A Curse or a Blessing? My Journey through Breast Cancer.

This leg of the journey is finally over!! Written 9/8/12

Hello ya all! I want to start by saying that you have ALL helped me through the past 10mos. Whether we spoke in person, corresponded through email, or just a quick note or prayer, I am thankful for you all and your support! THANK YOU!

If you haven't read all of my blogs, I will give a quick recap of my life for the past 10mos.

November 2, 2011 around 11am I got the call that my biopsy came back CANCER. I was diagnosed with Stage 2B, Grade 3 IDC Breast cancer of the right breast. Tests showed a triple positive meaning ER/PR + (hormone +) and HER2 +. A fast growing, aggressive cancer. It had metastasized to my right axilla and subclavical lymph nodes. I chose chemo first and started the first of 6 treatments on 11/18/11. My chemo cocktail was called TCH (Taxoterene, Carboplatin, and Herceptin). 10 days after my first treatment I got sick, I was diagnosed with neutropenic fever and neutropenic enteritis, 100% fatal if untreated. I spent 3 days in the hospital. From then on I received an injection of Neulasta the day after each chemo. Chemo lasted for 4 and a half months. 

The chemo worked and shrunk my tumors, so I didn't have to have a mastectomy. I had a lumpectomy and had 4 lymph nodes removed on 4/2/12. Small amounts of malignancy were found in the biopsies but they declared me cancer free on 4/16/12. I then had to wait a month for healing before starting radiation.

I started radiation on 5/8/12. I had a total of 37 treatments. I had to go Monday through Friday for just over 7wks. My last treatment was 7/3/12. 

As previously said, I had some scans and things done to monitor for any new growths and there were some concerning areas. The scans done on 7/2/12 showed no change so we are just going to continue to monitor for now. 

I had a fantastic vacation with my family in Tahoe. Since coming back, I continued on my Herceptin every 3wks until my insurance ran out 8/31/12. I am currently without insurance but hope to get coverage through one of my jobs soon.

I will be starting back to work soon. Disability ended on 9/1/12. For now I am going to return to 1 of my 2 jobs and also start working part time for another company. I was hoping to just work one job but the bills are piled up and I need to bust my butt for a little while. I am still looking for a new job as a nurse supervisor but until I find it, I will do private duty pediatrics. 

I joined a gym a few weeks ago, I have gained some weight and getting my energy back!! Life is looking up! 

Much Love and Healing Hugs! Be blessed!