3 Year Cancerversary

This month on September 21st I "celebrated" my three year cancerversary. It's hard to believe that it has been three years since I was first diagnosed! So much has happened in that time and a lot has happened just in the past year.

 

 

Three Years Since Diagnosis

 

 

The timing of this anniversary always lines up with the San Diego Brain Tumor Foundation 5K and for the third year I assembled a group of tutu'd friends to join Team Mokie. This year was our biggest team yet and we raised just over $1200! I'm grateful for everyone who came out to join the walk this year (babies and children in tow!) to help me celebrate yet another year of living life to the fullest.

 

 

Team  Mokie 2015

Team Mokie Funfetti Tutus

$1200 Raised This Year!

 

 

In the past year I also celebrated my 20 year high school reunion (OMG I'm old...) and David and I returned to Washington DC to participate in the National Brain Tumor Society's advocacy event Head to the Hill to lobby for support for brain cancer research.

 

 

Class of 94!

California Constituents on Capitol Hill

 

 



One of the biggest events that has occurred since my last cancerversary was the birth of our daughter two months ago! Last year we were in the planning stages for my pregnancy and I was pregnant soon after the 5K, but not until I was able to squeeze in two more active events; the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon 10-Miler and the Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure's Over the Edge Fundraiser.

 

 

Medtronic Global Heroes Team

Over the Edge for Brain Cancer

 

 

As of my last MRI a little over a month ago my tumor is still stable and besides being tired from caring for a newborn I feel great! I'm looking forward to what this next year will hold and most of all I'm looking forward to celebrating many more cancerversaries and watching my little Eva Mae grow up. Life is different now with a baby, and life is definitely better.

 

 

Date Night - Baby Style

 

 

 

 

My 2014

We're a little over 1/3 of the way into 2015, so in usual tardy form I'm posting my belated look back at 2014. Some of the delay is due to the time it took me to put together my one-second-a-day video from 2014, and most of the delay is from not wanting to reveal my year-end secret just yet (which you'll see at the end of the video).

 

Last year was a pretty big year for me, filled with a lot of racing, travel, doctors appointments, and most notably Tutugate and the fallout from that.

 

In 2014 I completed:

• one full marathon
• three half marathons
• one 10 miler
• two 15Ks
• two 5Ks
• five triathlons (including one half-Ironman)
• and rappelled down a 35 story building

I also traveled a lot for work and personal reasons and visited:

• Fort Lauderdale
• Las Vegas
• Phoenix
• Napa/San Francisco
• New York
• Miami
• Las Vegas
• Las Vegas
• Washington DC
• New York
• Maui
• Las Vegas
• West Virginia/New Hampshire
• Sonoma/San Francisco
• Minneapolis
• Chicago
• San Francisco
• Maryland

Gee, only four trips to Vegas? Ugh. The year was also filled with somewhat more doctors visits than normal with a total of:

• 31 doctors appointments
• 14 blood tests
• 3 MRIs
• 1 eyelid surgery

Thank goodness for health insurance! Although the cost and time involved with this level of health care is still a burden that I wish I didn't have to deal with. On the brain cancer front David and I attended OMG Vegas with Stupid Cancer for the second year, participated in the "Head to the Hill" brain tumor advocacy event for the first time and I also celebrated my two year cancerversary.

 

We also saw two concerts last year (and several more this year!) and saw my beloved Toad the Wet Sprocket from Santa Barbara and the Trans Siberian Orchestra at Christmas time.

 

Last but not least I got to feel like a celebrity several times this year with an interview in the UT San Diego about "Courage Through Cancer", being interviewed by NBC, CBS and others about Tutugate, going on the Katie Couric show (most amazing thing ever!), being featured in a follow-up online interview in Self Magazine with a small feature in their print magazine, speaking at Skyline Elementary about "Why I Love My Brain", and lastly getting to be on the Medtronic Global Heroes team.

 

Last year was great, and I'm looking forward to an even better 2015!

