That's right, everyone. I am D-O-N-E, done with cancer treatment. My five month journey (which actually turned out to be more like 7 1/2 months) has come to an end.
Just to recap the really significant dates:
March 24th: I found a lump in my breast.
March 27th: I had a needle biopsy performed.
March 31st: I receive a call telling me I have cancer.
April 1st: I meet my oncologist to go over what my treatment plan will be.
April 6th: I start the first of 8 rounds of chemo.
July 27th: I FINALLY finish a very long 3 1/2 months of chemo.
August 21st: I have my lumpectomy.
September 23rd: I begin the first of 35 rounds of radiation (every business day for 7 weeks).
November 10th: I have my last radiation treatment, thus completing my cancer treatment.
I'm sure I'll forget these dates someday, but for the moment they're burned into my memory. It has been a very long journey that I have looked forward to the end of for so very long!
Now I just keep asking myself, "what now?"
After my last treatment, the tech looked at me and said, "That's it! You're done! Congratulations! Now just schedule a follow-up for one month from now as you leave."
It's very odd to receive daily attention and treatment and then to suddenly hear, "See ya in a month." It's a little scary that I'm now the proprietor of my own health again. I did such a great job with that the first time....
Anyway, as I've said before, I was foolish to call this blog "Five Month Journey" because this journey is absolutely never going to end. It is life long even though the hardest, most taxing (at least physically) parts are now behind me. A relief for sure, but a source of fear as well.
I would like to thank all of you for your support, your words of encouragement, the gifts and cards that you've sent, the positive phone calls I've received, the visits from friends, the dinners you delivered, the constant willingness to help me in any way you were able, and the prayers whispered on my behalf. All of these things--each of you--are what made me strong through every step of this journey. Your support has not gone unnoticed and it will not be forgotten.
Thank you all!
Now I'm taking suggestions and requests for directions you'd like to see this blog take. It can't really be a step-by-step documentation of my cancer treatment anymore. So...suggestions?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Onward and Upward
Monday, November 2, 2009
This is simply amazing! It seems like daily there is a new article detailing a new advancement! There is so much promise and hope ahead!
Cheers and have a great week! I know I will. This is my last full week of treatment. I'm counting down until next Tuesday!
This is simply amazing! It seems like daily there is a new article detailing a new advancement! There is so much promise and hope ahead!
Cheers and have a great week! I know I will. This is my last full week of treatment. I'm counting down until next Tuesday!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Final Stretch
Thursday, October 29, 2009
It's a rainy, dreary Thursday afternoon, but I really can't complain. My blissful state of ease is largely due to the fact that today, I reached another small goal.
While I have 35 total radiation treatments, the first 27 are a little different than the last 8. The first 27 treatments cover the whole breast--from center of the sternum to the armpit to well above the breast and well below. The last 8 treatments, on the other hand, cover only the small area where the cancer was located.
I currently have a large blue square drawn on my breast that has to remain there until after my last treatment. It's a square directly around my scar and that is where the last 8 treatments will be directed.
Today marks the last of my first 27 treatments. I now only have the 8 more focused treatments to go! Yippee! Small victory!
Throughout the whole treatment schedule my symptoms have been minimal until this week. After last Friday's treatment I noticed a lot more skin redness and discomfort and as of today, my underarm, in particular, looks like I have a very very serious burn. However, if that's the only trouble I'm going to have....I'll TAKE it! I'll say it again...compared to chemo, these 27 treatments have been an absolute breeze.
In other news, my hair continues to grow--slower than I'd like, of course. I'm back at the gym daily, which is making me feel like I can regain some semblance of normalcy after all. And, I'm looking ahead to mid-November when I can finally say I'm done with treatment!
I'll keep you posted!
It's a rainy, dreary Thursday afternoon, but I really can't complain. My blissful state of ease is largely due to the fact that today, I reached another small goal.
While I have 35 total radiation treatments, the first 27 are a little different than the last 8. The first 27 treatments cover the whole breast--from center of the sternum to the armpit to well above the breast and well below. The last 8 treatments, on the other hand, cover only the small area where the cancer was located.
