It's All Good News!!

Wow, I did not realize it had been so long since I last wrote a blog. Well lots of things have been happening and they are all good!

First of all Bonnie had an ultrasound last week (it's all a blur maybe it was the week before that) and they were looking for the tumor in anticipation of her surgery (yup that was today but more on that later!). The ultrasound technician at Mercy was very nice and as she looked and looked she was unable to find any kind of tumor. Finally after several minutes she was able to locate the clip* but no tumor around it. We were able to look at the ultrasound from August with the big old tumor and then the same area again with NO tumor. How cool is that?? As nasty and yucky (yes that is a technical term) as the chemo was it seemed to have done the job and really gave a heave ho to that tumor.

After the ultrasound we went off to see the breast surgeon, Dr. Molin who explained that the surgery would be very minor and she would just take out the clip and some surrounding cells and then just a few lymph nodes. Now remember when Bonnie saw the first breast surgeon she assured Bonnie she would definitely have to have a mastectomy so she really has come a long way in this roller coaster ride.

With the good news about the tumor Bonnie has had a couple of good weeks and has been very busy getting the new H.B. Cafe 2 ready to open. The Cafe is located at the new Goodall Health/Quest Fitness facility and opened last Monday, it is open Monday through Friday from 7am to 2pm. It is a very nice Cafe and seems to be another excellent business for Bonnie. Back in October Bonnie was looking to hire someone to manage the Cafe and I was looking for a job so she hired me to do the job. Now we plan all the doctor appointments in the afternoon so I can still go with her to all of those. Also we planned the surgery for today because the Cafe is closed New Year's Day and then the weekend so I will be around for a couple of days to help around here while she recovers.

With all this talk about the surgery I should tell you again that it was today and went without a hitch. Everyone was so kind and helpful which made it even better for Bonnie. The surgeon made two small incisions, one for the breast tissue (is this too much information??) and the other for the 4 lymph nodes they took out. She had very little pain and she will take Vicodin every 4 hours until tomorrow and hopefully by then she will be ready to just take extra strength Tylenol and Advil. For now she is sleeping in the reclining couch and has her two dogs sleeping right on her, I will wake her in a few hours to give her more Vicodin just to keep ahead of the pain as was suggested by the nurse.


Presurgery

So as 2009 comes to a close Bonnie has made great progress in stomping out the cancer in her body. She is a real fighter as you all know and has been a champ through all the treatments. She will still have to have radiation but that will not begin until early February so I am looking forward to her healing from the surgery and then feeling pretty good for a few weeks before the next phase.

That's all for now.

Happy New Year!

Helen

*The clip was put in back in August, it is the size of a rice grain and inserted in the middle of the tumor so later they can find where the tumor is or was.

A Day to Celebrate

Hello friends!

Back in September this day seemed like miles and days away but we celebrated today as Bonnie finished her last chemotherapy treatment! All of the usual stuff happened and it was really quite uneventful and a huge relief.

So in the next few weeks there will be an ultrasound, an echo cardiogram plus a few more blood tests and a doctor visit before the 31st and surgery. Bonnie is so proud that she has made it through the hard part and is looking forward to getting on with the rest of the treatment.

So that's it for today and we are looking forward (OK I am looking forward) to a little storm tomorrow!

Helen

Good News!!

Greetings!

The good news is that Bonnie is beginning to feel better from the pneumonia. It has been a slow recovery that is attributed to her getting beaten up by the chemotherapy every 3 weeks since September. Today for the first time since Thursday she was up and about and up to Portland to see the doctor.

The first appointment today was with Dr Molin who is the breast surgeon. The GREAT news is that the tumor can not be felt at all and that means there is very little that will need to be removed and only a couple of lymph nodes as well. The first doctor Bonnie saw in August had told her she would have a complete mastectomy and a large section of lymph nodes removed so she has come a long way in regards to the surgery! The surgery is scheduled for December 31 which will then give her a longer weekend for recovery. The surgery will be done at the new Mercy hospital as an outpatient, Dr. Molin said it will take approximately 1.5 hours from start to finish which seems pretty good. Carolyn (the chemo nurse) did say the recovery will be a little longer again because of all the chemo over the last few months and that Bonnie needs to really rest and give herself time to heal.

