And now I'm famous in Derry Too!

Hi Everyone!

First of all...I am doing great. My only complaints this week are the constant fatigue and these crazy hot flashes. According to my Dr, this will improve, but I have to dress in layers because I go from freezing to ripping clothes off frantically because I am burning up. I've been sleeping with the windows wide open in the bedroom and poor Kevin is freezing but I can't sleep otherwise. Even Drew is refusing to sleep in my room because its too cold! But I consider myself pretty lucky I'm doing so well!

As you know, house arrest ended on Wed and I couldn't wait to get out and SHOP again! For those who know me well, you know how hard 30+ days without setting foot in a store was!! Remember the Black Friday Target ads this year? This was me Wed morning.....

But after an hour in the store, I was wiped out. My plans on shopping half the day were thwarted by how fatigued I still get. I just want my energy back. Its frustrating to have your body wimp out on you. But on my way home I stopped and Dunkin's and grabbed one of these....

Ahhhhhh, how I've missed my iced coffees too! This cheered me up and I forgot I was cranky about being tired!

But back to the title of my post....One of my Derry Mom friends posted on my wall that there was an article in the local paper about Ty's hockey team and I was mentioned. I immediately went out and grabbed a copy of the paper and found the following article....

http://www.derrynews.com/sports/x1075330713/Avalanche-skaters-honor-Derry-mom

Cool right? I've gotten a bunch of texts, emails and calls saying local friends saw this in the paper. So proud of our boys, they did such a great job!! I still wish I could have been there to witness it in person, but hopefully they will do it again next year!

So channel 7 says 84 on Monday...my fingers are crossed, I'm dying to break out the new spring clothes I bought for the kiddos this week! ;0)

And since I'm doing so well...if you want to use those prayers instead this week that the Red Sox will win a game before the all-star break, that would be nice! I have a little fan here who is getting VERY stressed out!

Hope you all are well too!

xoxoxo,
Tara

I'm Famous in Las Vegas!

Hi Everyone!

So Happy April Fools Day! Mother Nature certainly got her "joke" in on us this year didn't she? But hopefully it will melt quickly and we can officially start spring....

So I forgot to share earlier that on my first day in the hospital when I was having my PICC line inserted, a photographer from the Las Vegas Sun (their big daily paper) was doing a story on MGH and patient safety and they asked if they could take a couple pictures. I said yes, why not, it was Las Vegas and no one I knew would ever see the pictures. The photographer must have taken 100 shots, thanked me and left. I completely forgot about it until Kev mentioned it yesterday. I decided to pull up the paper and see if they ever ran my Pics and this is what I found.....

http://www.lasvegassun.com/photos/galleries/2011/mar/27/tale-two-hospitals/88170/

http://www.lasvegassun.com/photos/galleries/2011/mar/27/tale-two-hospitals/88176/

Okay, so I'm convinced the photographer hated me. Seriously? 100 pictures and this is the best you can come up with? The second one cracks me up, its like they asked a 3 year old to say "cheese!" Not sure why I'm sharing them because they are so funny, but looks like I can never show my face in Vegas! ;0)

Anyway, all kidding aside, just wanted to check in and let you all know I'm doing well, I saw my DR on Wed and my numbers looked great so he doesn't need to see me for 2 weeks! I did end up catching the cold that has been running through the family, but so far its pretty mild so they aren't doing anything for it unless it gets worse, and hopefully it will pass quickly...

As of next Wed, April 6th I can leave the house again and let me tell you how excited I am for that restriction to be lifted!! Its been a month since I've been out to a Target, the mall, a grocery store, the school, a restaurant, anywhere except 2 trips to my Mom's and my in-laws. I am going stir crazy!!! I've had to miss so many things being stuck homebound, family parties, the hockey championship game, Lindsey's first play....but its for a very good reason and I'll stop whining about it!

I'm leaving you wth a couple pictures of Lindsey in costume for the critically acclaimed play "EEE I, EEE I OOPS!" She was a chick, can you tell? The play was adorable...Kev and Roz recorded it for me so I did get to see most of it at home! Drew decided to get in on the act by donning a chick hat. Aren't they cute? =0)

Hope you all are well, hope to see you soon, and keep the well wishes coming, they are working like a charm!!

xoxoxo
Tara

There's No Place Like Home!

Hi All!

Just a quick update to let you know that I'm home and feeling great!!!

I came home a week ago today. Mom, Drew and Lindsey came down to pick me up (Ty and Kev had hockey playoffs) and I was greated by squeals of happiness from Lindsey. Drew was sound asleep and didn't even notice I was in the car until half way home! When he did wake up though, I got a huge smile and lots of hugs at home!

I'm feeling great, but I'm on house arrest until April 6th (30 days post translant) so while I'm so thrilled to be home, I am itching to get out and about again! I'm having major Target  withdrawals! Haha...

I won't know how sucessful the translant was for a couple months, but I will keep you all posted! Overall the experience was very anti-climactic....I was bored to tears and it was pretty uneventful. Just me locked in a little room for 2 weeks and 1 day. I'm so grateful I wasn't hit with too many side effects, but it made the time pass sooooooo slowly! Thankfully, its all done, and hopefully all the tough stuff is behind me now!!

