Chairlift Chatter

How watching a helicopter can bring tears to my eyes

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Jenn Rudolph| Leave a comment

When I was at the oncologist office the other day for my checkup, besides drawing blood to check CBCs and other levels, the doctor did a physical exam – to check for weird lymph things and bumps and other signs of any red flags. I was still less than two weeks out from my implant surgery so he had some fresh scars and marks to look at. As I was laying on the table letting him feel around the implants, he asked me about the redness under the left breast implant.
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Posted in Pink Posts

Happy 9 Month’s of having No Evidence of Disease

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Jenn Rudolph| 3 Comments

I visited my oncologist yesterday for what turned out to be my last regular three month check up. I’d been returning to the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center every three months since the infusion chemo treatments ended in August.

At each follow up visit they draw blood, check some things, and I leave, and if I don’t hear from them, I’m in good shape. They’re in the patient communications practice of “no news is good news”. But of course, following each visit, every time the phone rings I hold my breath before answering it.

Today the doctor came in the exam room and was all happy and pleasant as he said, Read more »

Posted in Pink Posts

And how did you spend your mud season, Chris Davenport, big mountain skier?

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Jenn Rudolph| 2 Comments

Chris Davenport ascending Mt. Thielson. Photo courtesy of blog.spyder.com volcano tour day 4

Are you following the Ring of Fire tour that Aspen/Snowmass’ Chris Davenport and his ski mountaineering team are undertaking? You know Chris Davenport…the big mountain skier from Aspen, featured athlete of many ski films, TV reporter and color commentator for several broadcast networks, holder of several first descents, and father of three who in 2006-07 climbed and skied all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks, in a single year? Yeah, that Chris Davenport.

Posted in All About Skiing, Stuff I Don't Get Paid To Do But Should

Could I be a bike commuter?

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Jenn Rudolph| Leave a comment

For a couple months now I’ve been thinking about biking to work. I live about six miles from the office. I have coworkers who live in other cities and bike to work.

Right now I drive and drop GG off at school on my way. That’s our special time together, just the two of us in the car chatting on the way to school. Two mornings a week I drive carpool though so then its fun listening to what they chit chat about in the back seat. But lately I’ve been thinking about making the switch and becoming a bike commuter.

There are a number of reasons why I’m making this consideration.
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Posted in Etcetera

I blame my mother

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Jenn Rudolph| Leave a comment

Mom and I skiing in Wisconsin in 1976

I heard a story from my mom the other day that I’d never heard before, and it connected a lot of dots for me in terms of how I came to love skiing. Turns out, my mom planted the seed that made our family’s love of skiing blossom.
The story went like this… Read more »

Posted in All About Skiing

I’m free, free at last, free at last!

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Jenn Rudolph| Leave a comment

OK, maybe a little exaggeration, but it feels so liberating to not have these drains dangling from my sides anymore. Can’t tell you how good this feels, to not have them. It took me four tries to find a shirt to wear today, one that would accommodate the “bottles” as my kids call them, and the oh-tho-thexey medical bra. Read more »

Posted in Pink Posts

Connecting the dots

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Jenn Rudolph| Leave a comment

I woke up the day after surgery, and went for a walk, a five mile walk. It felt good, I wanted some fresh air, wanted to get rid of those ridiculous circulation tights they made me wear during surgery, you know, those white opaque thigh highs. So I figured if I went for a long walk then that would show them that my circulation was….circulating.

Posted in Pink Posts

Down with the drains

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Jenn Rudolph| 2 Comments

Surgery seemed to go as expected, until I was about to be taken back to the OR. The assisting surgeon mentioned something about putting AlloDerm in and holding it in place with sutures that would be kind of like a button, and then of course I’d have the drains. Read more »

Posted in Pink Posts

This could be the last time

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Jenn Rudolph| 1 Comment

I’m getting ready for what could possibly be my last surgery for breast cancer reconstruction tomorrow. It feels a little bit like Groundhog Day, I’ve been through this routine enough times in the past two years that I’m very comfortable with what to expect.

Posted in Pink Posts