Gaga's story

Today Faith and Grace are having a play date with my Aunt Janet....their Gaga! Right now they are playing at the pumpkin patch......this is the second anniversary of this pumpkin patch play date. Last year when it was time to leave, Janet had to carry Faith to the car under her arm because of the massive 2 year old tantrum that she was throwing. This is very out of character for Faith! She must have really loved those pumpkins. It makes me laugh picturing my aunt carrying a stiff as a board, screaming 2 year old to the car while her twin follows saying, "I don't know why she is crying, we have to leave....they are closing". Talk about role reversal!!!!

The girls love their adventures with Gaga! Working in their flower garden, playing in their sand boxes, staying up late and sleeping in!!!

Every time they see a pink ribbon...they say, "Look Mommy, Gaga's heart"! (Everything is pink ribbon at Aunt Janet's house.....brushes, cups, soup cans, blankets, pjs and the Christmas tree) Faith and Grace absolutely love it! Jeremy and I found pink ribbon ducks for the bath....when we brought them home we practically received a standing ovation!

Grace and Gaga also share a very special "magic button". When Grace saw Janet's port for the first time it scared her. Janet reassured her that it was Gaga's magic button!! When Grace sits in her lap she whispers, "can I push your magic button?". Grace has recently informed us that she has a magic button too......when she misses Gaga she just pushes her magic button!

Here is Gaga's story........

While showering, my Aunt Janet aka Gaga, found a lump by accident. In 1994 she was diagnosed at the age of 38 with breast cancer – no history of breast cancer in family. The cancer was stage 2. She received 6 months of chemo, a mastectomy and reconstruction.

In 2002 she had a recurrence in her neck and collar bone area and small spot on her lung. After surgery, the diagnosis was stage IV, HER 2 positive. She was told that the average survival for this diagnosis was 18 months. Aunt Janet was treated with Chemo, Radiation, Herceptin and Femara.

She lost all of her insurance in 2004.

In May 2008 Aunt Janet was told that the cancer had returned – now in her bone (chest bone etc) and Left Adrenal Gland. She resumed Herceptin and Femara (which had been stopped in 2007). She is also being treated with Zometa Infusion for Bone Cancer. Again told this is Stage IV, and currently there is no cure.

Next week she will be undergoing her 3 month PET Scan, Bone Scan, Heart Scan etc.

Help find a CURE! October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!!!!!