~DID YOU SEE THAT TRUCK?~

DID YOU SEE THAT TRUCK????

The TRUCK THAT HIT ME???? LOL!!!!

WOW....the medication they gave me is not only taking the pain away but it puts me to sleep!!! I have no idea where the last day and a half went and I am already to go back to bed. I am on a liquid diet because not only is it painful to my mouth but it hurts my teeth to chew. I can't talk much and my lips and corners of my mouth have a constant coating of Burt's Bee's Lip Balm on them.

I do have a confession, pretty much since my last chemo.....I have been burning both ends of the candle and now I am paying for it. I have been driving, doing laundry, going to Wal-mart and stuff like that, (Bob and I took the kids fishing Monday and I LOVED IT) and well, I'M NOT SUPPOSE TO BE doing that after chemo. (I thought the doctor said keep up like normal but like both Bob and Kristi said to me, normal to you is not normal to everyone else)

SO.....Amy is going to be a good girl and listen to everyone around me and if I can make it thru this weekend and get to the doctors at 8am Monday Morning to have blood work done and see where my levels are at, I will be in good shape. Until then, I am off the computer (BUT MY EMAIL IS WORKING....YEAH) and will be back when I find out what the doctor says on Monday.
Hard to keep a good girl down....especially this one.....I just don't want to miss anything.

Have a FUN WEEKEND FOR ME!!!! Hugs, Amy

~MORE MEDICINE~

Well, my mouth is getting so bad that it is making me shake with pain. The $150.00 medicine rinse I got yesterday is making it worst. It doesn't help that my teeth are trashed due to the fact that I took dylatin for so many years when I had epilepsy as a child so the rinse is making my teeth hurt to the bone. So, off to Walgreen's I go to get even more medicine for my mouth. I am at my low point of my blood count and energy (10 to 14 days post chemo) so this is also a big reason why my mouth is giving me fits. At least I am not running a temp like last time.

BUT STILL....CHEMO SUCKS!!! And that's all I have to say about that!!!!
~Amy~

~IN THE DARK~

I can't believe it but my e-mail is NOT WORKING....it was just fine this morning and now all I get is the Yellow Triangle with the question mark in it from MSN Mail. I have a call into Qwest right now, my internet service provider so we will see what the deal is.
CRAZY CRAZY and BOY DO I FEEL in the DARK!!! It's not fun and I have done everything on my end to try to fix it.
Maybe someone above is telling me to CHILL OUT for awhile.....LOL
Hugs to all of you and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!
~Amy~

~What I DIDN'T KNOW about CHEMO & BREAST CANCER~

Not necessarily in this order but just as they come to mind.....LOL

1. That the steroids make me have a 15 pound weight swing. Maddi wants a BABY BROTHER......LOL and asks me "Are you SURE you aren't pregnant?"


2. That the sores in my mouth make me want to not only pull my teeth out (the pain is in my jaw line too) but also have put huge cuts in my tongue making it impossible to taste anything. The sides of my mouth feel like ground hamburger too. OUCH!!! It's very painful. And my lips have a constant slather of Burt's Bees LIP BALM on them. Maybe I will finally find that diet plan I have been working on....Enter Chemo, let it screw up your mouth, teeth and taste buds so much so that all you will want is COLD ICE WATER.....CALORIE FREE TOO!!!! LOL



3. Every day I think I will feel better than the last, but it's not happening. Right now, I feel like I am getting the flu. My bones are aching and my head is cold and pounding. I have the chills and I just want to go back to bed.



4. Chemo can make you have short term memory loss. THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST FOR ME as I am not as sharp as I was just 2 months ago. I lose my place on the keyboard and forget where I was going or what I was going to do. IT IS DRIVING ME CRAZY. I can't remember who I have talked to on the phone, written to or told what to....ARGGGG!!!! I tried to write it down but then I either forget what I was going to write down or I lose my list.



