A visit from great friends!

Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!! We have had a great time on the Cape. We didn't get a white Christmas but being by the ocean isn't half bad. We are all heading back to our respective homes tomorrow.

Today we received a visit from our life long friends Dianne, Ryan and Kevin. Mom and dad went to BC with Dianne and we have known Ryan (and his bro Alex) since they were born. Today is Ryan's 27th bday!

Dianne and Caitlyn

Ryan and mom 

                                                                   Christmas bday babies!

                                                             

We hope everyone has a happy and healthy New Year!
Love,
The Murphy's

Cape Cod Christmas

This is Kevin and I am hijacking the blog once again.  There are many details to fill you in on since the last post.

Round three of four chemos was completed last Wednesday, and the PET scan was last Thursday.  Patti wanted to take her chemo "week off" at the Cape to hibernate a bit before Christmas so on Thursday AM we had the PET scan and went off to the airport.

The PET Scan results were a mixed bag - no new cancer but still had old cancer.  Overall, the doctor said it was about the same as the initial scan.  Back to chemo next week as planned.

Hibernation was going as scheduled through the weekend, but on Tuesday it got a little extreme.  She was very lethargic and also not very coherent - like a bad drug reaction or something.  We talked with the Atlanta doctors and decided to get her over to Cape Cod hospital to have her checked out.  That was on Tuesday afternoon.  The doctors discovered that she was extremely dehydrated, had almost no white blood cells, and elevated ammonia levels in her blood - a side effect of a liver that's not working too well - which was causing her to be very disoriented.  All in all, she was not feeling well, so they admitted her.

She is still in the hospital today (Friday) but she is feeling much better and I hope to get her hope today or tomorrow.  At dinner last night she was sitting up and talking - after dinner we took a little walk around the floor - so she is making great progress but still needs a bit of rest.  They are giving her IV fluids, antibiotics and something to get rid of the ammonia, and the view is not too bad either.

As luck would have it, the doctor told me that she couldn't travel for a week or so with her white cell count so low - so we are staying up here for Christmas!  Patti always wanted a Cape Cod Christmas - so this is our year.  It was a little short notice, but all the girls and boys in Atlanta are coming up, and KB and Geem have changed their flights from Atlanta to Boston so the whole family will be here - Patti is very thankful that we will be together.

On Thursday AM I let the Cape Cod neighbors know that we will be stuck/hanging around here for Christmas.  When I returned from the hospital Thursday after lunch, there was a wreath on the door - what a nice gesture...

  

But when I walked in the house.....

The entire place was cleaned and decorated with a real Christmas tree - fully lit and filling the house with a piney Christmas smell - unbelievable!  I was trying to think of who could pull this off, and on such short notice -I later found that the Obed Brooks and Hillcrest Elves were out and about.

I was overcome with the thought that we have so many friends and family who would do something so special for us - for Patti. We are so fortunate to have these people in our lives.  I really wish I could express the feelings we have for you all but I can't find those words - you will have to trust me on that one.

Merry Christmas and thank you everyone.

Prayers this morning...

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to send a quick prayer request - Mom goes in this morning for her PET scan, so let's all send positive vibes her way, and lift her up in prayer! She finished the 3rd round of chemo yesterday, and hopefully all it is paying off :)
She has been very tired and feeling pretty "crappy" (her word) so a little good news is definitely what she (and we) would love to hear. 

I have a good feeling about it, especially since this was the fortune I received in a recent fortune cookie:

Thank you all again for everything - this process would be much more difficult without your love the support!

XOXO,

Caitlyn

Round three - treatment 2

It's a Wednesday and that means it's time for the Chemo Cafe. The appointment is earlier than normal today,  which is nice because we have the cafe all to ourselves!

The usual spot by the coffee station

Table for 2...Mom has hot chocolate and I have tea. 

Mom has been feeling pretty crappy since the last treatment. One of the chemo drugs she had last week  made her feel like she's had the flu. Luckily no vomiting - just overall achiness and ickiness. The doctor gave her some pain meds which have helped. She started feeling better today...just in time for another round. The nurses today told her that she won't be getting that same drug again today, so she shouldn't feel as bad this week. We've been here about 20 mins and she has already passed out so there is still no problem sleeping! 

After next week's treatment she will be having her PET scan to see what's going on inside. Then she and dad are jetting up to Boston for some R&R. I believe she still has to complete the 4th and final round of chemo, regardless of the results of the scan. 

We are definitely in the home stretch. Only 4 more appointments after today! We are all looking forward to the holidays and some cheer!!!

