COME SEE ME HERE!

Hi, it's laura.
i haven't been here in awhile. i am very healthy now, and the thoughts of coming back to were i was sick is very daunting. i'm not sure i could read through those posts anytime soon. but they are there to help others who are fighting for their lives as a way of support and information.

So, find me here at facebook - i am laura reese slocum. send me a message that you saw this here and you want to friend me if i dont' know you. i think my photo albums are public anyway. (i havent' been private to this point - why would i start now??)

i'm going to post a few pics of me now!! i'm doing great, started teaching exercise classes again and putting my life back together. not an easy thing to do.

thanks for following. xxoo laura

update and giveaway on the Green Eyed Monster Blog :D

HI EVERYBODY!!
I'm doing just great.  I'll be having a mastecomy and reconstruction sometime in the middle of October - i don't have the date yet.  That's the latest, ...and I'm feeling wonderful and just had a great vacation.  I'd like to do another slide show to music - if i could only remember how to do that............haha
.........in the meantime- my etsy shop is featured in a very cool blog called Green Eyed Monster run by Ash and Kimmy - they are super!!  and i'm giving away a necklace - so read for details below
thanks for checking in .  Love you :D laura

GIVEAWAY NECKLACE from Creativelytangled!
this is a distressed copper heart stamped necklace with initials and a dangle bead

on an oxidized sterling 18" chain or black leather cord.

SEE BELOW TO ENTER:
Link to giveaway: http://greeneyed.com/2010/08/creatively-tangled

Link to image: http://greeneyed.com/wp-content/wpa_custom/22-Creatively_tangled.jpg

Prize: Handstamped heart necklace

Prize value: $38.50

Ending date of the giveaway: 08/10/10

Open to EVERYONE

The prize is from: creativelytangled.etsy.com

*****enter this giveaway,  Leave a comment on the Green Eyed Monster blog... not here!****
I affirm that this is a handmade Etsy item!

GREAT DAY!

#1. PET SCAN, ALL CLEAR .....NO CANCER. THANK YOU GOD!!

#2. published in Etsy's storque today, 7/8/10:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/teams-spotlight-etsy-project-embrace-9179/

great article about our etsyprojectembrace team donating money towards cancer research! Check it out if you haven't already.

thanks everybody....................... you're the BESTEST! laura xxxooo

GOOD GRIEF, WHAT'S NEXT???!!!

Hey there! Well, .....I had genetic testing last week for the BRCA gene 1 and 2, the gene mutations for ovarian and breast cancers. My grandmother (maternal side) died at 49 of breast cancer and my mom died at 64 of ovarian. Despite this - I did know that a very small percentage of the population will test postive for the hereditary gene mutation and I was honestly expecting to test negative....... and I was WRONG! I tested positive. That means that my boys and my sisters have a 50/50 chance of testing positive. What I did find out is that I have up to an 87% chance of developing breast cancer.....that's where my "good grief" comes in. I will be looking into what exactly i'm doing next during this month and the month of July, but I'm most likely going to be having a mastectomy at some point and hopefully sooner rather than later. I still have some stuff to learn and specialists to talk to, but that's what I want to do. I don't want to sit and wait around to be diaganosed with breast cancer, I want to take the "bull by the horns" and just do it! From what i understand, it is possible to have resconstruction at the same time.

Hey, i'm all good with it, so don't worry about me. I like to say "it is what it is". I was much more upset to think of the rest of the family having now to test and possibly undergo all this stuff as well. So we pray that the lab tests are correct and they all test negative!

Just for general info for anybody that might be faced with it....my insurance did cover the $3,800 that it costs for the comprehensive testing. Now that the gene has been detected and isolated, the family members would test for approx. $300, since they have pinpointed that particular gene.

I am currently an A cup. I will be taking feedback and opinions on what i should be next (as i would definitely would want to go bigger than that) - please feel free to weigh in on the subject. I've never been anything but an A, so i'm looking for all your "sage advice out there, men, you can weigh in, too!!!! :)

Please feel free to contact me with any questions - I'd like to be able to help anyone that may need it.