5. That riding in the car or driving can make me car sick.



6. That I never loved ice cold water as much as I do right now (it freezes my tongue and mouth so the sores don't hurt so much) I am also chewing ice like crazy, meaning, my iron count is way down AGAIN. I have that checked on Friday and might have to have another shot for that too.

7. That losing your hair on your head makes you so cold at night and even during the day. Now I understand why my Dad didn't want to cut his "COMB OVER"......LOL



8. Not only did I lose the hair on my head but on my legs, under arms, private areas and now my nose hair and eye lashes are falling out. Not to mention my eyebrows are thinning out and I am losing the hair on my arms.....WEIRD HUH????

9. That going thru menopause in the same amount of time I have to go thru chemo makes me have hot flashes and cold sweats, all within minutes of each other. BOY IS THIS A STRANGE THING TO ME!!!! And a bit funny too because one minute I have layers of clothes on and the next minute I am taking a cold shower to cool down!!!!

10. That I have what they refer to as phantom pain around the area of my nipples on my breasts, even tho they cut them off and are not there. I keep thinking they are itching.....SHOWERS take me about 5 minutes because I don't have to shave, shampoo, or condition my hair. THIS PART I COULD GET USED TO!!!!

11. That my right armpit is still numb from them taking out my lymph nodes yet it itches and I can't feel anything if I try to scratch.

12. I have now been on over 20 prescribed medications (this doesn't even include the chemotherapy drugs) all from the side effect of the chemo and to the tune of over $1100.00 in RX Bills. That one shot the day after chemo costs $6000.00!!!! THAT STILL SHOCKS ME!!! And I have no idea how much the shot is going to be on Friday to get my RED BLOOD cell count up and I am ANEMIC so that should help that too (with the side effect of heart attack or stroke.....OH GREAT) I REALLY SIGNED UP FOR THIS???? Did you slip something into my soda or my food before I said okay, lets do it!!!!????

13. I am 3 months AHEAD of my reconstructive surgery and I can BURN MY BRAS!!! I will never have to wear one again because they used all the skin to reconstruct and there will be none there to sag. NOW THAT IS TOTALLY COOL......I might have a bra-burning party with my girlfriends!!! WANNA COME ALONG???? Or I can give away my pretty chic Victoria Secret ones.....NAH....JUST BURN EM I SAY!!!!

14. That wigs, hats and jewelry look TOTALLY UPTOWN GIRL to me and make me feel like a different person wearing them. (THANK YOU GIRLS for ALL THOSE AWESOME HATS) I never wear makeup...no one has ever showed me how, so I am what I am.....

15. That light headedness is a sign that your white blood cell count might be headed down and that you need to chill out and make sure you don't have a temp over 100.5 or you have to stay in the hospital for at least 3 days in hopes you don't catch anything else or you might die. WAKE UP CALL FOR AMY!!!!

16. That being QUARANTINED to your house means just THAT....no sneaking down to the gas station to buy milk or a loaf or bread....it means STAY IN YOUR HOUSE!!!!! LOL (yup, I broke that rule a couple times) and NO VISITORS, which to me is really hard when you have 6 kids and most of them drive and bring friends along to "hang out".

17. My fingernails have never been so long and strong ever before in my whole entire life. Kinda crazy too!!!

18. That the BONE MARROW SUPPRESSION is worst for me right on my sternum. So much so that it drops me to my knees crying because it feels like someone hit me several times with a baseball bat. IT'S FROM THE $6000.00 SHOT.....

This concludes all that I know right now.....the screen is moving in front of me and it's midnight already. I will be working on the website tomorrow so hopefully you will get a look see....I will try to post some pictures here on the blog for you to see....
Goodnight Everyone....SLEEP GOOD.....Hugs and Love, Amy

