Susan G. Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure®

Dear Friends and Family,

How can you Make an Impact? It’s simple, join me and my Team on Saturday, June 11, 2011 when we participate in the 13th Annual Susan G. Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure®.

Join us and tens of thousands of other participants as we all come together in the fight against breast cancer. Just visit www.komenstlouis.org/race and click on the link to Join a Team and search for my name. If you aren’t able to join us, you can support our efforts with a pledge contribution. The money raised through the Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure will fund vital screening, treatment, education and research programs for underserved women in our very own community and also support the national search for a cure.

We’d love you for to join us and help us reach our goal of a world without breast cancer! Every step counts!

Sincerely,

Valencia Williams

Online:
http://www.komenstlouis.org/site/TR/Race/General?team_id=32545&pg=team&fr_id=1080

OR

go to www.komenstlouis.org/race and search for my Team (Pretty In Pink).

By Mail:
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
St. Louis Affiliate
PO Box 790129, Dept SK

Chemo Schedule

My family is awesome! They put together a chemo schedule and every week that I go to chemo a different family member is here to take me. Thanks so much Rahien, Dad, Janell, Al, Auntie Jennifer, Auntie PJ, Rahsaan, and Malarie. I sincerely appreciate your continued support and prayers. I am truly blessed!

Side Effects

I’m not too mobile today because my body hurts too bad to move…so I’ve been researching the medicines that my doctor has me taking.

I’m taking this new medicine called Gabapentin. I did some research and the side effects are below. I’ve been taking this drug since Friday and why have I had all the side effects that are highlighted in pink (most of them occurred between Sunday and Monday)? Needless to say I called the doctor and told her I needed pain medicine.

·         drowsiness

·         tiredness or weakness

·         dizziness

·         headache

·         shaking of a part of your body that you cannot control

·         double or blurred vision

·         unsteadiness

·         anxiety

·         memory problems

·         strange or unusual thoughts –(yep…I kept waking Rahien up last night asking him if he heard rock music)

·         unwanted eye movements

·         nausea

·         vomiting

·         heartburn

·         diarrhea

·         dry mouth

·         constipation

·         weight gain

·         swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs

·         back or joint pain

·         fever –(98.7 which is higher than usual)

·         ear pain

·         runny nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat, or flu-like symptoms

·         red, itchy eyes (sometimes with swelling or discharge)

·         rash

·         itching

·         swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, or eyes

·         hoarseness

·         difficulty swallowing or breathing

·         seizures

All I can do is laugh at myself to get thru the day. It's funny how medicine is supposed to help you and then you end up with all these other problems and have to take more medicine to deal with the side effects.

I also found this video on breast reconstruction. At first I didn’t want to watch it because I thought it may make me not want to go thru with the process…but it’s kind of interesting. It is very graphic so if you decide to watch it make sure that you aren’t at work.

Link: http://youtu.be/yMMEiy82Rho

Life

Life is very interesting. In the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths.

 ~ Drew Barrymore

New Drug

I haven’t written in awhile due to fatigue and nausea. However, I finished my first round of chemo last week and will beginning my second round next week.  The new drug I will be taking is called Taxol. Through my research I have learned that Taxol has many of the same side effects as the drugs I was taking previously (Adriamycin and Cytoxan) however, I should expect two new side effects. The first, numbness and tingling in my hands/feet related to peripheral nerve irritation/damage and second, muscle/bone aches for approximately 3 days. I am open to any suggestions in regards to combating these new side effects however, I figure I’ll just get some massages and take baths with Epson salt.