PS - MOM JUST SNORED!!!! Hahah! Good thing no one else is here :) 

Love to all!

xoxo

Beth

Thanksgiving weekend round-up

Wow did we have a wonderful Thanksgiving week!!

Krissy and Geema came down from NYC on Tuesday.
Wednesday was filled with cooking and finalizing plans for Thursday. This was a chemo off day.
Thursday Mary and Rory (Shane's parents) came in from Boston.

Thanksgiving dinner was at Shane and my house and did we have house full! Caitlyn, Cole, Maggie, Beau and our friend Ingrid all joined for dinner. This was Kev and Rory's first meeting ever and they got along like old friends! I guess anyone can bond over cigars, bourbon, and Ireland.

Here are some pics of the day!

Kids table

Adults table

Dad, Mom and Rory 

Mary, Mom, Dad, Geema, and Rory

It was the dogs bday so they wore their finest bow ties!

 

Friday was another fun filled family day. We had a birthday cookout for Shane (his bday was Saturday) at mom and dad's and we had a guest apperance by one of my best college friends Adam and his gf Lindsey. Also Brad, MA and baby Ben joined in on the party!!

Mom and Ben....same hair do!

 

Adam met Ben for the first time!

More Kevin-Rory bonding

Krissy and sausage fingers protege, Ben

 

And if all that party time wasn't enough, Saturday was the Georgia/Georgia Tech game in Athens. We took Mary and Rory to their first ever SEC football game. The Dawgs won yet again and it was a blast!!

Mary, me and Margaret Anne

Tailgating!

Somehow Rory ended up with a G sticker on this cheek.

Go Dawgs!

Rory in the crowd

 

Overall it was one of the best holiday weekends we have had and hopefully was a morale boost for mom. Back to chemo cafe today. Thanks for all the love!!

 

xoxo

Beth

Starting Round 3 tomorrow

Honestly, I'm feeling very anxious about tomorrow. Round 2 was not exactly a party, but then I have to remember we're not having cake here at the "Chemo Cafe", but incredibly nasty poison that sure as heck better be nailing these equally nasty cancer cells.
I know my family has thanked you many times for all the beautiful and heartfelt notes, cards, texts, and emails.
I tease the family with " I am so loved". The fact of the matter is that I do feel more love than anyone could possibly deserve. I do want you to know that I truly feel your positive prayers and they lift me up when I'm down in the trash.
Will keep up with blog..dang, I really love the name !!
XO
With much love right back,
Patti

Session 3 of round 2

Hi everyone!

We are here at the cafe, for the third session of the second round. This is my first time here with Mom, and I have to admit - I was very nervous! I had no idea what to expect, what it would look like, what I would see, etc.  As it turns out, it is pretty nice. Don't get me wrong, this is not a place I would like to visit on a regular basis, but given the circumstances, it is not bad at all.

For those of you who were wondering what this place looks like, I decided to document the trip.

I picked my mom up around 8:45, and we arrived at the office at 9 am.

 We walked in and were greeted by 2 wonderful nurses, who know Mom by name and they chatted for a moment.  They asked how my wedding plans were going, and I had to let them know that I was not Beth - people think we are twins all of the time!
Mom had some labs done, which I was not allowed to see - but I think they just drew some blood and got her port ready for the chemo.
After the labs, we rounded the corner and entered the Cafe!  Drum roll please...

You may be wondering what makes it a cafe - well, this does:

I have to say, Mom and I had the best cup of Dove Hot Chocolate - just delicious! (however, not the best idea after a cup of coffee - I feel like I could run a marathon right now:)

So that brings us to right now, as I type I can hear Mom snoring next to me!

After we are done here, it is off to Sweet Tomatoes for lunch!

Thank you for all of the love and prayers - and Happy early Thanksgiving!!

xoxo

Caitlyn

Happy Birthday Kev!

Happy Thursday!

Today is dad's birthday!! He's definitely the rock that keeps all of us nutty ladies in check...namely the one he lives with :) Of all of mom's amazing supporters, dad is by far the biggest and best. Happy Birthday Kev!

Today is a beautiful fall Georgia day so we decided to bring the dogs to lunch outside. Luckily for the pups, dad ordered the bacon salad so there was plenty to share.

xoxo
Beth

Just some fun stuff

Before I get into the fun stuff, the areas of Breezy Point and Rockaway right on the water have been decimated. I have many terrific memories down those areas and and am truly sorry these folk are going through another type of devastation. We will keep you in our prayers .

