In less than 1 week we have added over $2,000 to the fundraising efforts across the country for all the Team Jenna's. Our new grand total is $10,110 and this doesn't include any individual corporate matching funds each of you might have submitted for. This does include the wonderful match provided by the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.
Keep up the great work and know that your hard earned dollars are going to a wonderful cause, to further research and development to find a cure for cancer!
Love and appreciation,
Jenna and Rett
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Chemo Treatment #2 Completed
Yesterday was chemo treatment #2. It was Pink Theme Day! And now we only have 14 more to go until we meet Baby Girl Oesch!
Also, not sure where or why I decided to purchase those hot pink heels but they sure worked out perfectly yesterday!
Will, Cora and Avery (my nephew and nieces) posed for a picture to wish me well.
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| Natalie, Molly, Laura, Lindsey and Rett with me wearing our Pink Star Glasses! |
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| Jan and Rett with Pink Star Glasses! |
We had pink lemonade and pink long john's. Here is a picture of our tongues after eating the pink icing off the doughnuts. Thanks again to everyone for coming and sitting and helping me pass the 4 hours at the hospital. Lindsey, thanks for the goodies to keep my feet warm; Molly- thanks for the new tumbler to keep me hydrated; Jen- thanks for the fancy pedicure shoes...let's go get one; Jan- thanks for the pink blanket to snuggle with and keep me warm!
Also, not sure where or why I decided to purchase those hot pink heels but they sure worked out perfectly yesterday!
Will, Cora and Avery (my nephew and nieces) posed for a picture to wish me well.Should be a great few days as I am back on the steroids. Rett and I are headed to the Cardinals game this afternoon with the Monsanto tickets. Thanks to everyone for the continued support, love and thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Jenna
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Attitude.
Attitude.
There once was a woman who woke up one morning,
Looked in the mirror,
And noticed she had only three hairs on her head.
Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today?"
So she did and she had a wonderful day.
The next day she woke up,
Looked in the mirror
And saw that she had only two hairs on her head
"H-M-M," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today?"
So she did and she had a grand day.
The next day she woke up,
Looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.
"Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."
So she did and she had a fun, fun day.
The next day she woke up,
Looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.
"YEA!" she exclaimed,
"I don't have to fix my hair today!"
Attitude is everything.
Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply.
Author Unknown.
There once was a woman who woke up one morning,
Looked in the mirror,
And noticed she had only three hairs on her head.
Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today?"
So she did and she had a wonderful day.
The next day she woke up,
Looked in the mirror
And saw that she had only two hairs on her head
"H-M-M," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today?"
So she did and she had a grand day.
The next day she woke up,
Looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.
"Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."
So she did and she had a fun, fun day.
The next day she woke up,
Looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.
"YEA!" she exclaimed,
"I don't have to fix my hair today!"
Attitude is everything.
Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply.
Author Unknown.
Beauty is Definitely on the Outside
It is very noble of us all to say that beauty comes from within, and it does, but it comes from the outside too.
If this weren't true the cosmetics industry wouldn't be what it is. I wouldn't be brand loyal to my Maybelline mascara or my MAC powder. I wouldn't have religiously gone to the beauty salon every 10-12 weeks for a highlight and haircut and I would have saved a lot of money at the mall.
However, every morning, we wake up, get in the shower and go through our entire regimen to looks good on the outside. But looking good on the outside builds confidence in the inside.
And that is why I spent the money that I did on my "new hair" that will be accompanying me through my journey. The doctor told me I would have 10-14 days after my first treatment until I lost my hair, but my follicles fought hard and lasted 18 days!
It was Saturday afternoon and Rett and I had a 2:00 wedding to attend. I got into the shower to go through the routine listed above. I began washing my hair and it was coming out all over the place. I had strands in my hands, all over the drain, so I began to think that I was prolonging the inevitable.
Rett and I prepared shop. We laid down an old sheet, wrapped a towel around my shoulders and sat me down in a chair from the basement. At this time we had about 30 minutes to get my head shaved, "hair" on, get dressed and start driving downtown. It ended up being a blessing in disguise as Rett and I had about 2 minutes to cry and hold each other, and then we had to get down to business.
Bring on the 3/4" guard (men will know what this is; but a guard is set to the blade to keep 3/4" of hair ontop of my head)! Hair was everywhere! It was on the floor, on me, on Rett and some made it into the trashcan. And then I looked into the mirror...and I was a Chia Pet!
In the meantime, I do still have the nubbins of hair atop my head but it continues to thin. I learned a tip from another survivor to take a lint roller and rub onto my head; and this has become Rett's new favorite hobby.
