Chemo 7 and 20 Kid Questions - Age 2 yrs 6 mos

I'm sitting here getting my NEXT TO LAST chemo treatment.  I'm tired of talking about cancer.  Frankly, I'm pretty tired of cancer...but the doctor said he's really pleased with the chemo results.  He said any micro tumors left (if there are any) will be removed during the surgery.  He will do a ct or pet scan, more than likely, before surgery.  It's hard to explain, but there isn't really a way to test to see if the cancer is still there.  They run my tumor markers, but my base line tumor markers were about normal when they first ran them before treatments.  The only real way to see if there is any cancer is the ct or pet scan.  My reaction to chemo (reduction-really elimination- of any hardened tissue in my breast since that is the site of cancer) is the only way to know I'm beating this type of breast cancer.  I did ask some questions about how we would know if the cancer is gone and I got the impression that it's kind of the wait and see for the 6 months after my radiation.  I think he mentioned possibly doing another ct or pet scan 6 months after radiation.  He had said that I wouldn't be cleared for reconstruction for at least 6 months after radiation to make sure no further action was needed early on in this whole process, so that's not a big surprise.  I knew this cancer was hard to diagnose, but I really had no idea that it was this hard to track too.  Again I say how very blessed I am (and grateful) that I was diagnosed at stage 3.  My red cell counts are much better at 31 now!  We discussed my side effects, he's going to up the number or pain pills he's calling in for me.  As long as I take those, I'm pretty good to go after the initial days of achiness.  I think the Nuelasta shot achiness added to the achiness caused by the chemo is what knocks me out for those few days.  My nail beds are looking pretty bad, which surprised the doc.  He said I'm just reacting really sensitively to this type of chemo, but each person reacts to each medication very individually.  It's crazy how your body freaks out when you pump a bag of toxins into it...LOL!  I haven't experienced any lasting nueropathy, which is a blessing and answer to prayer!  There is a small chance of permanent nuerapathy effects with Taxotere, but so far, so good.
Now onto the fun stuff!!!!  I stole this from another blog that I follow, but I've been thinking lately about how I don't want to forget all these things about Ashlyn and this is such a great way to record them!  She can make me laugh like no other person on the planet!  She can melt my heart in a single, split second.  She can make me mad almost faster than David!  I love her for the amazing person she already is, but I'm looking forward to watching her grow and learn and become even more amazing!

1. Favorite Color: Pink

2. Favorite Toy(s): Bicycles

3. Favorite Fruit: Grapes

4. Favorite TV Show: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

5. Favorite thing to eat for Lunch or Dinner: Chicken and Green Beans (She absolutely must have her ranch to dip though!)

6. Favorite Outfit: Her black and orange Halloween outfit with a kitty cat face on the top

7. Favorite Game: Bubble burst

8. Favorite Snack: Fruities!

9. Favorite Animal: To play with are cats - the talk about are horses - she's a big fan of elephants too

10. Favorite Song: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", "Jesus loves me", and "Jingle Bells" (Yes we are still singing that one well into February!

11. Favorite Book: George Shrinks

12. Best Friend: She talks about her preschool buddy Kurt the most...but she loves being with her cousin Ella 

13. Favorite Breakfast food: Sausage biscuits and eggs

14. Favorite Thing to do outside: Ride her bike and helping daddy with whatever he's doing

15. Favorite Drink: Milk

16. Favorite Holiday: Christmas

17. Favorite thing to sleep with: Her Lovies, dog 'pillow', hippo pillow pet, Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, Aflac Duckie, princess heart pillow and the occasional random item that she just WILL NOT get into her bed without.

18. Favorite Dessert: Chocolate candy

19. Favorite person you think she would like to meet: Well...considering she is afraid of any dressed up characters so far - A.K.A the "Build a Bear" Bear and the "Chick-fil-a" Moo Moo, Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and the random person dressed as a kangaroo at the BJCC Hunting Expo...I don't think she would want to meet any of her favorite cartoon characters.  Maybe I would have liked her to meet my daddy's mom (Mamaw).  We have a blanket she made and Ashlyn always talks about how Mamaw made it. :)

20. What she wants to be when she grows up:  A princess

 

I also have some random things she says:

*  When she sees any elephant anywhere, she says "Roll Tide"!

*  When she wants to watch "Tangled" on tv she says she wants to watch "Princess", when she wants to watch "Open Season" she says she wants to watch "Bear".

*  She asks me at least every other day "Is Moo Moo far away?" - Yes, our Chick-fil-a Moo Moo experience was that traumatic...

*  She is starting to say her bedtime prayer with us sometimes, but she is always quiet during the prayer.

*  She is in the "NO!  I do it" stage right now.  If she says she will do it and you do it for her, she will undo whatever you did and do it herself 90% of the time.  Frustrating, but I know it's a good thing for her to be learning independence. :)

*  Let's face it...we talked about boobies alot in our house for a couple months in a row...Ashlyn picked up on it, but she calls them "booties" and I don't correct her.  I figure at least maybe one stranger will think she's talking about shoes?!?!