Saturday, January 31, 2009

Hope everyone has dug themselves out of the ice. So Sunday is supposed to be in the high 30's, low 40's....a perfect time for some of you to get out and walk.......again...no excuses....if I can do it, surely you can....

Friday, January 30, 2009

Appointment with the reconst. surgeon went great today....asked her what I could do now....she must know me and turned it around to ask "And so you tell me what you have been doing." Anyway she approved of what I was doing, one more week of being careful lifting arms above my head, running not too far off in the horizon....as long as chemo. cooperates.

For everyone's info the Susan Koman Cancer Walk/Run is in September (I think) so we might need to have a large contingent for that.....

If you want to contact me but don't know how to comment on here my e-mail is pruittlaura@gmail.com

Also my cell phone died yeterday, I can hear you, but you can't hear me talk....am looking for an old Verizon that someone isn't using anymore to just get my number transferred over so I'm limited for a few days to my home # and e-mail....Laura

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Hello all from the snowy/icy hills of Lawrenceburg. Thank Goodness for all of you and friends that get us out when I can't drive. Actually under "normal" conditions I can drive locally but a little nervous about driving when I can only use my arms halfway. Not alot of "new" news, pain is still mild, disability still mild.....FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT EXERCISING YET YOU SERIOUSLY BETTER GET GOING, I THINK I'M CLOSING IN ON YOU! I have improvised some upper body work such as horizontal rows and horizontal biceps curls using tubing. AND IF YOU AREN'T DOING SOME OF THIS WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE? Now days I don't accept many.
Again, if you can't answer back to me on the blog feel free to just e-mail me...I don't know how to answer back either.....

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Hope everyone survived the snow...gave me a chance to play Alex (10 yr. old) on Wii baseball,bowling, and golf....he handily beat me in baseball and bowling but I came out the champion isn golf (2 over par)......Anyway, I am looking at headgear for when chemo starts, Guess my "haiestyle" will change....I have not found anything yet that suits me for when I'm working out. Suppose I can just get a mesh Lance Armstrong hat and wear it, but I've got some awsome ideas like baseball type hats or bandana syyle kercheifs, and singlets,cycling jersies,T-shirts, made from sweat wicking materials with slogans such as:
"Running Cancer Down"(runners)
"Beating Cancer one step at a time"(walkers)
"Running cancer into the ground" (runners)
"Spinning my wheels to beat cancer" (cyclists/spinners)
Now all I need is a way to manufacture and produce this.....am wondering if I'm the only crazy person to be fighting through this chemo, cancer,radiation by exercising when I'm able.....maybe/maybe not.....anybody have any thoughts on this? Just curious....I think I've got this whole cancer ordeal to start inspiring others to fight their (many) battles harder,stronger, and with perserverence....will have to think of ways to do this....

Monday, January 26, 2009

thanks Jackie its been so long since I've seen you.....keep the positive energy coming......I can use it all
By the way just like many of you can;t figure out how to post comments, I can't figure out how to individually send you comments so feel free to e-mail as well....
Soooo.... here we go Round 2. Score: Round 1 surgery, Laura wins in a landslide, kept me down for six days, started working out (easy at first) the seventh day. Cancer on both sides threw curve balls, but we will learn how to hit them!
Now Round 2 begins. Will have the port for chemo put in Monday at 1:30. Wed will have an echocardiogram (always wondered what my heart looked like and how it functioned now I guess I get to find out)(intersted to find its ejection fraction), Friday Chemo starts......So......let the second battle begin, only hope it is as"easy" as the first.....Yes there's some pain and soreness, no I don't pop up out of bed as quickly, and I feel like both triceps have burned skin all the way from my shoulders to my elbows but hey, if this is it, I can deal with it.....Thanks for everyne continued support!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

another good day...another good workout...all of you who haven't started yet, you better get started.....don't let me pass you up....several people have had a hard time commenting back on the blog...don't know how to help you just feel free to e-mail me responses....

Friday, January 23, 2009

Today is a GOOD Day....got my drains out. Still quite sore in my arms,chest,Lats. But nothing different than serious after workout pain.....its just not going away as fast. THe Reconstructive Surgeon OK'd my workouts increasing a little still obviously upper body is off limits......All of you not exercising yet lets get started, I'm going to soon pass you....

