Cancer Free!

Had a biopsy yesterday on the lump in my left breast. Hospital called this afternoon and Praise the Lord, it wasn't cancer. WOO HOO!!

Ultra sound on Friday

I have an Ultra sound on Friday to check out a spot on my left breast. Will blog more after that.

It has been a year and a half

Time sure does fly when you are having fun! Since my last post I have been to see my surgeon. I go on Monday to get a mammogram. I won't lie and say I'm not a bit nervous. I am sure everything will be just fine but a part of me a a bit afraid. I know fear is from the devil but it is still how I am feeling. My surgeon thought perhaps what I'm feeling in my breast could be scare tissue. We will see on Monday. She also took some blood work but I am sure if anything was adnormal she would have given me a call. I feel pretty good just tired but I am working a lot of hours these days. I'll write more Monday....

Update

Still doing great!!

Happy Mother's Day

It has been months now since my last treatment. I'm doing great! Lots of changes in my life. The company I have worked for for the last 21 years is closing down. It has been a part-time job for my husband and I since that time. I quit my accounts payable job 15 years ago this month, to stay home and raise my children. The route is something that I could do and still home school my children. My three youngest children have never know anything different than mom doing the paper route and cleaning the church. I praise God that at least my children are now at the age where they don't need me here as much and I was able to get through all of my Cancer treatments without having to worry.

Monday starts a new chapter in my life. I start a full-time job at the U. I'm excited and a bit afraid. I know that God has had His hand in all of this. Even the timing of all this is great!

As for my Cancer!! I'm cancer free at this time! PTL!!

One year ago Today

One year ago today I found out I had stage 3 breast cancer. My life has been crazy this past year but I pray all that is behind me now. I feel almost 90 percent back to normal. I saw my Oncologist last Friday and she said it was now time to start Tamoxifen Citrate. I started on that on Saturday morning. We will see!
I have to take one pill every day for the rest of my life.

I have my first Mammogram since all of this on Thursday. I'll let you all know what happens.

The next Step

Well, I have good news and bad news to blog about. The good news is that I'm done with the therapy on my arm. The bad news is my Oncologist will no longer be taking our insurance as of April 30th. I'm still not sure what to do about that. I don't really know what roll she will be playing in the next five years. I don't really know if my oncologists is the one who requests scans, blood work, Mammograms or not. I have my next appointment on March 13th so I guess I'll find out what is going to happen then.

I get my port removed on Friday and that should be the end of all of this for a while. I guess they will watch me for the next 5 years and if they don't detached any more cancer they will tell me I am cancer free. I'm still just taking one day at a time and enjoying my family and friends. All of which, have been very loving and supportive.

Lymphedema/New Pictures

It seems like forever since I wrote anything in this blog. I'm feeling wonderful! The past year is a blur! I don't feel sorry for myself one little bit! I have learned so much about myself and others through my illness. I'm not saying I ever want to go through that again but I have seen so much love in the past year it is hard for me to look at it and feel sorry for myself or blame God. OK enough of that!

Right now I am going for therapy on my arm. My left arm is swelling a bit from having no lymph nodes on that side. I use that arm a lot on my route plus I have heavy paper on Sundays, they think that is what is causing my arm and hand to swell.

Here is a little information about it.

Risk factors and occurrence of Lymphedema:

Women who have had breast surgery (either mastectomy or lumpectomy) with a complete axillary lymph node dissection have the highest risk of developing lymphedema.
Women who have only a sentinel lymph node procedure have a small risk of developing lymphedema.
Women who have not had a lymph node dissection do not develop lymphedema.
Lymphedema can be mild and only last a short time starting a few days after the lymph nodes are removed. The affected arm may be warm and slightly red, but usually not painful. It typically gets better within a week by keeping the arm elevated.
Lymphedema may not occur until six to eight weeks after surgery or during a course of radiation therapy.
Lymphedema can arise slowly and become noticeable 18-24 months after surgery or not until many years after finishing cancer treatment.
Some women will have very mild lymphedema that may fluctuate over time. However, most women with lymphedema will have chronic, constant swelling that requires regular management to prevent further problems. Physical therapists specially trained in lymphedema management techniques can help. They will teach you how to reduce swelling using a special type of self-massage, how to apply compression bandages, and how to wear a compression sleeve to maintain the arm’s size. Treatment to manage lymphedema is also available in some locations through a lymphedema clinic.

