Chapter 1
May 2005, I've found a lump. My first lump ever. They take it seriously, my Mom had breast cancer. Biopsy is done, it was nothing they said just a cyst.
Chapter 2
May 2009, it's now 4 years later and I've found another lump, in the same spot as the 2005 biopsy. Nervous, life has been stressful this year. This time after doing a mammogram and sonogram they come back and say it's a cyst, you have fibrous breasts it's really nothing to worry about.
Chapter 3
It's March 2010, Ive found a bump (not a lump this time). It's in a different place and it feels different, right below the skin. I think back to the tests less than a year ago and what the doctor said. This bump/lump is different though, it hurts. I assumed it was like a hundred other little hurts I get throughout the year. Not really worrying.
Chapter 4
It's April 7, 2010 in the operating room, the doctor walks back to me, I'm on the table, he looks down and says "I'm sorry it's cancer". Guess I should have worried.
Chapter 5
It's two days later, meeting with the oncologist. I say "I found a lump last year". They'll send for the records.
Chapter 6
It's Stage 3c breast cancer...after x-rays, mri and PET scan we know it has spread...it made it outside the breast and there is so much cancer in the breast that a mastectomy in non-negotiable. I'm in shock. Every morning I wake up and hope that this is all a dream, but it isn't. Why can't my life be a episode of Dallas?
Chapter 7
It's now August 2011, chemo, radiation, mastectomy is all done. Two more surgeries to go. So very tired of everything it seems like life will never be normal again. I'm on the phone with the obgyn discussing an upcoming appointment and something says "ask them for your medical records from 2009" so I did. Doesn't Oprah always say you should follow your gut?
Chapter 8
It's 3 days later, I open the envelope from the obgyn, look at the sheet of paper with the radiologists report from the mammogram/sonogram in 2009 (one year before I'm diagnosed with cancer). I can't believe what I'm seeing, I start crying, no it's more like sobbing. My mind is racing all I can think is that this cannot be happening.
Stay tuned for Chapter 9 in the saga of "Slippin' Through The Cracks"....
Friday, August 19, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Chemo Curls & Dark Hair Mystery Solved
My hair has been the topic of many conversations since I threw out the wig and went w/the ultra short boy hair! People still ask if my hair was always this dark and was it always curly. A big no to both!!!
Thank you to Jenna at Melanie's my locks were pretty blonde but in "real life" it was brown and straight, or at least I think that is what it was. Years of coloring and highlighting had even me scratching my head and wondering what it really was.
Below is the real deal on chemo and what the drugs do to cells and why hair doesn't grow back how you think it would.
According to Breast Cancer.org, chemotherapy treatment rapidly kills all growing cells within the body, including both cancerous and healthy cells. Hair follicle cells are considered to be a fast-growing cell within the body and often are targeted by the chemotherapy treatment.
Chemotherapy drugs affect the roots of your hair, and will continue to affect hair shaft formation because the drugs will still be in your system for some time after treatment. Your hair, skin, and fingernails will take some time to recover as the toxins leave your body. When your new hair comes in, it may be different from your natural hair for the next six to twelve months after treatment. This is due to the loss or change of pigment and may result in white, gray, or some color different than your natural hair color. As your body recovers and hair pigment rebounds, your hair may return to its original color, or a color close to your pre-chemo hair. Expect a change in hair texture as well - it may initially be curly, coarse, or even fine as baby hair.
Thank you to ehow.com and about.com for that explanation.
So happy to have hair it doesn't really matter! It's kind of fun watching it grow, like a present.
And great news...received bloodwork results and Vitamin D levels are great! Why? Because I take 10,000 iu of Vitamin D every day. If you don't think it is important go out and Google Vitamin D and see all the wonderful things it does for us. And even better the "tumor markers" although not a exact indicator of cancer are nice and low, just where I want them to be as well. Lovin' Life!!!
And last but not least, darn eyelashes are falling out again! Good old chemo the gift that just keeps on giving. Another present (but one that I don't want).
