Amy's Boobie Blog ..............MY Cancer Story

LEARNING A LESSON I finished my second week of radiation yesterday. Aside from my normal fatigue (normal for the last 5 months) I haven't had any side effects.  The neuropathy still bothers me but I don't think it is as often (knock on wood). A book I can borrow from my sister Angie.  :-) Work has been crazy. First just because it always is, and second because I've allowed myself back in the circus.  Contrary to the compliments I have received saying how surprised they have been that I have continued to stay engaged at work, I really didn't.  I skimmed the surface, just oiling the squeakiest wheel and putting out fires (my opinion of course).  My projects were in a holding pattern and now I'm feeling the effects.  People want results now and I am months behind on all the "behind the scenes work" it takes to start showing it.  I'm told it is OK by management closest to me, but I can't make myself not care no matter how hard ...

STARTING RADIATION I finished my first week of radiation - 5 treatments down and just 28 to go! A week ago Friday I went in to have a CAT scan and get marked up by the doctor.  I thought I would get small tattoos to mark the place where the machine would be lined up, but they used a Sharpie instead.  The doctor laid it out by pressing on my chest and collar bone.  The process was pretty quick and painless. The following Monday (6 days ago) I went in for my first treatment. I arrived and had to wait for the techs and the doctor to finish their planning session.  They reviewed the CAT scan results and other points in my medical record to lay out how much juice they would give me and at what angles etc.  I was led back into the room where the CAT scan was done and was told they would be taking some additional pictures first.   They left the room and the machine got to work.  About 5 minutes later they came in to tell me they wer...

BACK FROM VACATION / BACK TO THIS FIGHT Back from Vacation... We arrived home from our vacation yesterday afternoon, took it easy in the evening, and then headed back to work today.  We had a gre at time and Jeff and I both got a nice tan head!!  Like I mentioned in my last blog, I sp ent a lot of time without a hat.  They were hot and uncomfortable on the beach and since I was surrounded by strangers I felt more comfortable.  By the end of the vacation I was forgetting to wear it.  On the way home we ran into a restaurant for lunch and it wasn't until Grace pointed it out to me that I realized I wasn't wearing one. Back to this Fight... Chemo ended on June 12 th and I am ready to start the final stretch of this race, radiation. I met the radiation oncologist today and learned more about the process and side effects.  I guess if you hadn’t gone through chemo you might be bothered by the side effects.  For me though they are much less...

CELEBRATING WITH A VACATION I finished my last chemo treatment on June 12, 2012 and I pray I never have to do that again.  If I am ever diagnosed with breast cancer again though I will.  Life is worth the fight.  My chances of a reoccurrence are 20%, much better because I decided to treat it aggressively.  The only thing I opted not to do was the mastectomy.  And if it comes back I won't hesitate to do that too. Radiation starts on July 9th.  I meet my Radiologist on the 2nd, the day after I return from vacation. No need to think about that now.  It is CELEBRATION time!  I am blogging from a 12th floor balcony overlooking the beautiful beach and ocean in Gulf Shores, Alabama.  Tropical storm Debby has decided to head east and for that I am very thankful.  She hung out in the Gulf for a few days while making up her mind and it was looking pretty bad here when we arrived yesterday.  Double red flags were up and the Coast ...

CHEMO DONE :-) I'm on day five after my last chemo treatment.  It's going slower than I expected, probably because the meds have been creeping up.  After my first treatment of this medicine I ended up in the hospital.  We made some changes afterwards that included cutting back on the dose and working our way back up.  This last one was back at 100% and I can tell. I'm SO sick of my bed and the couch!  I know that is where I need to be because I feel better after doing so. I'm just so board.  HGTV is my favorite, but I'm really starting to hate my kitchen the more I watch it.  LOL.  I dream about remodeling it.  I also dream about making an "Income Property" in my basement (that I don't have), buying a home overseas (which I don't want to do), and more. It's going to be a tough week but will be great in the end.  

QUALITY TIME WITH HUBBY This past weekend Jeff and I celebrated out 22nd wedding anniversary.  22 YEARS, Oh my!  When I think about all we have been through.....  struggling to eat and pay bills, me wrecking the car ...again, Jeff's heart problems, struggles starting a family, extended family trauma, Jeff's health again, and then my breast cancer, I can't believe how far we have come.  And I can't imagine doing it without him. This past weekend we took a romantic trip to French Lick and stayed at West Baden.  It was like a trip back in time to a much simpler era.  My energy is still low and I can't walk too much without feeling like I've gone 10 times as far.  Jeff was so understanding and attentive.  He didn't once make me feel like I was holding him back.  Stairs seem to be the hardest for me.  After walking up several, without even asking, he quickly found a comfortable place for us to rest until I was ready to move...

MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS I've said it before and I'll say it again, not one of these chemo treatments has been the same.  Yeah, we've tinkered with meds and stuff, but it's gone further than that.  Even when we haven't, my body has reacted differently.  Maybe it's because it is cumulative.  Maybe it's because I am becoming more and more aware of my body and I concentrate on myself more.  Maybe it is because of the change in temperature or what I ate.  Who knows!   It kind of reminds me of being a new mother.  You keep trying things and listening to all the advice on how to make the baby sleep or eat or poop, but nothing works the same way twice. (Yeah, the sleep, eat, and poop thing applies to me as well.)  After seven treatments I finally realized if I can figure out what works for me at a particular time I should just go with it and be happy.  I don't obsess anymore on why it did work like that the last time around. ...