I can hardly contain my emotions! To say I am happy is an
understatement! I am overjoyed! And I'm a blubbering baby! All for a
good reason!
I got the phone call just a short time ago that my path
report was complete. The results are that there are NO residual cancer
cells AT ALL! ANYWHERE! They were able to locate the fibrous tumor bed
on the left side and found no live cells. In total I had 11 lymph nodes
removed, and of those, 5 showed signs of treatment effect, which means
that at some time they were probably positive with cancer. But now?
There was no live cancer cells there either! They found a fibrous
adenoma in the left breast that was NOT cancerous, and a fibrous adenoma
in the right breast (that we already knew about).
My cancer
treatment will not change. I will finish healing from surgery, have my
tissue expanders expanded and have radiation. Once radiation is complete
I will start taking tomoxifen, and will take that every day for the
next 5 years.
Was going through all this hell worth it? YOU BET IT WAS!!
Thanks for traveling this journey with me! Thank you for loving me and carrying me through my hard days!
I love you all!
Friday, September 26, 2014
Herceptin #3
I debated on whether or not to cancel my chemo for today as my surgery
was just 11 days ago. The thing that helped me make up my mind was the
fact that I'm tired already, and a chemo appointment wouldn't make it
worse. So, with my mind made up and a plan in place for a nap after
chemo I went to chemo. Today my chemo buddies were my good friend and
neighbor Sarah and my Aunt Pam.
I felt nothing during the port access today!! Could be that the area where the port is numb as part of the mastectomy or due to swelling from the surgery. I am hoping that it'll be numb from here on out! The chemo room was quite full already. The wait to see the doc to a while, which isn't unusual. This was my first visit with my new doctor, Dr. Call. I was overall impressed with him, his knowledge and how he explained things.
White Blood Count: 3, Low
Red Blood Count: 2.99, Low
HGB: 10.2, Low
Hematocrit: 29.6, Low (still feeling super tired so this didn't surprise me!)
Nutrafill: 1200, Low (the same as last time. Still need to be careful around germs and sick people)
*The doctor asked if I had my pathology report back yet. I still have not received the results. I did get a call from the Huntsman Center yesterday letting me know they would call me with the results as soon as they have them. Dr. Call said that the lack of the report will not effect today's herceptin treatment. He will get a copy of the results eventually. I will make sure I have Dr. Nelson send the report to Dr. Call.
*I asked why chemo was done first instead of surgery, as doing chemo first didn't change my surgery outcome. His expanasion was super helpful! While chemo before surgery can change a mastectomy to a lumpectomy, my reason for chemo first in my case was to kill any microscopic cancer cells that may have spread outside of the breast and lymph nodes; stopping cancer before it got into any vital organs. Dr. Call is very pleased with the order in which things have been done and feels good about how it'll turn out.
*I will continue having an echo cardiogram every 3 months to make sure the herceptin isn't harming my heart. Herceptin only affects 7% of women receiving this chemo agent. 90 % of women experience nothing. The 7% of women who have symptoms usually have the symptoms reversed once the treatments stop. This is why I will continue having an echo cardiogram every 3 months. The next one will be in December.
*Radiation will begin once I get the green light from my plastic surgeon. Some things that need to happen before radiation are: having my (very unpleasant) drains removed!!, having my expanders filled (OUCH!), and making sure the incision has healed. After radiation Dr. Call will discuss with me the estrogen blocking tablet, tamoxifen. Tomoxifen is used in per-menopausal women; there are other estrogen blockers, but they are used in post-menopausal women. If I had side effects that are too bothersome there are some shots they can try, but they will have side effects too.
Today's treatment went by quickly, just long enough to enjoy visiting with my chemo buddies and my yummy sugar cookie.
After my chemo I met my grandparents for lunch. Not a bad way to end a treatment! I love how concerned my grandparents have been for me! They are so wonderful and I love them!
To all of you, thank you for the flowers, the text messages, love notes, phone calls, yummy meals and treats! This has been a very hard week! OR TWO! I have felt your love and concern for not only me but for Drea as she was hospitalized at the beginning of the week! My family is forever grateful for you love and prayers! We are truly blessed to know each one of you!
I love you all!
I felt nothing during the port access today!! Could be that the area where the port is numb as part of the mastectomy or due to swelling from the surgery. I am hoping that it'll be numb from here on out! The chemo room was quite full already. The wait to see the doc to a while, which isn't unusual. This was my first visit with my new doctor, Dr. Call. I was overall impressed with him, his knowledge and how he explained things.