 

 

My 2014 - One Second of Video a Day

 

 

 

 

2 Year Cancerversary

Last Sunday on September 21st I celebrated my two year cancerversary. I'm not quite sure if it's actually a day to celebrate though. Sure, I have survived cancer for two years and feel great each day, but that day in 2012 was a horrible devastating day, and it's strange to feel like each time that date comes around on the calendar it's means for celebration. I'm also only 36 so celebrating having lived from 34 to 36 doesn't seem quite right either. David and I talked a lot about the meaning of the date and I think for me its a reference point to look back on to compare how far I've come in that time.

 

 

Cancerversary Dinner at Cowboy Star

 

 

In the past two years a lot has happened, both with cancer and with the rest of my life. On the cancer side since diagnosis I went through brain surgery, 6 weeks of radiation with low dose chemo, 12 months of 5 day cycles of high dose chemo, and endless blood tests, MRIs and doctors appointments. And of course the never ending bills that are associated with all of that. Ugh. On the personal side of life I've changed jobs, gotten married, moved, seen the Glam Runner business explode (thanks Tutugate!), and have continued to run, race, ran three more marathons, and even completed my first half Ironman.

 

 

Finally a Half Ironwoman!

 

 

These past two years have gone quickly, and it's really hard to believe sometimes that I'm living with cancer and feel perfectly fine. Not that I want to feel sick, but sometimes I really can't believe that I can feel perfectly healthy, have no side effects, carry on with a normal active life ... and yet I have something inside my body that is trying to kill me.

 

I'm trying to do what I can to stay healthy and positive, and the most recent thing that David and I have done is enroll in the 8-week Natural Healing and Cooking program through UCSD's Center for Integrative Medicine. I saw a doctor there recently who specializes in treating cancer patients from a whole body perspective. Diet, lifestyle, activity, etc. I really believe that all of these factors play into the prevention and treatment of disease, and with little in my control right now with my brain cancer and no cure on the horizon, I feel that this is the least I can do and the best I can do.

 

 

Natural Healing & Cooking

 

 

My cancerversary falls on the same weekend as the San Diego Brain Tumor Foundation 5K oddly enough, and last year and this year I had a group of friends join me in the race as Team Mokie. It was great to see everyone out there running and walking in their tutus, and I really appreciate everyone who came out to support me.

 

 Team Mokie 2014

My Fave Running Partner

Unicorn Running Team

My Awesome Oncologist

 

A few days after the 5K I had my next MRI, and the Baizes were nice enough to continue their tradition of meeting David and I for dinner before I headed in for my scan. The weeks, days, and hours leading up to an MRI are filled with anxiety, and having a fun distraction is always welcome.

 

 

Pre-MRI Dinner Tradition

 

 

Good news - but my MRI looks great! My tumor is still stable when compared to my previous MRI, and better than that when we compared it to a MRI from earlier last year you could see significant shrinkage in some areas! I can now relax again for a few months until my next MRI, and can go back to appreciating feeling healthy and symptom free.

 

This weekend David and I are heading to Minneapolis for the Medtronic Marathon 10 miler, and later this month I'll be rappelling down the side of the Manchester Grand Hyatt again to help raise money for brain cancer research trough ABC2's Over the Edge event. Want to support me? You can donate here.

 

 

Last Long Run

 

 

Here's to two years of living life to the fullest, and many more years to come.

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Events

Over the next month or so I have a number of events coming up that should be pretty fun. First up is the San Diego Brain Tumor Foundation 5K. This race falls on a meaningful weekend for me, and I'm happy to have a group of friends joining me for the walk again as part of Team Mokie.

 

 

Team Mokie 2013 

 

 

Last year this race fell on the same weekend that I had to run 20 miles in preparation for the Long Beach Marathon, so a group of us ran 10 miles before the 5K, ran the 5K, and then ran 7 miles after. Fortunately, this weekend has nothing crazy like that planned, and I only expect to be tutu-ing around for 3.1 miles on Saturday.

