Update and Info for ParkWalk 2017

2016 ParkWalk - Sheila Strong

Just wanted to quickly share out how I've been doing.

I've had quite a few ups and downs with work, and have been struggling with some other things.  I've been struggling with post cancer depression and have had multiple anxiety attacks.  I know most people will not understand, but for whatever reason I just feel like I have to have cancer somewhere and I just have to find it.

My headaches were getting more frequent.  In December, the fingers in my left hand kept going numb and I felt lots of pressure in my upper left arm.  I went from diagnosing myself with carpal tunnel, to having lymphedema, to having a heart attack.  Early January, I went in to see my oncologist and told him I was going crazy!  He ensured me that I wasn't, but did suggest that I start on an antidepressant.  They also did a head scan for my headaches (which came back clear), and also had me start back at physical therapy to work on my arm.

Overall, I do feel a little bit better.  I did 4 weeks of physical therapy and have been trying to make more time for myself.  I've been heading to my "Beat Cancer Bootcamp" once a week and am hoping that I continue moving in a positive direction.

Consider joining us for this years ParkWalk on May 6th.  Register to join the Sheila Strong team or consider making a donation.  Thank you to everyone for their continued support!

http://events.phci.org/site/TR/Walks/General?team_id=1610&pg=team&fr_id=1133

A week ago I went to a Casting Crowns concert in Milwaukee with my friends K8 and Jessy.  We had such a wonderful time and it really is uplifting listening to K-Love radio (christian rock).  As I'm driving in the car it is so cool to have my kids singing along with me and praising God.  He truly has been by my side throughout this whole thing and somedays he knows exactly what I need to hear.  The last song of the concert Unspoken, Danny Gokey, and Casting Crowns came out and together sang, "Glorious Day".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXp6xcY5IqU

May we all remember what sacrifice Jesus made for us, and truly how blessed we are!  

Until the day he returns or calls us home, may we all praise his name!

Med Port Removed and Surgery

This surgery definitely snuck up on me this summer.  We kept very busy so it wasn't on my mind to much.  I was very excited to get the med port finally out, but was nervous for the breast augmentation (aka: repositioning surgery).

Surgery was scheduled for Tuesday, July 19th at 1:30.  As soon as we got there they started getting everything moving and we went into surgery early.   Surgery lasted for about an hour.   As Dr. Sonderman worked on suturing the pocket higher on the right side, he didn't like the way the implant was looking.  So he ended up putting in a whole new implant in on the right side.  Surprisingly enough, I came out of anesthesia the best I ever have.  I was able to eat a couple crackers, get some fluids in, make a bathroom stop, and walk in the halls.   I was ready to be discharged and on my way home by 6, which was way earlier than I anticipated.

I did struggle trying to get comfortable the first night and the pain was a little more than I anticipated.  I'm not going to lie, I did cry.  I was pretty diligent about taking my pain pills.  I even woke Andy up at 4 AM to see if I could take any yet.

Med Port Removed!  Yeah!!!!

Over the next couple of days things did get easier.  The hardest part was just getting out of the recliner or the bed.  I was able to walk around outside, took lots of naps, and read books with my kids.



Now I'm moving around quite well and back to doing most of my normal activities.  For those that know me, I was able to take a zoo trip yesterday, so I'm definitely moving in the right direction.  Hoping in a couple of weeks to get back to running again.

Thank you again to my mom and Grandma Getter for coming down and helping make things go easier on the home front.  I'm very blessed that you were able to come and be here for me through this.  Thank you to my amazing husband Andy.  You have shown me that I can accomplish things I never thought I could.  You always believed in me.  I love you more and more with each day.

To all my family and friends.  Thank you again for all the support given to me over the past week.  The cards in the mail, a ton of text messages and emails sent with loving support.  You are all amazing, and I am so very blessed to have you all in my life.

Update and Parkwalk Info 2016

So apparently I get to be famous for one more year!  I don't think I realized just how many people would see my face on this years pamphlet for the ProHealth Care Walk for Cancer. I've had tons of people from church, school, and even in my community say, "Hey were you on a pamphlet for a walk coming up?"  Pretty cool thing.

