Mel's Stuff

Race for the Cure 2007

2007-09-28T11:21:00.000-04:00

Two weeks left and we're only $55.00 short of our goal financially (thanks to everyone and especially Pam and Credit Boards!) but we are so short of our goal for members recruited! Please take some time today to sign up and join us on October 14.

Sign up today!

Melissa's Eulogy -Thanks To Kerry Craven

2007-09-18T15:48:00.000-04:00

Sweet Melissa

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Kerry Craven. I’ve known the Cohen family, initially through Ardis and the business, for over 20 years. Melissa was a high school junior or senior when, if memory serves me, she cart-wheeled into the room – fresh out of a gymnastics class – the day we met. When Ardis and Scott asked me to say a few words, I thought I CAN do this if I simply hear Melissa’s voice screaming in my ear…..just get the job done, just get the job done…..so with her “gentle” chiding, I’ll get through this…..no tears in the audience will help greatly, too.

Like many of you here, I fell in love with Melissa’s spirit, her smile, her exuberance for life and, as Holly mentioned so beautifully in her guest book entry yesterday, her fire. The words “no, that can’t be done” never or rarely crossed her lips. She was a force to be reckoned with.

Stanley was a truly passionate creature…..about everything in her life……her film career, her intense love of the outdoors, Disney movies, her animals, her love of children, Dimetri’s Greek food, horror films…….but first and foremost was the love of her husband, her family and her friends.

Her diagnosis three years ago was incredulous….to her and to all of us. But, like the worst show, or the most nightmare of a job, she undertook the art of coordinating……she researched, and read, and educated herself – and anyone else who wanted to listen - well beyond what any doctor could imagine. She was intimately familiar with her cancer and was never ever afraid to discuss any element of her treatment with professionals and lay people alike.

She re-invented the word survivor and made no bones about the fact that she would not give up trying. And, she never did.

From day one, she has had an enormous and valiant ‘crew’…….spearheaded by her Knight in Shining armor, Scott. He has been there for all of the surgeries, the doctor appointments, the chemo treatments….although we all know he had give up some of those, because so many people wanted to accompany her there for those long hours of nothing…….just to be near her. Her first choice for nursing was him. There love for each other was unmistakable……I remember the other day in the hospital when he told her he was going home to kiss the dogs and she put her hand to her lips and turned her head to say to him “kiss me first, honey…” And as we all know, she did not use the word honey often……Scott was her truest love on the entire planet.

And to The teams of other supports that she had in place…..the fundraising efforts and web designing…..Stanley wanted her website to be a resource for others with stage 4 cancer patients……she saw how few resources there were and was adamant about getting valuable information into the hands of other patients and families.

Her recent trips to Disney in 2005 and to Mexico for their wedding were filled with joy and peace. And photos, photos, photos…… She was a true documentarian.

We all have incredible memories of her. Some of us from her childhood, some from school, some from her work…….What we all have in common is that no matter how long we knew her, or how we met her, she invariably touched every single person in a truly unique way. It is an amazing legacy to leave the world with that kind of impact. As short as her life was, her mission was to make it as full as possible every day.

I am honored to have had this opportunity to speak with you about our dear friend.

Had there been a program for today, Ardis summed it up so perfectly the other day when she said……

Melissa learned to walk at nine months, she sped at 16 and she flew at 20…

Now, she soars…………………..

Komen Race for the Cure- Team Melissa Stanley Cohen

2007-09-14T09:54:00.000-04:00

Hello Folks-
I will be sending out a big email very soon.

I wanted to post the link to the actual team set up by Michelle White. Please join and/or contribute.
http://kmd2007rftc.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=229427&lis=1&kntae229427=576F411C571F4CF49CDBB9F6042D9752&team=2614402

We look forward to having you on the team. The race is actually being run in Hunt Valley this year. The change of venue may make the conspicuous physical absence of Melissa slightly less sad.

But we must take part. We all know that she would have wanted us to- and that she would have insisted on it.

We also know that she will indeed be walking right there with us, as she lives in our hearts and minds always. Her presence will be felt. No doubt about it!

Thanks and best wishes,
Beth Bell

Melissa's Eulogy -Thanks To Bruce Eisenberg.

2007-09-13T01:48:00.000-04:00

Hello, my name is Bruce Eisenberg. For those of you who don’t know me, for 28 years I have been a lawyer in the lawfirm started by Melissa’s father, Stanley Cohen. But more importantly, I am a close friend of Melissa’s and her family and have been for all of my life. By the way, it is her father whose name Melissa used in the film industry, and that is why many of you here know her as “Stanley” Cohen.

It is truly an honor and privilege to be the one asked to speak about Melissa today, and I am grateful to her family for allowing me the opportunity to do so. I just hope I am able to capture the essence of Melissa in a speech, especially when I don’t have Melissa here to direct me. For surely, she would have preferred to give this speech herself to make sure it was done properly.

Melissa was born in April 1971. The first child born to Ardis and Stanley Cohen. She grew up in Ellicott City and soon had a younger brother Jeremy, whom she loved dearly. Jeremy still remembers how his big sister would stick up for him – emotionally as well as physically. When he would get into neighborhood scuffles Melissa, in Jeremy’s words, was “always there to back me up.”

When Melissa was 10 her father Stanley died, but Melissa continued to admire, love, and respect him for the rest of her life. In fact, several years ago, Melissa contacted Levinson’s funeral home to make sure she could be buried at Beth Tfiloh Cemetery right next to her father Stanley. Melissa and Jeremy and Ardis fought together toget through such a terrible loss and became closer as a result of it. Certainly her father’s death had a huge impact on Melissa’s life.

Melissa graduated from Mt. Hebron High School where she had been a cheerleader for a at least one year, she took some courses at Catonsville Community College andthen decided to head out west on her own to learn the film business.

Over the years working in the film industry, Melissa served as the Production Assistant, Production Coordinator, or Production Supervisor on many, many major motion pictures, including Twelve Monkeys, Me, Myself & Irene, The Wedding Planner, Antoine Fischer, Ladder 49, and Failure to Launch.

At the age of 29 or 30, Melissa left California and moved to Colorado where she became a white water rafting guide. Ultimately, Melissa returned to the Baltimore area to be close to Ardis and Jeremy and got back into the film industry locally and then she even went into the mortgage business for a brief period of time.

I try to think of a word that best describes Melissa. Is it Hardworking? Certainly her co-workers in the film industry say she worked harder, with more stamina, than anyone they knew. And has anyone worked for a cause as tirelessly as Melissa did for the fight against breast cancer?

Is the word I’m looking for Tough? A friend of who washer production assistant several years ago will always remember seeing a Washington DC teamster walk out of Melissa’s office in tears, and of course, there has been no one tougher or stronger in confronting an illness than Melissa. One friend described Melissa fighting cancer as she lived – as a warrior goddess.

Is the word Fearless or Confident? Even at age six after fracturing her arm in gymnastics class, Melissa went to Ocean City on a family vacation and proceeded to do cartwheels in the sand with her arm in a cast. When she worked at an Amoco station during high school, Melissa would wear her Amoco shirt to school, not caring what others might think about how she dressed. At age 18 she moved to California on her own. And according to her friend Lani, Melissa has singlehandedly rebuilt her house, hiked barefoot in the California desert, gone scubadiving, and played volleyball with a Marine unit and kicked ass.

