Hello ActiveRainers!

I am so sorry that it's been about 3 weeks since I've posted on ActiveRain.  I intend on "hanging around" a lot more often now...  I'm in the groove.

My last post was about the fact that I have Stage IV breast cancer and I linked to my Fighting Breast Cancer blog-- hoping that ActiveRainers would visit it and understand that breast cancer is a reality.  Everyone needs to be diligent about this disease that strikes 1 in 8 women.  And yes, I know you've heard it all before.

To my amazement, I've had over 1000 "extra" hits to my other blog this past 3 weeks (based on the past 12 month's averages).  

I can't explain this surge, other than ActiveRainers visiting my blog and perhaps forwarding the link to others.  I've received the most inspirational and wonderful comments from so many of you.  So far, my "breast cancer announcement" post on ActiveRain has earned over 220 comments, every single one of them wonderful.  Please know that I absolutely read every comment-- usually 3 or 4 times-- just because they make me feel so good inside.

I am not a super girly-girl and I am not one to cry very easily, but I've been crying my eyes out reading all of the wonderful comments and emails I've received from ActiveRainers.  I've received prayers, offers for support, and even other blog posts about my situation.  Sometimes, I've just sat at my computer and cried and cried.  My husband will come running into the room (I'm working from my home office right now) and he'll be in a panic:  "What's the matter sweetheart?  Why are you crying?!?"

Then, because he is slightly crazy, and he see's that I have my email window open, he'll ask something like, "Are people sending you mean emails?  Who is it?  I'll kill them and break their legs and..."

No, I don't cry because I get "mean emails" (you nutcase), but because I've received hundreds of promises of prayer, support and genuinely wonderful words from genuinely wonderful ActiveRainers.  I can't possibly express my gratitude with words.

I want to respond to every single comment and I hope to be able to get around to it this week.  Many of you deserve extra special thanks-- you know who you are-- and I will acknowledge what you've done for me and thank you in the best way that I know how.

Many of you have asked for an "update", so here it is:

I had chemo yesterday, August 27th.  I also had it last week and the week before.  For those of you that have ever lived with cancer (either as a caregiver or-- God forbid-- a patient), you will probably realize that one usually gets chemo every 2 or 3 weeks.

Maybe because I have an aggressive cancer...maybe because it's in my lungs and I am coughing so much...I don't know.  I don't ask a lot of questions, to be totally honest.

...but I am scheduled to get it once per week, for six weeks.  I am looking on the bright side however, because, normally, six rounds of chemo would take 18 weeks.  I get it in a third of the time! 

Sometimes, I just can't believe my incredible luck.

Unfortunately, this aggressive regiment of chemotherapy has left me feeling very sick.  Chemotherapy is designed to kill fast growing cells.  Cancer-- ugh-- is a "fast growing cell."  So are hair cells- which is why chemo patients are bald.

Your body also makes new white and red blood cells every day.  Chemo attacks those too.  My white blood cell count is so low, I am extremely immune suppressed.  I have to wear a surgical mask if I leave the house and I was told not to pet my dogs.  Yeah, right.

The lack of red cells present another problem-- anemia.  This is why I haven't been blogging.  I am so tired, it is difficult to walk 10 or 15 feet without needing to lie down for a bit.

The good news is that- for one reason or another- I still have my 3 inches of hair!  It hasn't fallen out at all.  I don't know why it's not falling out, but this makes me so happy.  I hate looking like a cancer patient.  People tend to avert their eyes and...it's as if you become invisible to society.  It makes me sad, when I am otherwise not a sad person.

So that's my update.  I'm sorry if this was a boring post.  It's just that so many of you have emailed me to ask me how I am doing-- I just wanted to let everyone know with one big, fat post.  In my next post, I intend on discussing some particularly wonderful ActiveRainers.  After that, I will start blogging about search engines and marketing techniques and all of that jazz that I usually write about.

I will be back soon and again: thank you to ActiveRain, ActiveRainers and God (for making ActiveRainers).