 I will not be talking in front of everyone, but will be walking among so many amazing people.  If you are interested in joining my team this year we would love to have you come out and support me, and everyone else that has been affected by cancer.  


Team name is Sheila Strong. 
You can sign up at prohealthcare.org/walksforcancer.   

February has been a month of checkups and meeting with all of my Doctors.  Earlier this month I met with my oncologist Dr. Hake.  I had found another lump (3rd one now) that had me a little worried.  After meeting with Dr. Hake, he assured me that he was not concerned but that we would still need to investigate it just to be sure.  Two days later, I was in again having another ultrasound done, but this time on my right side just below my port.  Thank you again to my cousin Rhonda for coming along with me!  It was nice to have someone along for support, just in case.  Results came back right away showing at this time there was NO sign of cancer.  Most likely it is either fluid buildup or fatty necrosis.  However, in 2 months I will have more imaging done on the 3 areas to make sure they are not changing.  

At my appointment with Dr. Hake, we talked about many different things as far as what would be the best for treatment options for me moving forward.  My blood work came back, and my hemoglobin levels are still really low so they have started me on some iron supplements.  I'm still on the Tamoxifen pill, but have also decided to try being on the Lupron shot.  Lupron typically is used to reduce the risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer from coming back in premenopausal women after surgery and other treatments.  It basically will shut down my ovaries, however, with every medication comes the wonderful list of side effects.  The worst ones have been the hot flashes and mood swings.  I told Dr. Weyers when I met with her last week that I feel like I can't control my emotions.  I'm all over the board.  She assured me that they are messing with the chemical balance in my body, and that it's not me.  

I also met with my plastic surgeon this month.  I will be having a "revision" surgery sometime over summer to adjust my right breast.  Radiation tightened the left side, and in my eyes I look uneven.  I figured if it bothered me enough, I should probably go through the surgery.  It sounds like it will be about a week for recovery, and in 3 weeks I should be back to normal activities.  During this surgery they will also remove my port.

Adjusting back to life after cancer has had its many ups and downs.  The thoughts of having a recurrence are in my mind everyday.  I'm always thinking about what I can do to help prevent it from happening.  I try to remind myself that as much as we would like to know what God has in store for us, I have to trust in his plan.  I do appreciate the moments I have with my friends and family, and will always be wishing for more.

Quotes:
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  You must do the thing which you think you cannot do" - Eleanor Roosevelt

Deuteronomy 31:6 "…Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Adjusting back to work

Herceptin #10 of 12 on July 1st, 2015

What a good feeling it has been to finally say that I am done with treatment!  It has been awhile since I have posted but wanted to make sure I finished up my story and am hoping to soon close this chapter of my life.

Thank you again to the wonderful people who came and sat with me during my last herceptin treatments.  It was always so nice to have someone there to keep me company.

Thank you Kate for driving me to my appointment in style, top down:)

Herceptin #11 of 12 on July 22, 2015

Thank you to my amazing friend Kasi from IKE.  You have been so supportive of me, and always can find the right things to say to help make me feel better. Miss you and all my coworkers from IKE.

Last Herceptin Treatment #12 of 12 on August 12, 2015

 I finally made it to my last treatment.  It was a great feeling walking in that day knowing this was the last time that I was going to get poked for treatment.  When I walked into the cancer center my Aunt Sue and cousin Brian surprised me by being in the waiting room.  They had brought balloons, cookies, and of course some bubbly stuff for celebration.  As we hugged, it made me feel so grateful that this day has finally come.

Celebrating with some of my favorite ladies at home!

My oncologist Dr. Hake is an absolutely amazing person.  He came in and celebrated with us, talked with us, and made me feel at ease with being done with treatments.  All the nurses came in and gave me tons of hugs.  I will still get to see them every 2 months for my checkups.

As I left the clinic that day, I did feel like a part of me was being left behind.  I was now entering the stage of life after cancer treatment.  I had know idea what exactly that was going to be like.  I've heard many stories and read many things about how people try to adjust back to life before cancer, and things just aren't the same.

