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.