PLEASE HELP!!

IMPORTANT NOTICE PEOPLE!!!!!

My incredible sister is going to run 10kms (yes you heard me right!) to raise funds for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Hospital, where I am getting treatment. I know times are tough for everyone, but the money raised goes back into this amazing institute and into vital research into this disease that will sadly, directly or indirectly, touch each and every one of us.

The Peter MacCallum Cancer Hospital and its amazing staff has saved my life and made this horrible, horrible time just that little bit easier. Everyone from my Surgeon and Oncologists to the Breast Nurses, administrators and even the Volunteers (cancer survivors, who gave me scarves for my head and hold our hands and rub our backs during chemo) have been incredible. The support, warmth and professionalism of everyone there has simply been mind blowing.

Please help us to give something back and to ensure that if this terrible disease afflicts someone in your life, that they will have the incredible support and treatment that I have.

Peter MacCallum Hospital may be in Melbourne, Australia, but the research they do to find a cure for cancer... reaches everyone on this planet.......

http://runmelbourne.everydayhero.com.au/samantha_glasgowschranz

Finding Chemo

Day 5 of my first cycle..... stop the ride.... I want to get off...

Chemo Day 1

Hi Guys

So I will fill you in on Chemo - Day 1...

After a visit with my lovely Medical Oncologist, Sam and I headed up to Level 5 to the Chemo ward. I was gutted to discover I had just missed Drew Barrymore on the Ellen show. Drew is the one woman I would totally turn gay for....

Anyhoo, the nurses were lovely and did their best to calm my nerves, however, I have to admit to you all that I failed miserably. I sat in my big chair and proceeded to bawl my eyes out. They had to partition me off from the other patients as I didn't want to upset them and I couldn't stop the tears so that was that really.

After the wonderful sedative kicked in, I started to feel much better and only had some mild hallunicanations of men on rooftops (don't ask me why) before I felt like I was ready to deal with this. Sammy had a hold of my hand the whole time, and whilst she was trying her best to reassure me and be strong for me, her eyes told a different story. I can honestly say that I think today was as tough on my beautiful sister and brother in law, as it was on me. Even though the drugs were being pumped into my veins, Sam was experiencing everything I was going through. All I can say is that is one hell of a connection there. We have always joked that we felt more like twins than sisters. She is my rock, my support, my surrogate mum and my best friend. I am so blessed to have her in my life.

Ok, here's the details. Firstly, they pumped a bag of anti-nausea drugs into me. That took about 15 mins. After that was the "Adriamycin" (also known as Doxorubicin). This is the evil shit. The stuff is red and the nurse needs to stand with her hand on me the whole time it is being pumped in as if it hits the skin it burns the tissue like acid (wow and that shit is going into my veins?). This is the stuff that can cause Leukaemia - albeit very rarely. This is also the stuff that makes hair fall out and it is mainly used to treat breast cancers. I hated looking at that red liquid going down the tube and into my arm. I thought about pinching if off just before it had to go in, but I think she would have seen me do it.. and it would have made the chemo a bit redundant eh! Scary to think that to save my life I have to pump poisons into my body, but I guess its the lesser of two evils. Cancer is just full of wonderful ironies!

After the Adriamycin goes in the Cyclophosphamide goes in (hence why my chemo is called "AC"). This bag takes about an hour and is covered in black plastic (may as well had a skull and crossbones on it and a big POISON sign on it... looked ominous enough!). In all, we were there for over three hours.

I have left with a bag full of drugs and have my bucket beside my bed. Apparently everyone's symptoms are different, so I am keeping it close just in case. Hey... even if I don't spew, but my head falls off in the night, at least it will fall into the bucket and that means less mess for everybody.

I have a feeling I may not be able to stand up in the morning, based on the fact that I can barely stand right now. All in all, I am still pretty numb. I have a shaved head and did my first chemo.. I am entitled to feel like I have been hit with a mack truck I guess.

So goodnight my beautiful friends... here's to sweet dreams, 6ft tall dark handsome men and .... heads not falling off in the night.