 

This coming weekend is a big weekend for me since it is my 2-year cancerversary. I was diagnosed with brain cancer on September 21, 2012, a day I will never forget. Instead of mourning the day/weekend its nice to have a fun activity planned to celebrate two years of living life to the fullest.

 

Early next month David and I will be heading to Minneapolis to run the Twin Cities Medtronic Marathon 10 Miler. Yes! I was able to talk David into another distance event with me!

 

 

Medtronic 10 Miler Course

 

 

I was recently honored with becoming a part of the Medtronic Global Heroes team, a team of 24 runners from around the world who are living with an implantable medical device. As a benefit of the team they are flying David and I out to Minneapolis for the weekend where we will take part in a number of group events in addition to the race. As part of the PR leading up to the event I did an interview with Fox News about the event, my running, and living with cancer. The full interview can be found here.

 

 

Fox 5 Interview

 

 At the end of October I have another event, but not a running one. This year I will take part in Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure's Over the Edge fundraiser for the second year in a row. This event involves rappelling 365 feet down the side of the Manchester Grand Hyatt, the highest building along the San Diego waterfront. Its terrifying, but fun.

 

 

Over the Edge 2013

 

 

 

 

If you'd like to support my fundraising for Over the Edge you can do so here, and see a recap and my video from last year here. Thank you in advance for your support!

 

 

 

One Year Cancerversary

One year ago this week I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After months and months of terrible headaches - including three visits to my primary care physician, a handful of appointments to two different chiropractors, and many many massages which did nothing to help - I finally got to see a neurologist to get to the root of the problem.

Day Before Diagnosis - Fun Day At Dreamforce

During my visit with the neurologist he gave me the impression that he didn't think my headaches indicated anything serious, referred me to physical therapy for "neck spasms" with a follow up with him in a month, and referred me off for an MRI. I had my MRI the following week, and two days after that appointment that I received "The Call". 

I was told the doctor needed to see me right away - that afternoon - and that he wasn't even scheduled to come in that day but was coming in just to see me. I agreed to come in a few hours later and called David to meet me there. In the mean time I was on my way to meet a friend for lunch and had a really hard time keeping it together. I felt like crying. I felt like puking. I had no idea what to expect. Later that afternoon I received the news - I had a brain tumor. Along with delivering this news my doctor also said to me "This looks bad. This looks REALLY bad." Shouldn't doctors not phrase things like that?

He then continued to say to me "I don't know how you're taking this so well. If it was me, I wouldn't be." Okay, so I was crying. Was that not an indication of this not being good news for me? What was wrong with this guy?? Luckily that day was the last I time I saw him. It was my last appointment with neurology, and soon after I had my first appointments with neurosurgery, neurooncology, and  radiation oncology. (All of those doctors by the way were awesome.)

Two weeks after receiving the "really bad" news, I was in the hospital for surgery. I had a tumor biopsy and shunt placement, but sadly no tumor resection since my tumor was considered inoperable.

Day After Surgery - Channeling Brett Michaels

After surgery I did emergency in vitro fertilization and embryo freezing to preserve my eggs before chemo tainted them, and then I started a six week regimen of daily radiation and oral chemo.

My Eggs Are Safe!

Radiation and chemo went quickly, and with the start of the new year I went from a low daily dose of  chemo to a higher dose with a 5 days on/23 days off regimen. 

Graduation Day From Radiation

Starting My New Dose Of Chemo

Along the way I became paranoid and worried about every little thing that seemed "off" with me. Early in the year I thought I found a lump in my neck and feared that thyroid cancer was next. Fortunately it was nothing and I didn't have a secondary cancer to worry about. One benefit of having cancer is that your health concerns are taken seriously, and addressed almost immediately. When I first asked for a MRI for my headaches it took months and a few appointments before I received a referral. Post diagnosis it only took one conversation with my neurooncologist regarding being worried about thyroid cancer before he immediately referred me for a neck ultrasound.

