The End of Treatment

So how are things going for me?!?! I completed my last Herceptin treatment on December 10th! On December 11th the man that stood by my side throughout this entire process ended our 3 year relationship! So, my life has been pretty crazy, as I had to move and totally reorganize everything in my life. But I had to move forward!

On December 23rd my port was removed, which resembles the end of treatment! I will continue to go to MD Anderson every 3rd month for follow-ups for 6 years. I hope to have reconstructive surgery on my other breast in March, so it can be fully healed and I can enjoy the lake and pool parties this Summer!

All that I have to say is 2015 has to be a much better year than 2014 was for me! I have definitely been through some hard times in 2014, but they have made me the strong person that I am today! Thank you once again for your continue support and prayers! They have been greatly appreciated throughout this entire process!

I thought I would also include a recent picture of me, as my hair is growing pretty rapidly:) And my eyelashes are back to normal length!!!

Radiation Complete!!!

I know...I know...it has been awhile since I last blogged, actually the last time I blogged was following my surgery... my hair is growing back (I have about an inch and a half, and I have bleached it back to platinum blonde) and my eyelashes have returned (I am SUPER stocked about this!!!).

My new hairdo. Photo taken 9/13/2014.

Radiation is Complete!

So, how did my experience go with radiation??? I completed a total of 30 radiation sessions. I was attending radiation everyday Monday-Friday for 6 weeks. We moved my boyfriend's RV down to the Houston area for me to live in. The RV park was immaculate, Lave View RV Resort, and I would highly recommend it to anyone staying in the area.

The first few weeks of radiation were easy, and I didn't have any side effects. My skin was pink, but there were no complaints on my end. By the 4th week, my skin turned beat red, it was obviously warmer to the touch than the rest of my body, and it was starting hurt. By the 5th week, under my entire arm, it looked like a campfire marshmallow, seriously! My skin looked like it had been burned with fire and was peeling off layers after layers. Since my body was trying to repair itself I was also much more fatigued than normal. Needless, to say it was a pretty long Summer for me!

My mom and I at my final radiation on 8/26/2014. I rang the bell to celebrate my final treatment. 

It has now been three weeks since I have completed radiation, and my skin is in MUCH better condition!! It is still pretty sensitive, but I am happy with how quickly the peeling phase stopped!  

When Does this Journey End?

Now that radiation is complete, I will still go to MD Anderson every third week to receive chemo (Herceptin and Perjeta) until December and for any other doctor appointments. I also started taking Tamoxifen 3 weeks ago, and I will have to take this pill for 10 years. Tamoxifen serves an an estrogen blocker, which is important since my tumor was 10% estrogen positive. In March-ish, I am hoping to have reconstruction surgery on my other breast, in order to match my recently reconstructed one. I will then continue to travel to MD Anderson every third month for 6 years to be closely monitored in case the cancer returns. Hopefully, this does not occur!!!

My Experience at MD Anderson

MD Anderson is by far the best option to choose if there is a debate on where to go to receive cancer treatment. This facility is ranked #1 in the country for a reason, because they are the best! During my 6 weeks of radiation treatment I had the opportunity to meet women that traveled from all over the world to also be treated at this facility, including Tennessee (patient was 23 years old), Kentucky, India, Australia, and the list goes on and on.

Finally, I have had a lot of people questioning my decision on opting to do the lumpectomy along with 6 weeks of radiation versus having a double mastectomy. I would like to share with everyone a story of the first girl I met at MD Anderson that is battling breast cancer and is the same age as me. She informed me and other women at radiation that she was first diagnosed with stage II breast cancer at the age of 29. She opted to have a double mastectomy. Two and a half years later, her cancer returned in her lymph nodes and she is now a stage IV. With that said, I truly do not believe there is a right or a wrong option when choosing between a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. If you are debating between the two I encourage you to throughly research each of these options and weigh in on the pros and cons. This is definitely a personal decision, and everyone else should respect which option you choose.

Great News!!!

Great News!

My surgeon's PA called me on Friday the 13th and informed me that my pathology reports had come in. The report could not have been any better! The report stated that there were no remaining cancer cells in my tumor or lymph nodes. My body had responded the exact way it was suppose to the chemo, and the chemo had melted the cancer away like butter! What a relief!!! On Wednesday, June 18th my mom, Brian, and I all went back to MD Anderson in Houston for more appointments and for the surgeons to review my incisions. They were very pleased at how my incisions were healing, and pleased with the little pain I am having. I really have not been in much pain. Every once in awhile I do feel the sharp pains, from the tissue regenerating back together, but that is expected.

On Wednesday, we also had our first consultation with the radiation doctor and met with the oncologist for the 1st time at MD Anderson. It was determined that I would complete my radiation simulation (during this appointment a mold is created exactly to my body so that the radiation beam lines up in the exact same position for each treatment) on July 10th, and begin my first week of radiation treatment on July 14th. The doctor confirmed that I would receive 6 full weeks of radiation, which would be completed Monday - Friday every week. The doctor informed me that the primary side effect of radiation is being tired, and I may need frequent naps during treatment and up to a month afterwards. They also informed me of the possible burning side effects I could encounter, like a sunburn.

