Bliggity Bloggity Boo(b)

Survivor Crop - scrapbooking for a cause

I'm so excited to be on the comittee for Survivor Crop this year.  This amazing 24-hour scrapbooking event raises money for the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation.  We're in our 8th year and have raised nearly $300,000 for San Diego breast cancer patients. 

The ladies are chomping at the bit and busy creating island decorations for the islands.  We have plenty of contests, games and prizes in store, plus the silent auction, which is always a huge hit.  If interested in joining us, here's a link to the registration page.

If interested in making a difference and donating to Komen for the Cure, please go to my personal page. 

Free at last!

 

OK, so my postings have been few and far between lately, and this one is about two weeks overdue.  I finally got fed up with the wig gig and decided to toss it once and for all.  I was taking it off in the parking garage at work, because frankly, I was getting headaches from the pressure dents caused by the elastic.  I wasn't wearing it anywhere but at work, and I figured people at work know me well enough that they can get used to my Annie Lennox look.

My buzz cut (OK, so it's not a buzz cut if I haven't had my hair cut in over a year, but you get the idea) made its debut on a Friday. I had the full gamut of reactions from OMG, you can't walk around the office like that, to Wow - you look so fashionable.  It's been pretty amusing to say the least.  I get the looks from eyes averting because I obviously have a cancer hairdo, to WTF, why in the world would anybody cut their hair so short, to you have guts to wear your hair that short, and my favorite - wow, you are so totally rock star.

With the heat wave we've been having, this is the most awesome style imaginable.  Plus, my adoring hubby loves it! (or maybe he just loves the fact that I have hair for the first time in nine months :-)

I'll have Kyle take a pic later today and will post it then. It won't be as good as the bald shots that Suzette took, but you'll get the idea.

Look what your wife can do!

The other evening I was delighted to have the opportunity to babysit Kayla, my boss's daughter.  In addition to being adorable, she's quite precocious and so full of energy.

When we got home, we played outside with the dog, climbed on rocks, and picked flowers.  She even picked a begonia and put it in my hair.  After it got dark, we went inside and ate dinner, made a scrapbook, and then made brownies.  Kayla was so excited because she said she only knew how to make cookies, and now she would be an expert brownie maker.

We were nearly finished making the brownies (she was in the licking the beater stage) when I had had way too much of the head squeezing wig.  So I said to Kayla, "Do you know what I usually do at this time of night?"  "No", she said.  "What do you do?"  "I usually take my hair off, because it's really tight on my head."  "You do?" she squealed and giggled as I yanked off my wig.  "Do you mean I put a flower in your wig?  It wasn't your real hair?" When she was done giggling, she said, "Wait, put it back on!  I have to show your husband!" 

Kayla ran out of the room and found Denny.  She told him "You have to come see what your wife can do!"  And she proceeded to lead him by the hand into the kitchen to show him the magic.  He played along and acted totally surprised as she yanked off my wig.  Endless giggling ensued.

And that my friends, is what keeps me smiling.  Big hugs to Kayla for making my week.

You're a Rock Star

The other night, a good friend of my boys (and one of my all time favorite young people) came over to visit.  Mark hasn't come over in about 2 months, so when I went into the computer room to say "hi" he exclaimed,  "hey, you have hair now".  "Yep, I replied, it's short, but it's coming back."  "But you look really cool.  You look like a rock star!"  I love you Mark, you are so sweet and always make me feel good.

So, in honor of my Rock Star status, I asked Kyle to take some pics of me with my new doo.

Waddaya think???

  

Thanks, Mark, for making a chemo head feel great!  I love you man!

Something's burning

Something's burning, something's burning, something's burning, dadadadadada, and it isn't love. 

I'm on week five of radiation, and am getting quick fried to a crackly crunch.  I saw the doctor yesterday, before my daily zapping, and he made a change in treatment plans - thank god.  The repeated scorching and peeling is taking its toll.  The next five treaments will focus strictly around my scar, and not the huge part of my chest that is flaming red.  Aloe and Biafine help, and the doc suggested emu oil, which I'm going to get today from the health store.  Has anybody heard of people having healing success or pain relief with emu oil?

At first he was going to prescribe another ointment, but he asked if I was allergic to sulfa, which I am, so that was ix-nayed. I can't even imagine the damage it would have done with hives on top of the burn.

For your viewing pleasure, this is what I'm talkin' about.