Thursday, January 22, 2009

OK....so many of you have been asking what the Oncologist had to say tonight......WOW is about all I can say...WOW again because had I known how "serious" things were when I went into all of this I just don't know if I would have been able to handle it all...small pieces at a time....so here it is, much different than evenI knew till tonight:
On the right (which is the one I and the Surgeon thought was a stage IIA, was actually Stage III 3 out of 4 axillary lymph nodes were positive for carcinoma (size ranging from .2-.5 mm) Dr Cody (ONCOLOGIST) said this was the most aggressive and concerning. So radiation needed to kill any chance cancer spread to other lymphs
Left (the one I thought was worse Stage IIB) extensive lobular carcinoma in all quadrants all the way up to the axillary tail and lymph nodeBUT the lymph nodes were negative for malignancy (This is most likely why my left pec was tight at the insertion and I couldn't figure out why)...the cancer was taking up room, it was greater than 5 cm in expanse.......Anyway good news was all 14 lymphs were negative for malignancy...problem here is because the cancer was so close to the muscle, they will need to do radiation here to make sure it didn't spread, this cancer however was less aggressive......
So what now? We fight this tooth and nail...we take no prisoners!
Dr. Cody wants to get on this AGGRESSIVELY Will start hopefully in 2 weeks first round of chemotherapy This will last approx. 6 weeks. This will be followed by a second round, then a third round....finally followed by radiation on both sides. (I really can't remember how many weeks each will take but musch longer than I had imagined)
To my clients.....I am not sure how all of htis will affect me, I'll see how I do with the first chemo, and we'll se what happens from there......I am sorry I may not be back as soon as I thought....I'll let you know a timetable when I know it (Dr. Cody told us, I've just forgotten)
Good news is he does want me to continue working out (I actually did my first one this morning easy hour on the eliptical, lower body wts,abs)....figured one week was long enough for "healing from surgery....so once again...now is everyone's chance to catch up with me.....
In all seriousness please keep those prayers, positive thoughts, and support coming beleive me I couldn't do this without all of you!
I found out yesterday that I will need both chemotherapy and radiation. Have an appointment today at 1:00 with Dr. Cody, he;s supposed to be the best around, progressive and cutting edge....lets hope for the best and I will post what I find out once I'm back

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

What a birthday present for me.......I get to have both chemo, and radiation and the margins on my left may be "negative" which from what I could gather isn't good.......Once I get a fax or statement in the mail (from the surgeon) of exactly what was found I know I'll be able to cope better but right now it looks like my "Fight" has only begun and this surgery was just the warm up.....

Monday, January 19, 2009

Pain is getting less and less every day......just like DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness for those of you who are non worker outers).....am getting antsy to get started doing something.....the Doc said I could start lower body stretching and abdominal tilts so I guess I'll be satisfied with that for now....As for all of you if you aren't doing any form of exercise currently.....how about using this as your springboard? You can start with me, just start out doing some stretching and abdominal (pelvic) tilts!!!!!Come on there's not a better time than the present!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

sleeping all the time

I can't beleive how much I'm sleeping, sleep 10 hrs at night, get up eat breakfast, wuwally taking a nap again by 11:00....pretty soon one of you is going to tell me to get off my lazy butt and do something....Now is your time to catch up with me doing your workouts.......because when I start again, I will show no mercy!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Day after surgery

Day after surgery...I feel like I've just had the most intense upper body workout in my life, my chest,arms and biceps insertions by my elbows are sore...doc really doesn't know why the bicep insertions are sore. She was, however, very impressed with the size of my pecs. Said they were over 1/2 inch thick where most womens ar 1/8 of an inch....she said this will be good for everything to attach.
The surgery took about 1 1/2 hours more than expected, they had to do a different surgical technique due to where one of the cancers was located....she said it was right next to the skinsince I didn't have any fat. (yes I have had many offers of fat donations) anyway apparently she had to take some skin to get good margins. She said she did this in hopes of preventing the need for radiation, etc. We won't find this out until Mon or Tuesday. So if I have some scars....so be it....Just want to incinerate the cancer and get it out. She had to take some lymph nodes on each side as well.
I'm actually doing pretty decently now walking around, getting up and down by myself, doin some lower body stretching and abdominal tilts...it's so odd not doing my morning workout....I will be antsy to start that ASAP......Three CHEERS FOR BETTER LIFE THROUGH NARCOTICS!

Monday, January 5, 2009

trying this

This is pretty high tech for me but if it works I suppose It will be cool