~WELCOME BECKY from SWEET COTTAGE DREAMS

SWEET COTTAGE DREAMS by BECKY

Welcome to BLOG LAND Becky......I'm not sure how Becky and I found each other, I just know that when I saw the pictures of her home, I saw something in EVERY ROOM that either I had, have or my Mom has......GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE!!! And she has been featured as Cottage of the Month for July so check out her new blog and welcome her as I know she will become one of your favorite blogs to read to....OH.....AND CHECK OUT HER PILLOWS......SHE sent me 2 of the MOST GORGEOUS PILLOWS I HAVE......THAT GIRL REALLY KNOWS HOW TO SEW and she is an AWESOME SELLER ON e-Bay too!!!
WELCOME BECKY......THESE GALS ARE INCREDIBLE!!!! YOU WILL HAVE A BLAST!!!
~Amy~

(PS.....I am not doing so good right now....I have been trying to work on the website but keep becoming overwhelmed and tired. I just woke up from a 4 hour nap with my teeth and jaw feeling like they were going to fall out. CHEMO SUCKS with all these side effects and I am ready to go back to bed.....AT LEAST I AM NOT IN THE HOSPITAL like I was last chemo at this time....and hey, at least I am alive to complain right???? .....but it still sucks...and I have gained 15 pounds from the steroids...YUCK!!!!)

~A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MARY ROSE~

I wanted to let everyone know that as I found out about the "HATS FOR AMY" not only was it Becca who started the ball rolling but ALSO MARY ROSE from ISABELLASCLOSET . Mary, you have been the MOST INCREDIBLE FRIEND anyone could ever have. Your constant concern, prayers, laughter and genuine love for me has made me want to be more like YOU!!! Even though we have never met face to face, I feel that our friendship was meant to be. YOU WILL FOREVER HAVE A SPOT IN MY HEART!!! I love you girlfriend and no words can express how happy I am that God put you in my life and that you are part of my world!!!! YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME!!! BIG HUGS TO YOU!!!! ~Amy~

~WOW WEE~ HATS FOR AMY~

~HATS FOR AMY~

~THANK YOU BECCA Of Bluebirds & Roses~

I cannot even begin to tell you how overwhelmed I am by the support and giving hearts of you gals out there....NEVER in my WILDEST DREAMS could I have imagined the OUT POUR of LOVE from all of you!!!

My mail lady pulls up in her postal vehicle with more boxes from YOU!!!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU BECCA for getting the ball rolling on HATS FOR AMY as I never knew what was going on until I talked with Mary today.

I received my first hat from Niki from Nostalgia at the Stone House and when I saw the hang tag on it that Becca designed (at that time I didn't know it) I thought that maybe Niki might be making hats and donating a portion to Breast Cancer Research. I HAD NO IDEA!!!! WHAT FUN THIS HAS BEEN!!!

As soon as I feel better (I am weak, tired, nauseated and crying a lot these past few days....I think the whole cancer thing is overwhelming me and making me mad that I can't do the things I want to do) I will post pictures of me in all of these FABULOUS AWESOME HATS!!!!

WHAT AN OVERWHELMING FEELING and YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A GODSEND they have been. I am SOOOO COLD and SHIVERING all the time now that all my hair is gone that even in this heat of Iowa summertime, I still need to wear a hat. I even sleep in them!!!

HUGS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF LOVE to ALL OF YOU!!!
FOREVER GRATEFUL.....Amy

~NEEDED PRAYERS for FRIENDS~2nd Post Today

~IF YOU CAN FIND IT IN YOUR HEART PLEASE PRAY FOR THESE GALS~
PLEASE SAY A HEALING and UPLIFTING PRAYER for THESE SWEET GALS...Let their fears be less and may God heal them quickly!!!

SOLANGE who is fighting cancer from COTTAGE HOME

PAT and Her SISTER BRENDA from URBAN CHIC who finds out her results from a biopsy today

BECKY a super sweet and giving gal from COE COLLEGE where my brother works for her cancer to continue in remission

MARY and Her SISTER LINDA who is fighting lung cancer from MyMothersDaughter

LEANNE the MIRICLE GIRL who not only showed me the best wigs on ebay but who is fighting cancer

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT FOR ME!!!
YOU'RE SIMPLY THE BEST!!!! ~Amy~

~YOUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING~

~THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS~

TODAY IS MY 2ND ROUND OF CHEMOTHERAPY, I WANT YOU TO KNOW I DIDN'T SLEEP WELL BUT WHEN I DID FINALLY FALL ASLEEP AND AWOKE I WAS AT PEACE.....ALL THANKS TO YOU!!!!

YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WORKING WONDERS AND I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO ME TO GET EMAILS, POSTS, CARDS AND PACKAGES FROM ALL OF YOU. I KNOW THAT IS WHAT KEEPS ME GOING AND HUMBLES ME. THE OUTPOUR OF LOVE FROM THOSE OF YOU I KNOW AND THOSE OF YOU I HAVEN'T MET IS A TRUE TESTIMENT OF HOW WONDERFUL EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ARE TO ME AND TO THOSE BLESSED TO HAVE YOU IN THEIR LIVES.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.....WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS HOW GRATEFUL I AM!!!!

LOVE AND HUGS TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU......AMY

(PS...I will be nauseated and tired for the next few days but will try to check on my emails but probably won't be able to post on the blog until Monday. I don't know what I was thinking but I have 99cent/no reserve auctions ending today and tomorrow so if any of you are bidding on them, I will get them out to you first thing next week....sorry about that, I was just feeling so good at the end of last week and it felt so good to list on ebay since it's been over 2 months since I did so...thanks for understanding...guess I am living EACH and EVERY DAY to the fullest without worrying about next week)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3: 5-6

~A MELTDOWN DAY TODAY~

~I AM NOT HAPPY TODAY~ ~BUT I AM TRYING~
~WHO SAYS DR. EVIL DOESN'T HAVE A TWIN~
~EVERYDAY MORE AND MORE HAIR FALLS OUT~

I am not really happy today, I am having a MELTDOWN!!!

I am getting sick to my stomach and I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO CHEMO tomorrow. I cry at the drop of a hat and I just want this to be over with. I finally started to feel "normal" last Thursday night and thru the whole weekend only to have to start all over again feeling yucky, sick and tired.

I don't care that I lost my hair, I don't care that I had to go thru surgery and reconstruction those are nothing to me compared to having to go thru this stupid chemotherapy. It's like self inflicted sickness and I am starting to get really upset that I even have to go thru this.

I think I have been thru enough.....I'm already tired and I feel like I haven't even begun. It just SUCKS.......that's all I can say today....I DON'T WANT TO GO!!!! I just want to pull the covers over my head and wake up when it's all over with.

~Amy~

~5 WEEKS POST OP....DR. APPT. TODAY~

CAN YOU BELIEVE it's ONLY BEEN FIVE WEEKS since I had my Double Radical Mastectomy???

You will not believe how beautifully I am healing!!! I have new pictures taken last Monday and I too think you will be amazed!!! I have a PHOTO JOURNAL for anyone interested. However, please note, THESE ARE ACTUAL PHOTOS of my BREAST SURGERY and all of the healing process so please use your discretion. CLICK HERE to SEE THE PHOTOS and read about the process.

At 1:00 today I go in for my next appointment with my plastic surgeon to see about adding more saline solution to my expanders. Lets hope everything is going well and I can have more added.

Have a Happy Monday and it's a GOOD HAIR DAY FOR ME......I am almost BALD and will have pictures of my head tomorrow.

Hugs and Love to you all, Amy

~One Year~July 15th~

~EDWIN THOMAS SCHNEIDERMANN JUNE 12, 1939-JULY 15, 2006~

It's Been One Year since my Dad passed away. As much as it hurts, I truly believe with everything that I am and as I sit here and breath that God knows what he is doing. Had I not gone thru hearing that my Dad's cancer was too far along, and sitting there for 9 days watching my Dad die of cancer last year, I think I would have handled my breast cancer so differently.