  

Tanning salon - week 1

Now doesn't a visit to a tanning salon to achieve the bronzed body that we SoCal gals are known for sound like a day at the spa?  Not! My short visits are only 10 minutes, but I only get tanned on my upper left quadrant of my body.  Hello - do they not know that this will somehow look ridiculous and not model-esque?  What's a girl to do?  Not to mention they recommend that I don't wear a bra for the duration.  Now that will be really attractive looking like a right sided cyclops if you know what I mean.  Yes, I've done it before, post surgery, but it really makes a gal self-conscious to be missing a part.

So when the going gets tough, the chicks go shopping.  Surely I need a new wardrobe consisting of vests and short jackets that I can wear to work to camouflage the lopsided chest.  I did it before when I first started work, but it was winter, and the layered look fit right in.

By the way, radiation is not too bad so far.  I was a bit nervous when I got slightly scorched on days 2 & 3 (I was told the scorching does not begin until week 6), but days 4 & 5 were mild, and my 99% aloe vera that I apply multiple times a day is my new best friend, and I don't leave home without it.

One week down - seven to go. 

Faked 'em out again

I haven't posted in awhile, simply because life is good, no dramatic cancer updates, and I'm enjoying quilting, claying, and starting to cook again.

Today was go to the radiation oncologist day and start the process for radiation.  Call me sick, but I'm excited about moving on and closing yet another chapter in the cancer saga.  I like being able to check off yet another series of doctor's appointments that are a necessary, but good evil of kicking cancer in the ass.

I'll cut to the chase on the amusing comments from my nurse and doctor.  After being efficiently checked in to radiology, my nurse starts asking a few questions.  Her: When did you have your surgery? Me: That would be November 4, election day.  Her: And did you have chemo?  Me: Yes, I just finished the nasty stuff on May 1st. Her: But you're not wearing a wig are you? Me: Yes, I bought this beauty fair and square with real American bucks. Her: OMG, I've been in this biz for over 25 years and I've never seen a wig that great. Me: That's because Patti Joyce is the rockin' mama who knows how to make realistic wigs.

Next:

So my doctor comes in and asks When did you have your surgery. Me: Election day. Him: and when did you finish chemo? Me" May 1. Him: but you must be one of them who never loses their hair. Me: Nope, this is a wig.  I'm telling you ladies and gents, Patti Joyce rocks the Casbah, and has fooled many a naysayer with her awesome talent. 

It's just not that bad...anyone can survive and thrive...just grab ahold of the kick it in the ass attitude, and let her rip.

Thanks for hanging in with me...we CAN beat it together.

Mariposas

Isn't that a beautiful word? Mariposa is Spanish for butterfly and today I had the opportunity to go to the Wild Animal park to test out a Sony Alpha 380 camera for work - how's that for a job assignment? I get teased because I shoot with a Canon Rebel, but heck, it's my camera and I love it. But I gotta tell you, the Alpha is nice, very nice.

I only had about an hour, and the butterfly exhibit was very busy, but here are some of the shots I got of both butterflies and birds.

 

Auld Lang Syne

You know the feeling when you get together with old friends (as in I've known them for a very long time, but clearly they're not old because I'm not old)?  Well, Denny and I had one of those wonderful reminiscing evenings with Chris, Tanya, Otto and Ruth - HP buddies that we worked with back in the mid-80's. 

Chris and Tanya invited us for dinner at their home, and we were delighted that Otto and Ruth joined us as well. You see, Chris and I both worked for Otto back in the mid 80's, shortly after I made the move to Marketing. Chris and Tanya got married the year before we did and we were all at each other's weddings,  and we had our first born children together, well, not really together, but Tanya and I were pregnant at the same time, went to each other's showers, and Tyler and Krissy were born within a month of each other - you get the idea.

We've kept in touch over the years and Tanya and I have had the opportunity to spread our creative wings for HP trade show events, teaching classes together, making ornaments at the annual Ornament Party, and scrapbooking together.

So we got together again and shared a menu of good food, a scrapbook of memories, and a barrel of laughter.

It's moments like these that make you truly appreciate the special friendships that you forge over time.  Again, another wonderful HP memory of awesome friends.

Thanks Chris, Tanya, Otto, and Ruth for your friendship and wonderful memories.  Here's to next time.

Shoot 'em up

OK, so I'm trying to add the fab photos that Suzette took at the photo shoot and Typepad is giving me fits.  I'm thinking it's not happy with my larger files that I'm uploading so that all of us with old eyes can see them :-).  If this doesn't work - I'll add a photo a post - just what you need to see is more bald pics - oh well - if you're reading this you must be curious.