed to taste like! So Mom joined in and the borscht was a team effort. It was the same bright pink color it used to be and tasted just like Grandma's.

Email from April 1, 2009

This is an email I already sent out -- hopefully most of you saw it:

I just wanted to give you all an update on what has been transpiring regarding my health. This past Monday, March 30th I had a CT Scan to review what affects the treatment has had on my Melanoma. This afternoon I received a phone call from the nurse practitioner. All is stable and one area has had some additional shrinkage. This is all great news. Everything is heading in the correct direction. I am grateful for the information. And I still have more work ahead of me. For those of you that have asked, I will stay on this treatment course for as long as I continue to respond to the treatment and that I can handle the side effects.

Thank you for your continued support you extend to me and my family in all the ways that you do. I know I have said this before but I would not have been able to do this without your love, support and friendship. Each one of you is apart of my village. Thank you for being apart of that village and for being my cheerleaders. Please continue to see me as "A Miracle". I love you all. God Bless us all.

Treatment and Activities in March 2009

Had treatment on March 13th, treatment recovery was rough this time. Very very tired and lots of discomfort. Most of the pain was again in my upper back. Although I did have throbbing in my legs. I am calling it fatigue now, just don't know where to put myself. If I could chop them off and hang them up I would be happier. Lots more throbbing in my hands and feet this time also. I am holding that over the next couple of days that will lighten up and go back to the way it was right before my last treatment, sort of unnoticeable. I am also thinking that some of the soreness in my hands and feet are because of the increase in the Nexavar. I am now on 2 pills every day. I am also experiencing again more itching in both my hands and my feet. Also experiencing some bowel upset, not sure what is causing that.

Then after about a week I finally awake and most of it is all behind me. Sometimes it feels like it will take me forever to get there. Then I arrive.

Max was here to support us as always. She baked hamentashen with Daria (and she isn't even Jewish), cooked us the most delicious Corn Beef and Cabbage for St Patrick's Day (and we aren't even Irish), cooked, cleaned, did laundry and loved me just the way she knows how. Thank God for my Boston Angel, my friend.

Rose Angel strikes again. The quotes were posted on March 12 for those of you keeping track.

CT Scan for the end of this month and next treatment scheduled for Tuesday, April 7th.

Baking and Birthdays

Thought you'd enjoy seeing the pix of Daria and Aunt Max making Hamentashen. Daria decided that she wanted to have bakers hats. She made a very small hat for herself. On the top of it was a picture of Daria baking. She made a hat for me as well, small with an image of Daria and myself together baking. Then she decided that Aunt Max should have a Chef's Hat. She made the shape of a bakers had and added a picture of a woman that looked like Aunt Max, curly blonde hair with glasses of course. But then she needed to put it on something so that Aunt Max could wear it. Within the last few weeks Daria made in school a crown with elephant ears for "Horton Hears a Who" and she decided to use that crown and attach Aunt Max's Chefs Hat to it. It was so cute and of course Crazy Aunt Max is the best sport and wore it.

The next 2 pictures are from Daria's Half Birthday, Sunday, March 15th. Every year since her first we have celebrated Daria's half birthday. We usually have a cupcake with a candle -- this year we had a hamentashen with a candle since they had just baked them earlier that day. Even last year Daria was away with Grandma and PopPop and they continued the tradition that I had started. Daria also receives 1 small gift for her birthday. This year Daria received a miniature Fairie Picnic Party Set. With 2 miniature Fairies, picnic blanket, cake, soda pop, cookies, bread, honey, tea towel, magic looking ball. It is so sweet and tiny and will provide many hours of imaginary play. What a big girl she is, 5 1/2 now. She is so excited to be older. But where did my baby go? She is growing into such a competent, young lady. I am so proud of her and to be her Mama.

Pre-Treatment Inspiration!

Shari's "Rose Angel" delivered her much anticipated rose today along with these beautiful inspirational quotes to help her get through the next several recovery days! Shari told me today that the Rose Angel's timing is impeccable. She loves receiving her rose and quotes. It brightens up her day.

All problems become smaller if you don't dodge them but confront them. Touch a thistle timidly, and it will prick you; grasp it boldly, and it's spines crumble.

The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is the way a man uses them.

Be kind - for everyone you meet is fighting a battle.

Think happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow.

Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.

You can't prevent birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from nesting in your hair.

Do not pray for a lighter pack; simply ask for a stronger back.

Thank you, Rose Angel!

By the way, please keep Shari in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow as she embarks on Treatment #7. We'll update more here after her treatment to let you all know how Shari is doing!

Best,
Shannon

She's got a new "HAT"-itude!

So, for someone who needs to wear hats and scarves on their head daily, boredom can set in quickly! Shari has become somewhat bored with her daily selection of scarves and hats. That's where Auntie M, Uncle Nick and Cousin Frankie came in to help her out! Check out these awesome new hats that they sent to Shari so that she SURELY will not be bored and can smile wide every time she sees them!

Big Bird Hats! How fun!!!

And, here's a top view of these ADORABLE hats!

Isn't that fun?! Also in this special shipment were Elmo and Oscar hats so that Shari can have some real fun and variety!