Now...Blessed Trinity volleyball team played their hearts out and pulled out the State Championship again. This will be the 3rd one Caitlyn has been involved in as a coach as well as the 3rd one as a player. I was very proud of these girls...they showed teamanship,determinship and the will to get the job done. Congrats to all involved including the parents.

So now we're back to " It's all about Patti". Went out to lunch with some girlfriends who live in the same subdivision. We met because of our golf hubbies. Weirdly enough, 2 of us r going through cancer treatment. The other 2 have already finished. Please, please listen to your bodies telling you if something isn't right or different. Get you mammogram  - because believe me it doesn't hurt near as much as having breast cancer.
My next chemo is Wed. Labs will let us know how things are going especially liver-wise. In about 2 1/2 months I'll get more PET scans, etc, etc and see if one is one is working.
Again, many, many thanks to all of you for all the love and support you have shown our family. It is very much appreciated.

This weekend we'll pray for volleyball

As most of you know, volleyball has been in our lives since 1993 when we lived in Texas. Thank God, our girls played the sport and not their parents. Caitlyn has been the assistant coach for the Blessed Trinity Titans, our local Catholic high school. Tomorrow, the girls will be playing for another State Championship!! They are sweet, determined and caring girls. When Caitlyn told them of my second visit from the Cancer Fairy, they said the rosary while driving to another school for a match. That got a lot of us teary eyed.
Therefore, tomorrow I have named " It's all about the Blessed Trinity Titans Day". We will, please, for this one day pray for another State Championship for the girls. Then, on Sunday, after the girls have been victorious, we can all go back to "It's all about Patti".
Geez, I am getting to be such a brat. Well, I'll just blame that on the liver tumors.
Written with love,
Patti

Yup, I'm going to try this again.

Hi and much love to all our readers and even ones who don't know about this blog. When Beth came with me to my first chemo and she was thinking of names for this blog ( I was busy just getting through the chemo infusion), she came up with this one with many thanks to Britney. Thought I was going to die laughing. Some may think this is rather a strange and peculiar blog name. For our family....it was perfect.
I'm not going to get into all the emotional and psychological feelings about the last 2 months. Let me say, though, I have an amazingly huge support group of family and friends who are pouring their love and prayers and loads of hugs to all of us. I was talking to a long time friend of mine and, while sobbing, I asked " what did I do in my past life to deserve all these wonderful people in my life?"  Of course I'm thinking God is rewarding me for doing more of the wash, or cleaning the kitchen more often. My friend simply said "because you are just being you". Wow!!! One of the sweetest things anyone has ever said. This college friend and I have known each other for 40 years, so this person knows more than most. So I think I'll go with that reason.
My hair is just about all gone but enough there so I could go to Allison and Neil's wedding without a babushka (yes, that is a joke even though I am small part Polish). We had a fabulous time. Neil and his group of Irish crazies ( these are mostly his own brothers) are sweet and so very loving. NOW, I can talk about the next family wedding....
Beth and Shane's!!!!!! Yeaaaa. Only 7 months left and we are again fortunate to add another group of loving and crazy Irish family and friends to ours. We have a terrific Alabama family from Caitlyn's husband.
Just had another round of chemo today. Ready for a nap.

Thank you all again for everyone's love and prayers
Patti

Weekend round up

Hello all!
We had a great weekend in Boston with the family! Allison and Neil's wedding was AMAZING and we had such a fun time. Mom was such a trooper because Saturday was a long day. She looked very pretty...and skinny...biatch :) Below is a pic of Uncle Brian, the beautiful bride and Dad.

Weekend's like this one help keep things in perspective because there is nothing more important than family and good friends and without you all we wouldn't be able to get through this. We also passed out many many Patti Murphy bracelet's so this is a fashion trend sweeping the northeast faster than Sandy! (hahaha I'm honestly laughing at myself!)

Mom and I just got back from lunch with 3 of my best girlfriends - Bethie, Blakely and Blaire Ross. What's funny is that mom, Blakely and Blaire all have the same hairdo :) The picture below is of mom and Blakely.

Mom and Blaire -both in fancy chapeaus

Tomorrow we've got another date at the chemo cafe!!

I hope everyone on the east coast is safe and sound and has power!
xoxo
Beth

Dana Farber

I am the guest blogger once again this week - hopefully our patient will get her blog on sometime soon, but in the meantime, our visit to Dana Farber for a second opinion went well. 

