Farewell Grandma Betty - May 24, 2009

Our grandma Betty Naisbitt passed away today at 5:15 pm in her home in SLC. All of you who know me know Grandma Betty. My kids and I have mowed her lawn for 11 years. We have taken her shopping at Harmon's in Brickyard until a year ago when she only wanted to go with her daughter, Aunt Jack. She tended Garrett one day a week while I worked until I had Lauren in 1998. She taught me selflessness, generosity, kind heartness, and love. She watched Ashton everyday while I had to do radiation treatments following breast cancer.She taught me that life is about sharing all you have with those you love. She created my favorite family tradition of Little America on the 24th of July. She loved Travis because he was the "first", She loved Garrett because he was her "first" great grand child, she loved Lauren because she was "beautiful and precious" and Ashton was just her "lover". She loved me just because. I am honored to have called her grandma even though she technically was Trav's grandma. I am honored to have been able to love and spend time with her while she has been dying. We will miss her so much!

Clinical Trial - May 13th & 14th 2009

It has been a while since I've posted anything new about my health. That is actually a good thing. I'll give an update of what I'm doing now:

Daily: I take Femara (estrogen blocker for post menopausal women)

Every 3 weeks: IV of Herceptin (Herceptin works by attaching itself to the HER2 receptors on the surface of breast cancer cells and blocking them from receiving growth signals. By blocking the signals, Herceptin can slow or stop the growth of the breast cancer. Herceptin is an example of an immune targeted therapy. In addition to blocking HER2 receptors, Herceptin can also help fight breast cancer by alerting the immune system to destroy cancer cells onto which it is attached.)
Every 4 weeks: IV of Zometa (ZOMETA is not chemotherapy. ZOMETA belongs to a class of drugs called bisphosphonates that are used to reduce or delay complications from bone metastases or bone lesions from multiple myeloma. These drugs reduce the wearing away of bone and slow the abnormal buildup of unstable bone.)

Last week I received a phone call from the research coordinator at Utah Cancer who asked if I'd like to participate in a clinical trial. He explained that it deals with Zometa which I'm already taking. Currently the FDA has approved Zometa for 1 year following being diagnosed with bone metastasis. Usually if the insurance will agree to keep paying for it, the patient can still receive the drugs, but their is no research that proves that it continues to work past a year. I agreed to participate with a 66 % chance of receiving the drug and a 33% of receiving a placebo. However, every 12 weeks everyone receives Zometa. Also, you agree to a bone scan every 12 weeks and a bone survey (14 x-rays of all your bones) and a full dental exam to make sure the Zometa hasn't cause any problems with the jaw bone. (this is a rare side affect of the drug). Last Wednesday I received Herceptin and met with my doctor to discuss the study. My only hesitation was that I was looking foward to a "normal" summer at least until July when I am scheduled for a PET scan again. I can't explain how great my life is right now. I was just worried about what these bone scans and x-rays might show. He understood and said the good thing about additional scans is that if another recurrence is caught sooner they could zap it faster. I agreed reluctantly.

Last Thursday, I spent all day at St. Mark's Hospital. I went to radiology and received a radioactive injection that needed to be in my system for 4 hours. Following the injection I went to X-ray and had a full bone survey. It took about a half hour to take 14 x-rays of my entire body. I then had two hours to burn and I went and took care of grandma Betty. At 1 pm I went back to St. Marks and did a bone scan. I had to lay down in my gown and was positioned on the table. They put my arms in a sling, my head tilted one direction, and my knees bound together and my toes rubber banded together. It then had a machine move right next to my face and slowly over 26 minutes move from my skull down to my toes. It was all going good until the nice soft music began playing Pacabel Cannon. Yikes. This was the song that I began walking down the isle to when Travis and I got married almost 17 years ago. Tears started rolling down my cheeks and I pictured two young kids so in love starting our life together. I am still so in love with him. The next song that played was the "Wedding Song." I couldn't believe it. We had this song play at our wedding too! Now I wasn't just crying quietly. My torso was shaking. As I was having this memories, I tried to keep as still as possible, but my stomach kept doing the "I wish I wasn't crying" crunches and the tech came over. He asked me if I was all right. I said yes, but that I got married while these songs played. He offered to shut off the music, but the song had just finished. I laid there for 7 more minutes reflecting of my wonderful life and my wonderful husband and children.

Following the bone scan, I headed to the dentist and had a full panel on my mouth. The dentist looked my mouth and gave it a thumbs up. I then headed to Utah Cancer for a full work up of blood work. This was easy since I had a port. I'll receive all my results this Thursday at my Zometa appointment. I am going to try and attach a picture of my bone scan.

