Round One, Round Two.....Round Four

Some of the things that we take for granted, that we don't think are special, that are so mundane and everyday that we don't know we take them for granted. Wake up and decide "I'm going to run to TJ Maxx I need a shower gift", go to lunch with a friend, your daughter asks " want to take a ride I need shoes"  or watch your son play hockey. The past month our fighter stopped chemo and started a hormone therapy treatment, less fatigue, less pain, her body had some energy. What a month, the roller coaster slowed down, the bumps felt manageable and the turns less fearful. Reenie was able to start enjoying herself, she was able to shop, drive over to her moms, catch a game and do yard work all things we fell are pretty routine but to her pretty special. The month was capped off with as our warrior put it " the best day I have had in a long while"

that was last Sunday also Mothers Day. On Wednesday Reenie had her second hormone treatment scheduled and it was also an appointment with her oncologist Dr. Baridi, we would review the last month and her latest tumor markers and a decision would be made to continue this course or start a new one..well we are starting a new one. The markers showed what we feared that the hormone treatment hasn't really helped yet (we were told it may take 6 to 8 weeks to see results) and we don't want to wait to see if it will work on its own. We all decided, Doctors and family that we want to start a new chemo, the month off was awesome, I think it helped Reenie's body get healthy, her mind get refreshed and she knows how it feels to "feel good again" and that is our ultimate goal. We are starting 3 cycles (3 months) of Taxotere given each week along with the monthly hormone treatment, we will draw tumor markers each month and a PETscan in July. We had a PET done on Monday to give the doctors a baseline of which to work, the tumor markers and PET showed the cancer has increased, but has not spread to any organs or to the bone which is always the fear, the doctors have had success with this treatment so our 'Pink Warrior' has a positive outlook and a renewed sense of fight, the last month was like the minute between rounds only she didn't just sit on the stool and listen to me coach, she enjoyed life .....

Love to all, thanks for all the prayers and thoughts

Reenie asks that you "pray longer,faster and harder"

Walk don't run!

Well it's taken me a couple days to try and put into words our weekend experience and I still don't know how to express it.  You see and hear the commercials about the breast cancer walks and how it can be rewarding, uplifting or emotional and life changing and think REALLY a walk, well I can attest it was every thing the commercials say they can be and more. In just a short time Reenie was able to gather a team of  70 plus family, friends, friends of family and family of friends, generated over $2200 dollars for breast cancer research and got to spend the day with each of them. Not to sound prejudice but "Reenie's Pink Warriors" also looked the best (great job on the shirts Kris). I think its remarkable to gather this amount of important people in your life for a moment like this and being able to accomplish this on Mothers Day, pretty cool. Being able to raise money for the cause is kind of rewarding and when all this research is able to help our wives, daughters, nieces and grandchildren well that is definitely life changing. Seeing your wife, her kids, her family and friends come together for her, very uplifting and quite emotional, I now understand the commercial. When you looked at Reenie on Sunday morning you didn't see a breast cancer patient, you saw a beautiful woman in the moment, the moment of Reenie. The sun was shinning and so was Reenie, I don't know the last time I saw her so happy, and for that I'd like thank each and everyone one of "Reenie's Pink Warriors" she smiled and enjoyed the whole day and she walked, she walked the complete course. Reenie was determined to not miss this day, 2 weeks ago the odds looked like 100 to 1 she would be able to walk to the car let alone 3 miles. Our warrior took a cortisone shot in the heal 1 week ago and couldn't walk for 2 days, like I said she was determined to do this walk. Reenie was able to start the day with her good friend Debbie Markham, who was, we are happy to say walking as a survivor, Debbie finished her treatments last month. The two girls have been an inspiration to each other and unknowingly daily inspirations to all of us followers. Debbie also had a team in the walk with a great turnout, 2 friends on a mission, job well done.
We completed the day with a cookout at Kristen and Josh's and spent the afternoon with our kids, Reenie's brothers and their families a couple friends and Kristens wonderful extended family..this was a good day, no this was a Great day.
Now its back to business for our fighter, we see the oncologist tomorrow (Wednesday). This will be our first visit since we stopped chemo and started the hormone treatment. We will receive our results from the tumor markers drawn last week. The doctors will assess Reenie's progress and determine whether she will continue this path or need to start another chemo regiment. The lack of chemo has helped Reenie build up strength and enjoy a more normal life style, but we need results so tomorrow is another big day.
Thanks and love to all "Reenie's Pink Warriors"