As Rosanna Rosanna Dana used to say...

...oh...nevermind.

I've spent the last 15 minutes trying to figure out Mary's camera and take a photo of my new hair. I finally got it right and loaded it into iPhoto. I look nearly exactly the same as I do in the shot already posted of me and Joe...taken in November right after I got the remainder of my locks shaved off super short. Kind of anti-climatic.

So I think I'll wait until I can snap a barrette in there or something, then send ya'll a shot.

Eighteen down!

Hi faithful fans, just a quick update to let you know I'm still plugging along. I've finished 18 radiation treatments and have 5 more to do that include the "full field" — basically the upper left quadrant of my torso. Then they'll do a ratiation boost 9 times to the tumor bed. So far, besides being fatigued, I don't notice much in the way of side affects.

My hair is getting longer and if I can just find some batteries for Mary's camera, I may try to get a shot to post (still depressingly on the gray side!)

Because of my tired state and a cold that's been making the rounds in the Weitz house, Team Shelly has pitched in and I've had some great food this week...heavy overtones of chocolate thanks to Valentine's Day.

My good friend Lauren is in town (many of you know her, even if you won't admit it) and she may be a "guest blogger" later today. We've both slipped into 70s New Jersey jargon which is really decent! (come on, admit it... you used to say it too!)

The Write Stuff

Mostly I've been talking about cancer stuff here, and yet I named the blog Shelly Writes — a nod to my work in marketing, originally as a copy writer. I think I did that for two reasons:

First, I'm a little self-conscience about focusing so much on me and the big C.

Second, I have visions of this blog continuing after we've all gotten sick of hearing about my health. I'd love it to morph into something more closely tied to the work I do.

So here's a URL I passed on to my colleagues last week, a site I found that intrigues me:

http://www.visualthesaurus.com

When you put a word in this thesaurus it dynamically shows you related words and allows you to easily explore relationships. It's very similar to the way most of us use a thesaurus...look up one word that leads to another...that leads to another...and so on. You can try it for free but then you've got to ante up. (Although it's not very pricey.)

That's it for now...speaking of work, I better get to it!

Hot and Bothered

Actually, that should read "Hot and Tired" since my number one complaint/whine/challenge is that the chemo has apparently sent me into fast and early menopause (which is what the docs want) and I'm having hot flashes. Mostly they're at night — about every hour, so sleep has been a problem. I wake up — not knowing what woke me. Then the heat comes for a few minutes so I throw off the covers and take off my cap (necessary in winter when you're bald.) Then I lie there and wait for the heat to subside and the inevitable chill to take hold so I can recover and "recap."

So that's kind of a drag, but radiation so far is pretty painless (just totally weird and a bit of a bother). Today I go for my 10th of 32 treatments. I'm getting a little "tan" where the radiation hits me, but that's it so far. My helpful little sister Virginia suggested I might want to stock up on bronzer to bring the rest of my body along.

Then I meet with my radiation oncologist (a regular weekly checkup)...then it's off to my surgeon for my 3 month checkup. So I'm a little rushed this morning but wanted to tell you all one important thing and one joke.

The important thing: In honor of my dear friend Lauren — who nearly died several years ago save for some miraculous blood transfusions — I used to give blood pretty regularly. Now, since my veins are shot (from the chemo IVs), not to mention the cancer seeping through me, it looks like I won't be able to for the foreseeble future. So...you all ask what you can do to help me? GIVE BLOOD! You'll be doing it in my stead and helping many, many that need it desparately.

Now the joke (complements of my friend Dov and his young daughter).

A woman wakes up with only three hairs on her head. "Great — I'll braid them," she says. She then braids her hairs and goes out to have a super day.

The next morning she wakes up with only two hairs on her head. "I think I'll part them down the middle," she says. She does, goes out and has a great day.

The next morning she wakes up with only one hair on her head. "Super! I think I'll wear a pony tail," she says. She puts in her pony tail, goes out and enjoys her day.

The next morning she wakes up bald. "Wonderful!" she exclaims. "Now I don't have to waste time doing my hair!"

(Dov swears this is not a chemo joke...ha!)