The next step after the surgery will be the radiation which will begin about a month after the surgery. For now Bonnie's sight's are on next Tuesday, the 8th which is when she will have the last round of chemo! YEAH!!

In the meantime work has been progressing on the new H.B. Cafe 2 which will be opening around the 16th of December. The new Cafe is located at the new Goodall Hospital/Quest Fitness facility on Livewell Drive in Kennebunk. Bonnie has been trying to find someone to run the Cafe and I have been looking for a job so it seems a good fit that I will run and manage the Cafe.

If you are here in town this weekend, we hope you have tons of fun at Prelude and if you are not here in town we wish you were because Prelude is one of the best events of the year!!

Helen

Tis the Season

Well it seems that everywhere we turn these days folks are coughing and sneezing and trying to get rid of that darn cold. Well Bonnie has also joined in with the coughing and stuffy nose and although she spent a couple of days resting on the couch as soon as she felt a smidge better she was up and running again. That was all fine and dandy except she woke up yesterday morning feeling worse than ever. The terrible cough, feeling achy all over and finally a temperature. After a few chats with the nurse at Mercy we were off for chest x-rays which showed that Bonnie has a touch of pneumonia. She started on antibiotics immediately and the doctor says she should be feeling better in a day or two. The good news is that she is sleeping well and this morning is beginning to feel a little better.
The good news in all of this is that Bonnie's white blood count is very high from an extra drug she takes. This has been her saving grace in this little cold because she has the cells that help her fight off the infection.
I will say Bonnie has the most devoted little dogs who spend all their time sleeping on her or next to her and only leave her when I pick them up to take them out and then Lily growls at me until I get her outside!
I will keep you posted on how she is doing. Thanks again for all your kind words, thoughts and prayers.

Helen

Chemo Treatment Number 5

Here we are at Mercy for treatment number 5. Bonnie has a wonderful seat with the sun streaming in and a beautiful view of the bay. The Benadryl has put her to sleep which helps to pass the time. Of course in Bonnie's head she is already finished with treatment number 5 and only has one more to go! It is quite an interesting journey with ups and downs along the way.

After her 4th treatment getting postponed because of her blood work she was given an additional medication that helps improve her blood count and as well helped her to feel better. Bonnie has been feeling pretty good for the last 2 weeks and has been quite active including a trip to upstate New York and Ohio to visit my daughters. Well she feels good but keeps doing nutty things like wearing her slippers all the way to Ohio (we drove) and insisting that the gray hairs growing in are blond!! We are all humoring her and having fun despite all the stuff she is going through.

The highlight of most of her days is going to the beach in the morning with the dogs. Not only does it get the dogs out but she loves walking on the beach and the sunrise is an added bonus too.

So the pattern after treatment is that on Wednesday she feels great (still on the steroid high) and from Thursday through the weekend she usually lays low. By Monday she will be ready to get on with things and will be busy with the approaching holiday so the timing is all good.

So while Bonnie is sleeping away the day here I am going to go for a walk.....

Helen

4th Chemo

Bonnie had great day today as she got her 4th chemo treatment.


Although she looks a little bit like a smurf today with her blue hat and sweater! She continues to work and take care of things while she is getting her treatment.

We are hoping the side effects aren't too bad although she usually takes it easy for the first week after treatment. I'll keep you informed of how she is doing.

Helen

Chemo Gets Stalled

I know it has been a while since I have blogged, it seems as though time has been flying by between stuff in the store, traveling and of course dealing with cancer.

This morning Bonnie and I arrived right on time for her 4th chemo treatment armed with all of our various snacks and books to help pass the time. They did all the usual vitals and the blood draw and then we went in for Bonnie's appointment with Dr. Inhorn (she sees him before each treatment). He wanted all the details of how things have gone in the last 3 weeks since her last treatment which of course between the two of us we were able to give him an earful of all the little details of Bonnie's health. Dr. Inhorn is very pleased with Bonnie's progress and the tumor has shrunk so that it is no longer palpable. I of course insist if you can't feel it then it must be gone and do we really need 3 more treatments? He explained that there can still be millions of cancer cells there that you can not feel and that all the studies have indicated that 6 treatments is the magic number. He and I have gone over this before but I just like to make sure Bonnie is not having any unnecessary treatments!

