New Blog for Ema's Recovery

I created a new blog exclusively for Ema's recovery, and copied all of the "Breathe In, Breathe out" posts to it.

I'll be updating this more often, and it will also include posts from Ema's own cancer journal which she has kept from the beginning of this whole escapade.

If you'd like to subscribe, here's a link to the RSS.

You can also subscribe to this new blog via email notifications by going to the new blog and entering your email into the field at the top of the page.


Thanks folks,

Tom

Breathe In, Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal - 18

Here's an audio Ema update I recorded last week for Utterz.

Click HERE to listen.

Thanks,

Tom

Two Pounds Per Week

Started a new diet, and this time it's personal! But I'm sharing my progress with y'all! http://www.twopoundsperweek.com Stop on by!

Am I Totally Losing it???

Lately Ema has been looking at me a bit funny. There have been a couple 'Barefoot in the Garage' episodes that have left her wondering if I've finally gone off the deep end.

Most recently, this happened today when I played her my latest episode.

About a week ago, I made an episode that just about motivated her to send me out for milk and change the locks.

Perhaps she's right. I may be too far gone to tell anymore. I'll let you decide.

Tom

Breathe In, Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal - 17

Well - It's done and we LOVE it! Ema knew she didn't want to watch her hair fall out, day-by-day and feel self-conscious about it. Plus, she said looking in the mirror was becoming depressing because she looked sicker than she really is!

She called Linda and between the three of us, we rid her of all that pesky hair. The kids were great with it - even Juliana said "Mommy, you look beautiful!"

Chemotherapy is hard. She has her good days and bad. There's one drug, in particular, that Ema gets to help her boost her immune system that makes her feel flu-ish - ironic, ehe? Besides that, and the general fatigue from the treatments, she's doing great, and her attitude is as terrific as ever.

More photos HERE.

Back soon -

Tom

First Signs of Spring - Call for Photos

Hi -

As part of an [Utterz] "Barefoot in the Garage" photo project, I'm collecting "First Signs of Spring" photos from around the world. Of course, if you live south of the equator, you can send me your "First Signs of Fall" pics.

Send them to barefootinthegarage AT gmail.com, and you'll see them posted HERE.

If you send me the city you're in, I'll add that to the map in comments section below your photo.

You can hear more about this project here.

Thanks!

Tom

Episode 53 - Harry Dogwater

Tom tells his story about siphoning dog blanket water from the broken washing machine, Tom’s implant woes, Ema gives an account of her chemotherapy experience thus far, and Nick and Juliana give a quick cameo and tell us about their weeks’ adverntures.

Download or listen here.

Thanks!

Breathe In, Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal - 16

Ema's first day of chemotherapy was this past Thursday. Note the chocolates next to her. She brought them as bribes to the nurses so they would be kind with their needles. Hey - attitude is everything, but a little kissing up doesn't hurt either!

Under her right shoulder blade there's a miraculous little, self-sealing silicone device - a medi-port (or porta-cath) that allows up to 1,000 needle punctures without the need to prod around for a good vein to use each time. We are so thankful for this type of technology. She'll be doing chemo through late June once per week - two weeks on, one week off.

Feel free to leave words of encouragement as comments on this blog, and I'll be sure she gets them.

Thanks!

Tom

Breathe In, Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal - 15

Hi folks - It's been over a month since the last Ema update, and something happened earlier this week that we wanted to share.

Ema visited her oncologist (one of her oncologists, actually - she has a team of them), and he told her he'd like for her to start chemotherapy next week.

This was unexpected since we were told back in November that we could wait to use chemo in the event of a relapse.

Well, the UCLA oncology board revisited her case and decided that, since the tumor was 5cm - the exact cutoff size for recommending chemo, and it was a very aggressive, rare type of tumor, that chemo would be a good thing at this point.

Ema's attitude is amazing. She's not looking forward to losing her hair, but beyond that, she's taking all of this really well.

In a sense, we both feel a little better about her situation because, until this news, it was up to us to make the decision regarding chemo at this time. She was borderline, and the doctors left the decision up to us. It's comforting, in a way, to have the doctors go ahead and recommend what they believe is best at this point. Chemo is pretty nasty stuff, but so is soft-tissue sarcomas. Better safe than sorry.

Ema had chemo before - some fifteen years ago when she had Hodgkin's disease. She lost her hair then, which was stick straight, and it grew back wavy. We're joking now that it will probably grow back in tight curls - ala Freida - the little curly-headed girl in Charlie Brown.

She starts chemo next week, and has to sit in the chair for about 5 hours once per week for her treatments which will last four months - maybe five.

I'm firing up this journal again to keep you folks up to date, and we'll give more details in the next podcast.

Thanks!

Tom

Episode 52 - Trashy Books

Ema confesses to reading trashy novels late at night, one of which she gave to me as a Christmas gift; Juliana presents her rather macabre list of things she likes; and we come close to apologizing for last episode’s knock-down, drag-out – we are fine foks – honest!

Download/Listen HERE

Subscribe in iTunes HERE

Fresh and Easy market

The Unreal OC Promo

Ema went on a rant during our latest podcast (#51), and it was classic enough to isolate and send out to the world. Enjoy. www.theunrealoc.com

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Episode 51 - Swingers!

Don’t even bother asking us if we are swingers, cause we aint. Also in this episode – new year resolutions, end of the year crime log, and Ema tears Tom a new one. . .again.

Download it HERE

Check out Nick's new stick figure animation website HERE.

Send us feedback HERE.

Thanks!

Ema and Tom

Barefoot in the Garage 8

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BFIG - Now Open Late!

New website now open for business: www.barefootinthegarage.com

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Barefoot in the Garage 7

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Barefoot in the Garage # 6

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Barefoot in the Garage # 5

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Barefoot in the Garage # 4

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Barefoot in the Garage # 3

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Episode 50 - Merry Christmas!

It’s The Unreal OC’s 50th episode, and our Christmas episode! So order up this tasty combo, and don’t forget to super-size it because this will be one comic feast you won’t regret.

Click HERE to download or listen online.

Click HERE to subscribe.

Thanks, and Merry Christmas to all!!!