2 down, 3 to go...

March 5, 2011, I was preparing for my 2nd Rock the Ride & Run benefiting LIVESTRONG. I was unwittingly incubating two cancers in my right breast.

March 5, 2012. My friend, Mary, and I got the news that, so far, our chemotherapy and her radiation worked - we were now N.E.D. - No Evidence of Disease.

March 5, 2013. It was less than a month after Mary's funeral. I was declared one year N.E.D.

Today. It's been less than a month since Suzy ran out of time against breast cancer. I'm out of full-time work, currently back to teaching Hebrew School again, and midwifing a stray mother cat, Ahavah, as she labors to deliver her kittens today. And I celebrate 2 years N.E.D.

March Newsletter: Spring is here, and we are blooming with ideas!

If you didn't hear, I was declared "NED" - No Evidence of Disease. That means that there are no current signs that there is any cancer in my body. There are still things happening as far as treatment and recovery are concerned, and you can follow more about that on my blog, but the good news is that I'm NED. Thanks so much for your support as I fight my own cancer battle.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

•  3/14 in Darien, CT - Fondue-Raiser for LIVESTRONG - http://meltingpot.com/darien/specials/livestrong-fondue-raiser
  Dine with us and you will enjoy a special four-course fondue feast for just $44.95 per person. A portion of the proceeds from each meal purchased ($10.00) will go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Please phone in your reservation today: 203-656-4774
  
• 4/29 in Pound Ridge, NY - The 3rd Annual ROCK the RIDE & RUN benefiting LIVESTRONG - http://www.active.com/5k-race/pound-ridge-ny/3rd-annual-rock-the-ride-and-run-benefiting-livestrong-2012
  Choose to walk, run or ride to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation and show support for the 28 million living with cancer today! There will be activities for runners and cyclists of all levels before and after the event! Friends and family are invited to join in the fun at the LIVESTRONG Village at the Trinity Corners Shopping Center, featuring booths and tables from local organizations and businesses, and you'll be provided a directory of participating shops within walking distance so you can enjoy the day!
• 5/1 in Stamford, CT - Shop Smart/Do Good at Lord & Taylor in Stamford - http://www.lordandtaylor.com/dogoodstamford
  Donate $5 for every ticket that you want for the event, and you'll get access to Lord & Taylor's best offers of the year with very limited exclusions! Be sure to select "Lance Armstrong Foundation" in the drop down menu when you purchase tickets online. Everyone who gets their tickets to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation will be entered to win a $25 Lord & Taylor Gift Card from me! You can also, email me and I can send you your tickets in advance. Tickets will also be available at the Fondue-Raiser and the ROCK the RIDE & RUN.
• 5/6 in New York City, NY - Team LIVESTRONG joins the TD Bank 5 Boro TourJoin Team LIVESTRONG as we ride the TD Bank 5 Boro Tour! Let me know if you want to join us - rmendes.livestrong@gmail.com! And let me refer you to the team - For every new VIP registration that I refer, another $100 will be donated to LIVESTRONG! Email me if you would like one of the remaining VIP slots left!
• June - date TBD - Camping Trip for Cancer SurvivorsSupported and sponsored by EMS with additional supplies by REI - please let me know if you'd be interested in participating in a weekend of hiking, camping and outdoor activities at a local nature reserve!

I'd like to thank the following businesses for providing their support:

• The Melting Pot for so generously hosting our 2nd Annual Fondue-Raiser
• The 3rd Annual ROCK the RIDE & RUN would like to thank the growing number of businesses & organizations who have committed to joining us: The Pound Ridge Business Association, The Traveling Bike Shop, REI, EMS, Mark Boyland of Keller Williams Real Estate, Keystone Development, Team Danbury Audi - a local amateur team with some of the top competitive cyclists in their class!
• Lord & Taylor for allowing us to participate in the Shop Smart/Do Good event

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• We are still actively seeking volunteers & sponsors for the 3rd Annual ROCK the RIDE & RUN! We need people to help at registration, to receive riders, runners & walkers upon their return, items for raffle, swag bags, sponsors for our t-shirts, businesses willing to donate food & drinks, etc.
•  Do you own, or are associated with, a local gallery and would be willing to allow a 2-4 week long exhibit and art sale benefiting LIVESTRONG? Please let us know - we have a number of artists from across the country donating pieces for this project - now, we only need a home!
• The Wilton YMCA is currently seeking votes to receive a grant and the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program! Vote to bring LIVESTRONG funding to Wilton, CT for a program proven to support families fighting cancer. Add your vote before the deadline. http://vote.livestrong.org//vote2012/applicants/215-wilton-family-ymca-inc/
• If you are a cancer survivor, or know one, and would like to join a small group of us for a camping trip, please let me know. I'm working on solidifying a date and location, but EMS & REI have agreed to provide us with some equipment for free and at reduced rates, as well as some guides. It should be a lot of fun and a nice treat!

More events and happenings are in the works. There are so many ways that you can be involved in the fight against cancer. And if you need help, please reach out to me and let me help or go to livestrong.org.

As always, I look forward to seeing all of you at our events! Be sure to introduce yourself and keep in touch! Thanks again!