Then we were free to go to the infusion room and get all comfy. They have these wonderful comfortable chairs for the patients and the usual straight backed chairs for the care giver. Really I don't mind because I am up and down a lot getting drinks or food and then just my usual wandering around! Bonnie's nurse, Caroline kept walking back and forth saying hang on there is going to be a change. Bonnie is thinking oh something good is going to happen, I am thinking here blood work isn't good enough and we are going home. Well I was right (yes I had had this sense she would not get her treatment all morning) her blood levels were too low which means her immunity is too compromised for her to get the chemotherapy. Bonnie responded with "UGGHHH" and I believe her real thought is this may happen to others but I am strong and healthy and it is not supposed to happen to me. So we packed everything back up and made a new appointment for next Tuesday when her blood levels should be much better.

From there we went to Whole Foods and got some Vitamin D, which they are saying helps boost immunity. Then Bonnie called for an acupuncture appointment and is already going in for her chiropractic appointment tomorrow. She is resting now and as well is admitting that she has been a bit more tired lately. So if you see her in the next few days please know she is not hugging and is keeping her distance from everyone to make sure she doesn't pick up any extra bacteria. Her birthday is tomorrow, Wed Oct 21 and she usually goes away over her birthday but with all the treatments and such we have made no plans to go anywhere except maybe a trip to Freeport!

A few weeks ago Bonnie was on interviewed for a piece on channel 13 that aired on September 30. They were talking about the trial she is in and her excellent prognosis. If you missed the show here is the link http://www.wgme.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wgme_vid_747.shtml.

So what have we been doing in the last month since I blogged?

We went to Napa to her niece's wedding. Bonnie had fun trying on hats! and she enjoyed being with her three sisters too.




Sherry, Pat, Bonnie & Barbara

Then we went to the unveiling of the anchor honoring President Bush.


President Bush invited everyone over to Walker's Point and we all had a great time visiting!

We have been walking at the beach every morning, not only do we love it but the dogs do too!


Everyone is making scarecrows and this is Bonnie's, she calls him 'Storekeeper 41'

And that is my daughter Audrey sitting with them!

And this is what Bonnie is doing now while I am writing this blog.

I am so glad that she is resting and taking care of herself as it is hard for her to do that.

Thanks again for all your kind wishes and prayers, Bonnie is very appreciate of all the well wishers and the love she feels from the entire community.

Helen

So after the second chemo treatment last week it has been a week of ups and downs for Bonnie. A couple of good days but more harder days with stomach issues and just feeling crummy. Saturday was a three dog day.









Greta managed the right side, Lily had the middle and Ali took charge of Bonnie's left side :-)

Fortunately Sunday was better and a little retail therapy helped! Bonnie found a couple of soft fleece hats at Kittery Trading Post which put a smile on her face!

Today we went back to Mercy for the weekly blood draw and as well Bonnie was interviewed by Kim Block from channel 13. They are doing a segment on breast cancer at Mercy that will air on September 30 between 5 and 6:30pm (we will know exactly when it will be on and remind you closer to the date).










Getting wired for sound!











Bonnie with Kim Block after they did the interview.











Bonnie, Kim Block, Mike (the Camera Guy), Dana and Dr Inhorn having a discussion of what they would film next.










They wanted a shot of Bonnie talking with her oncologist, Dr Inhorn

It was a busy day at the hospital and then we hurried back to Kennebunk to meet with the interior decorator for Bonnie's new cafe.........H.B. Cafe 2










That's another story for another day!!

Oh and by the way, the doctor was very happy with Bonnie's blood work today!

Helen

2 treatments down only 4 to go!

Yesterday Bonnie and I headed up to the infusion center at Mercy Hospital for Bonnie's second chemo treatment.

Everything went very smoothly and we were out of there by 4:30pm which was an hour quicker than last time. Bonnie was able to have a massage while she was getting the chemo which was a nice treat for her. They give her a healthy dose of Benadryl which makes her pretty sleepy so
she dosed a lot in the chair and listened to her new ipod









and ate lots of snacks.