RACE FOR THE CURE 2009 - May 9, 2009 "Fight Like a Girl"

Today was my 5th SGK Race for the Cure. It was Salt Lake City's 13th Annual Event. It raised over $ 700,000 and over 75% stays in Utah benefiting all women. This was our largest team ever! We had over 35 registered on our team "Breast Jordan Buddies". We also 20 others that missed team registration and registered as individuals. I know I'm biased, but we had the best team shirts. Everyone got many compliments and kudos for the design! I am so grateful for VOX Marketing for donating all the shirts and printing them for us. They are awesome! Our theme this year was "Fight Like a Girl". We had a pink Rosie the Riveter on the front and our team logo on the back. Thanks Kelly Branan for making it all work! Just days before the walk I happened upon the song, "Fight like a girl." by Bomshell. It is awesome. I truly could have written the last verse. It is exactly how I feel about my cancer returning. "I'll hold my head high, and fight like a girl".

I can't wait for the 3-day in November!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRWZ1A-CbJA&feature=PlayList&p=06B7D924A4D3AF99&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=27

Race for the Cure Luncheon 2009, May 2, 2009

My incredibly smart and talented friend Barb Guys was the honorary chair of Race for the Cure 2009. Below is the talk she gave at the luncheon.

Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 2:45pm
Salute to Survivors Luncheon
Little America
May 2, 2009


When I was born at Holy Cross Hospital on First South, I joined the ranks of US citizens and I received a social security card.

When I was four I went to vacation Bible school at the Methodist church and they gave me a participant card.

When I was seven I joined Brownies and I was so excited to place the membership card in my very first wallet.

By then I realized I was in a club called “You’re not Mormon?” I was also in a club called “What Do You Mean You Don’t have Any Brothers and Sisters – is Your Dad Dead or What?”

At 10, I joined a club – “Kids whose Moms have Breast Cancer.” It was 1970 and as far as I knew it wasn’t a club, it was just me. I know my mom felt the same way about her experience.

I went on to be in other clubs, all kinds of clubs – yearbook, drama club, drill team, softball.

For a while I was in a club called “The Kids who Smoke Cigarettes Outside Skyline High School.” I didn’t stay long in the smoking club, thank heavens.

I’m in a club called “People who Graduated from the University of Utah.”

My working life has given me membership to a bunch of different clubs – like in 1976 as a sophomore in high school I joined a club called “People who Work at JC Penney.”
Much later I joined a small company within what was then a giant company called AT&T. That’s where I met my dear friend Julie. Wave to everyone Jules!

I’m in a club called “Being a Democrat in Utah.” We’ve had our struggles over the years, but lately it’s a great time for us.

I’m a member of the Salt Lake Rotary Club – they have to vote you in, but I think that everyone who wants in gets in.

I’m a member of the Utah Women’s Forum – you have to be invited to join that one.

I’m a member of KUED, KUER, KRCL, and Costco.

On July 12, 2007, I joined a new club, a club I share with all of you today. That was the day I flunked my mammogram.

Breast cancer is the club you can’t refuse; it comes to you. If it wants you, you will be a member.

When I joined the club, I had the sensation that everything was happening really fast and everything was terrible.

What many club members learn, though, is that some wonderful things happen to us after we join the club and we end up having some truly amazing experiences we never would have had.

Mind you, it’s not enough to make up for going on hands and knees backwards through an MRI machine made for a Barbie doll. It’s not enough to make up for having your breast drawn on with a Sharpie by a committee of strangers. It’s not enough to make up for the surprise of finding that you can pee Windex blue and red devil red. It’s not enough to make up for being slammed into menopause by chemotherapy. It’s not enough to make up for having to take drugs that will either kill you or cure you – no one is sure which. It’s not enough to make up for the dread in the pit of your stomach during daily radiation. It’s not enough to make up for going into anaphylactic shock. It’s not enough to make up for the terror breast cancer causes you, your family, and your friends.

So believe me; I’m not saying we should forgive breast cancer. In fact, I think if this group met up with breast cancer in a dark alley, breast cancer wouldn’t stand a chance.

But our club does have its benefits. We have each other. We help each other. We understand each other. Other people don’t know what we know.

Long before I got breast cancer, my darling friend Jules did. Wave to the people, Jules. Julie was diagnosed at 32. We had already been friends for about ten years. Jules is 12 years younger than I am and we’re not in many of the same clubs, Jules and I, but we totally, totally love each other. Jules knew that I had been in that club called “Kids whose Moms Had Breast Cancer,” so she called me when she got her news. My mom lived a good, long life after her diagnosis, not dying at 48 when she got breast cancer, but at 82 and not of cancer. My mom lived long enough to meet Jules and to love her too.

So Jules called me when she got her diagnosis; partly to give me the news, yes, but she also called because she needed to hear that story again. The story of “You Will Be Fine.”

That’s the club we all want to be in now, the club of “You Will Be Fine.” That club is capricious as well; maybe you get in, maybe you don’t. And you’re not told which it will be.

Breast cancer gives you the opportunity to see who loves you and how much. Breast cancer proves to you that you are strong enough to cope with something terrible. Breast cancer teaches you to say NO. Breast cancer invites you to finally learn to ask for help.

When I got sick I never dreamed I would talk this way. All I knew about breast cancer is that it takes away opportunities. Breast cancer took away my friends Maggie, Ellen, Jo, and Susanne.

I know that breast cancer isn’t kidding around. I know it causes fear, heartbreak, and loss; I have experienced them.