The doctor that we met with was happy with the course of treatment that the doctors in Atlanta had started Patti on, and she agreed that we should stay with it for the next three months, and at that point get re-scanned and see how the cancer is responding.  If the drugs are working, they will probably recommend that we continue on with it, and if not we can switch to another course of drugs and or a clinical trial.  So, we will stay with it and get scanned again probably after the holidays and see what happens.  One of the major side effects of the chemo drug is that Patti is fatigued quite a bit, and sleeps a lot, so her napping has become world class.

Today we are all in Clinton for our niece Allison's wedding.  Her husband Neil is from Dublin, and his whole family is here from Ireland, so it should be a great gathering of the clan.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone and just enjoying the day!

Thanks for everything - will send pics from the wedding.

Kevin

And they are off...

Good Morning! Hope everyone had a great weekend! Just a quick update, Mom and Dad left yesterday for the Cape/Boston which is perfect timing!

Mom has been very tired lately, so a little Cape in her life is just what she needs! While they are away, Beth and I have the pleasure of taking care of Mom's caregivers. They take their job watching over her very seriously, so while she is gone they are catching up on their rest. (Maggie is snoring as I type)

A big thank you to everyone for all of the cards and gifts!

As you can see, the mantle is filling up with the sweet notes and thoughts you have sent! I know Mom looks at these everyday, so thank you for keeping her spirits up! As soon as we hear how the Dana Farber appt goes (Friday), we will let you all know. Again, there are no words to properly thank all of you for the love and prayers! It means more to us than we can say.

xoxo

 Caitlyn

Guest Blogger- Kate Schoon aka Kate-A-Loo

Hi everyone! Krissy here with a very special post on this rainy Friday morning in NYC. Our lovely cousin Kate (aka KateALoo, Loo, Louie, Louie Lovey Loo, Hairy's mom, Dave's wifey, KatieOJoe) was sweet enough to dedicate the latest post on her blog to Mom! Kate has a cooking blog, http://andtheycookedhappilyeverafter.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/pattis-pink-lemonade-ice-cream-pies/, where she has created her own version of the famous Murphy Lemonade Icecream Pie. This is one of Dad's favorite recipes from back in the day! Thanks so much for the shoutout Loo and the awesome post! Looking forward to seeing the rest of the Murphy clan this weekend at the wedding. I hear there will be Patti Murphy pink bracelets for sale somewhere in the lobby of the hotel ;) Or not, but we will bring some for those who want to rep that pink for our girl! xoxo krissy

Special guest in the office today

Someone got a haircut!!
On Tuesday mom's hair started to fall out a bit. She was very upset because the doctor said with the type of chemo she's doing it was possible she would keep her lovely grey locks. But it's all good today because the fabulous folks at Viola in Roswell gave her a free cut!!  Very sassy, no?!

She's also sporting the Patti Murphy Breast Cancer Awareness bracelet!! Get yours now :)

xoxo
Beth

The Original "Patti Murphy" Breast Cancer Awareness Wristbands Are Here!

Hi all,

The Original "Patti Murphy" Breast Cancer Awareness Wristbands Are Here!  Show your solidarity and support for Patti's fight by sporting a one-of-a-kind, pink rubber wristband embossed with Patti's name.  We also thought it would nice to raise some money to donate to Patti's favorite breast cancer charities.  To do so, we are seeking donations that we will pool together and present to the charities of Patti's choice.  We are seeking a $10 donation per wristband, or any amount (less or more) that you can afford. No donation is is too small, and all donations are greatly appreciated. 100% of your donation will go straight to the charities. The primary goal is to show our love and support for Patti. In return, you will get this sweet wristband mailed to your door.  

Please mail checks to:

Shane O'Neill 

2583 Oglethorpe Circle

Atlanta, GA 30319

If PayPal is easier, please email me at pshaneoneill@gmail.com and I will send you a request for payment.  

Either way, make sure to include your mailing address and the number of wristbands you would like.  

Thanks, 

Shane

P.S.  Beth will post a photo of the bracelets tomorrow. I would have done so tonight, but I'm new to blogging and can't figure out attachments.

 

Chemo Cafe Round 3

This is Kevin and I am hijacking this blog once again, as I can't seem to get Patti to do it - not yet anyway.

We are here at the chemo cafe for round 3.  There are 16 seats here, and almost everyone here has cancer.   Everyone has their day and their scheduled time - ours is Wednesday at 11 - so there are a lot of people who visit this place and I am thinking there are lots of places like this.  And while almost everyone is sick, there is a lot of positive energy in this place.  The nurses, doctors, staff and volunteers stay upbeat and fast moving all the time, and I'm not sure how they do it.