I currently have a large blue square drawn on my breast that has to remain there until after my last treatment. It's a square directly around my scar and that is where the last 8 treatments will be directed.
Today marks the last of my first 27 treatments. I now only have the 8 more focused treatments to go! Yippee! Small victory!
Throughout the whole treatment schedule my symptoms have been minimal until this week. After last Friday's treatment I noticed a lot more skin redness and discomfort and as of today, my underarm, in particular, looks like I have a very very serious burn. However, if that's the only trouble I'm going to have....I'll TAKE it! I'll say it again...compared to chemo, these 27 treatments have been an absolute breeze.
In other news, my hair continues to grow--slower than I'd like, of course. I'm back at the gym daily, which is making me feel like I can regain some semblance of normalcy after all. And, I'm looking ahead to mid-November when I can finally say I'm done with treatment!
I'll keep you posted!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Hair/Radiation Update
My cancer journey has been relatively boring lately, which is my lame-o explanation for why I'm not posting anything.
I am 17 treatments into radiation, which means I'm about halfway done. I'm still counting down to November 11th as the very end of treatment (also my parents' anniversary, so there are many things to celebrate that day). The radiation front is relatively boring though...
I'm not really having any side effects besides a little fatigue and a little skin redness and irritation. The prescription gel they gave me is working wonders and I'm so used to being tired all the time from the chemo that I barely even notice it with the radiation. Basically...radiation is a BREEZE if you've been through chemo and surgery already.
Now...to the more interesting point. Hair.
Never in my 25 years of life have I gotten as many compliments on my hair as I have in the last 2 weeks. All of the following terms have been used to describe me and my hair (just in the last two weeks):
1. Chic
2. Adorable
3. Cute
4. Classy
5. Sexy
6. Fashion forward
7. And, one woman even said that I was the perfect example as to why it is such a shame that more women do not go for short hair these days. She said, "If all women looked as good as you do with short hair...that would be the standard."
I personally thought that last one was a bit over the top, but I was in a Starbucks and everyone seems to think of everyone else as a best friend or long lost soul mate when you're in Starbucks...I don't know why. Starbucks frequenters do tend to think of themselves as all things urban chic! Apparently, with this hair, I now "belong" at Starbucks.
Anyway, here's an updated picture. Just as a reminder, I completed chemo at the end of July and my hair had started back in just a little bit before I finished. This is about 3 months of hair growth.
I am 17 treatments into radiation, which means I'm about halfway done. I'm still counting down to November 11th as the very end of treatment (also my parents' anniversary, so there are many things to celebrate that day). The radiation front is relatively boring though...
I'm not really having any side effects besides a little fatigue and a little skin redness and irritation. The prescription gel they gave me is working wonders and I'm so used to being tired all the time from the chemo that I barely even notice it with the radiation. Basically...radiation is a BREEZE if you've been through chemo and surgery already.
Now...to the more interesting point. Hair.
Never in my 25 years of life have I gotten as many compliments on my hair as I have in the last 2 weeks. All of the following terms have been used to describe me and my hair (just in the last two weeks):
1. Chic
2. Adorable
3. Cute
4. Classy
5. Sexy
6. Fashion forward
7. And, one woman even said that I was the perfect example as to why it is such a shame that more women do not go for short hair these days. She said, "If all women looked as good as you do with short hair...that would be the standard."
I personally thought that last one was a bit over the top, but I was in a Starbucks and everyone seems to think of everyone else as a best friend or long lost soul mate when you're in Starbucks...I don't know why. Starbucks frequenters do tend to think of themselves as all things urban chic! Apparently, with this hair, I now "belong" at Starbucks.
Anyway, here's an updated picture. Just as a reminder, I completed chemo at the end of July and my hair had started back in just a little bit before I finished. This is about 3 months of hair growth.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
1/5 down...
Thursday, October 1, 2009
First, happy October. Second, I'm 1/5 of the way through radiation treatment. I'm 7 treatments down and 28 to go.