White Blood Count: 3, Low
Red Blood Count: 2.99, Low
HGB: 10.2, Low
Hematocrit: 29.6, Low (still feeling super tired so this didn't surprise me!)
Nutrafill: 1200, Low (the same as last time. Still need to be careful around germs and sick people)
*The doctor asked if I had my pathology report back yet. I still have not received the results. I did get a call from the Huntsman Center yesterday letting me know they would call me with the results as soon as they have them. Dr. Call said that the lack of the report will not effect today's herceptin treatment. He will get a copy of the results eventually. I will make sure I have Dr. Nelson send the report to Dr. Call.
*I asked why chemo was done first instead of surgery, as doing chemo first didn't change my surgery outcome. His expanasion was super helpful! While chemo before surgery can change a mastectomy to a lumpectomy, my reason for chemo first in my case was to kill any microscopic cancer cells that may have spread outside of the breast and lymph nodes; stopping cancer before it got into any vital organs. Dr. Call is very pleased with the order in which things have been done and feels good about how it'll turn out.
*I will continue having an echo cardiogram every 3 months to make sure the herceptin isn't harming my heart. Herceptin only affects 7% of women receiving this chemo agent. 90 % of women experience nothing. The 7% of women who have symptoms usually have the symptoms reversed once the treatments stop. This is why I will continue having an echo cardiogram every 3 months. The next one will be in December.
*Radiation will begin once I get the green light from my plastic surgeon. Some things that need to happen before radiation are: having my (very unpleasant) drains removed!!, having my expanders filled (OUCH!), and making sure the incision has healed. After radiation Dr. Call will discuss with me the estrogen blocking tablet, tamoxifen. Tomoxifen is used in per-menopausal women; there are other estrogen blockers, but they are used in post-menopausal women. If I had side effects that are too bothersome there are some shots they can try, but they will have side effects too.
Today's treatment went by quickly, just long enough to enjoy visiting with my chemo buddies and my yummy sugar cookie.
After my chemo I met my grandparents for lunch. Not a bad way to end a treatment! I love how concerned my grandparents have been for me! They are so wonderful and I love them!
To all of you, thank you for the flowers, the text messages, love notes, phone calls, yummy meals and treats! This has been a very hard week! OR TWO! I have felt your love and concern for not only me but for Drea as she was hospitalized at the beginning of the week! My family is forever grateful for you love and prayers! We are truly blessed to know each one of you!
I love you all!
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Got the call letting me know my surgery time for Monday. I'm pretty
disappointed with the surgery time to be quite honest. I am to arrive at
the Hunsman Cancer Hospital at 2:45 and surgery is at 4:15pm. No food
or drink after midnight Sunday night. I can however take my anxiety
pills if I need them, and oh boy I am pretty sure I'll need them!!
Dave and my Dad will be with me at the hospital. They will get to stay with me clear up until I'm falling asleep and being wheeled down the hall to the operating room. Just before going into surgery the Surgeon and anesthesiologist will meet with us to go over the surgery plan and at that point we can ask any questions we have. The surgery is scheduled to take 3 hours and then I'll spend an hour in recovery before being taken to my Suite. I'm sure it'll be pretty late by the time I'm taken to my room. I will spend one night at the hospital and will come home sometime on Tuesday.
Dave will call a few people with updates. Melissa will be sharing the update she receives via email to those of you following my journey.
A huge THANK YOU to those of you who have signed up to help with kids,meals, etc this coming week! This next leg of my journey is going to be hard and I'm going to need a lot of help, so thank you to those who have signed up and for those of you who will be lending a hand. Thank you for your prayers! I can feel them! While I am very nervous I do feel a sense of comfort and peace. I am eternally grateful to have such amazing family and friends!
I love you all!
Dave and my Dad will be with me at the hospital. They will get to stay with me clear up until I'm falling asleep and being wheeled down the hall to the operating room. Just before going into surgery the Surgeon and anesthesiologist will meet with us to go over the surgery plan and at that point we can ask any questions we have. The surgery is scheduled to take 3 hours and then I'll spend an hour in recovery before being taken to my Suite. I'm sure it'll be pretty late by the time I'm taken to my room. I will spend one night at the hospital and will come home sometime on Tuesday.
Dave will call a few people with updates. Melissa will be sharing the update she receives via email to those of you following my journey.