The good news - I continue to recover from my surgery and am doing better each day. I also just love my little bit of hair. The only thing is ALOT of you people out there were promising me curly hair - and I'm here to tell you that there is NOT ONE FREAKIN CURL IN SITE.

thanks and please pray for the rest of my family! laura XXOO

no chemo for laura :D

Hey, this is a long story, so i'll keep it short!
My maintenence chemo was being moved about 15 min further away (so an hour & 1/2). I did not do well with the first treatment- it was seriously messing with my brain. I contacted a local Dr. about having it moved closer to home. In the process - he suggested i don't do the maintenence chemo due to me having the brain toxicity and the fact that i've just had 2 surgeries and all my biopsies were clean ... he felt that this round may do more harm than good. SO- I'm opting out and taking my chances. It feels good not to have to go thru it again, but on the other hand - it was a "security" blanket. I see my main Dr and surgeon - Dr. A on Monday and will discuss it with him. I'll keep you posted......
thanks for always checking in with me - i really do appreciate it! XXOO laura

12 days hospital/surgery + 11 days of not eating = 8 pound weight gain......PRICELESS

HEY ALL! I missed you, thanks so much for stopping by. As many of you know i made another trip to the ememergency room at the end of April.... UGGHH! I had surgery, this time cut open, to remove 3 inches of my small intestine and remove some various scar tissue and adhesions that were deciding to dwell in my abdomen. You know i love my graphic photos........sorry and thanks for playing along... haha.
Happy to report the staples are gone and i'm doing well (and yes, lost the 8 pounds plus a little more - i was REAL hungry for most of those 11 days.. not an easy feat!) My pathology report once again came back all negative for cancer. Thank God for that one! I'm supposed to get back on track with my maintenence chemo, which i'm now behind in. I had trouble with the first dose, so i'm going to try breaking it down to 3 times a month instead of once a month and see if that helps. It's messing with my brain, and i really need every brain cell i can manage. Also, i'm in the process of trying to move my chemo closer to home, so i'm still working on that. I'll post that info when i know i'm going again.

Second 2 pictures are from Mother's Day. My older son, Drew, didn't get home - he'll be home this weekend, but Alex came home and i think... got his haircut to look just like me (no, probably not). But, i thought I definitely have to post this picture and you can decide who has more hair! (except he has no grey) Bartt wins the most hair contest... but also the most grey........... - i wonder who made him so grey...... probably me and all the fun i've been this past year......haha!

You're not going to be able to see, but i'm wearing a necklace by Peggy of thebeadaerie.etsy.com and a bracelet from amy from adornbyamysingley.etsy.com. They are both ovarian cancer colors with ribbon charms and just so cute!

my new quicky chemo!

Hey there kids! I had my first round of maintenence chemo, taxotere, today, and it ain't no april fools joke... i have pics to prove it. Well, instead of it being like 6 or 7 hours, it's now only 2.5 to 3 hours......that's a nice change. I haven't had chemo since the begining of Feb. - so i was catching up with some old friends today and everybody seems to be doing good. Pictured second is my friend, Judy, who is very crafty and very talented when it comes to home improvement projects. She made her own kitchen cabinet doors for her kitchen and tiled.. and painted... and counter tops. Whew - i needed a nap after listening to her. She is one month ahead of me, so she's like my 'chemo mommy' and i always email her with the laundry list of questions! She's very helpful, especially that her journey is similar to mine. She's been luckier in the hair department than me! If you look REAL REAL hard, you'll see i have a little crop of hair coming in and finally got eyebrows back this week, so i'm not using a pencil anymore and i don't have to worry about them rubbing off.....at least for the time being.

Pictured first is my Dad, Jim Reese, and his friend Rosemary, they were my drivers today. She is also going thru maintenence chemo- and her hair is coming back in and is cute as a button! She is fun (just like my dad) has lots of energy and my family just loves her!!!

Drew and Alex will be in very quick and back to school Sunday afternoon. Looking forward to some extra laundry.

Thanks for checking in and a very Happy Easter to all - i'm hoping not to be 'tossing' up my dinner or peanut butter eggs..... laura XXOO