Not a lot of news this last week, but sometimes less news is better! I did meet with my Oncologist…
…and
…I have great news
I am cancer-free!
YES, You heard me right!
I effin’ kicked cancer right in the ole booty!!
See ya effin’ cancer!!!
You picked the wrong girl to mess with!!!!
Hallelujah… my prayers have been answered, your prayers have been answered, and I’m still a bit in shock. It’s all so overwhelming and very emotional! It was not something I was expecting to hear at that appointment, I thought it was just a follow-up to see how I was doing! But wow… life-changing news to say the least.
It’s been a frickin’ hellova year… 2020 was horrible for so many reasons for so many people, and mine definitely was not something I was prepared for, to say the least!! I look back at when it all started, remembering how scary it all was.
Those words, “You’ve got BC”…
...then having to learn how extensive it was or wasn’t, so many tests and scans and appointments. And even though Bret was with me every single step of the way, I had to go to all my appointments by myself. I would take my ipad, prop it/him in the chair next to me and FaceTime with him so he could ‘be there’ too… that is how he came to my appointments. To this day, even as I write this, I still tear up when thinking back on how frightening it all was, while trying to be brave and positive at the same time. Then came one of the hardest parts… telling our children, my sisters, my parents and brother, and then the rest of my family and friends… I don’t ever wish this upon anyone!
Looking back, here’s my significant milestones…
Sep 17, 2020 ~ My first appt to urgent care for what ended up being a tiny little kidney stone (that passed without me even knowing)
Oct 7, 2020 ~ Diagnosed with Stage 1, Grade 2 ERPR+ HER2- breast cancer (Grade 2 because it also went to one of my lymph nodes)
Dec 7, 2020 ~ Started my 1st of 16 chemo treatments… ending Apr 19, 2021
May 17, 2021 ~ Double mastectomy surgery, 4-hr procedure
Jun 24, 2021 ~ Started my 1st of 30 radiation treatments… ending Aug 5, 2021
Aug 9, 2021 ~ Cancer Free!
For those of you who don’t closely know someone affected by this horrible nasty disgusting awful disease, the journey continues. As grateful/happy/relieved as it is getting to this point, it’s not totally over. It continues with follow-ups… labwork, scans and appointments. But the worst IS over and it’s time to put all of that behind me, as best as I can. It’ll always be my journey, but I’m sooo ready to move on.
I still have…
neuropathy from chemo
pain from surgery
burns from radiation
Hoping all of them will subside soon, but I know each of these were significant blows to my body, and it takes time to heal. Luckily, I’m patient! My hair is still crazy… but it’s easy and I’m starting to get used to it. I was even told this last week that it was sexy! :)
A little about my next step…
My diagnosis of Estrogen Receptor (ER)+ Progesterone Receptor (PR)+ is the result of cancer cells that use the hormones to grow… if I understand it correctly. So this next week I will start hormone therapy, a treatment with anti-estrogen/progesterone as an inhibitor which blocks the growth of cancer cells from ever forming again. It’s a daily pill which will be the easiest treatment in this journey by a long shot! It, of course has side effects, but hopeful they’re everso slight or insignificant!
Months ago… as in the end of November, beginning of December,
after I shared my news with staff, I received sooo many beautiful notes and messages from my co-workers. One of them, along with a very heartfelt message included today’s title quote, hoping "that it serves as even the slightest bit of inspiration". I told him I’d be using it in my blog when the time was right!
Thank you AB for your very sweet message, your words meant/mean so much to me, as does this quote! It's perfect, and finally, the time has come and I get to use it!
SOOOO VERY AWESOME!!! Way to go!!! Love you friend!!!