Schedule - Revised 12/12

Michael and I are such sad corporate weasels that we have worked out a system to ensure our Blackberries are always updated with my doctors’ appointments. On my calendar, they are color-coded orange. I assign each one a star rating and send them to Michael as an Outlook invitation so he knows what is going on and where he needs to be. No stars is FYI, one is I may need a shoulder to cry on after the appointment, and two stars is be there with me holding my hand.

I am not going to get so detailed here (and will not flood all of your Blackberries with meeting invitations!) but now that I am more certain about what is happening when, I wanted to post the tentative schedule. This all can change, especially since the egg retrieval date could change and throw everything off. I will keep it updated, especially since lots of my NY-area friends and prospective visitors have generously offered to keep me company in the big pink recliners on Friday mornings. But this is a rough guide at least (Updated with latest estimates on 11/10):

Thursday, November 9: Sentinel Node Biopsy (ambulatory surgery)
Wednesday, November 22: Receive results of genetic test
Thanksgiving weekend in Des Moines
Sunday, December 3: (Estimated) Egg retrieval (ambulatory surgery)
Thursday, December 7: First chemotherapy session
Thursday, December 21: Chemo 2
Monday, December 25: Christmas with the family in NYC
Sunday, December 31: New Year’s Eve (should be feeling okay, since it will be the week before chemo)
Thursday, January 4: Chemo 3
Thursday, January 18: Chemo 4
Thursday, February 1: Chemo 5
Thursday, February 15: Chemo 6
Thursday, March 1: Chemo 7
Thursday, March 15: Chemo 8 (Finito!)
Mid April (about 4 weeks after last Chemo): Surgery

Many of you have asked what you can do, and what I would love is for you to keep those lovely cards, happy emails, supportive blog comments and silly photos coming, especially on Fridays through the cold winter months!