My hair is starting to grow pretty fast now. As of Friday February 13th, 2008. I freed myself from hiding behind my wig. I haven't had short hair in a very long time and never this short but I have to start somewhere. Believe it or not I have had a lot of compliments on my trendy hair style. : )

Sooooo, this is the new me!

It's Over!!

Today was my last day of radiation treatments. It feels soooo good to be over.

I will post one final post into my cancer blog. I want to put this year behind me and focus on living, not just surviving.

Yea! One more Day!

One more day fa,la,la,la!

I have to write about my son Boaz in all of this. Every morning I drop him off for school he asks me how many more days before I am done. I thought it was because he was happy for me to be done with my treatments. He told me he will be happy when he doesn't have to go with me to take his brother's to school and get out of the car and stand in the cold 10 minutes before he can go into school. LOL!! At least he doesn't have to walk!

I feel lucky to be Alive!

I have been trying to come up with something to write in a book they place out in the patient radiation area to be written in, on your last day of treatments. Something that will encourage other patients.

As I sit back and think about how all of this began over a year ago, I just can't believe that it is almost over. Oh, don't get me wrong, I will still be on hormonal treatments for the rest of my life and I have a lot of testing that will still have to be run over the next five years but the surgeries, Chemo, and Radiation treatments are almost done.

My life has changed so much! I know longer take my life for grated. A man (Barry Crandall) that used to be our Assistant Pastor would always say these words. "I am just happy to have air". I now know what he means. I no longer take things "like air" for grated.

This statement has been said to me or about my illness over and over again. "None of us know if we walk out the door today that it won't be our last". This statement is very true and I've used it many times myself but when you are going through cancer treatments, or any trial, things are much clearer, it hits much closer to home! I'm not going to live forever and I do have a life threatening disease. I'll be honest, if you haven't been through it, you really don't know how scary it is. When I write my departing comments in that book, I want it to be from my heart. How I got through each day of treatments and didn't lose my faith in God. I want to write how important it is to stay around positive uplifting people. People that really care about how you must be feeling.

I still have a few days and many hours to think about this. I feel so blessed to be alive and have another chance at living, breathing and being thankful for everything I have.

I'm feeling great again Today!

I feel so good! I just got done working-out for an hour. I can't believe it. Radiation went really well.

3 TREATMENTs and I'm done!!!

Another update on My Treatments

I have so much to share but I don't know where to begin.

For starters, I only have 5 more radiation treatments to go. Yea!!! In know, I said I would be done on Monday January 26th but I called in cold on Friday. I know what you all are thinking. This woman does a motor route 365 days a year and -20 keeps her from getting her treatment! I want to be done by January 30th, my youngest boy's 12th birthday. When I found out I was going to be done Monday the 26th, I thought I would stay home with my kids on Friday. The schools were closed because of the weather.

The next exciting thing that is going on is, they are only doing treatment on one area now, instead of three. I'm in and out of the hospital in no time. Today, I was done at 8:10 a.m. my treatment was at 8:00 a.m. To cool huh!

Lastly, I'm feeling great! I'm getting my energy back already.

I'll know more about what I'll have to do next Tuesday. I have to sit down with the nurse and go over the Doctor's plans for the next year. I'll write more soon!

Thanks for praying!

Updated picture and great new about my Radiation treatments

I am so excited today! I found out I only have 7 more treatments instead of 11. Yea!! I'll be all done on January 26th, 2009.

I'm doing pretty good this week. I am really red where they are doing my treatments but that should go away soon. The next seven treatments will be done where Suzanne (My surgeon) removed the tumor.

If your going through radiation treatments, my suggestion to you would be, get lots of sleep, take naps, drink plenty of water, think moisture, moisture, moisture, on your radiated area: such as "Aveeno Baby Fragrance free Daily Moisture Lotion", make sure you try and stay away from people that are sick. I have picked up illnesses that I normally don't get and I am a person that doesn't get sick very easily.

Now what you all have been waiting for!! An updated picture of my hair. LOL! My eye lashes and eye brows have all grown back as well.

January 15th, 2009

Back curls
Top of my head
Back view
Last but not least, this is me! As you can see from this picture the spots that are being radiated are very red.

Radiation treatment Number 18

I hate to admit this to anyone but I'm really getting tired. I talked to the radiation techs today, as to why I am getting so tired. They said it was like doing aerobic. They are killing the cancer cells and my body is working over-time trying to make new cells. I still can't believe that I stayed in bed all day yesterday. If you know me, you know that never happens. We didn't even get to take the kids to a movie because mom was to tired. : { I know this will be over before I know it.