Is Playful the word that best describes Melissa? When she got her red Cabriolet convertible in high school, Melissa bought matching red sunglasses. Her co-workers in the film business remember how she would throw something at them and laugh, or playfully knock everything off the desk of the one who was a little too neat or organized.

Is it Wild? Well, I guess we really can’t go into much detail there – suffice it to say that there was decent partying going on at the condo Melissa had in Ellicott City. One friend even referred to her as a wildcat. She was also a skydiver, white water rafter, and skier.

Is the word I’m looking for Devoted Friend? Without fail, everyone, including Ardis, viewed Melissa as the best friend anyone can have. When a friend of Melissa’s mistakenly signed up for the military after high school, it was Melissa who helped her get out of her commitment. While in California, it was Melissa who contacted a doctor in Baltimore to try to get a referral for her California friend. When it didn’t go work out, Melissa drove her friend across the country and just showed up in the Baltimore doctor’s office with her friend. On more than one other occasion, Melissa traveled across the country to help a friend. Many cards sent to Melissa in the hospital, most recently, from her movie industry cohorts, express gratitude for her giving them encouragement and the push they needed to continue in their careers. Melissa’s friend, Denise, recounted how she could and did call Melissa in the middle of the night when necessary and how it was Melissa who helped Denise relocate after a broken engagement. Melissa’s friend and co-worker, Ann, will always remember when they were working on a film in Miami during Christmas and it was Melissa who went out of her way to get a Christmas tree for Ann and others and helped them to have a good Christmas even though they were away from their families. I am told Melissa planned huge weekend meals for friends in each and every place she lived.

Is Honest the word I’m looking for? Certainly anyone who knew Melissa knows that she said what she thought and never sugar coated anything.

Is it Loving? Melissa loved her family, her mother, Ardis, her brother, Jeremy, her sister-in-law, Melanie, her two nieces, Sara and Emily, her aunts and uncles and cousins. She moved back to the Baltimore area to be close to her family and would always go out of her way throughout the years to attend family holiday dinners at Irv and Carol’s house. And, we can’t forget Petie, her little Chihuahua whom she loved so much and would bring him to work with her every day. And, of course she loved her husband, Scott, and realized how fortunate she was to have him, especially through the years of her illness. No one was more devoted to Melissa than Scott.

I guess I must conclude that one word isn’t enough to describe Melissa. Hard working, tough, fearless, confident, playful, wild, devoted friend, honest, loving – they all apply. Which I guess just makes Melissa unique, the word I’ve been searching for all along. Melissa’s smile, which as my sister Barbara describes it, “Went all the way up her to her eyes” was contagious. It represented her zest and her passion for life, her desire to live life to the fullest each day. According to Scott, Melissa made him appreciate life. Her uniqueness led him to tell me he feels so fortunate to have been with Melissa that he wouldn’t change a thing in the past five years. Yes, Melissa was unique. She was one of a kind. From the large crowd here today, it is clear that her uniqueness has touched a great many people and that her spirit will remain with us, and in us, forever.

Bubba Smith, who was a very close friend of Melissa’s father Stanley, and is Melissa’s godfather, tells the story of Stanley holding up his newborn babygirl to Bubba and with great pride saying, “Look, Bubba, look what I did!” Those of you who knew Stanley knew that many of the words I have used to describe Melissa also apply to him. I can’t help but think of the reunion that Melissa is having now with Stanley and Gee, Melissa’s grandfather, and I smile thinking about Gee and Stanley having another third generation family member to argue with. I am sure Melissa’s cousin, Douglas, can use her help in these arguments.

But I think we can all reflect on Melissa’s life and how much she was able to accomplish in thirty-six brief years and honestly say, “Look, look what she did”, and feel very happy for her. Anyway, I think that’s what she would want.

Race for the Cure 2007

2007-09-11T13:54:00.000-04:00

HELLO ALL
I could not find a team for Melissa under her name or Get Into Balance
this year and I can only assume she didn't have the time or energy yet to
set up for the walk. I have started a team to walk on Oct 14th in Hunt
Valley.

Pls join us & *****pls forward this**** to anyone who you think may
want to come.

Pls log on to:
www.komenmd.org team name is Melissa Stanley Cohen
Thanks!! Hope to see you all there.

Michelle White

Rest in Peace, Melissa "Stanley" Cohen

2007-09-01T16:03:00.000-04:00

The person we all know and love, and the orginal author of this blog, Melissa "Stanley" Cohen, passed away on Wednesday, August 29th, 2007.

You can view the obituary http://www.legacy.com/BaltimoreSun/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=93563006 and also post to a virtual guestbook there. The "guestbook" stays up for a year, after which time, we will transfer it here.

The funeral was Friday, August 31st and was attended by many, many, family members, friends and work colleagues of Melissa's.

A few of her friends and I spoke about some initiatives we were going to take to keep the spirit of Melissa alive: we'll be putting together a team for the Komen Race for the Cure again this year, her mycancersupport web page will continue to stay up and offer resources for other Stage IV patients, and I will be setting up a flickr photo page account with a user name and password that will be emailed out to anyone on Melissa's original mailing list, and those of the "email tree" that branches out from that- so that all groups of Melissa's friends and family from all over can post their own photos without the aid of an administrator (so anyone can upload pictures to it).

Information is taken care of above, so I would like to post a eulogy tribute to Melissa that I wrote from bottom of my heart. She was loved by many, near and far, and will be missed without measure.

Tribute to Melissa “Stanley” Cohen

I met Melissa on a 2 day location shoot for the movie “Quiz Show”, something like 15 years ago. It was only a 2 day shoot, but we became fast friends. We worked together numerous times, but our friendship grew into a “we’d be friends no matter what we did for a living” friends.

Everyone reading this knew her and loved her and had their lives touched by her in some, or many, ways. Even people she may never have met in person were helped by her, or inspired by her, or impressed by her. From the production work she did for so many years, to the people who she took out on rafting expeditions, to the people she helped get home loans (that would include my husband and me), to the people she helped through her holistic business, to the money she has raised for worthy causes, to the people she knew from school, from Federal Hill, when she lived there, to California, from the internet through her blog and websites- the long arms of her influence stretch wide and far.

She packed more in her short lifetime then most people do who live to be 85. She bought and sold a number of houses, had numerous occupations- that she excelled at, of course, she jumped out of airplanes, fell in love, was the beloved owner to a number of pets, and not only made countless friends, but also connected friends.

If you looked up the word “moxie” in the dictionary, they’d have a picture of Melissa. Sometimes known as Stanley. I asked her one time why the nickname? Yes, it was a tribute to her dad, but she told me that reason she picked a guy’s name for a nickname goes back to when she was living in LA, before moving into the production end of things and she would try to get on the overhire list as a grip or an electrician. They would conveniently miss the name “Melissa” on the list, but they’d call a Stanley. She’d answer the phone and they would have no choice but call her in for the work. And she kept up with the burlyist of them, too. See? Moxie.

Dictionary.com says for “moxie”:
1. The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage.
2. Aggressive energy; initiative
3. Skill; know-how.
That’s Melissa to me. Anytime any of you faces something that makes you wonder how it can be done, you should remember Melissa, and use her as your inspiration.

If what anyone can hope for in this life is to leave some kind if legacy, rest assured, Melissa’s legacy is enormous. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to be her friend- to have memories and stories from her time here with us to remember and cherish.