But, surprisingly, breast cancer is good for a few laughs as well. And love. More love than people can imagine. You have to be in the breast cancer club to understand that. There’s a lot of love out there, just for us.

I felt the love when my friend Jean brought me a pot of chocolate fondue and lovely plate of fruit, cookies, and pieces of cake. I was feeling crappy about not having hair, eyelashes, or eyebrows right then, and the gift of her friendship, and her fondue, was life-sustaining.

I felt the love when our friends Steven and Geeta made and delivered an unbelievably exotic Moroccan dinner, lavishly presented and including eight completely different dishes, each made entirely from scratch. Steven told stories about visiting Morocco and I intently followed him through streets and souks, hearing the music in my mind. For an evening I felt very far from breast cancer.

People visited, called, sent cards, and e-mailed. They brought goodies, books, DVDs, flowers. You know it all. You’ve received the same. You who haven’t had breast cancer are here because you’re the ones doing the loving. I want to say a special thanks to you.

I want to thank Julie Drake, the entire committee, and of course, my darling friend Jules. And you.

Thank you all for listening to my little speech. Thank you so much for being here today. It’s inspirational when we get together. I want you to know that it’s an honor and a privilege to be in this club with you and I hope to see all of you next Saturday at Race for the Cure. I hope to see all of you next year and the year after that. I wish you all the best; I wish you health and hair and happiness. Most of all, I wish you membership in the club called “You Will Be Fine.”

Thank you.

WICKED, with the kids - April 22, 2009

I'm totally spoiled and the first to admit it. I got to see WICKED twice. I loved it both times. This time I was able to see it with my kids and Nanc. Our friends the Allreds knew we wanted Wicked tickets for our kids and they sold us some of their extras. They could have made some good money for these, but sold them to us at face value. Super sweet. We gave them to our kids for Christmas and April 22 couldn't get here fast enough!

Out evening began with dinner at Hires. We met Nanc and ate Big H's and fries. Dinner was fun. Both Lauren and I had our WICKED t-shirts on and we were stoked! This time our seats were further back. In fact, we were on the last row of the balcony, but we came prepared. We all had binoculars and water bottles. Garrett and Lauren were all smiles. They couldn't believe they were there. The crowd was electric. People were so excited for WICKED.

During the show, I received a text from Travis asking for the kids to call him and let him know what they thought. They LOVED it. A man in front of us turned around during the intermission and asked Lauren how many times she had seen it. Lauren, shyly answered she hadn't. He couldn't believe it. He said, "She knows every word." I quickly apologized for her singing, but he stopped me and said "NO, she's right on key." He said he loved that my kids were so knowledgeable about the music. It was amazing! As we walked out Garrett and Lauren just wanted to find a way to see it again. I understood. I am so grateful that our friends were so generous with their tickets so my kids could experience their first Broadway play.

Our Wicked Weekend, April 18, 2009

Our WICKED weekend began after I attended Scout Vanguard training at our church. I raced home and changed. Travis took the kids to Tracie and Anthony's house and we headed down to the Hotel Monaco for a weekend getaway.

After I completed my chemo treatments in October, Tracie and Anthony hosted a small get together at their home. It was my "Passionately Pink" day. At the end of the night, Tracie and Anthony gave me a gift. I was so surprised, because I didn't need a gift. I had received so much help, love and support during my treatments that I probably needed to be giving gifts to everyone else. I digress; the gift was two incredible seats to WICKED and a night at the Hotel Monaco which is across the street from the Capitol Theater. I was so thrilled I cried! My kids were super excited too. They were both lobbying for me to take them instead of Travis. They both had memorized every word to the Broadway Musical from listening to the CDs that they had burned to their iPods.

Upon checking into the Hotel Monaco we parked the car, and walked over to Café Molise. We had a wonderful Italian dinner and then headed to WICKED. Out seats were amazing. After we received the playbill we were pleasantly surprised to see no understudies. The musical was awesome. Glinda was so funny, quick, and quirky. Elphaba was serious, thoughtful and amazing. Their harmony was incredible. The scenery was great. We loved every minute of it. The play ended near 11pm and we headed back and enjoyed a wonderful stay at Hotel Monaco. The next morning we went to Market Street for breakfast and then headed home. It was the best gift EVER! Thanks, Tracie and Anthony!

Oquirrh Moutain Temple, April 13, 2009

One of the perks of Travis being one of the architects who designed the Oquirrh Mountain temple is that we were able to help assemble the chandelier in the Celestial Room. For FHE on Monday, April 13, Travis, Garrett, Lauren and I met the other architects and their families at the OMT in South Jordan Utah. We donned gloves, and booties and met in the Celestial Room. The temple is beautiful. It has such a modern feel to it. It has clean crisp lines and shapes. The shape if the chandelier is incredible. Each crystal was wiped down and hung one by one. If one dropped to the ground it was inspected and if it was nicked at all it was set aside. It was an experience that my kids will always remember. (Ash spent a week with G'ma Jacki in Idaho and missed this experience, but had a blast with G'ma!)