As the end of August rolled around I tried to prepare myself for heading back to work.  Most of you have heard by now, but I took a new position at East Troy high school.  Physically and mentally it has been extremely hard to be back at work.  Things are slowly getting a little easier as I start to get back into a routine, but it has been hard.  I've spent lots of nights in tears, in pain, and being just completely exhausted from the day.

I can't wait for the day I can play a game of kickball and not be tired from running to first base.  I can't wait for the day that I can say I have my energy back.

Some people have asked what I do now for treatments, checkups, etc.  Right now I will see my oncologist every 2 months.  They will check blood work at each appointment and check for anything out of the ordinary.  I'm also on the Tamoxifen pill which I will be on for the next 10 years.  Since my cancer was estrogen positive, this is a hormone therapy drug used after treatments and is supposed to help reduce my chances of a recurrence.  Any concerns or changes in my health I need to let them know right away so we can investigate.  So of course my cording in my left arm seems to have gotten tighter again, which is causing pain all the way down my arm.  I will be starting back at physical therapy again on October 20th.  I also came across 2 lumps that I went in to get checked out.  I had an ultra sound done on my left breast and armpit area.  They were able to give me immediate results that there were no signs of cancer in those areas.  They feel the lumps may just be part of post op, or may be fluid buildup.  I will be getting another ultrasound in 6 months to check the areas again. It has been a stressful couple of days of just wondering what could be.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about "cancer".  I've now went from fighting cancer, to now just wondering when is it going to come back.  Any ache or pain I have my thoughts are right back to "cancer".  Some days I think I'm just going crazy.

As I end my post today I'd like to thank my mentors who have been there for me throughout this whole journey and who still are.  One of my mentors sent me the perfect quote...

"And once the storm is over, you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive.  You won't even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over.  But one thing is certain.  When you come out of the storm you won't be the same person who walked in."  - Unknown author.

Make every day count!

One Year!

One year ago today, I was faced with my biggest challenge of my life.  I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer.  Looking back at the year, it's still hard to believe what I have all gone through:  6 months of chemo, 2 surgeries, and 37 rounds of radiation.  I've been through physical therapy twice, and have had some not so fun side effects with my tamoxifen pill.  I'm also still getting herceptin.

Yesterday at the dinner table my son Gavin started talking about God.  He was saying how much he loved God, but he was scared to die.  I told him that I was too.  I said when I first got diagnosed I was very scared.  We talked about why God died on the cross and how great it is going to be in heaven.

God was there with me through the hard days, the pain, the tears.  He has given me the strength to make it through each day.

Blessings by Laura Story 

We pray for blessings

We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

Radiation Done!

I finished up my radiation treatments on May 4th.  When the sound of the radiation machine went silent, I had tears rolling down my face.  Radiation is DONE!  Could I have really just finished 36 treatments, coming everyday for 7 weeks (+ 1 day)?  Granted they did say my skin and fatigue would peak a week or two after, I was completely finished.  But Dr. Weyers and the nurses kept telling me that my skin held up really well.  Looking and feeling the effects, it was hard to believe them, but thankfully it wasn't as bad as it could've been.

April 20th (26 treatments in)

April 24th (30 treatments in)
Starting to peel.  The armpit was the worst part.

May 6th

May 14th

Even the backside of my left shoulder got burned.  They say the radiation has to exit somewhere which is what causes that to happen.







My skin is now all healed up, and for the most part I don't think people will notice all that much.  It looks tan on the left side, but better than RED.





Thank you to everyone that came out and helped me celebrate my birthday and the Parkwalk.  It was truly a blessing to have so many family and friends out supporting me.  It will be one of the positive things I will hold onto from this journey I've been on.

Herceptin Treatment #7 of 12 on April 29th

I still go in every 3 weeks for my Herceptin treatments.  I also have follow-ups with both my
surgeon Dr. Bartos, and plastic surgeon Dr. Sonderman.  I will see them all again in a couple of months to make sure that everything is still going in the right direction.  I have started back at physical therapy, and I'm hoping to get full range again soon in my left arm.  My chording got a little tight during radiation, but I'm just hoping that it gets better so my left side doesn't feel so tight.