When she got home Bonnie went to sleep very quickly and was able to enjoy a good night's sleep. Today she has had a busy day and felt great which is an effect of the steroids they give her for the side effects. She is in her usual great spirits thanks to so many wonderful and kind folks praying for her and cheering her on!

Helen

Shaving

So last week I cut Bonnie's hair with Greta's clippers!









But then there were lots of really short tiny hairs falling out all over the place. So we decided to get the clippers out again and shave away all her hair.

As soon as Greta







saw me getting out the clippers she disappeared!

We went out on the back deck so all the hairs wouldn't get all over the house!









The view from there is beautiful!

This time we set the clippers to the shortest setting and got this










which was just stubbly and now we just had even shorter hairs falling out.

So we got a razor and some shaving cream









and shaved her head!

And this time we got this










Bonnie is really happy with her nice shaped head and doesn't mind being bald except her head is cold. Fortunately wearing a hat helps keep her head warm so we have had some fun shopping for new hats!!

Helen

Going, Going, Going Gone!

This is the morning to get rid of the hair! So much of it is falling out and it is everywhere so Bonnie decided it was time to go!










Before the shearing began, she is excited to get it cut very, very short!










Half of her head was done!










What a beautiful head and Bonnie loves it!










And a great hat to finish the look!

Yesterday Bonnie saw Dr Inhorn again yesterday and he is very pleased with how well she is doing in her treatment. Of course her white blood count is low which is expected and he is confident it will be back at a good level for next weeks chemo treatment.

So in the mean time Bonnie is cautious of germy things and is installing Purell hand sanitizer dispensers in the store for everyone to use. As we all know money is a huge carrier of germs (Bonnie heard on TV that swine flu can live on money for two weeks) so Bonnie is trying to be even more mindful of washing hands/sanitizing after handling.

Bonnie is looking forward to a busy weekend with terrific weather and lots of fun before her next treatment on Tuesday.......until then.

Helen

An update

So it has been 10 days since Bonnie's first chemo treatment last Tuesday. The first couple of days were a breeze and all was going very well until Thursday night when Bonnie began experiencing significant joint pain. She described it as shooting, electrical pain in her elbows, wrists, knees and ankles. Friday was a hard day for her with a lot of pain and difficulty sleeping and just getting comfortable. Saturday started off pretty tough but by the afternoon she was beginning to feel better and we headed down to the beach for a short walk and a little fresh air. Bonnie called the doctor finally on Saturday (I had been away Thursday to Saturday finishing up moving) after a little pressure from me and the recommendation was to take Advil and Tylenol. It was hard to get ahead of the pain but by Saturday night she was feeling a little better. Sunday we went back to the beach and this time walked in the water which was very helpful for her knee and foot pain so we did that again on Monday and Tuesday.

A trip to Mercy for the weekly blood draw was Tuesday's event and she got a thumb's up on the blood work. Her white blood cells are a little low (3.5 down from 5.2) but they said not to worry unless it goes below 3. Dr. Inhorn also said they will give her something more for pain after the next chemo treatment to avoid that much discomfort.

Yesterday we went to Sanford to the Cancer Center for Bonnie's consultation with the radiation doctor, Celine Godin. She was very nice and gave Bonnie lots of information about radiation and the process involved with that part of the treatment which will occur in early February.

So now Bonnie is feeling pretty well, not 100% but good enough to be working and keeping everything running well in the store. This is the time when her white blood cells will be the lowest so she is keeping her distance from many people and is being extra cautious about washing her hands etc. So please ask her about hugging right now because she is very sensitive to all the germs out there and definitely does not want to get sick now.

Bonnie is waiting for her hair to fall out! Dr Inhorn and nurse Caroline have a bet going between 2 weeks and 3 weeks from her first chemo treatment. I'll let you know how it goes!!

Helen

First Chemo Appointment

As we sit here in the infusion area of the new Mercy hospital there is a young woman who has just completed her 6th and final chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. We cheered her success and she encouraged Bonnie as she headed out.

Today is the first of Bonnie's 6 chemotherapy treatments and she is very successfully making it through. She has been busy with her blackberry sending emails and making phone calls so that everything keeps flowing at the store! The TV here also helps and she has had a few walks, pushing the IV pole around the halls. They did give her some Benedryl for prevention of allergy reaction and that has made her a little drowsy. We have a few more hours left so hopefully she will get in a little nap!

