Now I see why they say the second week is your 'good' week.

My first chemo was Monday the 28th and boy, it hit me about four hours later. It was like I was pregnant all over again. Ladies, you know what I'm talking about! Like you are seasick all the time. Let's just say crackers became my new best friend.

That subsided as the week went on and thank goodness I was able to still get out and go for a walk every day in the beautiful sunshine. I love the Northwest during September and October.

By Saturday, October 2nd, I felt good enough to head to the Kingsgate Safeway in Kirkland to sit in "jail." In order to get bailed out I had to raise money for breast cancer research. I sat in a great looking pink jail for 2 hours and raised close to $800 from the generous shoppers in the checkout line. It was great to talk to the women who came up to the jail asking, "why are you doing this?" I told them, "so I can educate YOU!" That's what this is all about for me: educating women, their husbands, their brothers and their dads. It brings tears to my eyes when someone tells me that because of my story they've scheduled their first mammogram that they've been putting off for years.

That night my family headed to the home of long-time friends, where our pal from high school (Lindbergh, in Renton) shaved his head to support me. Once my young boys saw this, they also wanted to shave their heads! My husband did the shaving. MY head shaving will now take place Friday, October 16th in Everett. As I wrote in my last blog, my husband is an Everett firefighter and his 'brothers' at the department want to shave their heads, too. We'll see how many do it!

Since I was diagnosed with breast cancer a lot of people have been asking if it, "runs in my family." I have an Aunt and a Great Aunt who had breast cancer but I don't have what doctors consider a 'first degree' relative (a mother or sister) with breast cancer.

Even with this information, due to my young age (that's what the doctors say, not me) of 42 I got a blood test to see if I have the genetic mutation that would predispose me to breast and ovarian cancer. The genes tested are the BRCA1 and the BRCA2. If I had the genetic mutation I would have a 50% chance of passing those genes onto my two sons and that would give them a higher than average chance of developing breast, prostate or pancreatic cancer. That information was difficult to hear. The good news came last Friday, that I do not carry the genetic mutation. If you have a mother, sister or daughter with breast cancer it may be worth it to you to find out more about this genetic testing.

Tuesday, I sat down with two of my doctors for on-camera interviews -- we will put some of those 'raw' interviews here on this page soon but there were a few key points I wanted to share with you now. Dr. Eric Taylor, my radiology oncologist, has treated some 8,000 patients and sits on the National Board of the American Cancer Society. Dr. Taylor tells me mammograms remain the 'gold standard' for finding breast cancer and DIGITAL mammograms are preferred. Although my breast cancer was not seen on my 2 previous mammograms, mammograms DO show 70-80% of breast cancers. Dr. Taylor says there is debate regarding who should have an MRI (which can see more than mammograms). You may be a candidate if you and your doctor determine you're at high risk for breast cancer. Questions include whether you have a first degree relative with breast cancer, your age during your first full-term pregnancy and at what age you started your period.

Something else that struck me came in my interview with Dr. Kara Carlson. Dr. Carlson is the Director of the Breast Center at Evergreen Hospital Medical Center in Kirkland and sits on the board of directors for the Puget Sound affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Dr. Carlson tells me Washington State has the fourth highest rate of breast cancer in the nation but ranks 28th in screening (mammograms). She also says it's paramount that when you go in for your mammogram, you tell the technician if you've noticed any changes in your breasts, such as a new lump. Most of us get what's called a 'screening' mammogram during our annual check-up but if you tell the technician you've noticed changes, you will instead have a DIAGNOSTIC mammogram and possibly an ultrasound. This could make a big difference in possibly detecting breast cancer early. Dr. Carlson tells me there are so many women who notice breast changes but mistakenly think they don't have to tell the mammography technician because their mammogram will 'catch' whatever is going on. That's not the case. If you've noticed changes, you need a diagnostic mammogram.

Until next time .....Michelle