A huge THANK YOU to those of you who have signed up to help with kids,meals, etc this coming week! This next leg of my journey is going to be hard and I'm going to need a lot of help, so thank you to those who have signed up and for those of you who will be lending a hand. Thank you for your prayers! I can feel them! While I am very nervous I do feel a sense of comfort and peace. I am eternally grateful to have such amazing family and friends!
I love you all!
Friday, September 12, 2014
Herceptin Chemo and a visit with the Plastic Surgeon
Last Friday I had my 5th Herceptin chemo. Only 6 more to go! I'm so happy that this chemo treatment is so easy!
My chemo buddies today were, my Dad, my brother Ben and my son Bradley. Three very special people in my life!
We saw the P.A., Rick. The visit was pretty quick with him as we didn't have a lot to discuss. I asked him about long term side-effects that I may have because I've had chemo. He said that most of my side-effects would have gone away when chemo was complete, with the exception of my chemo brain, that may take up to a year to improve. My blood work is still low, but its holding steady, and that may take some time for my body to 'bounce' back. Because I've had chemo I have a 1-2% greater chance of getting lukemia in my 60's than someone who never had chemo.
Chemo Stats:
Weight- 137
White Blood count- 3.3 (normal is 4.2-10.5)
Red Blood count- 3.93 (normal is 4.04-5.48)
HGB- 12.4 (normal is 12-16)
HCT- 36.6 (normal is 38-48)
Platelets- 168 (normal is 140-450)
Neutrophils- 1.3 (normal is 2-6.9)
The wait wasn't too long to get back into the chemo room. Once we were settled into our comfy seats the chemo went pretty quick. Bradley was very attentive to our food and beverage needs. He loves the kitchen nook in the chemo room and was great at keeping up set up with snacks and drinks. We played Uno to pass the time. This appointment was the fastest one yet! My next 2 chemo appointments I will NOT see a doctor! I'll have my port accessed and then start the chemo right away. Sounds wonderful to me! By my next chemo on Dec 1st I should have started radiation, so I'll have a chemo and radiation back to back. I have my appointment scheduled in the morning so that I can have radiation immediately following the chemo. I'll know more about radiation this coming week...which leads me to my visit with the Plastic Surgeon.
I met with Dr. Agarwal yesterday. He is happy with the way things looked, but wanted to do one more fill to make sure the skin was stretched enough. The fill was double what they have normally done. (The pressure is great and today I am sore!) He gave me the green light to get in for mapping for Radiation. Final surgery to remove the tissue expanders is usually 3 months after radiation ends, so we're looking at final surgery in March/ April. I asked if he would remove my port during the final surgery to save me from being under anethesia two separate times, he said as long as I'm done with my port he can remove it. Today I was also given the go ahead to start driving again. 8 weeks of not driving was pretty hard! But those 8 weeks meant Dallas got to drive herself to and from school, which I know she has loved! Looks like it's back to riding the bus for her :(
I have no follow-up visits with Dr. Agarwal. I will see him again once radiation is complete.
I called to schedule my appointment for radiation mapping (getting my radiation tattoo's). I have an appointment for this coming Tuesday. Mapping takes a couple of hours. I'll know more about radiation and when my 1st appointment will be after this coming Tuesday.
I am currently going through physical therapy. I found a place close enough to home that I can walk to and from my appointments. I love the excersizes they have me doing and my range of motion is improving a lot! I will continue having physical therapy until my range of motion is back to where it needs to be. They have me doing excersizes at home and those excersizes will continue during radiation to keep my muscles stretched and limber.
I am enjoying the tea's I received last week! And I'm loving the love notes I get in the mail! Thank you!
I love you all!
My chemo buddies today were, my Dad, my brother Ben and my son Bradley. Three very special people in my life!
We saw the P.A., Rick. The visit was pretty quick with him as we didn't have a lot to discuss. I asked him about long term side-effects that I may have because I've had chemo. He said that most of my side-effects would have gone away when chemo was complete, with the exception of my chemo brain, that may take up to a year to improve. My blood work is still low, but its holding steady, and that may take some time for my body to 'bounce' back. Because I've had chemo I have a 1-2% greater chance of getting lukemia in my 60's than someone who never had chemo.