Last week Bonnie had a bone scan, a CAT scan from her neck to her pelvis and she also had an echo cardiogram. There is no other cancer in her body except in her breast and lymph node so that is the good news. In the bone scan the doctor said he saw something in Bonnie's knee and she showed him the scars from a prior surgery, next he said there was something in her left hip and she then explained how she had fallen off her bike last winter and suffered an injury as a result. Wow it was amazing that the scan was able to pick up Bonnie's history as it relates to her bones! Next we were able to see all the little slices from the CAT scan which was so neat and interesting to see her from the inside out. Dr. Inhorn wasn't sure about one little spot he saw and so he dialed up the phone and we were able to listen to the dictation from the radiologist. The little spot on the liver is a simple cyst that is a very common occurrence. Technology is a wonderful thing and seeing the scan and hearing the dictation only an hour after the test was done! Bonnie was very relieved that the tests were all clear and felt ready to move on to taking care of the breast cancer.

It was a busy weekend and the highlight was meeting Carly Simon in the store on Saturday night!!

Bonnie has also signed up to be part of a clinical trial where they are using the drug Ixabepilone (Ixempra), Carboplatin and Herceptin for her chemotherapy. The Ixabepilone is currently used for women with metastatic cancer with great success so they are trying it now for someone with locally advanced breast cancer which Bonnie has. The side affects seem to be less than other chemotherapy so Bonnie is even more confident about all of the treatment. The trial is being done all over the country and will include 60 participants, Bonnie is the first one in this trial here at Mercy and she loves that she is helping others through her treatment.

Working on her tan....

This morning Bonnie and I headed up to Mercy Hospital in Portland so she could get her Mediport put in. The nurse, Colette, was wonderful and all the prep work was done effortlessly. When it was time for Bonnie to go in for the surgery they showed me the way to the waiting room (I love medical stuff and would have gone in to watch if they let me!!) and a little over an hour they came and got me and Bonnie was back in her space sitting up and feeling great. They brought her some breakfast which she ate and then we were able to leave shortly after that.
The instructions were to take it easy, keep the incision from getting wet and of course keep an eye out for anything weird happening.
So Bonnie is being the good patient and sitting out on the back deck working on her tan!










Since she has a fabulous team of staff that have all stepped up to the plate it is easy for Bonnie to relax and take care of herself. She is so appreciative of all the kindness and offers of help from her friends and family.

Helen

The beginning.....

As many of you already know Bonnie was diagnosed last week with breast cancer. She had a lump on her breast which prompted the visit to the Breast Center in Scarborough and after an ultrasound and a biopsy the diagnosis was made. Bonnie has had many cysts and fibroid so her thinking was that this was just another one and not really a big deal but still something to get checked.

There are so many loving and caring folks in this community that want Bonnie to know they are thinking of her and honestly it is exhausting talking to everyone about the situation over and over all day. We decided to start this blog as a way to keep those interested in her progress informed without Bonnie having to "tell the story" all day long. Please feel free to leave comments and she will get them for sure and do not hesitate to wish her well when you see her!

So what is the story?

After the diagnosis and the follow up meeting with the doctor Bonnie decided it was important to get a second opinion on the course of treatment. She met with a breast surgeon at Maine Med's Breast Center and then met with another breast surgeon at Mercy Hospital. Bonnie decided she would be treated at Mercy Hospital with Dr Melinda Molin, surgeon and Dr Roger Inhorn, oncologist. The treatment will all happen at the brand new Mercy facility in Portland which is quite lovely and has wonderful views of the water.

Today Bonnie met with Dr Inhorn and it was determined that she will receive 6 courses of chemotherapy every 3 weeks beginning next Tuesday, August 18th. Tomorrow she is going to get the Mediport put in, this is a device that is implanted under the skin so that medications may be delivered directly into the blood system. Then on Friday she will be having all the appropriate scans which are required before beginning chemo.

Bonnie is in good spirits and of course is much happier now that she knows "the plan"! She sees this as part of her journey and plans on getting through this while maintaining her normal life activities as much as possible.

Keep posted for more updates and information.

Helen