At a time like this, we all seek words and tears and actions that will offer us some kind of comfort for the sadness we feel about losing someone so special, so unique and so remarkable. She faced her illness like she faced anything else in her life- head on. It did not define her- and she fought it with everything she had. The sum of her life is much more than her fight with that terrible disease in her latter years. It is all the years and all the stories and all the other battles won and challenges and accomplishments in her life. The comfort I take with me is having known her and loved her and to continue to keep her presence here with me long after her physical body has expired.

Quite a task, yes? But we all know that she is up to the task, don’t we?

~ Beth Bell, Baltimore, MD~

For Melissa

2007-08-30T22:57:00.001-04:00

NEW STUFF ON THE HORIZON!

2007-05-31T10:01:00.000-04:00

Okay, well, my chemo once a week is going okay. Although I have to say, its not once a week. We have actually been doing it more like once every two weeks. For many different reasons. I have decided to close the doors on GET INTO BALANCE, at least for the time being. I have taken a movie job. My finances were alittle too crazy and doing this movie job will greatly relieve the stress from my financial woes a bit. Its a movie here in Baltimore, so it will be really great to see all the familiar faces I havent seen in so long. I am sure it will be hard for me physically, but I think mentally it will be a welcome change. So Im rolling up my sleeves and diving in!! Some of my wonderful friends have created a website for me. It has helped me a lot and I greatly appreciate all the time that was put into it. I would like to build onto it and create a GUIDE TO STAGE IV CANCER PATIENTS. What do I do when it happens to me?? It might take some time, but eventually I think it will be a great tool for anyone in my position! The website address is:
www.yourcancersupport.com
I hope you like it! There are some more recent photos there too! Have a great summer and Ill be in touch soon!
Melissa Stanley Cohen

ITS BEEN AWHILE

2007-05-11T10:19:00.000-04:00

Sorry its been so long, Ive been quite busy over the past few months and a lot has changed.. So, I put the house on the market and headed to Florida. The day after I got there I met with a new oncologist and then two days after that I started a new round of chemo..Gemzar. I had a big progression when I had my last test, so we had to start the new chemo ASAP.. Had my chemo on Friday and headed to Miami on Saturday. I stayed with my friend Colette down there. I felt really bad that week and Colette took me back to Jupiter on Wed to get some tests done that were already scheduled. The pain I was having in my stomach was pretty furocious, so we decided to go to the ER instead.. I found out I had acute appendisitus and needed to have my appendix taken out before it burst, HOWEVER, I had a paricardial effusion, which means fluid around my heart that was compressising it and if I did have surgery, my heart wouldnt make it through.. So we had to go in and do surgery there. Drain the fluid and do a paricardial window.. So on April 4th, I went under the knife again, for two procedures.. Needless to say, I was in the hospital a week and did NOT start my chemo again the following week. They wanted me to heal more. And Scott and I decided to head back to Maryland for good. So, what are we donig with the house. I dont know yet.. But we are back now.. I got back to Maryland in the middle of April and started my chemo again, then got hospitalized with Pnemonia.. Just a couple days though. Feeling yucky and staying in bed a lot. Now its May 11th and Im finally starting to feel alittle better.. I had a great dinner last night with Ardis and Scott. LOBSTER!!! Yummy!!! Every Friday I have chemo and Im actually about to leave the house to go to chemo.. Sunday Ill be at Melanies and Jeremys to celebrate my littlelist neices 2nd B-DAY.. Happy Birthday Emily!! We are hoping to spend the first or second week in June at the beach for an early vacation!! That should be great too. I hope everyone is doing well and hope that spring has been great for all!! Ill be writing again soon!
Melissa

HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR!

2007-01-31T09:31:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!
Sorry its been so long. Ive been keeping very busy. So, my tumor markets went back up after getting them down so low, I stopped taking my chemo so that I could take a break and my numbers went up. So I went back on my chemo and my numbers stopped going up. I go in today for a treatment and new blood work. I started taking Mistletoe, by injecting it in my belly everyday, I ran out and my doctors out of town for the week, so Ill get back on it, when hes back in town. I am feeling good and keeping busy. I have just taken a job with Donna Gates, the woman who wrote "The Body Ecology Diet". So Ill be relocating to Jupiter Florida. Ill be coming back to Baltimore every three weeks for right now, to work on the house. I am going to sell the house, so if you know anyone interested in a fix'er upper!! Let Me KNOW!! By selling the house, Ill get out of debt and be able to find a rental in Florida. I cant buy down there, the cost of living is a lot higher and the taxes, insurance and hurricane insurance is way out of my reach for right now. I am looking forward to making the change. I know that I will be a lot stricter with my diet if I am in Florida. Its a great opportunity and Im looking forward to it!! Scott is trying to figure out whether he should hold down the fort here in Baltimore until the house sells. If he does this I can stay at Donna's without having a rent to pay. This would help because at this point I cant afford a house in Baltimore and Florida. So we are playing it day by day! Its a new exciting move!! I will have my business still, but based out of Florida rather than Baltimore. I love change, its like getting rid of the old and bringing in the new. Just like a NEW YEAR!! Which it is!! I hope all is well with everyone! I hope your holiday season was wonderful!! Ill post soon!!
Melissa, Scott, Gracie & Timber

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

2006-11-25T10:54:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyones Turkey Day was wonderful!! I had a great time!! I am so thankful for all the good that has come into my life, I am truly lucky!!

I am feeling great, I have blood work coming up soon. My numbers have come down to almost normal and my PET/CT Scan looked amazing! Only 4 little spots!! Isnt that great!! I know whos going to have a great holiday season! ME!!!

Scott is headed back down to Florida on Tuesday next week. He will be down there until Dec 15, then hes back for the holidays and heads back south on Jan 2 or around there. Hes working with Donna, cooking for her, testing recipes out and doing recipes for the Newsletter HOPEFULLY! As well as, putting his two sense in a recipe book for Body Ecology! Sounds great doesnt it!!

Ill be home, working on the house and getting the business going smoother! I now am selling my product at a health food store in upstate New York!! I figured that I would work slowly and start one store at a time. I need to find an establishment to make my product now. So Im looking into renting/borrowing a space from someone that owns a business with a kitchen. Im also going to look into placing my product in a Health Food Store locally. We will see how it goes. Trying to get together all my stuff for tax season! Im starting soon!

I cant wait to Christmas shop, I already know exactly what Id like to get Scott!! So once he heads to Florida I can start shopping for him!!!

I will be helping coordinate all of the Body Ecology Trainings, so it looks like Ill be travelling some this spring. I figure once a month there will be a training almost, so I need to be ready to go!

I hope that everyones Holiday Season is as rewarding as mine has started!!! Stay healthy and happy!!!

Melissa!

Just another Update!!

