lauraslocumpainted's Profile

Bio

My blog: http://staytuned09.blogspot.com/
I'll be updating in my new blog from now on! thanks for checking in :)
laura xxoo

Thursday, 7/9/09: I have to say i've been totally overwhelmed by your continuing support of my newly diagnosed cancer! I hope you always stay with me because i dont' know if i could do it without all your love and support!

Chemo was long... nothing major on Monday, but what I'd like to say is "whoozy,floozy" head now for Tuesday, Wed and Thursday! I've been reading the Lance Armstrong book and he's racing in the tour da france (I have no idea if I spelled that right...), but when I'm nauseous or achy, i think of him, riding his bike up the hills! He was thru alot and I can do it too!.... with the exception that i have no interest in riding a bike like that!!
Thanks to all you guys who are participating ETSY Project Embrace: tag: etsyprojectembrace - I don't even know how to say thanks!! Love you guys!!


TUESDAY, JULY 2!
Hey there!
My dr. appt. went good. He said even though I was there for the day i still had major surgery, that's why I felt so bad. But, I am feeling better and getting around some now.

I start chemo Monday and I go to Allentown, Pa for it- about an hour and 15 minutes away depending on traffic. My chemo is approx. 6 hours each time for 3 of the days and 4 hours of IV fluid on the third day of each month.
Monday: 7/6 chemo in my chest port
Tues: 7/7 chemo in my belly
Wed: iv fluids for 4 hours, then to the hospital for a shot for white blood cells.
Monday: 7/13 chemo in my belly.
July 27: checkup to make sure I'm ready for the beginning of August.... So it is 5 trips a month. I'm ready to "rock and roll"... and hopefully not throw up!!

I DO LOVE my doctor - he's terrific and I think he will continue to take good care of me.

I do 8 months of chemo, then 12 months of maintence chemo - which depending on what they do for that, I may be able to have it in our area. Since I have the belly chemo - that's why I have to travel for it.

Hey, thanks for checking in :) love you! HAPPY 4th!!! don't burn your fingers on the sparklers, ok?!? laura xxoo

UPDATE SUNDAY JUNE 28:
I can say this surgery knocked me for a loop. I have 8 incisions - and have only been able to take Advil and Tylenol - I just throw up with the stronger stuff. The surgery took a little more thank 2 hours and the doctors says everything went well - the only problem with that my stomach looks like a road map! When it hurts - it just keeps changing positions!! So, I have 3 ports and 2 of them are quite close to the bra line - so I don't know how THAT'S all going to work. It's like i have 2 little "shadow" boobies...... ha ha! At least I only put on 6 pounds this time - much better than 24!! I go to the Dr. tomorrow afternoon and will find out my chemo schedule - which will probably start after the holiday weekend. So, I'll be in touch! you all are just SO AWESOME to check in with me - that's what keeps me going. xxoo

UPDATE 6/13
HEY THERE EVERYBODY!! I'm hanging in pretty good!! I don't take as much Advil these days and the pain has died down- i'm SO much better than a week ago. I'm sleeping better - with a little help from a pill called Ativan - which is probably why i'm doing a ton better - nothing like a little sleep! I'm also THRILLED TO REPORT - I lost all the water weight, then another 8 lbs - Other than my tummy sticking out with a lumpy incision - i'm looking PRETTY FINE! There has to be a silver lining - so a little weight loss - i'll take it!! Thanks to everybody for being in touch!! I'll probably won't have anything too exciting to report - except that I want a HALLE BERRY haircut this week - and i'm planning on looking just like her, too - before I look like KOJAK! I'll be checking in after my port surgery on June23! Come back again to visit - i like the company!! love you all, Laura



OVARIAN CANCER FACTS AND MY UPCOMING TREATMENTS - 6/9/09:
Ovarian Cancer Whispers - so listen.. Watch for Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort; vague but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea, and indigestion; frequency and / or urgency of urination in the absence of an infection; unexplained weight gain or weight loss; pelvic and / or abdominal swelling, bloating and / or feeling of fullness; ongoing unusual fatigue; or unexplained changes in bowel habits If symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, ask your doctor for a combination pelvic / rectal exam, CA-125 blood test, and transvaginal ultrasound. (unfortunately - I had all the symptoms except the weight loss.... DARN IT!)