If you cannot attend one of our events, but you would still like to contribute to the cause, please go to http://laf.convio.net/goto/RicaRocksAustin2012 and make a donation. Let us know if you would like to make the donation in honor or in memory of someone, and we'll bring a racing bib with your dedication on it to Austin in October of 2012. 

-- 
Rica Mendes, LIVESTRONG Leader

No more Dr. Octopus! Just call me NED!

Thank you, Dr. Nordberg.

Thursday, March 1 was my surgical liberation day. After 15 days of wearing the same surgical vest (ok, I alternated between a couple, but when you wear a garment for 24-48 hours or more in rotation with an identical garment for another 24-48 hours, does it matter?), 2 drains sticking out of both sides, and surgical pads being held in place by sheer will, I'd had it. I was grouchy. I was angry. I was in pain (when I wasn't on pain killers). I felt that the drains owned me, and had a mind of their own. Yes, folks, I'd turned into Dr. Octopus - down to the sad little hair. I was a grimacing mastermind, who desperately wanted to sever my inorganic appendages as much as I was a master to them. But, on Thursday, after some Lidocaine shots, I was rid of these stupid drains. No more tubes sticking out of my sides that I could accidentally yank, no more strange things tugging at my insides, no more draining icky yellow fluid and praying there weren't any surges. The drains were out. And I could bathe again. (My apologies to those poor souls who, knowingly or unknowingly, were subjected to my rather Elizabethan sanitary standards.)

But, that was just the beginning.

Today I met with my oncologist, Dr. Tepler. Sometimes, it's a hard read with him. There are a lot of strange silences, unspoken questions, and a lot of moments where I wonder, "Should I say something? Is he going to say anything? Are we done talking? Did we start?" It was one of those days.

First, I walked into the Hematology & Oncology practice at the Bennett Cancer Center at Stamford Hospital, and was completely confused. The entire reception/office facility was planted firmly right in the waiting area, with their office space blacked out - renovations. But I didn't see the signs about pardoning any one's appearances on my way in. I was running a bit late, but with Dr. Tepler, that should have been fine as I'm usually waiting a good half-hour. But, to my surprise, he was standing by the desk, as though he'd just called my name. With a surgical mask on. I assumed that either he was sick, or he really didn't like the dust and muss of renovation. Turns out, he was sick.

While I was waiting to check in, he grabbed a paper and sat with us patients in the waiting area. I awkwardly sat next to him, unsure whether or not I should say hello or let him read his newspaper in peace - perhaps this was his way of relaxing? We sat, silently, next to each other for a moment, and I asked, "Should we head into your office?" He looked at me and asked if I'd had blood work done yet. I shoot my head and asked, "Am I supposed to?" He said that I am supposed to and that I was supposed to fast. It was news to me. I went to the desk to inquire about it, and Briana said, "Yes, you need to have blood work done." We both looked to Dr. Tepler, who stared back at us. After another awkward lull, I asked if we should wait, and he said to just skip the blood work. Then we did our usual shuffle back to his office - I start out following him, he stops/slows down along the way so I'm in front of him, I feel strange leading him to his office, so I stop and we end up staring at each other for a moment, then he steps forward, I step forward, and eventually, we politely allow one another to lead the other into his office.

I'd go into further detail into our appointment, but, it's patient/doctor privilege and, frankly, it was a lot of short questions and answers, silences, me staring at his computer screen as he clicks buttons and reviews my chart, quietly, and us looking at each other blankly.

You have to understand, as strange as this ritual seems, I appreciate it a great deal. First, it's terribly amusing. Second, I get why Dr. Tepler is so quiet and introverted. The man is a genius. He's that kind of quiet genius that, on some level, I have to wonder if he just forgets about the verbalizing step in the process because his mind is moving so quickly forward.

Anyway, after I felt that I had counted all the pores on what face was exposed beyond the surgical mask, I asked, "So am I in remission? I know I'm not cancer free for 5 years, right?"

He smiled (I could tell - his ears lifted the surgical mask off the bridge of his nose and the corners of his eyes wrinkled), clicked his tongue, and said, "Well, no, Rica, you're not in remission. You're in a much better state."

I looked at him quizzically, waiting for the punchline, forgetting with whom I was speaking, and grunted, "Huh?"

Dr. Tepler said, "Rica, your status is better than remission. You are 'No Evidence of Disease.'"

I asked, stupidly, "Well, I get that that's good, but that's better than remission?"

He smiled again and said, "Yes. It means that not only do all your tests show that you have no more cancer, but that we don't expect any recurrence. You have no evidence of the disease left in your body."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"But is that until the next body scans?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because does it make any sense for me to scan you, increasing your chance of new cancers, when I can tell you don't have any cancer left in your body?"

"So you can see that in my blood work? I don't have to have annual or quarterly scans?"

"Not unless you really want them."

"Oh."

"Yes. You're in good shape, Rica."

And that was that.

So, time to celebrate. I'm N.E.D.! Woo-hoo!

Would you consider making a donation to LIVESTRONG of $18 to help me celebrate my N.E.D. status?