2006-10-31T22:25:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Im crazy busy lately! Im back from LA where I coordinated a CBE Training for Body Ecology. Scott was one of the chefs. It went so great! It was amazing!! Everyone kept saying how they wanted Scott to go to their house and cook for them!! We are hoping that happens and soon!! I had a treatment yesterday (not chemo but all the other stuff they shoot me up with)and guess what!?! MY NUMBERS CAME DOWN AGAIN!!!! I actually stopped my chemo three weeks ago, due to the fact that my hands and feet were getting discolored, they were peeling and still are and they were kind of painful.. So I stopped my chemo, yet my numbers are still coming down!!!! Thats 9 weeks straight of my numbers going lower and lower, Im almost near the normal level!! I have an appointment for a PET/CT on Monday next week. And I am sure that it will look amazingly wonderful, but Ill update you guys again to let you know! Check out my website, I put some pictures up:
http://getintobalance.com
I have the pictures of my cultured vegetables at the Shopping Cart there too!!
I am having labels done for my veggies I sell and actually Scott, myself my friend Trish and Adiante helped today to make 50 jars of my veggies. The Weston A Price Foundation has their national conference next weekend and Scott and I will be there to work the Body Ecology Booth. We will also have our vegetables there for sale!! YEAH!!! We are hoping to bottle at least 150 bottles for the event. The small convention they had in Detroit sold 35 bottles in a day. And the same conference Im going to last year, they sold 96 bottles in one day. Ill be there three days! Im hoping to sell out hand out flyers and take orders!! Wouldnt that be great!!
Its going to be a wonderful event and hopefully will bring in some profit for us!!! At least to pay for the bottles, lids, lables, business cards and flyers I just paid for... I cant wait, it should be amazing!!
I have classes lined up, not a lot of attendees yet, one person coming on Nov 8 so far. Id like at least three, but it would be fun and more educational for the person if it is just one person. So we will see!
Things are just wonderful! Im feeling great and looking great and my business is steadily doing better and better. Each month more sales!! Which means, more profit!! Its still a small business, but its getting there. Wouldnt it be great when its making me enough money to pay bills!! It wont be long!

DONT FORGET ABOUT:
THE COOPER PERRY FAMILY FUNDRAISER
November 4, 2006 is the Bowl-a-thon! The past two years we have done the event at Explora World, now called Playwise Kids in Columbia. This year we will do a bowl-a-thon. Its in Timonium at the AMF bowling alley! I hope that you can all come join the fun! It should be a blast for the kids!! To sign up go to:
http://bowlathon.net/

So I guess thats the update for now! We are great! And I hope you are all great too!!!

Ill speak to you all soon!!!
Melissa

Another Update

2006-10-24T19:14:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! So I had a crazy crazy month.. Heres what Ive been doing.

My friend Liz and I started a non-profit organization called "MICFA"
Maryland Independent Consumers and Farmers Association
Check out MICFA...(Maryland Independent Consumers and Farmers Association)
http://micfa.net/

Our purpose is to promote and preserve unregulated direct farmer-to-consumer trade that fosters availability of locally grown or home-produced food products.
Help give freedom a voice. Let's take back some of the ground that we've lost to global agendas and government interference. Be a true patriot.
MICFA was incorporated just last month! Help support a worthy cause and become a member!!

I get my blood work done on Monday, so Ill do another post with news there. But of course as you all know, the blood work will look good!! I have a PET/CT scan next week too. So it will be nice to see NO CANCER!!!! Everyone think the same thing, Ill be CLEAR!!! The more people who say it the better!!!

I was just in Los Angeles.. I coordinated a "Body Ecology Certification Class". It was a long week but wonderful! I met a lot of great people and Scott was the chef who cooked for 25 people breakfast lunch and dinner everyday! Everyone kept saying, is he willing to travel? OF COURSE HE IS!! They want to rent him for a week or two so that he can cook for them as well
as teach them how to cook The Body Ecology Way!! Isnt that great! So now I need to come up with Marketing materials for him. That would be great! I might end up coordinating more events for Body Ecology, however it most likely wont be until next year.

The Race for the Cure was Saturday and a lot of fun! It was great to see everyone come out for the event. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO DONATED OR PARTICIPATED! Its such a worthy cause!! My friends Jodi and Barb came in from Colorado and my friend Liz came in from New York! It was a great turn out!
Here are some pics of the Race: http://homepage.mac.com/lyndameier/PhotoAlbum25.html

THE COOPER PERRY FAMILY FUNDRAISER
November 4, 2006 is the Bowl-a-thon! The past two years we have done the event at Explora World, now called Playwise Kids in Columbia. This year we will do a bowl-a-thon. Its in Timonium at the AMF bowling alley! I hope that you can all come join the fun! It should be a blast for the kids!! To sign up go to:
http://bowlathon.net/

My business is doing well, going slow, but well. I cant really go hog wild, Im trying to still get enough rest. Which seems almost impossible. Check out my site: http://getintobalance.com
Here is an update of GET INTO BALANCES' classes for next month..

November 8, 2006 (wednesday)
6pm-9pm
How to Make Cultured Veggies & Coconut Kefir
Catonsville Maryland

November 10 thru 12
Get Into Balance will be helping out at the Body Ecology Booth at the
Weston A Price Foundation Conference in Virginia.. Hope to see you all there!!

November 18, 2006
2pm-4pm
Introduction to the Body Ecology Diet
Catonsville Maryland

You can call me for more info at 410-566-7420
or you can email me at melissa@getintobalance.com
You can also book your spot online at my website: http://getintobalance.com

Limited Space Available.

Stay tuned!

COOKING CLASSES With Chef and Certified Body Ecologist Scott Altvater
Learn to use Grains!!
Learn to use Sea Vegetables!
Cooking with good oils/fats!
Let us know what you need help with, and we will have you in the kitchen creating in no time!!

SCREENING OF FILM
I will be having a screening at my house of "The Source of Food". Its a great film that will open up your eyes to what really is going on with our farmers!!

FOOD PRESENTATION
My last food presentation went so well, I am hoping to do another one!! Ill update once I schedule this!

So, I guess you could say Ive been busy!! Scott is making Cultured Veggies right now, while Im doing emails and posts...Then back to work!!

Melissa Stanley Cohen
Get Into Balance
http://getintobalance.com
melissa@getintobalance.com
410-566-7420 Phone

More Good News!!

2006-09-29T12:34:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!! So, I had a doctors appointment on Friday and my Cancer Tumor Markers came down again!!! In half!!! I feel really good!! I went to Florida to stay with Donna Gates, thats who wrote the Body Ecology Book and ONE HUGE reason why I feel so good!! It was amazing and I loved it. I made a contact with Evergreen Spices, a great company that I want to do business with. They are from Isreal and have created some great spices. They are all organic, kosher and they have NO MSG or SALT. They taste amazing too. They had mix and dry it all themselves and they collect spices from around the world!! I also had a great time learning a lot more from Donna as well. While there Donna hired me to help coordinate a Training in Los Angeles for The Body Ecology Diet. Now Im crazy busy with that.. Scott flew down to Florida just a couple days after I got home. He is healing, cleansing and TRAINING. He will be one of the chefs in LA at the Training. Im going back to LA, crazy huh. Ill be there from Oct 13 thru Oct 19.. Then come home to get ready for the RACE FOR THE CURE!! If you havent signed up, the cut off is coming up! Dont forget to sign up for the Race, heres the link again:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=163313&lis=1&kntae163313=7EEAB54C451C4423B337F4EBDC1ECD0E&supId=84842811

I hope you can all come!! If not, a donation would be greatly appreciated. If you want to come, when you get to the link, hit JOIN MY TEAM!!

So, while Scott is in Florida training, he got his hair cut. Hes back to the preppy look and out with the hippie look. His hair was so beautiful and long, it was around 10 to 12 inches. Crazy huh!! Now its a crew cut again. I havent even seen it. He will be in Florida for another couple weeks, then he will fly directly to LA for the Training then back to Baltimore for the race on Oct 20.. The race is Oct 21st..