I HAVE A CHANCE, I CAN FIGHT, MY OUTCOME IS FABULOUS, unlike my Dad's. THAT'S WHY I feel the way I do about my breast cancer, that's why I am taking it all in stride, that's why I am not as scared as I was when they basically handed my Dad his death sentence. I miss my Dad so very very much and I am thankful for the time I did have with him. Until I see you again Daddy, I love you.....Amy

~LANCE ARMSTRONG, ME & JON~

MY COUSIN JON is RIDING with LANCE ARMSTRONG for ME and Everyone Else with Cancer

Tour de Farms RAGBRAI 2007

HOW TOTALLY COOL IS THIS!!! My cousin Jon (pictured above) is RIDING in the 2007 IOWA RAGBRAI with LANCE ARMSTRONG. Jon was at the finish line with Lance in the Tour de France for his 6th win!!! Jon decided to call his ride Tour de Farm for the good old Iowa boy he is!!! LOL...I think that is a riot!!!

I AM TOTALLY IN AWE that Jon has DONATED money to the foundation in HONOR OF ME!!! Please go to his website and check it out JON FOEGE/LANCE ARMSTRONG Tour de Farm THANK YOU JON......I LOVE YOU MAN!!!!

Please let the webpage load as you will see on the right hand side the scroll of pledges made in honor and memory of those close to us. My name is under my maiden name: Amy Schneidermann

IT'S SO TOTALLY COOL and I AM TRULY BLESSED with EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!!!

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY FRIDAY~Hugs and Love to you all, Amy

~The FINAL CUTS from MY CUTTING CREW~

~THE FINAL CUTS from MY CUTTING CREW~

~KRISTI, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THAT CLIPPERS TICKLES ME~
~"SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE~ Anyone remember that MTV Video from the 1980's???~
~ALLI AND KRISTI ENJOY THIS WHOLE PROCESS....KRISTI BEING DRAMATIC~
~HEY NICK, WHILE WE ARE HERE, LET'S CUT YOUR HAIR TOO~
~BILLY IDOL, EAT YOUR HEART OUT......REBEL YELL~~~~ OH YEAH~~~
~ALEX WAITING FOR HER TURN TO START CUTTING THE SPIKES OFF MY HEAD~

~WAIT MOM, ONE MORE BUZZ BEFORE THE UP CLOSE PICTURE~
~WOW.....HOW COOL THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL~LOL~
~ ALLI and KRISTI WANTED ME TO DO A ROCK CONCERT POSE....WHATEVER THAT IS!!!~
~ALEX GETS THE FIRST CUT OF THE SPIKES~
~SHE JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!! MY EYES ARE CLOSED MOST THE TIME BECAUSE HAIR KEPT FALLING IN THEM~ GO ALEX GO~

~MOM SHOWED UP TO GET INTO THE ACTION~ THANK YOU MOM FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT~
~ALEX'S FIRST TIME WITH THE CLIPPER, SHE WAS WORRIED SHE MIGHT CUT ME SO I SHOWED HER HOW TO DO IT~
~THEN THERE WAS NO STOPPING HER!!!! SHE WAS ON A ROLL and GOT TO DO THE FIRST STRIP RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE~
~ALLI GOT TO FINISH ME UP~
HERE I AM!!! G.I. JANE....also known as Mom and Amy......My final photo of the evening with Kristi.

ALL OF THIS WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY MY HAIR CUTTING CREW!!!! We had a blast and even had A WONDERFUL HUGE CHOCOLATE CAKE that BOB BOUGHT FOR THE OCCASION!!!! FUN WAS HAD BY ALL!!!
Hugs and Love, Amy (Who won't have a bad hair day for some time.....YIPPY SKIPPY!!!)

~Me with My Hair Cutting CREW~

GOTTA LOVE MY ENTHUSIASTIC HAIR CUTTING CREW

NO GLAMOUR HERE WE ARE MIDWEST COMMON FOLKS

From Left to Right: Kristi, Alli, Nick, Alex, Maddi

What's Left of My Hair (remember, I have enough hair for 3 people...LOL)
Braided by The Hair Cutting Crew for EASY CUTTING

LOOK HOW MUCH FUN THEY ARE HAVING!!!! Nothing like Making Lemonade out of Lemons!!! LOVE THOSE SMILES ALEX and KRISTI!!!

