(The following was originally posted on my Carepages blog for family and friends during my treatment.)

Today I went to chemo school. I'm glad I went. It wasn't at all what I expected. Well, to start, we had been told, just go to the information desk when you walk into the hospital and they will tell you where to go. But the young security guard at the desk didn't know where it was. He got on the phone and started calling around asking people where I should go. Then a second young security guard showed up. The two conferred and since guy number two didn't know either, he got on a second phone and started calling around. Then a third security guard showed up (I can't make this stuff up). He also got on a third phone. All three were on the phone talking to different people trying to find out where this chemo education was supposed to be. Finally, guy number two told us to get on the elevator and go to the sixth floor. Turns out that was still not the right place, but we finally got where we were supposed to be. Seems there are secret sixth-floor elevators we needed to take. (At least we know now.)

Just as we were walking away from the security guards, all kinds of lights started flashing (remember what I said before about that?) and the security guards were called to a code red. We never did find out what that was all about, but the lights were flashing up on the sixth floor too.

Once there, I honestly expected to be in a room with a bunch of people all asking questions and I wasn't really looking forward to that. But instead, we were taken to a private chemo room where we had a one-on-one with a super smiley happy nurse. Turns out they had all been doing chemo over at the cancer center, but (I think she said around Labor Day last year) they had started doing all the chemo at two of the area hospitals instead. (I'm doing mine at UPMC/Hamot.) So she explained all about what to expect, hour-by-hour, and day by day for the coming week. She made it sound almost easy.

She gave me a great notebook that was put together very thoughtfully with all kinds of great info and stuff you might need as a chemo patient. Even a calendar. (I can't wait to put big Xs on the days of chemo that are D. O. N. E. Of course, I had already made a notebook, so I brought that one home and added it to mine. Mine has all kinds of sayings on it like "Remember this moment," and "Life is a garden, so dig it." And a bunch more. On the binding it says, "Life's a Journey, Here We Go!"

Then we stopped over to see my MD who hadn't seen me since the 13th and a lot has happened since then. We were so pleased to learn that the girls in the office had dug through the archives and found my paperwork from 1985, something the cancer center had hoped to find. We hope they found all they need but were so-so grateful for the girls doing that for us.

So tomorrow is the B.I.G. day. . .

(The following was originally posted on my Carepages blog for family and friends during my treatment.)

In all likelihood, within 3 or 4 weeks, I will lose some or all of my hair. Having not cared much about how it looked this past couple of weeks, I decided to manage the whole situation by cutting it really short. I decided to first see if I had enough for Locks of Love (I did), so the gal cut those first. (I'm told that Pantene provides the wigs for free, so will send it there.) I feel like, well, I may lose my hair, but someone else will gain some. 

Mark agreed to accompany me and to take photos. He took photos and kept my spirits up. Then I walked right over to the make-up girl (I was in Ulta) and said, my eyes need help. So she fixed me up and I bought all new eye makeup too. (I figure if I make my eyes up good enough, no one will notice my hair. Ha ha ha) I got something that looks like a giant chocolate bar and all the eye colors are named after chocolates. Then she recommended some mascara. I told her I never wore it because it was always so clumpy, my eyes wouldn't open. She said, "Try this!" Oh. My. God. I think it's called "better than sex" and it's awesome. (Hey, it's a girl thing.) So I got that too. I may lose my hair, feel like crap, but my eyes will look better than sex. LoL

The past two days Tim and I did a lot of nothing. We have both been so exhausted. He ran and got me Chinese food last night because that sounded good and then also came in with a bag of 12-grain, Tim Horton bagels (my favorite). Today we finally had my birthday dinner with the boys (I couldn't eat on my actual day). We picked up Italian from one of our favorite restaurants.

Tomorrow I see my MD for the first time since my diagnosis. He's a family friend, so that may be a little emotional. Then have to go to chemo school, apparently. Tuesday is my first chemo. . .

I so appreciate all of your messages. They mean a lot to me. I read and cherish each response. It helps to cheer me up - something I'll need a lot of in coming weeks. So thanks! and Hugs!

((((((((hugs))))))))))))