the Chemo Port

2 1/2 yrs after having it put in, I had chemo port removed April 2, 2014.  Surgery always makes me nervous.  My surgeon snapped this photo of the port after taking it out and cleaning it up.   Yes I wanted to photograph it but the "happy juice" knocks me right out in OR!!  I am a light weight!!

Chemo aport removal is tomorrow

So I decided to paint flower over the port as a way of saying good bye to it

I was pet sitting when I did this lovely artwork and my friend Andi did the artwork in the last photo

By the way I am a photographer not an artist so my flower is sad looking but its by me

I drew a heart to send live to the good fairies of chemo for helping me

Artwork by Andi - she painted my head for Chemo 2 times so I had to ask her to paint the final goodbye for my chemo port

Snow, Ice, Rain - when will warm weather arrive?

I do love taking photos in the snow especially since I got the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and can use the art effect filters.  I am ready to try this camera out on the beach and on flowers, come on Spring!!

New Camera - new projects

I bought a camera over the weekend from my friend Debra.  She is an amazing photographer and is the one pushing me to do my book.  Debra was right, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 is an amazing camera and I am in love.  It is small and easy to use and I can easily carry it on my doctors appts to continue documenting my journey with Stage 3A triple negative Breast Cancer.

New projects I am working on include trees, shoes and skulls.....  as well as continue documenting my journey.

Below are some of the photos I took of trees in snow, skulls and a recent MRI test!!!

“The important thing is not the camera but the eye.” – Alfred Eisenstaedt 

Time Flies

It's been a year since I was in Palm Springs with a great group of ladies for the Shutter sisters Oasis Camp at the ACE hotel.  I am so glad I went on that trip.  I loved every minute of my time there and the friendships that were made. 

The arm hurts

The blue marker marks are from Elyce and Monica checking my are for swelling - the size hasn't changed thank goodness but since I am having the muscle tightness I will start treatment when I return from SC - gotta get fluid out of lymph system now before arm swells.  therapy will be massage and moving fluid around in body.

2 yr Annv Breast Cancer removal

Two years ago, on June 28, 2011. I was getting a wire placed in my breast for Breast Cancer surgery.  I was alittle nervous but more anxious about the fact they were suppose to put this wire in while doing a mamography on me - Ouch!  Luckily my cancer was on the bottom of my breast and it couldn't be down so we had to do it by sonogram.  Greg drove me over to the hospital and into Pre-op we went.  I laughed and joked with the nurses.  I was in shock still so I didn't take photos that day - wish I had.  My surgeon and I have agreed when I have my port out I will take photos.

This is a shot of the drainage tube that I had under my arm after surgery - i took this shot the day I was getting it out - 2 wks after surgery

Today is a good Day

I had a 6 month follow up for Mammo and Sono today - can you say OUCH!!!   if you ladies think it hurts normally trust me it is much worse once you have had surgery and Radiation on a breast.

As I sat in the waiting room after the Mammo collecting my thoughts and getting copies of my Magazine article out to leave, I sae a lady come out of room 1 and thought Bless you my friend - she was there to have wire put in and head over to the Hospital because her journey had just began.  I wanted to run after her and say stay positive, eat healthy and LAUGH alot!!  but I felt overwhelmed with memories of June 28, 2011 - my surgery date.  

I left 2 hours after entering and with great news - NDD (no disease detected) or NED (no evidence of disease) - woo hoo!!  this triple negative BC lady is happy with that news.  I will go back in 6 months for a follow up.   

the sun was coming out as I arrived and almost made a heart in the sky - that's a good sign!!

the lovely gown you get to wear during your appointment.

 here's the shot I took of the machine we all dislike!!

yep these were placed on my breast before the Mammogram and taken off for the sonogram - forgot I had them in my pocket