~GO MADDI GO~

~TADA~ THAT'S A BIG BRAID~ TOO BAD I CAN'T GIVE IT TO LOCKS OF LOVE as it has been COLOR TREATED and they WON'T ACCEPT IT~

~HEY....I don't look so bad in short hair after all......~

~THE CUTTING CREW couldn't WAIT to do the FAMOUS BOWL CUT....ROFLOL~

~THANK YOU NICK for PLAYING ALONG WITH US~

~ MY EYES ARE CLOSED so I don't GET ANY HAIR IN THEM....SILLY GIRLS that KRISTI and ALLI~

~GO MADDI GO.....KEEP CUTTING BABY~

WHAT A DORKY PICTURE OF ME.....but like I said before...NO GLAMOUR HERE!!!!

~THIS IS TOO MUCH....TIME TO CUT IT OFF PLEASE......I think at this point it was already over an hour of FUN...AND I AM STILL DORKY LOOKING...LOL~

~THANK YOU BOB for GETTING THE BALL ROLLING~

TO BE CONTINUED......TOMORROW MEET G.I. JANE aka G.I AMY

~My HAIR is Officially FALLING OUT~ PART II

Just a quick picture to show you how much of my hair is coming out at a time....this piece is from this morning and I still have a head of hair left but then again everyone has always told me "YOU HAVE ENOUGH HAIR FOR THREE PEOPLE!!!"......

Happy Hair Day to All of You......Amy

~My HAIR is Officially FALLING OUT~

THE LITTLE GIRL ABOVE HAS HAIR LIKE ME!!!

Just a quick update to let you know my hair officially started falling out in strands of 50 to 100 yesterday afternoon. I am shedding like a dog....LOL

And so.....THIS AFTERNOON we are having a "HAIR CUTTING PARTY" with the kids!!!
I will post all the pictures this evening for you to see...

I just wonder, is my HEAD going to be LUMPY???? I wonder if I have one of those BIG MELONS of a head because it was always hard for me to find hats because of all of my hair. At least that is what I am hoping that it was ALL MY HAIR and not because I have a big head!!! LOL

I came out to the bathroom yesterday and had an ENTIRE GALLON SIZE ZIP LOCK BAG full of hair and I said to my Mom, "Hey Mom, LOOK AT THIS!!!! I have MORE HAIR in this Zip Lock Bag than Dad had even with his COMB OVER!!!" We laughed so hard I thought I was going to wet my pants!!!!

Have a HAPPY HAIR DAY!!!!
~Amy~

~I'm HOME~

BREAST CANCER PATIENT PROTECTION ACT

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require Insurance Companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a Few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on. PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the Web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number. http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php

I GOT HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL late last night....I AM SOOO HAPPY TO BE HOME!!!

I am very tired and my WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT went up to 4.6....YIPPY!!!
Still not good BUT BETTER THAN IT WAS!!! I am too weak to do my own hair so MOM braided it for me.......I LOVE as I said when she was done.....

(In my CUTE LITTLE SWEDE ACCENT)....."My name is Anna, I'm from Sweden"....and everyone laughed. BUT LOOK AT ME!!!! STILL ALL OF THAT HAIR and I AM STILL SMILING!!!

I will write more tomorrow as I really should be in bed.
My cousin Nancy sent the above information to me the day I was in the hospital and Joy also posted it in a comment on my blog...THANK YOU GIRLS!!! I have been too busy trying to stay well that I haven't been able to surf to much. I LOVE all the info everyone finds and sends to me!!!!

I AM SO BLESSED!!!! THE CARDS AND GIFTS CONTINUE TO AMAZE ME and makes me realize what a difference one person can make in someone else's life. YOUR PRAYERS, HUMOR, THOUGHTS and ENDLESS SUPPORT AND LOVE FOR ME is one I cannot even find the words for or comprehend.....I am truly humbled.....

All my love, Amy