Update 3/6

Hi all,
I know it has been a couple of weeks since I've posted anything. I had the opportunity to attend a couple of conferences out of town so I went and they were great. I came back on Sunday and was pretty wiped and then spent yesterday preparing to participate in worship last night at the women's monthly event called Jacob's Well. It was really cool becuase Paul Talley, Dave Harrison and Kevin Haerr played and Sandi Kelley sang. Dana Chapman was ill with the flu so he wasn't able to be there but the ladies seemed really happy to have a full band. I was glad that the guys were up for it.
On the medical front, here's what's going on. I had treatment yesterday morning and felt fine afterwards, though today I'm totally shattered. I've spent most of the day in bed other than a visit to the dermatologist where he removed something abnormal and stitched me up. It's not associated with any of the breast cancer stuff. I'm just being pro-active in removing a suspicious mole. Anyway, I feel really out of it today. I think yesterday was a lot going on and maybe too much. I feel like I've learned to slow way down, which is good, but two major things like treatment and worship on the same day is too taxing, I think. So, now I know for next time.
I'll have a PET scan (a way of detecting recurrence of the cancer I had anywhere in the body) this coming Friday and then a visit with my oncologist to review the results next Monday along with the echocardiagram they did on my heart recently (just to make srue the chemo drugs didn't cause any damage). I'm planning on doing a PET scan every three months for the first year and then every six months and then annually following that unless Dr. Luke advises otherwise. Other than that, I'm still doing Herceptin every three weeks until August (that was yesterday's treatment), blood tests as needed and tamoxifen daily. I really haven't noticed any side effects from the tamoxifen which is great. I'll get my port removed in August after my last treatment.
One thing that continues to bother me is the mobility issues with my shoulders and my neck is bothered as well. I'll go to physical therapy on Thursday, but James DiBari suggested that I see his friend Marilyn who has really helped him with a breakthrough on his shoulder. Since she employs a variety of techniques and not just pt protocal perhaps that will help. Being out of town and not on my regular regimen probably also hasnt' helped, but I'm back to a regular schedule tomorrow.
On a side note, I feel like my mind is not as sharp as it was, so I'm thinking that I need to do something to get it in shape. I'm doing a lot of reading and even journaling, but I might take up sudoku since I've heard that helps with brain stuff. Seriously, I find myself doing ditzy things and not being able to remember someone's name or something like that. In general, I just feel like my brain is a bit in slow motion. It's kind of nice to be operating slowly on the one hand, but when I need my neural pathways they seem to be a little cluttered at times.
If you have any suggestions for me, let me know.
So, overall, I'm improving though I still have my blah days like this one where I've just basically been in bed most of the day, but I'm soo so grateful that I can be. I still don't feel like I have the reserve built back up that has been depleted, like there was a margin there and it is really thin and brittle (like my nails are at the moment, incedentally probably due to th meds). I've now realized that embracing the opportunity to rest and recharge is really wonderful and I thank God for it rather than thinking that I "should" be doing a million things. Bottom line is that busy-ness isn't healthy and especially for me right now when I feel stressed out, I just slow down. I wonder how long it will take for me to feel as recharged as I did. People that it takes awhile even though I'm through the tough stuff. I'm just grateful for each day and to have friends like you.

blessings,
Julie