It's fall and the leaves are beginning to turn. As the leaves begin to fall away, I can't help but equate my cancer journey with the turning of the seasons.
In the spring, as the new growth began, a tumor was growing in my body.
As the summer heat poured into open doors and windows, and roasting humans ran into air conditioned homes to escape the discomfort...hot to cold, hot to cold...so went my chemo. From extreme discomfort to feeling almost normal, and back again...I pivoted between chemo on and off weeks.
Now, as the fall comes, all that spring and summer had to offer is falling away--my cancer is falling away.
I'm in the final stage of treatment and this experience is fading. The flurry of phone calls, cards, and letters has stopped. The phrase, "I have cancer," has left my vocabulary because, in all technicality, I no longer HAVE cancer.
For six months, no matter how hard I tried to avoid it, cancer dominated my life and controlled my existence. Now, as that period of my life begins to fade away, I find myself temporarily floundering--searching for how I move past this and resume some sort of normalcy. I'm working on it...but for now, I seem to be alternating between elation, frustration, and maintaining the status quo...
Let me stop right there. I apologize. This post was reflective at best, self-indulgent at worst, and the moment has passed. The effervescent, perky optimist will return with the next post...I assure you. For now, goodnight and thank goodness the weekend is near! TGIF!
First, happy October. Second, I'm 1/5 of the way through radiation treatment. I'm 7 treatments down and 28 to go.
It's fall and the leaves are beginning to turn. As the leaves begin to fall away, I can't help but equate my cancer journey with the turning of the seasons.
In the spring, as the new growth began, a tumor was growing in my body.
As the summer heat poured into open doors and windows, and roasting humans ran into air conditioned homes to escape the discomfort...hot to cold, hot to cold...so went my chemo. From extreme discomfort to feeling almost normal, and back again...I pivoted between chemo on and off weeks.
Now, as the fall comes, all that spring and summer had to offer is falling away--my cancer is falling away.
I'm in the final stage of treatment and this experience is fading. The flurry of phone calls, cards, and letters has stopped. The phrase, "I have cancer," has left my vocabulary because, in all technicality, I no longer HAVE cancer.
For six months, no matter how hard I tried to avoid it, cancer dominated my life and controlled my existence. Now, as that period of my life begins to fade away, I find myself temporarily floundering--searching for how I move past this and resume some sort of normalcy. I'm working on it...but for now, I seem to be alternating between elation, frustration, and maintaining the status quo...
Let me stop right there. I apologize. This post was reflective at best, self-indulgent at worst, and the moment has passed. The effervescent, perky optimist will return with the next post...I assure you. For now, goodnight and thank goodness the weekend is near! TGIF!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
And Radiation Begins...
Saturday, September 26, 2009
I know, I know, I know...I haven't updated in quite some time, but truthfully there hasn't been anything to tell. Let me catch you up on the last couple of weeks...
Wednesday, September 16: I went in for my initial radiation visit. At this first visit, all they do is line you up and do a CT scan to figure out how you will be laying and where your treatment will be directed. Then...they tattoo you. Yes, I mean actual tattoos. I have four little tattoos, no bigger than a freckle. I have one on each side on my ribs, one on my chest and one right in the middle of my stomach. They aren't obvious or anything, but I will have them forever...they are tattoos after all.
Tuesday, September 22: I went back in thinking that I was starting radiation. I was wrong. At this visit, I simply had more preparation. This time they lined me up again based on my tattoos and took my "measurements." I can only assume that means they did something like calibrate the machine for me so they can put in my numbers and direct the radiation treatment to the right location. Then, they did x-rays and sent me on my merry way again.
Wednesday, September 23: I finally went in for my first actual radiation treatment. They scheduled me for every day at 11:20am, so I will be spending every lunch hour (for 35 working days) at the cancer center. On Mondays, I will see my radiation oncologist right after my radiation treatment and on Thursdays I will have blood work--I must say, I thought I was done with weekly blood draws. Bummer.