Thanks again for all the prayers and well wishes. I know they helped! And by the way, Tyler's team won the Seacoast Hockey Championship on Sunday! They beat the team they lost to the previous weekend (The  #1 ranked team Dover- Ty's team was ranked #4) and the game went to 3 OT's and a shoot out. The Av's scored on all 3 attempts, and shut out all 3 of Dover's attempts! I got to listen to the 3 OT's and the shoot out on speakerphone. I was so sad to miss it, but so thrilled for Ty and the team. And they were still wearing their purple ribbons!!

Its been a great week for all of us, and we're looking forward to Spring and Summer and getting things back to "normal"!

Hope to see you all soon!
xoxoxo
Tara ;0)

8 Years Ago Today.....

I know I started this blog to keep you all updated on my progress, but today is a special day so please allow me to digress a bit!

8 years ago today, my life changed in a beautiful way when my daughter Lindsey was born. I had dreamed my whole life of having a daughter, I think both since I'm so close to my Mom, and because I never had a sister, I craved that mother-daughter bond. I was so excited when I found out I was having a little girl, and my dreams came true March 26th, 2003 at 6:30pm.

She was gorgeous, with dark eyes and a ton of dark hair. She was an easy baby, always full of smiles and rarely fussy. She was a Mommy's girl, always wanting me to hold her, and be near her. She adored her big brother and loved to be the center of attention. As she grew, her funny little personality bloomed. She reminds me so much of myself, she's bubbly, and chatty and loves to make people laugh. She's a little performer and since the age of 2 has been fearlessly dancing or cheering her heart out on stage. She loves to sing and dance and dress up in girly clothes. She's sensitive and thoughtful and everything I could want in my little girl.

As some of you know, around the time I was diagnosed with my cancer, Lindsey was also having her own medical issues. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitits. She's been so brave and strong throughout her ordeal and has never once complained about all she's been going through. Seven year olds aren't supposed to have to go for bloodwork every week. Seven year olds are not supposed to have a colonoscopy. They are not supposed to have to swallow eleven pills a day. But Lindsey has done all that and more and done so with her usual bright smile and positive spirit. She's never asked "why her" or seemed resentful of the cards she was dealt. She's been a much stronger person than I have been and I can't begin to say how proud I am of her and the lessons she's taught me in how to deal with a rotten situation with grace! The Whiting girls had a rough few months, but we're both feeling so much better and looking forward to our healthy future.

Today, I'd like to take a moment to celebrate the beautiful little girl who has graced my life in so many ways, who makes me smile every day, who I am so proud of, and who makes my world a much better place just because she is in it. These last 8 years have been so much fun, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us!!

Lindsey Paige, I love you and your beautiful smile so much!!!

Happy Birthday!!

Tick Tock, Tick Tock......

Can you hear that?

Its the second hand of my noisy hospital room clock going, going, going....

Counting down the seconds, the minutes, the hours until I can bust outta here! We can see the light at the end of the tunnel...its gettting there....so close! Sunday! Unless something crazy happens, I can go home Sunday!! You can't see me, but I'm doing the crazy bald lady happy dance right now! =0)

My counts are doing great, I'm doing great, and I  just need to stay fever free for the next 2 days and I'm good! Its been hard staring out the window and seeing how gorgeous it is outside! I've literally been in a 10x8 room without leaving for a nanosecond for 2 full weeks!  And for the most part it really hasn't been THAT bad, except of course missing my family like mad. But these last couple days have been killing me. I have to keep reminding myself I've come so far and I'm SO close!!
Tyler's hockey team had their last tryout tonight and I have been a wreck the last 2 days wondering if Ty would get cut or one of his teammates would....Its crazy how obsessive one can be when you have nothing but time on your hands. I had every awful scenario planned out in my head. In the end all was fine, all the kiddos (including Ty) made the team again AND we added some great new players. Nothing to worry about! But I did! They play their next playoff game this Saturday so if everyone could send some good luck vibes to them that would be great!

Tomorrow will be an exciting day as my counts should be high enough that I get hall privileges, so I can suit up in mask and gloves and walk the halls of my floor. SUPER exciting...hahaha. I asked the nurse if I could please, please, please walk just to a door way and take a gulp of fresh air and she said they would put an alarm bracelet on me to keep me away from the elevator because I'm "One of THOSE patients" I don't know if that was a good thing ;0)

I had a few more visitors these last couple days and they were much needed! Love you Uncle Al, Auntie Gemma, Erin, Suz, Darren, Christina, Kev, Mom and Dad! I saw a rainbow out  my window on Wed, so I know my 2 beautiful angel cousins Jamie and Ashley are keeping watch over me as well! And to everyone else, Thanks again for all your cards, calls, emails, texts, facebooks, etc. I know trucking into Boston isn't feasbile for most, but honestly your well wishes truly are the BEST medicine and as always I'm so touched by your love. Please know the feeling is mutual!!!

I leave you with a picture of Drew, since he was left out in my last post! He's doing his superhero "Super Get Well Mommy" vibes pose. Isn't he so stinking cute? I'm a lucky girl!!

