Rockin' a mohawk!

Hi all,

Lots to talk about today... get comfortable. First... you will see that I look a little different. My hair was about half off and I asked Kim to shave it OFF! So we started with the mohawk. When will I ever get to sport a new hair-do like that again! We shaved it all off after we made Mark laugh out loud and Matt hang his head and claim that I am soooooooooo wierd!! Check!

I now sport beautiful scarfs and turbins. This makes me pay more attention to my looks and I am wearing makeup again and making sure my outfits match my head cover. So I feel better and look pretty. Round 2 of chemo went well. The doctor decreased the strongest med by 10% and I go back today for the neulasta injection and I will get 2 bags of IV fluids. I should have a much better time this time. Ohhh.. they have decided I will have 6 rounds of chemo so I hope to end in early December! YIPPEE!!!!

I am officially in the Ovarian Cancer club at oncology. Yesterday another OC patient, Janet, introduced herself to me and had a gift of a teal ribbon pin and a journal. I am so fortunate you all. Janet has been receiving chemo for 4 1/2 yrs. She's only had a 5 month break during that time. While I was there I watched as she received an extremely strong drug that burns the bottoms of her feet, palms of her hands and her underarms. She has figured out that if she applies ice while the drug is going in she can stop the burning. Her husband comes with her each time and they are a HOOT! They entertained all of us for the afternoon and time flew by. Whew... part of my journey... thank you Lord for the experience and for Janet and her husband. What I am going through is nothing in comparison.

Next, my dad is still in the hospital. He was getting ready to leave and when he stood up his blood pressure plummeted and he was incoherent. Thankfully the nurses were there. They paged the crash team because they thought he was having a stroke. A pastor shuffled my mom and her friend out of the room. Frederick Hospital has been fantastic. Once the nurses got him flat back in bed his blood pressure regulated itself.

He went for a CT scan last night to rule out the stroke for certain. The doctor's think he's had a reaction to new meds he started. They hope he can come home today. I'll keep everyone posted. Until then please pray for him and my mom. Good news... my sister Vicky is flying home from Florida today. Praise God! We need her here badly. You all know what I am going through. Sister Lisa is going through a divorce. She works her fulltime job Mon-Fri and 3 shifts per week at Parks Landing Seafood and is raising my nieces Carly (13) and Lindsay (17). Pray for all of them.

Next, my counselor Bea Gruber and her husband are holding a divorce support group for 15 weeks starting September 19, from 7-8:30 in her home in New Market. Please spread the word to any of your friends that are hurting. Bea is an absolutely wonderful counselor. I love her. If you love talking to me, you will love Bea. She and I are a lot alike. Her email address is bea@build4life.org

If you would like to talk to other friends that have spent time with Bea I can give you that information. Email or call me anytime.

That might be everything I wanted to talk about today. I love you all and I thank you for all the prayers and silly comments I get emailed about my blog. I do have some FUNNY friends!! Humor will get me through this!!! Which is why I am posting me in the mohawk!

“May love fill your heart, compassion guide your mind, faith rule your soul”
Paulo Coehlo

I luv you all & miss everyone,
Jude