Gadding About at My Son's Wedding---29 years ago.

Michael and Meredith's Wedding; The Wedding Party.

I woke up this morning and thought "October 14, Michael and Meredith's Wedding Anniversary".  It prompted me to look back at some photos from that happy day.  So here's a look back to October 14, 1989.

I'm with Meredith, the bride. 

Here I am with Michael, the groom. 

Mom adjusting Michael's tie. 

Michael with his Dad and Best Man. 

Michael feeling faint?

My two sons, Michael and Patrick. 

With the parents. 

Cutting the cake. 

First dance. 

Dancing with Dan. 

Catch the bouquet. 

In the Limo leaving for their honeymoon.  

1989 was a big year for me.  In addition to Michael & Meredith's wedding, Dan and I tied the knot on June 3, 1989, and in December of that year I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. I'm sad to say that Dan is no longer here, but Michael and Meredith are happily married and have added four wonderful children to their family, and I am a 29 year survivor of breast cancer.  It was fun looking back at this date in 1989. 

Mack and Mack in Greensboro

Mack and Mack

Recently my friend Mary gave me a flyer from Mack and Mack a women’s apparel designer, manufacturer and retail shop in Downtown Greensboro, North Carolina that offers an affordable and fun couturier experience. I had lamented to Mary that it was difficult for me to find jackets that fit because of lymphedema in my left arm as a result of breast cancer twenty years ago.  My left arm is larger than my right so a jacket that fits my right arm and body is too tight in the left arm.  Mary thought Mack and Mack might be a good resource for jackets because they can do special sizings.

The interior of Mack and Mack.

The other day when friend Virginia and I were on our way to Opa, a Greek restaurant in downtown Greensboro, we happened to pass by Mack and Mack.  After lunch we went into the shop in search for a jacket.  Happily, they are making me a jacket that will fit.  The body and right arm will be one size and the left sleeve will be made larger to fit my arm.  Hurrah!!!!  I was able to choose a design and fabric that I liked.  They have six seamstresses in the back of the downtown store that make the clothes that have been designed by their designer with fabrics they have chosen.  It's a fun store.

Fabric for my jacket.

In addition to the clothes they make, they have a nice selection of scarves, handbags, and jewelry from other vendors. 

They have an interesting collection of jewelry.

Pretty scarf and pretty jewelry.

There's a collection of "rabbits" throughout the store including these whimsical ones.

Their resident dog was very friendly.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first shopping experience at Mack and Mack's and am eager to return for another, and I'm looking forward to the new jacket that should be ready in about three weeks.

My Chemo Brain or Why Can't I Remember?

 
As a 22-year survivor of breast cancer, I took special notice when I saw results of a recent study, Your Brain After Chemo.  CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil) was a combination of drugs used between 1976 and 1995 to treat early-stage breast cancer, and it was the treatment I received in 1990.

I had the choice between CAF (adriamyacin instead of methotrexate) or CMF*, and after I looked into the pros and cons of each, my Duke oncologist and I decided on the CMF.  One possible side effect of CAF was heart damage and since I had a slight heart murmur, we thought CMF was the better choice. It was not known then that long-term memory loss was a side effect of CMF.  Still I probably would have risked memory loss rather than heart damage.

I wish I could have participated in this study to see how my memory compared with women who had not received chemo.  In the study, the women who had undergone chemo fared much worse in verbal memory and other cognitive skills than the control group of women who had never had cancer

Unlike some women who had undergone CMF, I did not notice memory problems during or immediately after treatment.  It's been only the last few years that I have had trouble recalling certain words.  Now I wonder are those merely Senior moments or results of my chemo 22 years ago? Anyway my heart is still ticking away just fine!!!

This results of this study were just released by the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Oh my goodness, I just FORGOT, I haven't finished reading Nora Ephron's new book.

I must finish reading this book.

*CMF is no longer used for early-stage breast cancer.