He is feeling really good and doing really well. So am I!! Isnt that great!! My tumor markers are so low right now, I dont have far to go before they are in normal range. Isnt that just amazing!!

I also started a non-profit organization. Im still working on the Federal Paperwork, but the State paperwork is already done!! Its called MICFA, Maryland Independent Consumers and Farmers Association. You can check out the link if you want:
http://www.micfa.net/

Our purpose is to promote and preserve unregulated direct farmer-to-consumer trade that fosters availability of locally grown or home-produced food products.
Help give freedom a voice.
Let's take back some of the ground that we've lost to global agendas and government interference. Be a true patriot.

Isnt that cool too!!! Ive been very busy.... Heres the info on the training too! If anyone is interested in learning more about The Body Ecology Diet, its well worth it!! Heres the link:
http://bodyecology.com/events/malibuseminar_em.pdf

Okay, so what else....Hmmmm. My hair is coming in beautifully!! Its light brown with what looks like highlights on the tips..And its straight!! I love it!!

I started a weekly drop/co-op at my house for Raw Dairy Products and Grass Fed Meats...Its been great, the products are amazing and healthy!!

Who would have ever thought I would be doing all this!!! Not me, but its changed my life for the better and I feel like I need to scream it out to the world!!

I hope everyone is doing well, and please do keep in touch. Maybe Ill even get to see some friends in LA while Im there, I havent been there is almost 7 years. That just doesnt seem right, well here I come! I hope to see you all while Im there. And for those of you here in Baltimore, lets all go out and celebrate life!!!

Talk to you all soon
Melissa Stanley Cohen

GREAT NEWS!!!

2006-09-01T18:16:00.000-04:00

So my cancer markers (blood work) have finally started going down!! And how great is it that one of the markers actually went down by almost HALF!! The other one came down substantially too, just not in half. I still look great and feel great!! YEAH!! Im going to Florida to visit with Donna Gates for a week. Thats who wrote The Body Ecology Diet. Ill be detoxing and relaxing! What a great thing, great news and a great vacation!! I hope to see you all at The Race for the Cure!! Heres the link to join the team:
http://2006komenmdrftc.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=163313&lis=1&kntae163313=00F4490ADCC14DB0BF4D7C920D2B22E7&team=1349268

Heres the link to donate if you cant walk in the race but would like to make a contribution or sponsor me:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=163313&lis=1&kntae163313=00F4490ADCC14DB0BF4D7C920D2B22E7&supId=84842811

And dont forget to check out my new business website if you havent already:
http://getintobalance.com

Events my company is holding:

Sept 16, 2006 at The Shops At Kenilworth "A Day of Healing", Ill have a table set up that day, Come by and see me!! Im not sure of the times, I think its 11a to 2p or something like that.

Sept 23, 2006 Presentation and Food Tasting of Grass Fed Farm Products at 12noon
A 15 minute film on Raw Dairy Products and presentation on the good whole foods that can be obtained. I host a co-op at my home, it delivers once a week. You can order that day and delivery to my house is on MONDAY!! YEAH

Sept 30, 2006 from 2pm to 5pm -Two Classes
How to Make Cultured Veggies &
How to Make Coconut Kefir

So, as you can see Im keeping very busy!!! I am also hoping to try and raise more funds for the Race for the Cure, by being a GUEST BARTENDER. I dont know where yet, but when I know, Ill let you all know, so you can come by and support the cause!!

I hope that your summer has gone well, mine has been great!! HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY WEEKEND!!

See you all soon!!
Melissa

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

2006-07-25T10:29:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! Im still feeling really good, but my cancer isnt playing nice. I had a PET/CT last a week or so ago and my cancer is still progressing. I have additional spots on my back bone in T-9, T-11 in two spots, T-12, my scapula which is also new and my liver has more spots as well. You couldnt tell by looking at me or by the way I feel so thats good!! I have to start chemo again. This time Im trying Xeloda, apparently the Abraxane didnt work. So we will try Xeloda now. Its a pill. I take 4 two times a day for 14 days then take 7 days off. This seems like it would work better. I take it daily!! Time to kick cancers butt! They say I wont lose my hair, although I dont have a lot of it, thats good! And hopefully the side effects will be very slight! After all, I am gettint used to it!! For those who havent signed up for the Race for the Cure, dont forget about it. October 21st! If you cant be there, Id love for you to donate to my team. The team name this year is "Get Into Balance" just like my new business! The web address to join the team is:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=163313&lis=1&kntae163313=2F1FC761E20C400BAD051753C21880BE&supId=0&team=1349268&cj=Y

If you havent seen the website for my business, its:
http://getintobalance.com

I hope everyone is well! And I hope everyones summer is going great!! Hope to see everyone soon!

Melissa

GET INTO BALANCE!

2006-06-27T12:15:00.000-04:00

I am feeling wonderful and looking pretty good too!! My hair is coming in, although its not black anymore! Maybe it will turn darker down the road. For those who dont know, I have started a business with Scott called "GET INTO BALANCE". Our website is: http://getintobalance.com
We are on the journey to wellness!! That sounds funny from me doesnt it! I cant tell you how great I feel, Ive been walking one mile a day on the tredmill and helping mom to move up the three flights of stairs have been a workout too!! We have held two classes and one support group our next class is this Sunday, so we will see how that turns out. The website is generating some business, but Im still not listed on any search engines yet. Ive submitted, but apparently it takes awhile! DONT FORGET about the Race for the Cure, It looks like its Oct 21st this year instead of Oct 1st. Ill resend emails to everyone here and there! I hope that you can make it to the race or donate something if possible! My next doctors appointment is Thursday and my next PET/CT scan is two weeks from now. So wish me luck! I dont know that we will see a difference this PET/CT or not. However, it would be great wouldnt it!! Hope everyone is well and hope that your summer will be wonderful like mine!!!
Heres the link for The Race for the Cure, this year my team name is GET INTO BALANCE, like my new business, hee hee. This is the link to JOIN THE TEAM, you can always hit my name on the right of the screen to simply donate!!
http://2006komenmdrftc.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=163313&lis=1&kntae163313=BB3BBD613A4645748D1C84B23364D689&team=1349268
I hope to see you at the Race!! Ill update you ater my next test!
Love to you all!! And dont forget to "Balance your body!"
Melissa, Scott, Gracie and Timber too!

