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Wendy's Story

Age when diagnosed: 41 - 45
Maine, United States of America
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26: Music & Friends (and LOTS of pictures!)

Thu, Sep 09 2004 by Wendy

September 9, 2004

Let's start with the fun stuff and then I'll get to "where I'm at right now."

What an amazing weekend we had over Labor Day! Every year there is a barbershop festival in Bolton Landing up on Lake George in New York. This year, for various reasons, the festival was cancelled, however a large number of folks (including myself, Kevin and Ryan) decided to go anyway. It was (cabin) camping for 3 days with our best barbershop friends ... we had a blast!

Friday night we hung out by the campfire, played guitars and sang. Saturday we (well, I should say the Foremans, Wheatons & Dores) put on a BBQ and there were close to 100 people there! They cooked up a feast and all guests were asked to bring a dish - we ate good!!! Obviously there was more singing and merriment, and then Sunday we served up the leftovers for yet MORE enjoyable time with our friends. Lots of great photos below.

OK, now on to health stuff. I only have 5 radiation treatments to go!!! Yahooooooo!!! It'll be so great to not have to do that everyday, even though in the big picture it's really not all that bad and I'm home by 8:30 in the morning. My skin is pretty irritated from the radiation and I have to put cream on multiple times a day and have recently started wearing a bandage pad under my bra to eliminate the irritation.

I am feeling much better than I was (emotionally) the last time I wrote but because of everything that's been going on, the "reality" that has suddenly hit me, and because there are a few ghosts from my past that I have yet to deal with appropriately, I've decided to start therapy. Today was my first day and I think this is going to be most helpful. The last thing I want to do is weigh heavy on my family - they have just been too amazing for words. This will give me an outlet to work things through outside of the house.

I've put on some weight that I'm not happy about, but I'm trying like hell to fix it. Chemo put me into a post-menopausal state and unfortunately with that comes some weight gain. My body is still going through so much stuff with the treatments that it's not normal right now ... metabolism is low (always has been actually). But I bike at least 3 times a week (usually 5) and on some off days work out on an exercise thingy we have down cellar. I beat myself up about it all the time and need to be more accepting and patient (so my new therapist told me today). :>)

So what's next? That's a very loaded question. Health-wise I will start taking medication I imagine in October - that will last for 5 years. That will be in conjunction with close observation and regular check-ups. My Fibromayalgia has been better as of late so that's great! Sometimes it just takes realization and understanding to help the Fibro to calm itself since it is a stress related illness. Personally I miss singing so much and I think getting back into that will help a ton! Last weekend was such an incredible outlet for me ... time to do something about it!