Lots of Love!
xoxoxo
Tara =0)

P.S. Happy Birthday to my gorgeous nephew Cole! And Happy St. Patrick's Day from the O'Whiting Family!

The Counts are Dropping, The Counts are Dropping!

Hi Friends!

I'm checking in on you all, live from MGH, on Day +5 (8 days in!) to let you know that we got great news this morning and the counts are dropping! We expected that the 2 days worth of Melaphan Chemo would do its dirty work and kill off all my good bone marrow cells, along with the nasty cancer ones, so we wanted to see those blood counts drop down to zeros, and this is happening! Now my recently returned Superhero Stem Cells can come to the rescue and start making shiny new "good" bone marrow and once those counts are back up to normal ranges I can go home!!!!! Based on current trends, that could be as soon as next Friday or Saturday!! We are super excited, as much as I adore all my nurses and Drs here at MGH, I want out of this damn fishbowl!!

Still Smiling!

I have been remarkably fortunate to have very few side effects. A little Nausea and Diarrhea, a little more fatigue, but beyond that, just trying to pass the time to get home to my family! I've had a few visitors this week who braved the mask and glove requirement to come keep me sane. Thanks of course to Kev and my Mom, Auntie Susan, Uncle Danny and Amy, Peter and Roz! And thanks Erin for chatting with me for 2 hrs last night! I needed some good  girl talk!

As many of you saw on Facebook, I made the leap and shaved my head on Wed. Its the strangest thing, but my hair was actually hurting me! The nurse said it would feel loads better if I shaved it so I gave in. Why not, it was going to come out eventually right? I'm glad I did, because now I can stop worrying about it. Its gone, just waiting for it to grow back. Anyone want to place a bet what it looks like? I'm guessing grey and curly, french poodle anyone?  We shall see! Needless to say my Cousin Carrie (the hairdresser) will have a very loyal customer in a few months! =0)

Tyler had his first hockey playoff game today. Of course it crushed me to miss it. I had one of my fellow hockey Mom's (Thanks Sue!!) texting me updates throught the game. 2-0 us; 3-0 us in the second; 5-1us heading into the 3rd; finally the final score. 5-1 us! A Win!! Ty's team has had their  share of  wins this year, but this was a team they had lost more than won against, so this was exciting news to say the least. A few minutes later Tyler called me from the locker room on his phone.

"Mom- Mom we won!"
"Congrats Ty" I tell him, "I'm so proud of you guys!"
"Mom the team alll wore purple ribbons today. And we won it for you!"
"For Me?" I asked, confused
"Yes we all wore the purple ribbons and won it for you!!" The team all yelled, the phone now on speakerphone.

Can you say waterworks? Apparently one of the Mom's made purple ribbons and the whole team, coaches, and parents wore them in honor of me. I don't know how I got to be so lucky.....The family I've been blessed with, the friends I've made in life. I just feel so loved and supported and I hope one day I can repay the favor to all of you. You humble me, you really do. I have so many people I need to thank for so many things, I'm not sure where to start! But I promise that all of you who have reached out to me during these last crazy few months, even with just kind words, I will find a way to thank you!!

Love you all so much!!
xoxoxox
Tara =0)

Special Thanks to Auntie Kathy for the great pictures!!

Ty with his ribbon on the ice

Most of the Team- Pre Game

The Hottest Hockey Mom's in Town! =0)

Lindsey in the warm room with her ribbon!

Kevin with his Ribbon

Coach Steve pumping up the team!

3 Days Down....11+ to go!

Hi There Everyone!

So I was finally admitted on Friday, and as much as I am soglad to be getting this over with, I was kind of hoping for one last weekend at home with the kiddos! But this is a good thing, I'm hopefully in the final stages of this treatment and other than follow up visits with my doctors, can look forward to a nice long break from procedures, hospital stays and sickness!

I had my two days of Chemo Friday night and Saturday night and other than IV fluids up the waazoo today, it was a considered a day of "rest". I guess they consider getting up 20+ times a day dragging an IV pole to pee "rest"!  (Haha!) But its important  to flush out the yuckiness of the chemo so its worth it!

They have me on a TON of meds to prevent viral, bacterial and fungal infections, anti-nausea meds,  and meds to prevent mouth sores. I've been told though that typically by day 5, I can expect the side effects to kick in. Hopefully it won't be too bad!

So tomorrow I get my Stem Cells back. I'm interested to see how that is all going to work. I've been told the preservative they store them in smells pretty bad (like creamed corn or artichokes....Haha!) I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress. I've been told to expect a 2-3 week stay, so I'm hoping its closer to2 weeks but I'm aware it could be a bit longer.

The room is really nice here, though for those who visited me on the 21st floor, not nearly as nice as that! I've attached some pics below. We tried to make the room as homey as possible! Thanks again for all the love via phone calls, emails, facebook and calls to my parents checking in. I feel the love and its because of all of you I'm fighting so hard!

Talk Soon!

xoxoxoxo,
Tara :0)

Yes, that is Bug Bug and Ra Ra for those who remember Ty and Lindsey's lovies!!

My wall of pictures!

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