JUST ALITTLE UPDATE

2006-05-26T17:46:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Im feeling really good. Lots of stuff to tell you about. So my last day of chemo, didnt happen when we expected it to. I went in on that Monday and had a bad infection (or so it seemed) in my chest where my port(how they administer chemo) was put in. I couldnt really move my arm much and the pain was bad, both scars were red and inflammed. The redness actually moved up the chest along the line where the port and tube where. Anywho, got anitbiotics and went home to watch it. Wednesday went in and we all decided to go ahead and remove the port. My test results came in and no infection. I did have a high white blood cell count on Monday, so I guess my body just rejected it. So I had surgery (out patient, no biggie) on Monday and by Tuesday morning, the surgical site looked great, no redness, no pain. And its gonna be a much better scar too! The diet (new way of life) is going great!! We are using a lot more Ocean Veggies and Grains now. I had a really great Fritter!! Yummy!!Our friend Caroline came into town from New York to visit and taught us a lot and hung out. We cooked great B.E.D meals and I got to try out her Cultured Veggies (I know I have to tell everyone what that is). It was a blast! I am going to be doing another website as soon as I have all the info for everyone Ill pass it on. Ill also put a link here at the blog so you have a quick way to get there. Ill write again soon, I still have so much to tell everyone!!! I look good and feel good and this last treatment went swimmingly! I was only sickish for 1 day. Thats it!I stopped taking my prescription meds, I dont need the blood pressure meds anymore, I guess my diet helped that out! Went from 145/115 for approx 3 months, down to 118/75..I now take my blood pressure at home to monitor since I stopped taking the meds. No more pain killers, Ativan, Lunesta...How cool!! I dont need it. My hair started growing back a couple of weeks ago too. ALREADY!!! I never really talked about my weight much but, in January I was in the high 190's...Now, 161.....Pretty big difference huh!!! I hope everyone is well and have a really great Memorial Day Weekend!!!!! Love to ya all!~Melissa

WOW! WHAT A WEEK IN ATLANTA!

2006-05-03T12:24:00.000-04:00

So, I dont have the time to tell all that happened, but Im a new person and so is Scott. After only 4 days in Atlanta living with the Body Ecology Diet, we feel regenerated, healthier happier and much much more!! I now know that I can feel so much better than ever before and with dedication to this diet, I feel I can now cure my cancer and prove all of the doctors wrong. I feel I have a medical and scientific base for what I say and I truly believe. It will take us some time to get organized and of course we need to specifically work on ourselves and getting better, the Body Ecology Diet has given us answers to a lot of our questions about why we were feeling a certain way and how to change it. I would love to share this knowledge with everyone!! Scott and I both were certified, so we are CBE's now. (Certified Body Ecologists) Scott is beginning to create menus and recipes that are delicious and down the road once my imbalance (I wont be using the word Cancer anymore) in balanced, we will have an opportunity to make this journey a very lucrative one. Scott can do prepared meals for families daily or on a weekly basis, he could go into a persons home to cook, write a recipe/cook book and I can consult and try and get the word out to all persons in a similar situation as me so that they too have a chance of recover when being told otherwise. And at the least be able to feel better and look better!! Yes it is an organic diet, but the foods are delicious and meat is still on the diet and all veggies and leafy things are too! Even baby red skin potatoes and some winter squashs!! Anyway, Im too excited to go into all of it, but Scott and I have found something that makes us feel amazing!!! Cant wait to talk to each and every one of you to spread the knowledge of feeling good!!!!! I hope to speak with you guys soon. I feel amazingly wonderful!! My last chemo treatment is Monday and the way I feel now, it wont be such a bad week, my body will handle it and then move on!! YEAH!
Love to everyone!
Melissa & Scott

A WHOLE NEW BEGINNING

2006-04-22T12:16:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I had my 5th out of 6th treatment this round. Its been going okay, but there have been lots of new changes to my life, so here we go!!
I started seeing a Natural Physician. Im taking multiple (like 50 a day or more) supplements, Im now going to be on a diet called the Body Ecology Diet and Ill also be taking a non FDA approved supplement called Poly-MVA. So far the supplements have given me alittle more energy, less hot flashes and I can sleep alittle better. The diet im really excited about, there are many people who have had very long remissions due to the diet. Scott & I are headed to Atlanta on Tuesday next week. Scott will be going to get certified in this diet while I hang out and hopefully meet people I can talk to at the clinic. Ill go get a colonic to probably!! That will clear me out!! Veggies, meat, cultured veggies.. NO SUGAR, No lots of stuff, rice, wheat, bread, nothing processed, pasturized, so on...I truley believe that I have found my way to a healthier life and a possibility of a cure. I will be continuing to see my oncologist and continue the treatments that he prescribes as well as what the Natural Physician prescribes. The DIET and the Poly-MVA which has so many good qualities as well. So my plate will be full, but so will my life! Im really excited, WISH ME LUCK. Im racing to find my own cure!! Ill do another post when I get back from Atlanta. I hope everyone is well and the Passover and Easter season was great for all!!
Love you all! Melissa Stanley Cohen

BACK TO CHEMO

2006-02-01T10:26:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! Well my travelling days are done for now. I started chemo last Monday and felt pretty bad the first week. Im starting to feel alittle better and Im sure that as soon as I do feel okay again it will be time again for another treatment. So heres the skinny:
Last PET/CT: There was more growth of my disease in different places, there is an additional spot in my liver, more lymphnodes and a new spot in my spine. Dont feel the one in the spine yet, so thats good, usually thats where the most pain is, in the bone. But as usual I dont feel it yet. Ill have 6 treatments one every three weeks, with blood test and possible shots in between those weeks. I am now taking ABRAXIN AND AVASTIN. Abraxin is the chemo for the breast cancer and avastin is a treatment (via iv) that is FDA approved for Colon and Rectal cancer, but more and more breast cancer patients are using it. In essence it stops the blood flow to the tumors in an effort to stop the growth. So hopefully these items will help knock down the cancer so that when Im done treatments by May and feeling better I can do some more travelling around!!
Acapulco: I had an amazing time in Mexico!! My friends Lizzie, Jodi and Lindsey from Colorado met me and Scott there and we had a ball!!Scott, myself and friends had a little ceremony on the beach the last night we were there to join Scott and I in our eternal love. Hee Hee. So now my wedding aniversary is January 16!! Pretty cool huh!! It was beautiful and amazing!!! Lizzie took pics, so hopefully I will have them soon to share with everyone! I am so glad that I was able to go there and make it a monumental couple weeks!!
So now, I am hanging out at the house trying to take it easy and relax during this set of treatments, I wont be travelling to Vegas this round of chemo. Oh well.
All are welcome to come visit me at the house, Im not very good at the phone thing while in chemo, but would love the visitors if anyone wants to come by and see me..
HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH EVERYONE AND I HOPE THAT THE NEW YEAR IS BRINGING LOTS OF CHEER AND HAPPINESS TO ALL!!!!
You can always browse the old posts at the blog to get to links to pics of me on my adventures!!

2005-12-28T10:56:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, here are some more photos from Disney World!! Go to the link, its the Disney Photopass website. When at the different parks, photographers take your photo and they post them on a website, for others to see and for you to spend money. Anyway, here they are!
https://disneyphotopass.go.com/DPI/0/0/.TOP.System.Guest.SlideShow.aspx?sub=83496&iId=347547405
I had such a great time in DisneyWorld!! We went to the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdon, Epcot, MGM Studios, Typhoon Lagoon and Disney Quest!! My friends Anne,(Annes son)James, Collette and Stacy came to visit for a night from Miami. Scotts dad, Garrett, came up from Naples for a day as well. We kept very busy and had a blast. On January 3 we head to Acapulco, Im hoping that a couple friends from Colorado will meet me there, Liz, Jodi and Rachel. We will see!! Looking forward to the sun and beach and cliff divers, Scott and I are talking about going to see the Ruins too!! Ill send photos and tell you all about it when Im back!!
Christmas & Hanakah were and are GREAT!! Scott got me a beautiful Platinum etched ring!! Its gorgeous!!! A symbol of our love, how corny. Nothing official in the legal sense, just for us. We are going to have a little ceremony in Acapulco. Just us, on the beach, watching the sunrise! Hee Hee. Itll be great!! Cant wait to show everyone the ring!!
So for the new UPDATE:
I have a PET/CT scan on Jan 19, surgery (to have a port put in) on Jan 20. Thats so they dont have to keep going into my arm for chemo. And on Jan 23 I start my next round of chemo. Hopefully it will slow things down and I can start travelling again in May or June when Im done! Europe is next I think!! So Ill be hanging around the house for the rest of the winter and for most of spring. Your always welcome to come visit!!
Hope everyones Holiday was great and hope that the New Year is even better!!! HAPPY HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!
Love, Melissa Stanley Cohen - Scott & Gracie too!!

