Benign, NO CANCER!

After beginning last weekend with some sharp shooting pain in my left breast that persisting all weekend, I decided I needed to call the Cancer Center Monday morning (4/4).  I knew in my head it was probably just nerve endings waking up, but there is always that fear in the back of your head that the cancer is back.  That fear never goes away and as the scar tissue is continuing to form in my breast where the lump once was, the road map of my breast is ever changing.  It's really hard because honestly, I don't even know what normal is for me anymore...  I have to learn normal ALL OVER AGAIN.  ::sigh::  And it seems ever changing as new scar tissue forms.

So, back to the Cancer Center...  Chris stayed home from work until I was able to get through to them on Monday morning.  I was told I needed to call the surgery center because the pain was surgery related.  Thankfully the surgery center was able to fit me into their schedule on Monday and see me the same day.  Chris and I were off to Magee yet again!  Do they offer frequent flier miles?  Maybe they should!  We visited with several nurses and saw Dr. Johnson who agreed it was time to order a mammogram and get the left breast, along with the right checked out.  It had been over a year since I had a "regular" mammogram and it was the best way to rule anything serious out.  They ordered the results to come back STAT so that I wouldn't have to stress out and we would know right away what we were dealing with.  

Thankfully the Breast Center was able to take me right away so Chris and I ventured upstairs to register for my mammogram.  Chris left me for a few minutes while I registered and that is when it all came crashing down.  A flood of emotions.  Raw emotions that I hadn't felt since February 2010.  Suddenly I was all alone again, but this time I knew what could possibly come of all the tests they were about to run.  Tears started roll and anxiety levels were at an all time high for the day.  

After a 20 minute wait, my name was called.  Off for the mammogram, then another 20 minute wait.  Then finally I got called back for my ultrasound.  Thankfully they didn't keep me in suspense for long.  I was told as soon as the door was closed that my mammogram was clean.  As far as they could tell the mammogram results were benign, no cancer!  The only changes they saw were scar tissue.  PRAISE GOD!! 

It is so fabulous knowing, for sure, there is no cancer in either breast!  I knew I was showing no evidence of disease, but after so long you begin to wonder, begin to worry.  It's nice to finally put my mind at ease.  Thanks everyone for you prayers, love, and support!!

Way overdue update!

WOW!  A long time has past since I last updated!!!

A lot has happened to say the least.  Chemo was extended and I had my last one on November 8, 2011 and radiation started in December.  I went Monday-Friday for a total of 38 treatments.  I thought I was never going to be done, but now it seems like it happened so long ago!  I really miss my daily visits with Jennifer, Willie, Kelly, Loretta, and the rest of the staff at the radiation center, but I am so glad I don't have to go on the table anymore!!  Not to mention the daily application of lotions and constant uncomfortable feeling from radiation burns.

When chemo wrapped up we switched my Herceptin treatments to every three weeks.  Around the same time I started noticing that I was having horrid headaches.  Nothing would take them away.  It got to the point where we took a break from Herceptin to see if it was the culprit, but low and behold the headaches continued...  Very discouraging.  Especially when you are looking for something to place the blame on and ever so ready to be done with treatments.  It was at that time I started doing math in my head, counting back to when the headaches started, when I had received my last Lupron shot, when chemo ended, and started taking everything else into consideration.  HORMONES!!  That had to be it!!!  Every three weeks I'd get a headache, therefore it was so easy to place blame a drug that you get every three weeks.  Months later I think we are finally getting control of the these headaches, but I still get them.  We have restarted on Herceptin and are two treatments into our final six.  I should be completely done with treatments on June 13th.  I am so looking forward to that!


Things at home have been wonderful!  Kennedy turned two in November and is getting so big!  I can't believe how time is flying.  Here is her most recent picture from her Spring photo shoot!  


More to come soon!!!  So stay tuned!  The Race for the Cure is right around the corner and The Triple B's are gearing up to race again.  Our team is already off to a phenomenal fundraising start thanks to my fabulous mom and her coworkers at Morrow Motors.  They held 50/50 raffles and graciously helped my mom start our team out with a nice sized donation!!  THANK YOU!!!