I love you all

Fuck the lump

Ems XXX

Short and sweet

Well, here it is folks. Me with really, really short hair. Victoria Beckham I am not! I must admit, it is very liberating not having any hair. I get out the shower, run the towel over it and I am done! Should have done this years ago lol.

Don't have a whole lot of fodder for this blog entry. Saving it for this weekend and the BIG SHAVE on Sunday. Leon and his clippers have a date with my head.... lets just hope its not shaped like a half-sucked lemon. Just got home from the hospital and the volunteers have given me a whole stack of funky head scarves and beanies for next week. I especially like my USA stars, stripes and glitter one and the Pirates of the Caribbean red one with skull and cross bones. Don't worry there will be plenty more photos to come.

Big thanks to Leon and Alyssa for the "Fuck the Lump" hoodie and t-shirts. You guys already do so much! I wear the hoodie all the time now... am scarily resembling ET at the moment. Wanted to thank Anna Kemp for sending me a card from the other side of the world and to Bianca and Mark for taking the time out of their Borneo holiday to send me a postcard... do I get to keep the Orang-Utan who delivered it? He's super cute and actually better looking than the last guy I dated!!

Hope to be catching up with Russell tonight (my old tennis doubles partner). We haven't seen each other in a long time and he is a beautiful soul. He's one of the best writers I know and leads a fascinating life in the middle east and all over the world. Looking forward to making him dazzle me with his Capeoria... Cappoeira... Kapo.... fuck it... Brazillian Martial Arts skills.

Other than that, been hitting the Melbourne Comedy Festival shows and DOMINATING in Guitar Hero. I am up to the Hard level now and looking forward to next week's showdown with Max Leong (from Applecross). Gonna make him eat my Guitar dust!!!............. erm..... that doesn't even make sense Em!?!

CONGRATS to Saskia and Craig on your engagement guys. I am soooo happy for you both. You are such a gorgeous couple and we can all aspire to be in love as much as you two are. Wish I could be there with you to smother you in kisses and cuddles.

Love to you all, more this weekend.
Peace
Ems xxxxx

Waiting.... waiting....

Hey Guys

So ...... I am cooling my heels and it sucks. My chemo is due to start on the 20th April. We need to wait until all the surgery stuff heals before we can begin due to the risk of infection. Whilst I am not in a hurry to have the chemo and all the horrible side effects, I kinda want to get this show on the road so I can get on with the rest of my life... so as it stands I am just waiting.

Sadly, I wasn't in a position to get any eggs frozen. Not enough time. But I am confident if kids are in my future, that it will happen. I am leaving it in the lap of the gods and just hope I end up with a wonderful understanding man..... sigh..... do they even exist??

I am filling my days with writing (the book is coming along nicely), reading books and marvelling at the stupidity (and cuteness) of Sam's cat. It's like living with Rain Man. He's my best friend and surrogate boyfriend at the moment.... without the benefits of course..... sickos!!

Sounding like a broken record here, but I am constantly feeling compelled to say thanks to everyone for being so awesome and keeping my spirits up. Every day I am getting letters, cards, emails, facebook pokes and all sorts. It's always a little ray of sunshine when I head down to the letterbox and find things addressed to me that aren't from the hospital, so THANKS SO MUCH!!
Got a joke for y'all....

An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman all walk into a bar. The Englishman turns around and says "what a fucking cliche!" mwhahaaaa mwhwhaaaaa.

Ok pimps and geezers, I am off. Sending my love to you all and thanks heaps for tuning into my blog. I would love some more comments being posted on here so I know I am not just talking to myself in cyber space... because... well.. that would just be lame.

Take care and speak soon.

Love Ems xxxx

More than words.....

This is it. This is all I want.

Yep.... I'm that easy!
xxxx

me so artistic...... autistic..... confused....

A shout out to my amazing friend Bianca, who just sent me a card and CD of pics and videos from Sound Relief at the MCG 12th March (album is on my facebook page) ..... YOU ROCK DUDE!

Love your work!

Also big hugs to Jo and Mish. I just got your card also and the awesome Movie Voucher. Thanks sooooo much..... guess what I am doing tonight? lol.

xxxxxxxxxxx