tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-152917432011-04-21T17:07:43.536-05:00Thoughts, inspirations and aspirations of a former "everyday" girl transformed by, of all things, cancer. A get-through-it guide for all the other girls, their friends and families and a roadmap to the proverbial silver lining.DreamGirl05http://www.blogger.com/profile/05610862389193474628noreply@blogger.comBlogger71100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15291743.post-1126125298140573452005-09-07T15:23:00.000-05:002005-09-07T15:34:58.146-05:00

My first meeting with Louanne Roarke (Vice President, CTFA Foundation) and Lisa Burris (Director, LGFB Field Coordination) of CTFA was at my home-away-from-home or perhaps my new office, the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown. From my many phone conversations with Lisa I knew who she was the moment I saw her in the lobby. Lisa is a sort of greater than life and bigger than the pettiness that

DreamGirl05http://www.blogger.com/profile/05610862389193474628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15291743.post-1126124536121652992005-09-01T15:20:00.000-05:002005-09-07T15:22:16.126-05:00

As I mentioned before, I attended a Look Good Feel Better, LGFB, session at Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center, my will to keep up appearances was determined and I was oh so confident that I would be able to do so after attending. Finally I’m getting around to writing about what started this whole blog and as one may wonder, “What the heck is a DreamGirl?” An annual fund raising event entitled

DreamGirl05http://www.blogger.com/profile/05610862389193474628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15291743.post-1124812752249339402005-08-23T10:57:00.000-05:002005-08-23T10:59:12.256-05:00

“Make mine a double, no a single, no a double” and we’re not talking espresso shots, I’m talking about my mastectomy. I decided to have a double mastectomy for many reasons. First of all because of the type of cancer I had, a mastectomy was the only option, single or double was the question. Initially I was going to have a double only if my genetic tests concluded that I carried one of the

DreamGirl05http://www.blogger.com/profile/05610862389193474628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15291743.post-1124725836703748472005-08-22T10:45:00.000-05:002005-09-02T14:51:43.996-05:00

Two and one half weeks after my first round of chemo my very thick and shoulder length blond hair started thinning dramatically, oh the things we take for granted. I decided to cut my hair cut short and have my wig styled at the same time, Charles and John at the salon were wonderful with me. I hated having short hair, especially when people would say, “oh, you cut all your hair off” or “I like

DreamGirl05http://www.blogger.com/profile/05610862389193474628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15291743.post-1124475162451895672005-08-19T13:07:00.000-05:002005-08-19T13:12:42.456-05:00

Welcome to Georgetown University Hospital, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Clinic, my home away from home. Enter the too numerous to mention wonderful people that make up the campus who made such a tremendous difference.Dr. Minetta Liu my oncologist and Dr. Donna Marie Manasseh, my breast surgeon. Two very different yet equally amazing women to whom I will forever be deeply and emotionally

DreamGirl05http://www.blogger.com/profile/05610862389193474628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15291743.post-1124371415208118772005-08-18T08:22:00.000-05:002005-08-18T08:23:35.213-05:00

One Thursday night as I got out of the shower I started crying as I shared my concerns with Scott, we both agreed no more “waiting to see if it will change”, it was time for a doctor’s visit. Of course since I had recently moved to the area and was in such great health (yeah right) I did not have local doctors yet, I called my gynecologist in Atlanta, Dr. Anne Wiskind. She recommended I

DreamGirl05http://www.blogger.com/profile/05610862389193474628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15291743.post-1124284469639783532005-08-17T08:12:00.000-05:002005-08-17T08:14:29.643-05:00

Where do I begin with my breast cancer story? Unfortunately there are too many breast cancer stories, and those stories are increasingly being told by younger women like me, I was diagnosed almost a year ago at 34. First let me start by saying that I cannot believe I’m writing this; it is so hard to accept that I was bald and still have virtually no hair and, oh my gosh, I wear a wig ack! Or

DreamGirl05http://www.blogger.com/profile/05610862389193474628noreply@blogger.com