My LAST ROUND of CHEMO is TOMORROW!
My LAST ROUND of CHEMO is TOMORROW!
My LAST ROUND of CHEMO is TOMORROW!
THURSDAY JUNE 30th is the day!!! Not that I've been tracking this day for months now -ha! I can honestly say that time has literally flown by- I have been at it for 4 months and can't believe the end is so near! Not the easiest thing, but certainly not the worst. Challenging times swirled with amazing life moments, kind gestures that brought me to tears, love and support all around..a wild ride that brought huge challenges but also shown a spotlight on the exuberance of the human spirit in those around me!
Summer so far has been busy with lots of family in town visiting and to celebrate the baptism of my niece. The combination of family visiting, kids out of school, summer activities, and work, THINGS HAVE BEEN A BIT NUTS! Sooo MENTALLY I am officially declaring Friday to be the start of MY SUMMER... a fresh start, and hoping to get my energy back in a few weeks and try to get somewhat back to normal for a while. I also anticipate my hair starting to grow back later in July. Fingers crossed this 'plan' turns out.... time will tell.
IF you see me running wild around Downers in the next few days, you'll know why, because I am DONE WITH CHEMO, we've kicked cancer's ass, and we are on to the next phase of my treatment. I have chills as I write this- chemo is almost over!!!! GAME ON CANCER- the hardest part is almost behind us!
Me & Bri
Me & Bri
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Summer in full swing and nearing the end of CHEMO- thank God!
Where in the heck does the time go?
I am sitting here shocked that it's June 20th ALREADY and that carries huge significance for me as I am ALMOST done with chemo!!!! . I have not blogged in almost a month, and I am surprised at that as I sit here now, as the time is really (& thankfully!) flying by at this point.
Round 5 of chemo was on June 9th. I met a gal while I was waiting for my chemo suite who was there for her last day- she was so excited that she was handing out presents to all the nurses and staff, and just watching her bubble over in excitement made me excited! That will be me on June 30th- my last day of CHEMO- and I cannot wait! Each round of chemo has brought it's own challenges and side effects, but overall it's been manageable, escpecially given the support of friends and family. The help with the kids, carpooling, groceries and the many delicious meals has made this all bearable. THANK YOU does not come close to expressing the impact your generosity and caring has made; when I was tired I was able to sit and not cook, I napped instead of grocery shopping, and when each day ended we all ate and my kids made it to all their activities. The outpouring of support has been tremendous and my whole famliy thanks you!!
Round 5 did not bring about any NEW sypmtoms, but it did knock me out energy wise for 8 days! I am feeling really good today after a very busy weekend, so that too is a great sign! I have started to sport my bald head more which is oddly liberating even though it's anything BUT flattering.... but hey- it's hot out! And speaking of my hair... it started to grow in a little bit... very thin.. very straight... and VERY WHITE. I am told this is my temporary hair, kind of like a babies temporary hair, and that it will change. I am also told that a lot more hair will start to come back in by mid July once chemo ends. I still have some eyelashes and thin eyebrows- and FINGERS CROSSED those stay!
I am still going for weekly herceptin infusions (for my Her2+ issue) and those will continue for a full year or longer, so the nurses in the chemo clinic will be seeing me for quite a while after chemo ends... but those are really no big deal- it's about 45 minutes hooked up to an IV and then I am out of there. It also allows me to get into the city weekly and to fit in other medical appointments. Speaking of which....
Last week I met up again with my surgeon, Dr Bethke. I hadn't seen him since that dreaded day in March when he told me I had the rare Inflammatory Breast Cancer and staged me. This appointment went a WHOLE BUNCH better than that first one, and he even said I was in good sprits and looking pretty healthy for someoene in chemo! He examined me and couldn't measure any mass in my chest, so the CHEMO is really working and much quicker than any of my doctors expected. I had a NINETY sq cm mass only 15 weeks ago, and now there is nothing to measure. I am anticipating similar success in the lymph nodes, but we won't know til surgery. I am told I'll have the first two layers of lymphnodes removed, leaving only the 3rd layer, so hopefully that will be enough to keep the arm in good working order.
We are targeting my mastectomy for late July/early August. Before we can schedule I need to do a plastic surgery consult and select someone to accompany Bethke in the surgery, as they will begin the rebuild on the healthy side during the mastectomy operation. I have a surgeon in mind that a friend used, and I meet with him on July 6th to discuss my case and my plans for my chest. After that appointment I should be able to nail down the date. I am eager to have the mastectomy and get on to the radiation, and get CANCER FREE! The goal is to have this all done by mid October, and then I'll get 6 months of relative medical downtime, where I'll only have herceptin every 3 weeks at that point and my reconstruction surgery not til spring of 2012.