Chemo Stats:
Weight- 137
White Blood count- 3.3 (normal is 4.2-10.5)
Red Blood count- 3.93 (normal is 4.04-5.48)
HGB- 12.4 (normal is 12-16)
HCT- 36.6 (normal is 38-48)
Platelets- 168 (normal is 140-450)
Neutrophils- 1.3 (normal is 2-6.9)
The wait wasn't too long to get back into the chemo room. Once we were settled into our comfy seats the chemo went pretty quick. Bradley was very attentive to our food and beverage needs. He loves the kitchen nook in the chemo room and was great at keeping up set up with snacks and drinks. We played Uno to pass the time. This appointment was the fastest one yet! My next 2 chemo appointments I will NOT see a doctor! I'll have my port accessed and then start the chemo right away. Sounds wonderful to me! By my next chemo on Dec 1st I should have started radiation, so I'll have a chemo and radiation back to back. I have my appointment scheduled in the morning so that I can have radiation immediately following the chemo. I'll know more about radiation this coming week...which leads me to my visit with the Plastic Surgeon.
I met with Dr. Agarwal yesterday. He is happy with the way things looked, but wanted to do one more fill to make sure the skin was stretched enough. The fill was double what they have normally done. (The pressure is great and today I am sore!) He gave me the green light to get in for mapping for Radiation. Final surgery to remove the tissue expanders is usually 3 months after radiation ends, so we're looking at final surgery in March/ April. I asked if he would remove my port during the final surgery to save me from being under anethesia two separate times, he said as long as I'm done with my port he can remove it. Today I was also given the go ahead to start driving again. 8 weeks of not driving was pretty hard! But those 8 weeks meant Dallas got to drive herself to and from school, which I know she has loved! Looks like it's back to riding the bus for her :(
I have no follow-up visits with Dr. Agarwal. I will see him again once radiation is complete.
I called to schedule my appointment for radiation mapping (getting my radiation tattoo's). I have an appointment for this coming Tuesday. Mapping takes a couple of hours. I'll know more about radiation and when my 1st appointment will be after this coming Tuesday.
I am currently going through physical therapy. I found a place close enough to home that I can walk to and from my appointments. I love the excersizes they have me doing and my range of motion is improving a lot! I will continue having physical therapy until my range of motion is back to where it needs to be. They have me doing excersizes at home and those excersizes will continue during radiation to keep my muscles stretched and limber.
I am enjoying the tea's I received last week! And I'm loving the love notes I get in the mail! Thank you!
I love you all!
Friday, September 5, 2014
Herceptin treatment #2
Today's visit went smooth. The port access was not too painful. The wait
to see the Nurse Practitioner wasn't too long either. Today I had an
extra Nurse Practitioner in tow as she has just graduated and is
shadowing Rick with his case load.
Today we talked about:
Body
aches- This may last up to a year. I have been taking Ibuprofen when the
aches are more than I can bare, but it doesn't seem to help. He gave me
a prescription to see if that will help.
Fingernails- My poor
fingernails. They look awful, and hurt. All of them have been affected
by the taxitere. The nails are not attached to my nail bed and have
turned white. 4 of them are missing and the quick is exposed. I'm trying
really hard not to lose any more of my nails! He said it can take about
3 months for them to grow back out and be healthy again. I asked if I
could take Biotene, and was told I could. He also suggested I could take
a prenatal if I didn't take Biotene.
Today's stats:
Weight- 141
White Blood Count- 3 (still low)
Hematocrit- 34 (still low, which explains why I still feel so TIRED!)
Platelets- 136 (almost back to normal, but just a tad low. Last time they were much lower)
Nutrafill-
1200 (This was explained to me to be like the army that goes out to
fight infection. My army isn't very big so it'll be harder for my body
to fight off germs and infection, so I need to be careful around sick
people (eg- Dallas))
The past week I've been cleaning like a
maniac! I never did my spring cleaning because of chemo, so now I'm
making up for it! Besides giving the inside of my home a good deep
cleaning I'm also trying to get my yard ready for fall and winter! Can
you say 'Not enough time in the day to do everything I'd like'?
This
upcoming week I will continue to clean and get things organized so that
while I'm out of commision my brain won't stress over certain details. I
also plan to visit the temple one last time and get a pedicure.
I
feel so loved! The outpouring of people's generosity is humbling! My
heart is so full of gratitude! These experiences strengthen my
testimony! Not only do I feel your love but I feel my Heavenly Father's
love. I am not alone and I am important to Him! Thank you for cheering
me on and encouraging me! I have the BEST cheerleaders!
I love you all!
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