Herceptin Treatment #8 of 12 on May 20th

My fatigue level is slowly starting to climb back up.  I've actually been able to take the kids on bike rides, run a couple of times, and play a few more innings of kickball.  My children keep me moving!

My hair is getting longer, and longer, and also curly.  I had a nice afro the other day.  My hair is super easy to do right now, and might I say that I'm rockin the headbands:)

I have been taking the Tamoxifen pill which they want me on for 10 years, but it has a long list of side affects.  I think my worst ones are my headaches and the heavy cycles.  They did do an MRI on my head right away which gave me a little extra anxiety, but it all came back clear.  I've been meeting with Doctors to see what options I have.

Herceptin Treatment #9 of 12 on June 10th

 Anytime I have a little ache or pain my mind immediately wonders if my cancer is back.  I think this fear is something that I will have to live with forever.  But I do need to remember that I am living, and to enjoy the time I have with my family and friends!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  - Jeremiah 29:11.

Halfway through Radiation

I have completed 18 of my 36 radiation treatments.  I had one rough day last week, where I broke down a couple times, but for the most part things have been going good.  Some doctor must have made a ton of money to pin point when the fatigue was going to settle in (the 3 week mark).  My legs have been bothering me quite a bit, and I get short of breath just walking up the stairs.  My skin is starting to turn pink, so I've been putting on the cream they gave me.  I'm hoping the burn doesn't get to bad.  But on the bright side of things, I am halfway done, and I'm crushing it! (Little saying I've picked up from my weekly boot camp I attend).

Herceptin Treatment # 4 of 12

Herceptin Treatment # 5 of 12

My herceptin treatments have been going great.  I still plan on having a full day spent at the doctor on these days.  After my blood is drawn, it takes about an hour before they have the results back.  Then they first release my drugs to the pharmacy which takes usually about another hour before they have everything they need to start.

Herceptin Treatment # 6 of 12 on April 8th

The herceptin itself takes only 30 minutes.  Usually we can get a movie in, but sometimes I'm busy with visitors.  I had the nutritionist come in when my mom was down, perfect fit, she could get some tips for school lunches:)  I also have been able to talk with the counselor from Still Waters too!  All the resources have been very helpful.

Tried spiking my hair like Gavin:)

One of my favorite songs to listen to has been by Steven Curtis Chapman, "Glorious Unfolding".  If you haven't heard it before, it brings me to tears almost every time I listen to it.  Today when I got in my car to leave after my radiation treatment it came on the radio.  I listened, sang, and had tears just rolling down my face.  Here are the lyrics in case you want to read through them.  I also have a link for the video, Glorious Unfolding Video.

"The Glorious Unfolding"

Lay your head down tonight
Take a rest from the fight
Don’t try to figure it out
Just listen to what I’m whispering to your heart
‘Cause I know this is not
Anything like you thought
The story of your life was gonna be
And it feels like the end has started closing in on you
But it’s just not true
There’s so much of the story that’s still yet to unfold

And this is going to be a glorious unfolding
Just you wait and see and you will be amazed
You’ve just got to believe the story is so far from over
So hold on to every promise God has made to us
And watch this glorious unfolding

God’s plan from the start
For this world and your heart
Has been to show His glory and His grace
Forever revealing the depth and the beauty of
His unfailing Love
And the story has only begun

And this is going to be a glorious unfolding
Just you wait and see and you will be amazed
We’ve just got to believe the story is so far from over
So hold on to every promise God has made to us
And watch this glorious unfolding

We were made to run through fields of forever
Singing songs to our Savior and King
So let us remember this life we’re living
Is just the beginning of the beginning

Of this glorious unfolding
We will watch and see and we will be amazed
If we just keep on believing the story is so far from over
And hold on to every promise God has made to us
We’ll see the glorious unfolding

Just watch and see (unfolding)
This is just the beginning of the beginning (unfolding)