SO, MY SCHEDULE SO FAR:
I will have another scope surgery - either same day or overnight to put in 3 port-a-caths on June 23. My Dr. will be able to look around again - which is good- and he'll remove any scar tissue that needs to come out! I see him then again on the 29th, then i'm cleared for chemo.

I will visit there at least 5 times a month. one is for a visit before each set of treatements. Then 3 of the days are ALL DAY chemo, and one day is and IV treatment with other meds and a once monthly shot at the hospital down the road. My specialist is an hour, 15 minutes away and each treatment will take approx 6 hours. I'm thinking of taking my beads with me, or my laptop, or my blanket for naps! It will be like a part-time job for the next 8 months or so. I still will have a maintence chemo for 12 months after that, should be a little easier. Bartt is calling me KOJAK. I'll be getting my hair cut real short for the end of June, so i don't have a tangly mess. I'll be looking for head options- send my ideas if you have any, ok??!!

So, this ought to be interesting......... more to come. thanks for your interest and if anybody ever has any questions, please contact me - I will tell you all the graphic details... haha
love you xxoo


LAURA UPDATE 6/5/09
SO, recovery is very difficult. Thought I'd be feeling better by now- but I'm getting back pain and spasms, so that is hard to handle. Went to the chiropractor yesterday, taking some baths and doing ice is giving me a little relief. I've had people asking me if I had symptoms or just found on a routine visit and I thought that was an excellent question and I want to share that with you - it may help you someday or somebody close to you!
So, My mom was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Ovarian C in 2000 - her tumor the size of a football, found on a routine visit. She thought she was getting heavy. Since that time (she passed away in 2004) , my gyno and I have been very proactive - i have an ultrasound every August and a yearly in Feb. I ultrasound this August showed nothing. I started having some constipation problems starting on and off in Nov., but they would subside. I thought maybe Peri-menopause. But i was in touch with my family Dr. at that time. I had knee surgery in the beginning of Feb. (just keep that in mind). I went to my Gyno on Feb. 21. I told her about the 2 constipation situations and told her I seemed to be doing better - she wrote that in her chart and my exam - including rectal was fine. When I started working again after being off with my knee - everything happened at once. I got a few big painting jobs - up on scaffolding (i paint murals) and both my boys were playing tennis. Older son Drew plays for a college 3 hours away. So, it was really crazy. I went from sitting around for 2 months to CRAZY! The lady i was painting for in April said I was walking funny. I attributed it to painting in funny positions. Second week of April, I realized i was having trouble again and went to my family dr. who gave me a medicine to try. Women in my age range (almost 46) have alot of trouble with IBS and chronic constipation - so he said that lets start here. He felf nothing in my belly! a week later, I had a watery discharge for a few days - the gyno sent me for a urine test, but then I was fine by the end of the weekend. After my medicine, i went for a few days and realized i was having low back pain and menstrual cramps - which i'm on the pill and hadn't had cramps since my younger days. 3 days into cramps (Friday), i called, was in my gyno office first thing Monday morning. My dr. was alarmed that I had something on each ovary - about 6 and 7 centimeters. My CA125 - tumor marker for ovarian was 450. normal is 30 and below, ovarian cancer usually runs at least 1900/2000 + , we were hoping for endometrosis, but she didn't want to take any chances because of my mom and got me in with a gyno onconlogist in one week's time. He saw me on Monday, surgery on Tuesday. It was that fast! The Dr. said that cancer can lie dormat, then if there is a glitch in your immune system - it can take off. We talked about the Feb. surgery and that being a possible trigger. I do feel that I really was on top of it, but the busy April almost kept me from doing something. I do also feel that everything fell into place for me and this is just the way it is. I hope this helps you guys someday! My 2 sisters are now looking into hysterectomys. Jenn will look into after she has her family in place. I'll be getting genetic testing also.
Hey, keep praying, I really appreciate your support and kind words more than you can know!!!!!! love you, laura xxoo :)

weight update; 6/3/09
I lost 12 out of the 24 pounds!! Right leg still bigger than the left - but I had the most trauma on my right side. Happy for the improvement!! love you, laura xxoo


