First things first.  I’m Fighting!  I started my new treatment regimen of Taxol today.  I begin Herceptin tomorrow and then will have infusions of the two together beginning next Wednesday and continuing until January 9.  The oncologists believe that I will see the most dramatic shrinkage and tumor cell nukage, as Sal and I call it, from these 2 drugs!  I feel much, much better after receiving Taxol than I did when I was taking Adriamycin and Cytoxan.  I’m hopeful that I’ll just need a nap on the day of treatment (because they juice me up with Benadryl!) and then I’ll be good to go.  I’m realizing that I do need more rest and more help than I had anticipated.  I am tired but I’m just not used to sitting still.  I’m stubborn, too, and hate inconveniencing anyone or asking for help.  Also, I’m going a bit nuts because if I don’t have at least 5 activities and/or projects going on at once, I simply go crazy!  I’m not a lazy person……I hate feeling like one.

So, down to business.  I’m dedicating an entire post to the writers and cast of How I Met Your Mother…..even though they’re not reading this!  My computer savvy husband streams our Netflix account through our Wii so we started watching the show from the very beginning.  We’ve made it to season 5 already.  It’s ridonk!  I watch at least one episode every night before we go to bed so I can end every day with a laugh.  That’s important to me.  I don’t like to end my day feeling sad or depressed or thinking about cancer.  I literally laugh out loud at some of the things that happen on the show.  I think that I like the show so much because I can totally relate to everything that they discuss.  Ted, Marshall, and Lily graduated from high school in 1996 and started college that same year.  Guess what?  So did I!  Many of the jokes relating to songs, clothing, etc. are from this time period.  How I Met Your Mother is like The Wonder Years for young people!!  Wait…..I’m not really considered young anymore, am I?

Check out this card from my friend, Betsy!  It’s LEGEN……wait for it……DAIRY!!!

A few years ago, I remember watching the Ellen DeGeneres show.  She was interviewing a young husband who had written to her to say thanks.  His young wife was battling cancer and he wanted to thank Ellen for making his wife laugh every day.  It’s funny how some things stick with you.  I can remember feeling so sorry for the young woman.  I also remember thinking how sad it was that she looked forward to watching a television show to get her through the day.  Ironic, right?

Anyway, I would highly encourage you to start watching the show if you don’t already.  My favorite episode, so far, is when Barney takes Marshall’s place in the NYC Marathon.  Barney completed the Marathon without any training and ends up riding the subway home after the race.  A funny thing happens; Barney’s legs cramp so badly that he can’t get off the train.  Uncle Bry, I hope that this doesn’t happen to you.  If it does, though, Murph, can you please take a video and send it to us??!!!  A big shout out to Bryan Lackaye who will be running the NYC Marathon for the Children’s Hospital of Boston this weekend!!!

Back to HIMYM…….it’s so, so funny!  Barney is played by Neil Patrick Harris….the former Doogie Howser, M.D.  Don’t worry, he makes fun of this at one point on the show, too!  Barney is so sarcastic and so funny.  The part of his character is so well written.  Neil Patrick Harris is so incredibly talented.  I want to invite Barney Stinson to Thanksgiving dinner so he can make fun of me!  The rest of the cast is awesome, too.  They mesh so well together.  It really is a wonderful show.  Are you sold on it yet?!!

LIVESTRONG and God Bless!