DISNEY WORLD

2005-12-10T16:28:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I had a blast....I met up with friends from Miami, Anne, Colette and Stacy, and dont forget beautiful JAMES, Annes baby boy!! Then Scotts dad came in to visit from Naples!! More fun.. I havent had a chance to deal with photos yet..I was suppose to return on Wed and extended the trip to today..Just got back a couple of hours ago.. I already miss the Magic Kingdom!! Crazy! We had so much fun! As soon as I have the pics, I will post an address on the next update. I start work on Monday, a commercial, Ill do that until Dec 23...THEN, off to ACAPULCO!!!! Jan 3 through Jan 17... Then Ill start treatments.. Had to get all the fun in first! Gracie is doing well and very happy that we are home and shes not at the kennel anymore.. I got to do: Downtown Disney, Cirque de Soliel, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, MGM, Typhoon Lagoon (its warm there, its a water park) and Disney Quest... Saw a Lual (how do you spell that??) and stayed at a wonderful hotel! Colette has already posted pics, you can see them at -

Heres the link to the pics:

http://homepage.mac.com/colettehailey/Disneyworld!/PhotoAlbum19.html

Here they are to get a quick glance! Mine will be out there soon! I had an amazing time and wish I could have stayed longer. Happy Holidays!!!

Melissa Stanley Cohen

TO DISNEYWORLD I GO!!

2005-11-29T11:13:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. So it looks like Im headed for new chemo starting in January, I have asked the doctor if I could wait until after the Holidays and he seems comfortable with that. Ill be taking two different chemo drugs, Abraxen (sp?) and Avastin. Abraxen is the chemo and Avastin is a newer drug used for Collectoral & Rectum Cancer patients but doctors have been starting to use it in Lung and Breast Cancer patients. Hopefully it will do alittle better than the last. Maybe my body will respond better this time around. The cancer has spread to my liver, but its a small spot, it will take awhile for me to become symptomatic, so the situation has only changed since I have to start chemo again. My beautiful short hair that most of you havent even seen yet, will be gone again very soon and my beautiful bald head will be shining again!!
Scott and I are leaving on Friday to go to DisneyWorld! YEAH!!! So that should be fun and full of physical activity. Im trying to get it out of my system before chemo. Although this round should be easier than last, I want to get some physical activity in before I start. We will be there from DEC 2 TO DEC 7. So, FOR THE FLORIDIANS, if anyone is around the Orlando area within that time call me on my cell so we can hook up while Im down there!!! I think that the following week I will be headed to New Mexico to visit my friend Tina and her kids, Russia and Ian. I think Ill be there for a week or something like that and then I have to figure out if I can get a trip in to Colorado as well. Im still trying to figure out where else to go. Scott is working a lot this season, so he can only join me here and there. I would also like to take a trip to the Carribean at some point, Im hoping I can fit that in too before chemo, but if not then after the first treatment. For relaxing beach stuff!!
Thats the newest update! Keep in touch and have a WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!!!
Love to all!! Melissa Stanley Cohen

NEW UPDATE

2005-11-23T14:15:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! Its Wedneday 11/23/05.. I just got back to the house after
my new PET/CT Scan. No longer in remission, I have multiple lymphnodes that
the cancer is back and a new spot in my liver. Fun for the Holidays! so that means I need to start chemo again, just deciding on whether I want to start now before the Holidays or wait until January and start the New Year bald again. I meet with the doctor next week to go over the options. There is a chemo pill I can take at home everyday with less side effects, but doesnt do what the normal chemo does, but it could help.. Im not in any pain or anything except for the awful cold Ive had this week. Just finished doing the Christmas shopping for the kids in my life. Now I have to work on the adults.. I guess its time to start travelling around alittle. Maybe I can fit it in before the new chemo round. Thats the update for now, sorry it wasnt amazingly great news, but thats okay! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! Eat lots of turkey and make sure to put on a couple of pounds!! Nothing wrong with that. Have fun, stay happy, and start shopping for the Holidays! Ill write again soon.
Melissa Stanley Cohen

HELLO ALL!!

2005-09-03T20:03:00.000-04:00

Hey guys! Just wanted to let everyone know that my test on Wednesday went swimmingly!! No sight of active malignancy or metastatic disease! YEAH! I get another 3 month break, still one treatment once a month for the bone and my next test 3 months from now, BUT YEAH!! Another three months. Working on a Wal Mart commercial right now and taking piano lessons. Yes I bought a Piano, and I love it, Im practicing a lot. For all who have donated or signed up for the Race for the Cure, THANK YOU!!!! Would still love a whole bunch more people to walk with, havent even got the 60 I had last year, but oh well. Im looking forward to a wonderful fall and I hope to see everyone soon! My web address changed, there is a link at he blog though.. So you can get there by the link at the blogger! You can also get to the race sign up page from my blogg! Well hope everyone is as well as me!! On my website there is now a place to sign in at a GUEST BOOK, theres nothing to view yet, I just started it, so sign in! KEEP IN TOUCH AND HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY WEEKEND!! Melissa Stanley Cohen

AUGUST 24 UPDATE

2005-08-24T17:38:00.000-04:00

Hey there everyone! Ill be back in Baltimore on Saturday. Work is work is work. It was a lot of hours, but I hung in there. It was nice to get back to work. It was craziness. Whats new. I have a treatment next week, blood tests and a PET/CT Scan. That will let me know how Im doing and whats next on the agenda, hopefully nothing, It would be nice to get a few more months without surgeries and treatments. I got a piano and start my lessons on Monday, Im very excited!! I also joined the YMCA, went today for the first time and got set up. Did 20 minutes of swimming and then did the machines. Cant do much with my arm, but I guess alittle is better than nothing. The "Race for the Cure" is coming up on October 1st and I would love to have 100 people walk with me this year. Im up to 17 people on my team. Last year there were 60. Im hoping its still early and a lot of people havent signed up yet, so HURRRRRY UUPPPPP!! My competative nature is getting the best of me!! I hope to see you all at the race!! You can sign up at www.komenmd.org - Go to Find your team! - Then go to RACE FOR MELISSA - You can join the team there or make a donation!! ALSO, my website is down for now, itll be up and going soon enough, little changes here and there, so the Blogger is all thats there now. Scott and Gracie are doing good and say hello to everyone as well!! Hope everyone is happy, healthy and well!! So far so good this summer! Talk to all soon, Melissa Stanley Cohen