If this weren't true the cosmetics industry wouldn't be what it is. I wouldn't be brand loyal to my Maybelline mascara or my MAC powder. I wouldn't have religiously gone to the beauty salon every 10-12 weeks for a highlight and haircut and I would have saved a lot of money at the mall.
However, every morning, we wake up, get in the shower and go through our entire regimen to looks good on the outside. But looking good on the outside builds confidence in the inside.
And that is why I spent the money that I did on my "new hair" that will be accompanying me through my journey. The doctor told me I would have 10-14 days after my first treatment until I lost my hair, but my follicles fought hard and lasted 18 days!
It was Saturday afternoon and Rett and I had a 2:00 wedding to attend. I got into the shower to go through the routine listed above. I began washing my hair and it was coming out all over the place. I had strands in my hands, all over the drain, so I began to think that I was prolonging the inevitable.
Rett and I prepared shop. We laid down an old sheet, wrapped a towel around my shoulders and sat me down in a chair from the basement. At this time we had about 30 minutes to get my head shaved, "hair" on, get dressed and start driving downtown. It ended up being a blessing in disguise as Rett and I had about 2 minutes to cry and hold each other, and then we had to get down to business.
Bring on the 3/4" guard (men will know what this is; but a guard is set to the blade to keep 3/4" of hair ontop of my head)! Hair was everywhere! It was on the floor, on me, on Rett and some made it into the trashcan. And then I looked into the mirror...and I was a Chia Pet! My hair was gone; the hair that was just getting so full of bounce and shine from the pregnancy; the hair that helped define my outer beauty.
I debuted my new hair at the wedding and at work on Monday. I am still getting used to the fact that I have to put on my new hair everyday. But I know that the day will come that it will feel natural and add to my self confidence once again.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thank you for all your contributions!
Team Jenna's across the country have raised $8,175 to date to fight breast cancer! Thank you to all of you that have set up teams, helped fundraise and donated to this important cause.
Please remember that you can join any of the teams in Kansas City, St. Louis, Denver, Boston, Nashville and Dallas. Please see earlier posts for details on each. We would love to see you there!
Love,
Jenna
Please remember that you can join any of the teams in Kansas City, St. Louis, Denver, Boston, Nashville and Dallas. Please see earlier posts for details on each. We would love to see you there!
Love,
Jenna
St. Louis Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
Attention all St. Louis friends and family,
My dear friend of 25 years, Cara Baker Gerhardt, started a Team Jenna for the St. Louis Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on Sat, Oct 30th at Forest Park. Please sign up to walk with us and/or donate to this great cause so men and women each year can celebrate more birthdays!
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCFY11HighPlains?team_id=789776&pg=team&fr_id=28094
My dear friend of 25 years, Cara Baker Gerhardt, started a Team Jenna for the St. Louis Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on Sat, Oct 30th at Forest Park. Please sign up to walk with us and/or donate to this great cause so men and women each year can celebrate more birthdays!
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCFY11HighPlains?team_id=789776&pg=team&fr_id=28094
Monday, September 20, 2010
Our Pi Phi Girl!
One silver lining in being pregnant and having breast cancer is that we will receive more frequent ultrasounds allowing us to see and check-up more frequently on the health and growth of Baby Oesch.
Today, we had a 17 week ultrasound. Baby Oesch is 6 oz, 7 inches with a heart rate of 148 bpm.
The ultrasound technician confirmed Baby Oesch was healthy and growing at the proper rate. We got to check up on the brain hemispheres, liver, kidneys, bladder, stomach, spine, and arm, hand and leg bones. And then came the big news.........Baby Oesch is a Baby Girl!
I think she might take after her mom and become a gymnast because she was doing somersaults throughout the entire ultrasound. Or maybe a boxer, because her arms and legs didn't stop moving!
Today, we had a 17 week ultrasound. Baby Oesch is 6 oz, 7 inches with a heart rate of 148 bpm.
The ultrasound technician confirmed Baby Oesch was healthy and growing at the proper rate. We got to check up on the brain hemispheres, liver, kidneys, bladder, stomach, spine, and arm, hand and leg bones. And then came the big news.........Baby Oesch is a Baby Girl!
I think she might take after her mom and become a gymnast because she was doing somersaults throughout the entire ultrasound. Or maybe a boxer, because her arms and legs didn't stop moving!
Here are some great pictures of our baby girl.
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| Look at that cute button nose. |
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Here she is searching for her thumb. She might have already found it! |
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| And here she is waving hello to mom and dad! |
Rett is already looking forward to Pi Phi Pop's Weekend Fall 2029 at Mizzou with all the other future Pi Phi Dads! Lullabies are quickly sounding like sidewalk songs!
Love, Jenna and Rett and Fannie Whitenack Libbey
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