In the treatment, nothing touches me and I don't feel anything. I'm in there on the table for all of five minutes and then I'm done for the day. It's sort of anticlimactic. There is so much preparation and then the actual treatments are super short. I didn't notice any side effects after treatment #1.
Thursday, September 24-11:20am: I went in for my daily radiation--treatment #2. I had my first weekly blood draw and didn't bother staying for my results. They'll call me if I should be careful or concerned. 2 treatments down, 33 to go. Still no side effects. At this point, I'm getting pretty pumped and I am totally unconcerned with cancer treatment.
6:30pm: I head off to my kickball game. For those of you who do not know, I play adult recreational kickball. I had been incredibly excited to get back to playing and feel well enough to do so. In the first inning, I score a run and make a catch for an out. In the second inning, all goes well and we're winning 4-1. In the third inning, I kick again...it's a good kick and I make it to 2nd base, but barely. I slide in to second and this is what happened-->
7:30pm: Joe makes it to the kickball field to pick me up and take me to the ER so I can get x-rays of my ankle. The ER doc told me that he didn't "think" it was broken, but there was so much swelling that it was hard to tell. He gave me a Loritab prescription and a brace, slapped an ice pack on me and sent me on my merry way telling me that if it didn't improve in a week, then I should get more x-rays because it might be broken. Thanks, doc. Noted.
Friday, September 25: I stay home from work to keep my foot iced and elevated, so I attempt to telecommute. The internet goes down in my office, so NO ONE ends up working. At least it was a good day to stay home with an injury. I went in for radiation treatment #3....on crutches. Sad day.
Saturday, September 26: Today, I have mostly just laid on my couch taking Loritab every 4-6 hours. I'm in quite a lot of pain, though it's nice that my pain is no longer cancer/cancer treatment related. I am VERY disappointed, however, that just as I get back on my feet playing kickball, playing soccer, and joining a bootcamp class at my gym, I get injured and have to take to the sidelines once more. I'm sick of the sidelines. I have never been a sidelines kind of girl. I'm one of those people who likes to be in the midst of the action, in the heart of the game. The sidelines don't feel right to me. I suppose I just have to get ALL of my medical setbacks out of the way in 2009 so 2010 can be a perfect, flawless year! :) So...hoping ER doc was right and it's just a bad sprain (no breaks), because I'm ready to be back on the horse figuratively speaking.
Just as
a note, here are a couple of pictures of how the ankle is 
looking today....icky, I know. In fact, I think it looks considerably worse today than it did at the ER. The picture up above was taken at the ER. In the picture from the ER, the ankle is swollen, but it's just a knot on the outside. Now, it's black all over--down on the foot and on the inside and outside of the ankle. On top of that, the whole foot and ankle is swollen....I mean, it's huge. Here's one more picture (just below) for you to see the comparison. Both feet, side by side. Ewww....
I know, I know, I know...I haven't updated in quite some time, but truthfully there hasn't been anything to tell. Let me catch you up on the last couple of weeks...
Wednesday, September 16: I went in for my initial radiation visit. At this first visit, all they do is line you up and do a CT scan to figure out how you will be laying and where your treatment will be directed. Then...they tattoo you. Yes, I mean actual tattoos. I have four little tattoos, no bigger than a freckle. I have one on each side on my ribs, one on my chest and one right in the middle of my stomach. They aren't obvious or anything, but I will have them forever...they are tattoos after all.
Tuesday, September 22: I went back in thinking that I was starting radiation. I was wrong. At this visit, I simply had more preparation. This time they lined me up again based on my tattoos and took my "measurements." I can only assume that means they did something like calibrate the machine for me so they can put in my numbers and direct the radiation treatment to the right location. Then, they did x-rays and sent me on my merry way again.
Wednesday, September 23: I finally went in for my first actual radiation treatment. They scheduled me for every day at 11:20am, so I will be spending every lunch hour (for 35 working days) at the cancer center. On Mondays, I will see my radiation oncologist right after my radiation treatment and on Thursdays I will have blood work--I must say, I thought I was done with weekly blood draws. Bummer.