This week I have heart scan (mugga scan) to monitor my heart. The herceptin can impact heart valves, so I will do heart scans every 3 months while I am getting the herceptin infusions. This is tagged on to my normal herceptin day, so one visit this week to the city!
That's really it for now on the medical front.... the kids are having a great summer so far! They went to visit Brian's parents for a few days and saw their cousin Evelyn who was in from Florida. Now their Spangler cousins are in town from Colorado and they're having a ball seeing them, and tomorrow Tara, Dave and Baby Fiona arrive to visit as well. I am feeling great today and working while grandma has the kids at the movies.... back to work for me- hope everyone is having a great summer!
I am sitting here shocked that it's June 20th ALREADY and that carries huge significance for me as I am ALMOST done with chemo!!!! . I have not blogged in almost a month, and I am surprised at that as I sit here now, as the time is really (& thankfully!) flying by at this point.
Round 5 of chemo was on June 9th. I met a gal while I was waiting for my chemo suite who was there for her last day- she was so excited that she was handing out presents to all the nurses and staff, and just watching her bubble over in excitement made me excited! That will be me on June 30th- my last day of CHEMO- and I cannot wait! Each round of chemo has brought it's own challenges and side effects, but overall it's been manageable, escpecially given the support of friends and family. The help with the kids, carpooling, groceries and the many delicious meals has made this all bearable. THANK YOU does not come close to expressing the impact your generosity and caring has made; when I was tired I was able to sit and not cook, I napped instead of grocery shopping, and when each day ended we all ate and my kids made it to all their activities. The outpouring of support has been tremendous and my whole famliy thanks you!!
Round 5 did not bring about any NEW sypmtoms, but it did knock me out energy wise for 8 days! I am feeling really good today after a very busy weekend, so that too is a great sign! I have started to sport my bald head more which is oddly liberating even though it's anything BUT flattering.... but hey- it's hot out! And speaking of my hair... it started to grow in a little bit... very thin.. very straight... and VERY WHITE. I am told this is my temporary hair, kind of like a babies temporary hair, and that it will change. I am also told that a lot more hair will start to come back in by mid July once chemo ends. I still have some eyelashes and thin eyebrows- and FINGERS CROSSED those stay!
I am still going for weekly herceptin infusions (for my Her2+ issue) and those will continue for a full year or longer, so the nurses in the chemo clinic will be seeing me for quite a while after chemo ends... but those are really no big deal- it's about 45 minutes hooked up to an IV and then I am out of there. It also allows me to get into the city weekly and to fit in other medical appointments. Speaking of which....
Last week I met up again with my surgeon, Dr Bethke. I hadn't seen him since that dreaded day in March when he told me I had the rare Inflammatory Breast Cancer and staged me. This appointment went a WHOLE BUNCH better than that first one, and he even said I was in good sprits and looking pretty healthy for someoene in chemo! He examined me and couldn't measure any mass in my chest, so the CHEMO is really working and much quicker than any of my doctors expected. I had a NINETY sq cm mass only 15 weeks ago, and now there is nothing to measure. I am anticipating similar success in the lymph nodes, but we won't know til surgery. I am told I'll have the first two layers of lymphnodes removed, leaving only the 3rd layer, so hopefully that will be enough to keep the arm in good working order.
We are targeting my mastectomy for late July/early August. Before we can schedule I need to do a plastic surgery consult and select someone to accompany Bethke in the surgery, as they will begin the rebuild on the healthy side during the mastectomy operation. I have a surgeon in mind that a friend used, and I meet with him on July 6th to discuss my case and my plans for my chest. After that appointment I should be able to nail down the date. I am eager to have the mastectomy and get on to the radiation, and get CANCER FREE! The goal is to have this all done by mid October, and then I'll get 6 months of relative medical downtime, where I'll only have herceptin every 3 weeks at that point and my reconstruction surgery not til spring of 2012.
This week I have heart scan (mugga scan) to monitor my heart. The herceptin can impact heart valves, so I will do heart scans every 3 months while I am getting the herceptin infusions. This is tagged on to my normal herceptin day, so one visit this week to the city!
That's really it for now on the medical front.... the kids are having a great summer so far! They went to visit Brian's parents for a few days and saw their cousin Evelyn who was in from Florida. Now their Spangler cousins are in town from Colorado and they're having a ball seeing them, and tomorrow Tara, Dave and Baby Fiona arrive to visit as well. I am feeling great today and working while grandma has the kids at the movies.... back to work for me- hope everyone is having a great summer!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
A great man
Feeling inspired and wanted to share write up on my cousin - some people really live life to fullest and spread so much goodness!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/ct-met-spangler-obit-20110530,0,3137761.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/ct-met-spangler-obit-20110530,0,3137761.story
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