Rainy Sundays

I am procrastinating, big time! I need to get in a 15 mile run and I awoke to a cold, gray, rainy Sunday morning. I would much rather stay in my fluffy bathrobe sipping coffee in front of the roaring fire that Greg has built in our new wood stove.

Why would I wait until Sunday to do my long run? Well, I have been suffering pain in two of my toes on my right foot. A trip to the podiatrist on Friday resulted in me receiving a needle full of cortisone between the two said toes. Not fun. Doc advised I needed to take Saturday off but that I should be fine for the marathon - which is now two (2!!!) week away!

Friday, October 16th was National Mammogram Day - have you had yours yet?

Fall 2009

The leaves are turning glorious shades of burgundy and gold. The air smells like campfire as the evenings grow cool and our neighbors stoke their fireplaces. Pumpkins and mums are everywhere - yes, fall has arrived to Northern NJ.

The past few weeks have been packed full of great events but the beauty of the season dimmed recently when the world lost another 41 year old woman to the beast that is breast cancer. Kate was a pharmacist who worked with me. I never had the privilege to meet her personally, but met so many folks who did; each of whom smiled when they spoke of her, I felt I knew her. Kate was diagnosed late in the game, stage 4. She fought a good fight and leaves behind a husband, two children and a cadre of co-workers who will never be the same.

Greg and I have been so fortunate: we spent Saturday night with friends and family at Giants Stadium seeing The Boss. Sunday was our 6th anniversary. We had a wonderful lunch outside at Vento in NYC, walked the Highline, and capped the evening having champagne with friends.

Last weekend we were in Vancouver, an incredible city. We did the zip lines down Grouse Mountain, drove out to Whistler and took the Peak 2 Peak gondola ride. Oh yeah, we also spent two days on the set of this little film - "Eclipse". Yes, THAT Eclipse, the 3rd in the Twilight series. Film making is an interesting thing, I think I found watching security flush out the paparazzi from the trees more entertaining than take after take of the same scene. I will admit those vampires are quite pretty....

We returned to NJ in time for the opening night reception of "The Faces of Breast Cancer" exhibit at the Morris Museum. It was somewhat surreal to see two photos of me hanging there; the show itself is wonderful and literally took me breath away. As I looked at the photos of so many survivors, I was reminded of how I felt a mere year ago as I approached the end of my chemo treatment, of how I looked (bald) and how thankful I was to be alive.

In this vein, fall also brings a plethora of pink as October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Have you had your mammogram yet?

The Faces of Breast Cancer

Please join me at the Morris Museum on 9-30-09 between 5 and 7pm for the opening night reception of Pete Byron's photography exhibit: "The Faces of Breast Cancer". The exhibit will run the month of October. I'll be the one in the pink wig!

Below is the promo postcard created by the museum for the show.

NYC Race for the Cure 2009

Starting Line
My Message
Survivors Photo
Sunday 9-13 was a beautiful day; sunny and not too hot. Central Park West was awash in pink: pink wigs, pink shirts, pink signs, pink balloons; you name it - it was there fashionably attired in pink. Yes, it was theh 2009 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

I once again walked with Team Medco, joined by my husband, friends Chris, Jill, Denise, Jen, Lauren, Janine and many more. I admit walking under the balloon arch at the start was quite emotional for me and I was happy to have had my new MJ shades. I was instantly transported back to one year ago when I did the same, also surrounded by friends and family but bald, sporting a chemo port and feeling not exactly myself as I neared completion of my treatment of the exact disease which I walked "against".

Thank you to all who supported me and to those who also walked - I can only hope that one day such gatherings (there were close to 30,000 people there!) will be only something we did "..way back when..." Until that time we walk on!

A Day of Service and Remembrance

It is 9-11-09. Eight years have passed since that horrible day. Life has continued but I can't help but think we were all changed that day - those of us who could see the smoke plumes from our workplace/home even more so. Who knew something so bad could happen so close?

It is funny, I have had similiar thoughts each time I have learned of newly diagnosed breast cancer patient now battling for her life. You are never prepared for the bad but you can learn from it and live a better life. I am trying...

CLEAR SCANS!!!!

Enough said! No more doctor's visits until 2010 - woohoo!

Summer Winds Down

Another August weekend over. One more to go before summer 2009 comes to end and yellow school buses once again fill the morning roadways. Time flies by so quickly, even more so when you spend it in the company of good friends.

Greg and I spent two sun filled days in Deighton, MA with Dean Robinson, his wife Beth and their three beautiful girls, Marissa, Izzy and Dana. Dean is the creator of "The Realm of the Rodent" - yes, the same realm on which Greg's book is based. The Robinson home is simply wonderful with a gorgeous backyard and pool. After a 6 mile morning run Saturday, the rest of the day we spent poolside. Dean's partner Jason joined us for dinner along with his wife Lisa and two more beautiful girls - Hayley and Ella. Thank fully Sunday is an "off day" for me from running so I spent another day lounging poolside as Greg went "turtleling" with Dean and Dana.
It was very relaxing - so much so I could forget about my upcoming scans, the fact that I face a very unpleasant day at work tomorrow (Long story - I am accountable for an issue impacting one of our clients and it makes me feel ill even to think about it...)

One highlight I must mention was Tacoma's attempt at swimming - yes, we brought Tacoma with us. Dean and Beth have two labs, Butter (yellow) and Raven (black) so welcomed our dog into their home. As we were enjoying artisanal cheeses and wine, Tacoma decided she needed to have some as well. Unfortunately we were all standing in the pool. She took a step towards us and next thing you know she was under water. Greg jumped in and pulled her out, needless to say she was a bit shocked as we all were!

The ride home was not the best but going south on Route 95 through Connecticut and Sunday in the summer is always bound to be painful. We hit a brief downpour but finished the ride under pink and purple skies.