Thank you to Jenna at Melanie's my locks were pretty blonde but in "real life" it was brown and straight, or at least I think that is what it was. Years of coloring and highlighting had even me scratching my head and wondering what it really was.
Below is the real deal on chemo and what the drugs do to cells and why hair doesn't grow back how you think it would.
According to Breast Cancer.org, chemotherapy treatment rapidly kills all growing cells within the body, including both cancerous and healthy cells. Hair follicle cells are considered to be a fast-growing cell within the body and often are targeted by the chemotherapy treatment.
Chemotherapy drugs affect the roots of your hair, and will continue to affect hair shaft formation because the drugs will still be in your system for some time after treatment. Your hair, skin, and fingernails will take some time to recover as the toxins leave your body. When your new hair comes in, it may be different from your natural hair for the next six to twelve months after treatment. This is due to the loss or change of pigment and may result in white, gray, or some color different than your natural hair color. As your body recovers and hair pigment rebounds, your hair may return to its original color, or a color close to your pre-chemo hair. Expect a change in hair texture as well - it may initially be curly, coarse, or even fine as baby hair.
Thank you to ehow.com and about.com for that explanation.
So happy to have hair it doesn't really matter! It's kind of fun watching it grow, like a present.
And great news...received bloodwork results and Vitamin D levels are great! Why? Because I take 10,000 iu of Vitamin D every day. If you don't think it is important go out and Google Vitamin D and see all the wonderful things it does for us. And even better the "tumor markers" although not a exact indicator of cancer are nice and low, just where I want them to be as well. Lovin' Life!!!
And last but not least, darn eyelashes are falling out again! Good old chemo the gift that just keeps on giving. Another present (but one that I don't want).
Thursday, June 23, 2011
The Fainting Goats
Back in 2005 while watching Tuckerville I saw the most amazing animals EVER, fainting goats. By the way Tuckerville was a reality show about country music star Tanya Tucker and her life on the farm with her kids. They were crazy, but in a good way of course.
Anyway back to the fainting goats...if you can succeed in startling/scaring them their muscles will freeze up for about 10-30 seconds causing them to collapse on their sides. It was hysterical watching them on tv and I wanted to see one so bad!
Today my dream came true and I was invited by a friend for a visit w/the goats. I've only been inviting myself to the "farm" for a visit for the past year and I may have finally wore her down. As we walked towards the pen I lost any desire to see them freeze up and fall over sideways, I couldn't do it, couldn't scare them, didn't even want to. So I whipped out my bag of baby carrots and had a grand time feeding, rather than frightening the goats.
Guess somethings are best to enjoy on television.
If you want to see and learn more about fainting goats visit http://animal.discovery.com/videos/weird-true-freaky-fainting-goats.html I guarantee you will laugh!
Anyway back to the fainting goats...if you can succeed in startling/scaring them their muscles will freeze up for about 10-30 seconds causing them to collapse on their sides. It was hysterical watching them on tv and I wanted to see one so bad!
Today my dream came true and I was invited by a friend for a visit w/the goats. I've only been inviting myself to the "farm" for a visit for the past year and I may have finally wore her down. As we walked towards the pen I lost any desire to see them freeze up and fall over sideways, I couldn't do it, couldn't scare them, didn't even want to. So I whipped out my bag of baby carrots and had a grand time feeding, rather than frightening the goats.
Guess somethings are best to enjoy on television.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Who in their right mind does a half-marathon?
So far I've logged over 100 miles in June and I'm tired! While doing our first 8-mile walk Brenda said "We're awesome" and maybe I'm a little full of myself but my reply was "I know I'm awesome". After 20 rounds of just plain nasty chemo, months of daily painful shots to keep the cell count up, 4 surgeries and believe me having a mastectomy is not a cake walk, a few months of neuropathy and aches so bad I didn't want to get out of bed and finally 28 rounds of radiation, I know I'm awesome and I know that I am so blessed to be able to wake up every morning and train for a half-marathon!!!