In the treatment, nothing touches me and I don't feel anything. I'm in there on the table for all of five minutes and then I'm done for the day. It's sort of anticlimactic. There is so much preparation and then the actual treatments are super short. I didn't notice any side effects after treatment #1.
Thursday, September 24-11:20am: I went in for my daily radiation--treatment #2. I had my first weekly blood draw and didn't bother staying for my results. They'll call me if I should be careful or concerned. 2 treatments down, 33 to go. Still no side effects. At this point, I'm getting pretty pumped and I am totally unconcerned with cancer treatment.
6:30pm: I head off to my kickball game. For those of you who do not know, I play adult recreational kickball. I had been incredibly excited to get back to playing and feel well enough to do so. In the first inning, I score a run and make a catch for an out. In the second inning, all goes well and we're winning 4-1. In the third inning, I kick again...it's a good kick and I make it to 2nd base, but barely. I slide in to second and this is what happened-->
7:30pm: Joe makes it to the kickball field to pick me up and take me to the ER so I can get x-rays of my ankle. The ER doc told me that he didn't "think" it was broken, but there was so much swelling that it was hard to tell. He gave me a Loritab prescription and a brace, slapped an ice pack on me and sent me on my merry way telling me that if it didn't improve in a week, then I should get more x-rays because it might be broken. Thanks, doc. Noted.
Friday, September 25: I stay home from work to keep my foot iced and elevated, so I attempt to telecommute. The internet goes down in my office, so NO ONE ends up working. At least it was a good day to stay home with an injury. I went in for radiation treatment #3....on crutches. Sad day.
Saturday, September 26: Today, I have mostly just laid on my couch taking Loritab every 4-6 hours. I'm in quite a lot of pain, though it's nice that my pain is no longer cancer/cancer treatment related. I am VERY disappointed, however, that just as I get back on my feet playing kickball, playing soccer, and joining a bootcamp class at my gym, I get injured and have to take to the sidelines once more. I'm sick of the sidelines. I have never been a sidelines kind of girl. I'm one of those people who likes to be in the midst of the action, in the heart of the game. The sidelines don't feel right to me. I suppose I just have to get ALL of my medical setbacks out of the way in 2009 so 2010 can be a perfect, flawless year! :) So...hoping ER doc was right and it's just a bad sprain (no breaks), because I'm ready to be back on the horse figuratively speaking.
Just as
a note, here are a couple of pictures of how the ankle is 
looking today....icky, I know. In fact, I think it looks considerably worse today than it did at the ER. The picture up above was taken at the ER. In the picture from the ER, the ankle is swollen, but it's just a knot on the outside. Now, it's black all over--down on the foot and on the inside and outside of the ankle. On top of that, the whole foot and ankle is swollen....I mean, it's huge. Here's one more picture (just below) for you to see the comparison. Both feet, side by side. Ewww....
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Hair Regrowth Update
Sunday, September 13, 2009
I don't really have much to report at the moment. I met with my radiation oncologist on Thursday and we set up my first appointment for radiation treatments. It's scheduled for this coming Wednesday. The first appointment isn't really a treatment, it's when they mark you up and figure out where the radiation beams will be directed, but radiation will begin pretty promptly after that happens on Wednesday.
The only real update I have is a hair regrowth update. I've posted some pictures below. The first picture was taken 3 weeks ago and the second and third were taken today...that should show you just a little about the pace of growth. I tell ya...now that it has started back in, it can't grow fast enough. :)
I don't really have much to report at the moment. I met with my radiation oncologist on Thursday and we set up my first appointment for radiation treatments. It's scheduled for this coming Wednesday. The first appointment isn't really a treatment, it's when they mark you up and figure out where the radiation beams will be directed, but radiation will begin pretty promptly after that happens on Wednesday.
The only real update I have is a hair regrowth update. I've posted some pictures below. The first picture was taken 3 weeks ago and the second and third were taken today...that should show you just a little about the pace of growth. I tell ya...now that it has started back in, it can't grow fast enough. :)
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