Hello All

2005-07-14T19:12:00.000-04:00

Hi there all. I just finished Producing a Training Video this past week and I just started on Failure to Launch. I will be headed to Easton Maryland on Monday July 18 to open up the office there and begin prepping for the shoot. I should be back home in the middle of August. I am feeling good and had a mammogram today and it was good to go. I meet the radiologist for a follow up visit tomorrow, Im sure that will go well too. I have been going to physical therapy for my leg and arm. I have Lymphodema, have I told you guys that yet? Anyway, so its sore and I cant really pick up stuff or carry stuff or move stuff, but oh well, just a pain in the behind, but no biggie. The Race for the Cure is October 1, 2005, I have sent most of you guys the link via email, but if I havent you can click on the link to the right named "RACE FOR MELISSA", I would love for you to join me there. I am doing the 1k walk with family and friends, if you are interested in doing the 5k run, you can still sign up with my team and run. Ill be walking but feel free to run... If you cant come, maybe you can join in next year, if your out of town, and would like to donate, you can do a general donation, or click on my name Melissa Cohen and donate there. If you cant donate, once again, no biggie, but I would love to be able to beat last years amount of money raised which was in the $13k range, and also beat the amount of people I had walk with me, 60 last year. So I guess you could say Im a little competative... Whats new.. So, I hope to see everyone at the race, or sometime soon!!! And I am sure I will be bugging everyone over and over before the race in the hopes that I have more of you guys sign up!! Hope all is well with everyone out there and I hope that your summer is as great as mine!! Love to all. Melissa Stanley Cohen

NEW UPDATE

2005-06-19T10:56:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! The last test I had went pretty well, not a PET/CT, but just bloodwork.. It showed my numbers staying the same or getting lower, which is good. The next bloodwork is in the beginning of July, so wish me luck! I have been working alittle on "Failure to Launch", a feature shooting in New Orleans. So I headed to New Orleans to touch base with everyone in the office and planned on going to Florida to coordinate that unit, but Florida was pushed, so they asked me to go and prep Alabama for them. So I drove from New Orleans to Destin Florida to check out the hotels and vendors there then flew home to Baltimore over Memorial Day weekend for my montly treatment (bone infusion and blood work). Then flew to Alabama to start prepping, They came and I left and went to Destin Florida, but the lovely Tropical Storm cancelled the shoot, so back to Baltimore I went. I am working as a Producer / UPM on an industrial thanks to Matt Craven and its going great. We shoot two days next week. Then comes the middle of July and Ill be working on "Failure to Launch" again. We are shooting in Easton / Oxford area and will be there around three weeks. Then the big test in the beginning of August.. A new PET/CT scan. This will let us know if I am truley in remission or not. So,hopefully it will be IF NOT CLEAR, a very slow moving growth.. In general, I feel good, my leg and arm hurt constantly, but Im going to see the physical therapist tomorrow in the hopes that there is a quick fix.. My leg (from the surgery when the put a rod through my femur and screws in my hip) is keeping me from running around and its pretty much sore and stiff all the time, in between jobs Im hoping to get some physical therapy in. I have been swimming three times a week and trying out laps. It feels good right after laps, but an hour or so later, I can hardly move. My left arm where they removed the lymphnodes, way back when 8/11/04, is starting to swell some and I cant really extend my arm all the way out, but once again Im hoping that the physical therapy works. Nothing too debilitating, just a pain in the butt. My hair is coming back in quickly, my eyebrows are completely back and my hair is coming in, not black though, its kind of a mix of brown, blonde and silvery grey. So we will see what it is soon enough!! I figure it will be nice to try and different sort of color, and Im assuming I can say goodbye to my curly hair.. My love, Scott, is doing good, working at The Breadery as the baker and my sweet Gracie Lou (my dog) is doing great too!! Thats the newest update for now, I hope everyone is doing well and I hope you can have as much fun this summer as I will!!!! Ill be updating again soon!! Love to all! Melissa / Stanley

From Lani

2005-05-28T12:16:00.000-04:00

If you have some pictures of Melissa/Stanley or of you with Melissa/Stanley please send them to me with your name, the date and where you are. I'll add them to the site.

Thanks,
Lani
EMAIL PHOTOS HERE

Email 5/28/05

2005-05-28T12:15:00.000-04:00

I am still working on my new webstie, if you dont know about it, the address is:

www.stanlissa.webpageone.org

My best friend Lani is creating a website, and since i know nothing about it, it might take awhile, because she is creating them and letting me look and change it around. Shes changing it around not me...

Right now there are some pictures on the site, not much to say though. There is a link at the bottom of the page that goes to a blogger that has little updates and comments. Im really bad at this computer stuff, so I write in the wrong places a lot. You can leave a comment there too.

I am doing fine. I had a treatment (not chemo, bone stuff) yesterday, Friday 5/27 and my cancer markers are holding or are still going down alittle, so thats good news..And Ive gone back to work..

I am working on "Failure to Launch" (romantic comedy), so Im on my way down to Gadsden Alabama on Sunday 5/29 and will head off to Destin Florida after that if the weather is good. So Ill be out of town until sometime in June, just depending. I stopped in New Orleans at their main production office last week to start work and then headed down to Destin Florida, then had to come back to Baltimore for my treatments and testing, fun fun... Some of you know what Im doing, some dont... Ill try to post more on the blogger when I figure it out, so that I can update people more often..

For those of you who I havent spoken to since chemo, it sucked, but its over for now and it seemed to do its job well, hopefully it will hold on for a really long time, so I have more than just this summer to work and play. Right now, no chemo or radiation needed anymore, until the next test in August...Then we will see. So Im crossing my fingers that all looks well in August..

My boyfriend Scott is great, my dog Gracie is great and so far this summer Im great!

No need to write back, just wanted to upate everyone with the latest and greatest.. If you go to the website, there are some pictures of my lovely mohawk that Scott for me back in Feb 2005 during chemo, its funny, there are also pictures of Scott and Gracie, my dog. I think she has put on their pictures of my New Years in Colorado last year. More pic's to come to the website. Eventually its gonna be great!!!!

HOPE EVERYONE GETS TO VISIT IT, AND HOPE EVERYONE IS HEALTHY HAPPY AND HAVING FUN!!!!!

Melissa Stanley Cohen

Anyway, Im feeling good and its great to put my energy into work rather than this crazy disease.

May 28, 2005

2005-05-28T12:13:00.000-04:00

Hi All!! Heres the newest update. Its May 28 and Im in Baltimore for a day or two. I had a treatment (not chemo) yesterday. My cancer markers are still going down or staying the same which is good news. Thats what I need to hear each month. I am working right now on a movie called "Failure to Launch" its a romantic comedy. Ill be flying to Gadsden Alabama tomorrow 5/29 morning and working there for a week or alittle more, then Ill fly to Pensacola and drive down to Destin Florida to start prepping the same movie thats shooting there. Ill be there for a week or so, then Ill drive up to New Orleans to wrap out the show (finish paperwork). Then back to Baltimore. Then I have alittle break and start working on the Eastern Shore in the middle of July for a weeks. Back in Baltimore around the middle to end of August. Im SO GLAD TO HERE FROM MY OLD HIGH SCHOOL (or middle school) FRIENDS. Well I guess thats it for now. Im feeling good and keeping very busy. Next big test is in August.

Welcome!

2005-05-09T08:43:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone!! Welcome to my blog! My best friend Lani has decided to create this wonderful website for me so that I can keep everyone updated without having to email everyone out there. Now I can post a message that everyone can read and check on. I hope you enjoy the website!! Love, Melissa Stanley Cohen

Welcome to Melissa's Blog

2005-05-07T19:18:00.000-04:00

Started on May 7, 2005