The lady to our left finished her treatment today, so she is all done and is free to go, and she got a nice round of applause.  The lady to our right is having her first treatment, and it is her birthday, so we all wished her happy birthday.  She has breast cancer and was asking me about Patti's treatment.  I didn't want to tell her that is was our second time around, or that there even could be a second time around.  We're in the middle of our treatment, and Patti is sleeping through it. I think everyone is jealous of her world class napping skills.

We are going to Boston next week for a wedding - our niece Allison and Neil  - and we are also going to visit the oncologists at the Dana Farber Cancer Center.  We want to get their opinion on treatment options and since they are in Boston, we are going up to the Cape on Monday for a few days to grab some of the September vacation that disappeared when cancer reappeared.

Keep the cards letters thoughts and prayers coming - and thank you to everyone!

K

Long time no blog :(

Hello!!
I apologize for the lack of posting the last week. We have definitely been slacking. Mom has PROMISIED to post something today and if she fails to do so, please do not hesitate to scold her directly! :) She's having some trouble getting comfortable with the blogging experience.

Tomorrow is Wednesday again! The week's go by so fast. This will be the 3rd and final chemo appointment of the first quarter of treatment. Mom gets a week off next week which is perfect timing because....BIG NEWS....she just booked a trip to the Cape for Monday!!!!! This will be a huge morale boost because as everyone knows this is her favorite place on earth.

She also has an appt booked on Friday 10/26 at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for a 2nd opinion. If you haven't heard of this hospital (I hadn't before all this), it's one of the best, if not the best, cancer hospital in the country. Then the whole family, Krissy included, will be in Boston that weekend for my cousin Allison's wedding. We are pumped!!

Also, I know we missed a Friday's pup pic last week so here one is. Beau in his Halloween best :)

Thanks again for all the love!

xoxo
Beth

Chemo Cafe Round Two

We just returned from round two of the chemo treatment.  Patti slept through it, which is good, so I'm sure no one minded when I had her snacks.

We saw the doctor and she told us that after this round she would probably change the dosage based on how she is able to tolerate this current dose.  I think they want to make sure she can handle it before they bring in the heavier stuff.  We have another round next week, and then an off week.  During the off week, we are planning to see the docs at Dana Farber in Boston.

So far so good - I'm putting her in for another nap.

Thanks for all the cards and support - it means the world.

Talk to you soon.

K

Quote(s) of the day!

Hi everyone!

Thank you for all the nice messages, calls, texts and emails! It means the world to us, and mom especially!

 Since Mom will be going to the "chemo cafe" (as Dad calls it) every Wednesday, I thought it would be appropriate to post inspiring quotes for her to read while getting treatment. These are meant to make her smile, laugh, cry (most likely what will happen) - just to remind her we ALL LOVE HER MADLY! Please feel free to add your own in the comments section :)

 “One day at a time – this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering.” ~ Ida Scott Taylor

“Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos, and threes, by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers, and sisters, aunts and cousins, but only one mother in the whole world." ~ Kate Douglas Wiggins

xoxo Caitlyn

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday all!

Our patient had an ok weekend! The weather is starting to change down here, which mom loves, so she spent alot of time reading on the back porch with the dogs.

Mom's overall feeling has been sluggish and low energy. We did go watch Caitlyn's volleyball team in the Serve for the Cure tournament on Saturday (they lost in the finals but played awesome!). I also dragged her to Home Depot to help me pick out flowers for my fall home decor. Thank goodness she was there or I would have spent way too much on flowers I would have killed in about a day! As payback, I believe, she dragged me to a Philly Connection because she wanted a philly cheesesteak. Completely random.

The side effects of the first chemo round have been minimal. Clearly if she can put down a cheesesteak the nausea hasn't set in yet :) However, one of the drugs has made her very itchy. They doctor suggested taking an allergy medicine like Allegra or something so she has been doing that in the morning and at night and it seems to be working. This is a side effect she didn't experience last time. She hasn't complained out anything else really so other than her stamina she's feeling ok.

Dad comes home today so I know that will definitely raise her spirits!

That's all to report from here. I hope everyone had a great weekend!!

xoxo
Beth

Mom's caregivers

Some have wondered who is taking care of mom while the rest of us are at work. Well wonder no more....

That's Beau on the left and Maggie on the right. Beau handles security and Maggie distributes meds.

Sometimes they fall asleep on the job....