The oncologist confirmed that I would need 5 more treatments of Perjeta and Herceptin, which will be received every 3rd week. Then I would continue receiving Herceptin every 3rd week until the 1st of December. Additionally, the oncologist informed me that a week following the completion of radiation, I would then begin taking Tamoxifen. She stated that I would have to take this pill for 10 full years.

From this point forward I will complete all treatments at MD Anderson in Houston. What a journey this has been!

Aha Moment Published!!!

Lumpectomy Complete!

My day started at 5:30 a.m. on June 5^th checking into the hospital for my lumpectomy and lymph node biopsy at MD Anderson. My mom, dad, and Brian were with me. The doctors had informed me the day before that the surgery would take approximately four hours. It actually took the surgeons and their teams six hours to complete everything.

On the 4^th two radioactive seeds were implanted into my breast. One was placed in the middle of my tumor, and the other was placed on clip that marked where the initial biopsies had been taken back in November. The clip was now distant from the actual tumor. When the surgeon went in to remove the tumor, the radioactive seed gave off a vibe to the doctor informing them when they were close to the tumor in order to prevent them from cutting into it and risking spreading the cancer throughout my body. What an awesome, advanced technology, which very few hospitals are using! The surgeon was very optimistic that the entire tumor had been successfully removed.

The surgery ended up taking two additional hours as they could not seem to locate the biopsy clip. When the radioactive seed had been placed in my breast the prior day on it, I knew it was 0.5 cm from my skin. The surgeon informed us that they searched and searched for it, and finally had to call in an x-ray team to try and locate it. They were still unable to find it, so they believe it feel out when the initial incision was made.

Also during the procedure, a blue dye was inserted into my body to help the surgeon determine if my lymph nodes were positive and needed to be removed. The surgeon confirmed that the first two lymph nodes absorbed the blue dye and showed some sign of destruction, so with that they opted to remove the first three nodes to hopefully be on the safe side.

Once these procedures were complete, a reconstructive surgeon immediately began their working. I went from a DD to a D cup size, and got one heck of a lift job on that breast. I will be undergoing another reconstructive procedure in 9 – 12 months in order to get the other breast the same lift and reduction as the new one. The surgeons advised me to wait several months as the radiation can cause the breast to shrink some, and stress that it is best to do surgery on the other one once everything is settled.   

After undergoing 6 hours of surgery that day, I spent roughly 1.5 hours in recovery, then they loaded me up in a wheelchair, and Brian wheeled me across the sky bridge to our hotel room. I slept fairly comfortable, and really haven’t been in too much pain since. The most painful part is the incision where they removed my lymph nodes. My breast incision is definitely not little though, as they cut an entire circle around the nipple, cut directly straight down through the whole bottom portion of the breast, and then made a curvature “J”. There are no sutures, no drains. I am highly impressed with the level of skill that the surgeons possess at MD Anderson! There really is no place like getting treated at MD Anderson.

Brian and I flew back to Lubbock on Saturday, and I went back to work on Tuesday. I have appointments next week at MD Anderson. My tumor and lymph nodes have been sent to pathology and we will learn the results of these tests then. We are also scheduled to meet with the radiation doctor and breast oncologists. I am anticipating starting radiation within 3 – 6 weeks following my surgery. We will no more after the appointments next week. I have reserved a RV spot at a really nice RV park that is about 5 miles from MD Anderson. So if you are in the Houston area this Summer make sure to give me shout!

Thank you everyone for your prayers, checking on me, and continuing to follow my progress!! This has been one heck of a journey, but I have completed another huge step of the process.   

Support Groups

Brian described it best to me when I was first diagnosed at how people will react. He said at first everyone will wear you out with phone calls, visits, cards, etc. At the very beginning of my diagnosis only a few friends and family members knew. When I posted my blog, the word spread like rapid fire, and I was hearing from people that I had not heard from in years. People continued to notify me throughout the next few months, and then just as Brian had said they were all gone. Each and everyone had gone about their daily lives, but I was still stuck fighting for my life. I still had treatments to attend, and doctor appointment after doctor appointment. This process does make you realize who is there for you through thick and thin.

My advise to everyone that is part of a support group for other cancer fighters is to not just text them periodically to see how they are feeling, but invite them to go to lunch, the movies, or just take a walk in the park. Show up on their doorstep to just hangout. Ultimately, be there for them. I would not wish this battle on anyone, as it takes a very strong person to make it through, and it is very easy for someone that is battling this journey to fall into a depression. I am forever grateful to have Brian by my side throughout this entire process. Without him, I honestly do not know what I would do. There have been other friends and family members that have helped me through this time, and you know who you are, and I am thankful for all that you have done for me as well. So ultimately, be there for the ones you care about when they need it the most!

Filming Aha Moment

Around a month ago, I was contacted by the filming crew with Aha Moments that is sponsored by Mutual of Omaha Insurance. The filming crew found my blog, and notified me via email through it requesting to interview me. Obviously, my aha moment occurred the moment that I found out that I had breast cancer. At that moment all of the things that I was concerned about no longer mattered, as I was fighting for my life. This life changing event really does put things into perspective. So, who knows. You just might see me on the next national Mutual of Omaha advertisement.