Lump Near My Thyroid

Medical Consultation With David's Mom Via Text Message

The past year has gone very quickly and really wasn't as bad as I had expected. I didn't quite know what to expect, but I feared for the worst. I was afraid I'd be tired, sick, bald, and on disability. I'm happy to say that for the most part (aside from my diagnosis), this past year has been great. I've continued to run, I'm still racing, I've continued working full-time, my friends and family have been amazingly supportive, and best of all life has gone on.

Due to surgery I was forced to miss a marathon I was training for last October, but I was able to run my first "Powered by Chemo" marathon this past March. I also ran two half marathons, two 15Ks, four 5Ks, and a 4-mile race. Now don't you feel lazy? JK ;o)

Team Mokie With Mokie On A Stick At The Marine Corps Marathon

First "Race" Post Surgery ... We Walked
Color Run - November 2012

First Running 5K Post Surgery
Jingle Bell 5K - December 2012

Resolution Run 15K - January 2013

First Half Marathon During Chemo

Mermaid Half Marathon - February 2013

Cardiff Kook Run - February 2013

First Marathon During Chemo

LA Marathon - March 2013

LA Brain Tumor 5K - May 2013

San Francisco Half Marathon - June 2013

Coronado 15K - July 2013

End of Summer Fire Run - August 2013

I've cut back on my running and racing a lot since my diagnosis, but have started to enjoy cheering for races that I might have once participated in.

Cheering At The San Diego Half Marathon

Cheering At The San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon

Over the past year the hair I lost to surgery and radiation has started to grow back, and I'm fortunate enough to be on a chemo that hasn't taken the rest.

Radiation Hairloss Rihanna Style

Radiation Hair Growing Out Ungracefully

Hair Shaved For Surgery Slowly Growing Out

 Missing Hair Disguised By Hair Extensions

The biggest and best news from this past year by far was that I got engaged to, and later married David. Marrying David has been a dream come true, and getting to spend a long life with him is my daily motivation to do what I can to beat this "incurable" cancer.

David Proposed After His Birthday Dinner

Married In Maui July 20th

I celebrated a pivotal birthday this past year (the big 3-5!) and really enjoyed and appreciated the milestone that a birthday was - another year of living!

Mika Turned 10 In April

"Monailk" Celebrated 35 In June :)

Kona Turned 9 In July

This past year has also shown me how much love I have from friends, family, and coworkers, and through cancer I have surprisingly made new friends as well.

Cards From Loved Ones Near And Far

Brain Tumor Warriors - Living With Cancer

Stupid Cancer Holiday Celebration

Relay For Life La Jolla

I've had friends, family, running friends, and strangers continue to show their support through Miles for Mokie, and my Girls on the Run friends even put on a Miles for Mokie walk complete with tiaras and tutus on the day that I was supposed to run the Marine Corps Marathon in the Fall.

Miles for Mokie Walk

Wisconsin Family Showing Miles for Mokie Love

Fellow San Francisco Marathon Ambassador Love

Cousin Giselle's Tri Miles for Mokie

 Girls on the Run Miles for Mokie

 Cousin Donna's Miles for Mokie

As I've started to slow down and focus less on PRs, racing for time, and the endless competition with myself, I've been able to enjoy running more for the social aspect and friendships that it brings.

 Running With Simone By The Harbor

Running With Tara In Maui

Running Powered By Schwings! Shoe-Wings

 

Girls On The Run Coaches And Friends

Girls On The Run Love To Run!

My one year cancerversary gives me somewhat mixed feelings. I'm sad thinking back to a year ago when my life was disrupted by this horrible disease, but I'm happy thinking about how full my life has been and how many great things have happened over the past year. My cancer has no cure and the future is still unknown, but I'm proud to say that cancer hasn't stopped me from living life to the fullest.

Cue Beyonce "I'm A Survivor"

If you'd like to celebrate this past year with me and and many more to come, please consider making a tax deductible donation to my fundraising efforts for the neurooncology lab at UCSD where I'm currently being treated. Brain cancer takes too many lives each year, and I don't want it to take mine. Cheers to my one year cancerversary, and many more to come!

Click here for information about donating.