Mom's and Technology Do Not Always Mix

Hello Friends and Family!

Krissy here- Blogging to you LIVE from NEW YORK CITY!

Most of you know that I moved up here at the beginning of September. Something you don't know is that Mom was supposed to be the one to road trip up here with me in the moving truck. Unfortunately, she had an important doctor's appointment on the day she was supposed to be kickin' back on Bank Street Beach in Cape Cod after moving me in to my NYC apartment. Yes, people, not only did this cancer finding ruin our Mother-Daughter road trip to the Big Apple, it ruined her annual vacation to Cape Cod. Talk about worst timing EVER. Not that there is a good time to find out about the diagnosis- but you get the idea.

Luckily, Dad was able to take a few days away to drive up here with me while Mom stayed to see the doctors. Two weeks into my new city life, I got the news about the cancer coming back and finding a new home in Mom's liver. I was walking home from the bus stop when I got the news and all I wanted to do was buy a plane ticket home and never come back. Mom assured me that she was going to be fine, she wants me to stay in New York, and she was ready to beat cancer again! Are you kidding me?!?! I cannot believe the strength she has and how positive she is able to stay during this awful time in our lives. Truly amazing woman! With that being said, we all have to be positive and keep those prayers coming! Our family's support system is the best and thank you all for the kind messages, texts, and phone calls!

Ok- on to the real reason for the post. Most of you readers are on Facebook and know that Mom LOVES to comment on pictures, posts, etc. Just yesterday, Mom's love for Facebook collided with her use of technology to make one of the funniest posts I have seen in a very long time. My friend, Cristin, posted a sweet message on Mom's Facebook wall and Mom had some trouble with the comments. Also, Cristin would like to be called "Friction" from now on... Enjoy!!

It seems the picture is hard to read so here is the dialogue.

Post from Cristin: "Thinking of you mrs murphy! sending lots of love from chi town!"
Comment #1 from Mom: Live O
Comment #2 from Mom: Oops, love you too, friction.
Comment #3 from Mom: Forget it, predictive text si. Xxxx

Im still not sure what she was trying to say... Hahaha Love this!

xoxo krissy

BT Titans Serve for a Cure

Caitlyn's volleyball team, the Blessed Trinity Titans, is hosting a tournament to raise money for the American Cancer Society (breast cancer research). The article below is from our local paper.
She would like you to know they are the #1 ranked team in the state, with a record of 40-1. The one loss occurred out of state so it doesn't really count :)

http://neighbornewspapers.com/view/full_story/20342422/article-Top-ranked-Titans-to-Serve-for-a-Cure?instance=roswell

Let's go Titans!!

xoxo
Beth

Day 1...again

Well here we are again....back at the fabulous Georgia Cancer Center 8 years later. I didn't have the opportunity to see this place last go round, but mom says the "group pod" chemo room is bigger and brighter than last time! They have an amazing coffee, tea, and hot chocolate station that might rival the mecca Race Trac gas station by the north ga outlets :)

We've been so blessed with thoughts and well wishes from family, friends, and even strangers, and one of mom's best friends, Karen Willison, suggested we keep people updated on mom's progress with a care page or blog. I figured a blog would be a good place to post the good and the bad, but also happenings during treatment not even related to cancer.

For those just joining for round 2, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 (I let her fill in the medical details). She had chemo, radiation, a double mastectomy, and reconstruction, and by 2008 she was celebrating 5 years cancer free!! She was following the standard cancer survivor protocol with medicine, scans, tests, checkups, etc and life had pretty much gone back to "normal". But this past August mom had stomach pain that turned out to be gall stones. In the process of diagnosing that, the doctor found a few spots on her liver that didn't seem right. She had a biopsy done a few weeks later and metastatic breast cancer was found. Those little bitch cancer cells must love some Burnetts red raspberry vodka! After that news, the doctor ordered a PET and CT scan to see if there are any other cancer occurrences, and the bitches also found a home in her bones. Bottom line - treatment will be 4 months of chemo; 3 weeks on, 1 week off. After 4 months, she will be rescanned to see what's left and we will take it from there.

Our family is obviously upset, confused, concerned, mad, but all in all we know mom is a fighter and is going to be just fine. The truth is family's just like ours are hit with news like this every day and they carry on. We are focusing on the positives and anyone who knows us personally knows we handle situations like this with humor and the entertainment of our 2 sweet dogs. The next 4 months are going to be tough we we have an amazing support system and we will get through this!! Please keep mom in your prayers and we'll keep everyone updated!!

Xoxo
Beth