Happy Halloween

fond wishes

Sharing Some Autumn

Just some Autumn decor around the house

October 27th 2009, Hope Springs Eternal

Just before my second Gamma Knife Surgery

on Oct 20th 2009, exactly one year after I

completed my Whole Brain Radiation

Rich and me in IRELAND on our dream vacation

to Italy & Ireland (Sept and Oct of 2009) ..I even got my hair cut in Venice

Keeping warm in the winter of 2008/2009

Going to the Cancer Center for my LAST Whole Brain Radiation

Oct. 20, 2oo8

This is how long my hair got AFTER chemo and BEFORE Whole Brain Radiation

Me as my hair begins to grow back the second time after WBR

Me during chemo therapy

Me after Whole Brain Radiation

My grandson Cole on left, me and my grandson Joe

after my mastectomy.

My dog Hannah, me and my oldest daughter Nicole

before my mastectomy

Hello everyone.

Today marks my 2 year survivor of

Breast Cancer. I was diagnosed with

Stage 4 Lobular and since

then I have slowly made progress .

I had a mastectomy on my right breast (and a tram flap reconstrustion) with removal of 39 lymph nodes on Dec. 12, 2007, chemo therapy starting 2/2008, following by radiation on

my right side and clavical. In the midst of this I developed Brain Mets and had Gamma Knife surgery in July of 2008. After the Gamma Knife surgery I developed more brain tumors

and had Whole Brain Radiation, 20 treatments. I've lost my hair twice .

I've been getting better and in October of 2009 I developed more brain tumors

and again had Gamma Knife Surgery to remove them. Each treatment was

successful. My body should be cancer free now..as all they saw was

the brain tumors..and those should be eradicated with the Gamma Knife I had

last week.

With God, there is ALWAYS hope.. My doctor says I'm a miracle. I say

" I am prove of God's miracle"

Thank to ALL of you who have prayed, cared, sent me love cards and gifts

and hope. I cherish each friend I've made. I hope sharing so openly

has helped some of you. I was the first in my family to have

cancer and didn't know any women who I could talk to who had

been through this. I do now and it is a blessing!!

In 2008 I lost my dad and my step mom within three months

and this year in June our sweet Collie Hannah passed away.

Yet in all this turmoil I continue to be blessed. I am stronger

in my faith, closer to my grown childen , my grandsons, my true friends and

my marriage is the best it's ever been. I consider cancer a

blessing. IT has made me a kinder and gentler Deena.

!!CELEBRATING LIFE!!

NEVER STOP FIGHTING

Fondly, Deena

My Daughter Nicole

Nicole and her boys have a new puppy

Her name is Bella and isn't she SWEET??

Holiday Pictures, Italy & Ireland

Ireland

Italy

Links to some of our vacation pictures

They are not all labeled yet.

Let me know what you think

Brain Tumors are TOAST

I'm home!!

Here's my bandaged head from the screw holes

Just four two in front two at the back side of my head.

Two pumpkin heads.

I convinced Rich to take a picture of me.. I'm the one WITHOUT

the lights.!! Don't you love my Hannibal Titanium Mask??

After about 7 hours of procedures, meds, IV's, MRI, Gamma Knife procedure planning

and 15 minutes of the Gamma Knife....we are home. The tumors should have been

burnt senseless and the tissue will just be absorbed by my body.

All went well ..I had the same nurse..same Gamma Team from last July

a new Neurosurgeon ( Click here to read about *and see* Dr. Klopfenstein) and a Resident .

Piece of cake compared to the Whole Brain Radiation &

the first Gamma Knife.

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

EDUCATE YOURSELF, GIVE TO KOMEN FOUNDATION,

RUN A RACE, FEEL YOUR BOOBIES

TELL A FRIEND ABOUT MY BLOG

I can offer hope ..experience, what to expect and prayer. I'd

love to be someone's "Breast Friend"

I have a new neurosurgeon and

he's handsome.!!! LOL

I go in tomorrow at 5:20 AM, Rich will go also.

They will do the Gamma Knife procedure and

just ZAP that cancer out of there.

Doctor says check ups every three months are

essential and if I have more cancer lesions

every 6 months or every year..we can

handle them. I like his attitude.

I'll try to get Rich to take a picture

of me in my Hannibal mask tomorrow.

I may be gone all day, so I'll post later

this week.

The sun is out, the bugs are swarming and

I'm going outside to enjoy it.

On another note, Hunter is doing great!!

If he keeps progessing as he has he may

be released from the hospital in a week or so.

Check his blog

My BFF Marcia (Hunter's grandma) had a birthday Saturday..don't know

why she'd disclose her age, but she did.

fondly,

Test Results

I went to the Oncologist today..my tests show my body is cancer free, but my brain is NOT,

there are new tumors. I'll be going to the Neurologist on Monday to discuss treatments.

I was SO sure I'd get a good report...but it's not that bad. I just feel the

brain mets will continue to be the issue. I wanted a break from cancer,

my hair is growing, got it cut (in Venice) and colored( my daughter Nicole did the color) and my eyebrows are back, I just had them shaped.

If it's not one ..it's another. Keep fighting I say!!!!

and praying!!!

fondly,

Just a Note

I am working on pictures to share from our

holiday. I lost my camera in Roma, on our

last day in Italy.

Rich has pictures on his camera, but I

want mine. I cried, can't replace

those pics.

I still haven't caught up on my sleep

I'm in bed by 8 PM each night and

tonight is no exception.

fondly

We're HOME

and Autumn has arrived.

It is good to be home

Our holiday was LOVELY.