One down, 51 weeks to go

First chemo went off without a hitch. Birthday? Complete success. Lots of attention and lots of laughs.

Greg and I began the day with breakfast at Aspen on Midway with friends Susan and Kristin -- and I challenge anyone to spend time with that amazing mother/daughter team and NOT laugh. (They were my "Curves" partners up until I took leave of absence for surgery. We never failed to liven up the place, sometimes feeling the need to apologize to other members for our wild, whacky and loud use of public space.)

Breakfast was followed by five hours at "The Martha," as we have come to call the Martha Seikman Cancer Center. Initial chemo day typically takes longer than subsequent visits, so five hours the first time is a good indication that two-three hours will be more like it for the remainder.

One of the women I've befriended at breast-cancer group therapy came to visit while I was "in the chair" and made the experience quite delightful with her sense of humor. She and Greg hit it off nicely, too, which made it even better. We got pretty silly and I'm sure I'm guilty of having laughed TOO LOUD as per usual. My observation that the chemo room could use "more cowbell" to summon nurses brought up Will Ferrell's "Pearl the Landlord" which I intend to experience via YouTube as soon as I sign off here.

Good enough then. I'm off to enjoy as much silliness as I can. And Big Thanks to all of you who shared my birthday/chemo day via Facebook and the good ol' U.S. mail! You guys rock.