East meets West documented in treatment #10 December 1st

Round #10 with just two more treatments to go and we are in the throws of the holidays....visitors, cooking, and chemotherapy.  Yikes....Michael is my knight in shinning armor and accompanied me to treatment this time and took care of me for my three days. Did I remember to say "Thank you"...

So as I had described in previous posts my dear friend David Greenhouse with Greenhouse

Holistic has been a guiding light for my alternative treatments including acupuncture.  My acupuncturist Myung-Jin threw no false punches when first interviewing me back in July. Acupuncture would not cure my cancer.  What acupuncture would do and has done for me throughout my treatment - was to aid me in managing pain as the chemotherapy drugs caused tremendous nerve pain in my ears and chest when breathing, manage nerve issues in my hands and feet and aid me in keeping my menstrual cycle regular. Often during chemotherapy neuropathy is quite common - a numbing sensation in the hands and feet as well as a complete loss of menstrual cycles.   My experience of neuropathy has been up and down - but I did retain my menstrual cycle throughout my course of treatment which my doctors found to be a bit mysterious. I attribute these successes to my acupuncture and a diet high in raw fresh juices, fruit and vegetables.  

The plastic tube in the pictures is the chemotherapy pump that I come home with for two days and then we disconnect from the port - so every other week my acupuncture treatments took place while I was having my chemo treatment.  At first I wondered if I would implode!

In addition to the physical health benefits the calming effects of the acupuncture aided in keeping a mental balance and a place where I went once a week that my practitioner not only new but expected me to have a very layered experience at this time in my life.  

My daughter's lovely boyfriend is building his portfolio and I needed a good photographer to record my treatments...photographs by Joe Cruz.

Three things to be grateful for:

1) Friends who are so giving - David and Michelle Greenhouse I can never thank you enough!

2) Mynug-Jin Chung my highly skilled acupuncturist

3) Joe Cruz...thank you for loving my daughter so sweetly and sharing yourself with us

Peace

Jen

Giving Back to The People's Firehouse and NAG - Engine Company 212

So as my treatments are coming to an end I have been rallied on my good weeks to help my community and those who have helped me.

Felice and Jane are leading the capital campaign committee for The People's Firehouse and Neighbors Allied for Good Growth to renovate the Firehouse Engine 212 to be the new home for these two beloved neighborhood non-profits. For those who are unfamiliar The People's Firehouse has organized for the Williamsburg community since the 70's when Engine 212 first faced a shut down and from that time served as a community watch for fire protection - see the WNET film.

Neighbors Allied for Good Growth literally shaped the waterfront of Williamsburg Brooklyn with a number of other key groups and our Community Board. NAG has tirelessly advocated for an inclusive community where not only the gentrification creates accessibility but that they our neighborhood - community is a continue refection in the minds eye of development.

Building the Northside Town Hall
The Engine 212 firehouse was one of several decommissioned in May 2003 after a bitter community fight. The three-story, 6,000 square-foot building will now be given back to the community to become the Northside Town Hall Community and Cultural Center. After a competitive proposal process, Neighbors Allied for Good Growth and The People’s Firehouse, Inc. were awarded the rights to adaptively reuse the former firehouse located at 134 Wythe Avenue in Northside Williamsburg as a community center. The newly redesigned building will house office and meeting space for the groups and other community organizations, as well as exhibition and performance space for local arts organizations. The two organizations are now engaged in a $1.9 million capital campaign to fund the redevelopment of the former firehouse site.

So now it is our turn...both of these organizations need our help to make this all come true. Please email if you have an interest in helping in any way - armproductions@aol.com

Stay posted for updates

Jen

Give Thanks with family and friends - November 2008

A picture says a thousand words, or maybe one special word - family.  It has become a tradition for Adrianne and Jeff to have us over for Thanksgiving dinner.  We do the turkey and a few sides...this year we tried a delicious cornbread stuffing with fresh corn and cheddar cheese.  Yum!  Adrianne makes the most amazing pecan pie - straight from Austin Texas!  It was wonderful to have Barbara - Michael and Jeff's mom and Amelia home from school.

Deb & Steve had us over for a lovely post Thanksgiving bouillabaisse with new friends to meet and old ones to visit with.  The food was delectable and great to see Allie and Brian...thank you Deb.

You know when life forces you to think about the moment your in, each becomes so much more precious.  It is hard to go through something like cancer and not be affected in a way that makes you grateful, thankful...I am sure it may get tiring for others to hear, for me in this year I never tire of the love I am so fortunate to be surrounded by.

With so many unexpected things happening - losses in the economy with jobs, savings and homes I think about what shapes us.  If we can all remember it is not money, the size of our homes - it is our character, the love and hope demonstrated in times of trial that our friends and family will remember.  To all who are facing loss, hold on for the shape of a new you to come from whatever you may go through.

Happy Thanksgiving to the world....

Jen

Round 9 November 17 - Mrs. Engel to the rescue

O.k so a little time to myself was more than I was really prepared to handle so my posse has gathered around and Vicki joined me at chemo.  I wonder how it is for my friends to see me in that position....hooked up with the IV of drugs that say "cancer treatment"?  With so many different drugs preparing me to actually get through the treatment - steroids, vicodin, ativan, the Emend...by the time I leave the haze has set in and I need the loving arms of another to get me home.  Kinda like the old days when party'in too hard meant a chaperon - a friend or my sister.   That was a long, long time ago and this feels much different - like I am old and vulnerable like a child at the same time.

Vicki sat with me through the whole thing - we love to chatter on about family and who is doing what.  We left and she got me in the car and into the apartment then onto the couch.   The afternoon light was coming in and the living room was warm from the sunshine - it was inviting.  We chatted a bit more and Vicki was off - Lilly curled up with me on the couch for company and warmth.

These are friends I only hope to have for so long - that I may be there for Vickie, Jamie and Ryan whenever they may need.

Three things to be grateful for:

1) I have company and conversation on chemo days and many others too

2) That my home is warm and comfortable so that I may feel cozy and protected

3) That we have only 3 more treatments to go!

Birthday November 9th turning 46

I woke up early - 4:00 AM.  There had been lots of talk among family with my birthday coming up.  Birth is our first recognition of our arrival into this experience of "life"...so it was no wonder while going through cancer treatment that the idea of being here still and making a birthday was touching my family.  I don't know which is harder - the idea of an illness taking my life and pondering that thought and what happens with death or how my family and loved ones would be affected.  I know these comments are hard to hear....and I did have a birthday and it was wonderful.

We started the day very early - I felt compelled to see the sunrise and Michael was kind enough to join me for a ride out to Rockaway beach.  Living in NYC seeing the sunrise, actually coming up over the horizon takes a bit of effort - and when you do the reward is fantastic, humbling...that life is so much bigger than us which was a perfect way to start the day.

That whole idea of life being bigger than us became a bit of the theme for the day - once we recovered from our early morning rise we headed off to the Museum of Natural History and the origins of man wing...it was all so spontaneous and not planned and turned out to be a perfect way to spend the day.  Just think of the whale that hangs over the hall of sea life and how big that is - huge and how small we are in comparison!  Or the tree base showing the rings of life 

for hundreds of years!  You know we all have such a finite experience here and we often forget to celebrate each moment - don't worry too much about what has happened or what may happen.  Yeah it so much easier said than done....we all just need to try.

Happy days and birthdays to you all...Michael thank you for the very special day.

xoxoxo

Jen