So yes I'm tired, I ache every day, it hurts to walk, it hurts after the walk but I am going to prove a point that cancer is NOT going to get the best of me. It is going to bring out the best in me.
So Parkersburg Half Marathon on August 20th watch out...cause Brenda, Angela and Lori are out to prove a point.
Update...The Apple Cider Vinegar after 2-days has been amazing. The pressure is gone and the gunk is moving on.
So yes I'm tired, I ache every day, it hurts to walk, it hurts after the walk but I am going to prove a point that cancer is NOT going to get the best of me. It is going to bring out the best in me.
So Parkersburg Half Marathon on August 20th watch out...cause Brenda, Angela and Lori are out to prove a point.
Update...The Apple Cider Vinegar after 2-days has been amazing. The pressure is gone and the gunk is moving on.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Taking A Break
On week #3 of being jobless...maybe that should be "stress-less"! It has been wonderful! Visiting with family, lunch with friends and getting caught up around the house. The big dark circles that have been under my eyes for almost a year are slowly dissapearing.
Visited oncologist last week and white blood cell count is still low (probably the reason for the sinus infection I've been battling the last week). As it looks like any of us w/a low count are susceptible to them and infections in general, I have been doing a lot of reading on natural remedies and have settled on nasal rinses w/silver and apple cidar vinegar. It really doesn't taste bad. Maybe that is because I don't get to drink big girl drinks much anymore and it is kind of like taking a shot! Here is more information if anyone else is suffering from sinus infections.
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=973746
Don't forget girls take your Vitamin D every day!
Visited oncologist last week and white blood cell count is still low (probably the reason for the sinus infection I've been battling the last week). As it looks like any of us w/a low count are susceptible to them and infections in general, I have been doing a lot of reading on natural remedies and have settled on nasal rinses w/silver and apple cidar vinegar. It really doesn't taste bad. Maybe that is because I don't get to drink big girl drinks much anymore and it is kind of like taking a shot! Here is more information if anyone else is suffering from sinus infections.
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=973746
Don't forget girls take your Vitamin D every day!
Understanding TNBC
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http://www.itvisus.com/programs/hbhm/episode_2003_understanding_triple_negative_breast_cancer.asp#ooid=51dzNoMjoZtkNRhm-09wKGboVyETIwNS
Monday, May 30, 2011
The Everyday Drug That Could Combat Cancer
So many things I wish I had known years ago....
After analyzing data drawn from over 25,000 human subjects, a team of researchers at Oxford University has conclusively demonstrated that long-term, low-dose aspirin therapy (75 mg per day) effectively combats multiple forms of cancer—and prevents cancer death.2
In this article, the results of their work are detailed. You will discover the precise mechanisms of action by which aspirin impedes cancer cell development. You will find out how pharmaceutical giants are acting on these findings to reap extraordinary profits at the expense of the public health. You will also learn what you can do to optimize aspirin’s chemopreventive capabilities, naturally minimize its potential side effects—and possibly save your life.
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2011/may2011_The-Everyday-Drug-That-Prevents-Cancer-Death_01.htm?source=search&key=aspirin%20cancer%20article
After analyzing data drawn from over 25,000 human subjects, a team of researchers at Oxford University has conclusively demonstrated that long-term, low-dose aspirin therapy (75 mg per day) effectively combats multiple forms of cancer—and prevents cancer death.2
In this article, the results of their work are detailed. You will discover the precise mechanisms of action by which aspirin impedes cancer cell development. You will find out how pharmaceutical giants are acting on these findings to reap extraordinary profits at the expense of the public health. You will also learn what you can do to optimize aspirin’s chemopreventive capabilities, naturally minimize its potential side effects—and possibly save your life.
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2011/may2011_The-Everyday-Drug-That-Prevents-Cancer-Death_01.htm?source=search&key=aspirin%20cancer%20article
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