BABY UPDATE, JUNE 2
Hey, I FINALLY have a new nephew! Poor Jenny pushed from 3am to 6am with no luck. Continued again around 7 or 7:30 and Chase Michael Robinson was born at 9:28am, 8lbs. 9 oz. 21 inches. Her nurse said that tomorrow he'll probably be 20 inches, since he's a conehead!! Black hair and squinty eyes. He was nursing and looking all around last I talk to the nurse - who happens to be a friend of mine!!! YIPEE
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LAURA UPDATE: MONDAY, JUNE 1:
Ok, here's the scoop:

I just got back from the doctor and I have stage 3 ovarian cancer, it is the common form.... or preferred form of ovarian cancer... good ~ . It was the size of a grapefruit on my right ovary. The left side was the tumor on the colon, which was only on the surface, it did not invade the colon.... good~ They removed 32 lymph nodes and found one bad one, which was in a lower section - which it was good the upper ones were not involved.... pretty good~
I go next week to talk about my treatments. In 2 weeks, I'll have outpatient surgery for 3 port-a-caths, one in my chest in 2 in my abs. I'll start chemo the end of June and have it for 8 months, plus 12 months after of maintence chemo. We'll learn all about that next week. I absolutely have an "angel" of a doctor and will aways travel to the Lehigh Valley area (PA) at this point - a little over an hour away. He said my condition is serious, but that I have a postitive attitude and that he thinks I'm going to do great.......so I expect to great, too. I'm thinking of selling advertising for my bald head.... since I won't be working for a bit...... ha ha. Let me know if you are interested.

Seriously, the only thing I've been upset about this entire time is the elephant legs I have, which i learned today is from a sluggish lymphatic drainage system and that I will continue to have this problem for awhile. My right leg hurts almost as much as my incision, and that wasn't something I was prepared for. I'm still up 20 pounds and my legs are so uncomfortable. Had I known, I could have been mentally prepared, but that's the only thing I've cried about thus far.

So, BIG NEWS!!! Jenn's water broke today and she's in the hospital. Please pray for her and John and a healthy baby boy ..... and maybe the least amount of pain possible ... if you want to throw that in! We are so excited about the new baby coming - and what fabulous timing!!
Love you lots, Laura

LAURA UPDATE: FRIDAY MAY 29

I have done nothing but laugh since i'm home from the hospital - my sisters are just nuts - ............and we are awaiting the arrival of Jenn's (jennreese7's) baby boy- any FREAKIN day now - she's huge! She comes over and we both waddle around, so it is pretty hysterical around here, needless to say. Sister Kim (sweetnessjewelry, kelly's mom) does her best when she's worrying.. and making chicken soup, and Tracey is the cleaning "extraordinaire" and has been coming over to iron and make sure i'm not crossing my legs. My oldest son Drew will be 20 in July. He's home this week, but goes to Rehobeth Beach De to be a "tennis pro" for all summer! What a great opportunity. Alex will be 18 on May 31 and graduating high school the following week. They and my husband, Bartt, are just totally wonderful around the house, and we've been spending alot of time together laughing and joking. My Dad mostly likes to come over for the meals that we've been getting to the house by my wonderful friends here at home (thank god for them, i didn't cook anyway- but it takes a huge load off my husband!!).... but my dad did put my ambulatory long white compression socks on my legs yesterday - he was all thumbs and it was pretty funny!

I'm in great spirits and appreciate all your love, prayers and support - i can feel them. Jenn copied some of the comments from treasurys from last week and they made me cry!!

I will tell you, though. I don't reccommend surgery as a weight loss tool. I expected to come out skinny after not eating for 7 days - and I gained 24 pounds. so, knew I'd have some pain, but didn't expect the elephant legs I'm hoisting around!! What a trip!
I go to see my doctor on Monday, June 1. He'll take out my staples and we'll go over my pathology report then - (I don't think they're really sure just what I have yet, since they also removed 6 inches from my colon, besides the hysterectomy and the tumor from my ovary - but chemo will be in the plan).

Please keep praying. I've never been so at peace with anything in my life and I now know i have a greater purpose here on earth, and I intend to do the best i can with anything thrown my way.
I love you my etsy friends.... SO MUCH.
xxoo laura

hi, I'm laura
I've been painting murals and house portraits for about 19 years, now. I've branched out to jewelry making - I just can't make up my mind!!

Female, Born on June 8

Favorite Materials

arches paper, watercolors, acrylics, glass pendants and magnets, too