tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76698202822981231522025-06-07T13:12:45.186-07:00Breast Cancer at 38My story of how my world was changed on April 25, 2012 when I was told I had breast cancer at age 38. I am sharing my story as a way of helping myself cope with the range of emotions that surround receiving this shocking diagnosis. I was not expecting this at all. If I can also help someone else going through this in the process, that would be icing on the cake.Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-59223370118396057342013-11-12T19:29:00.001-08:002013-11-12T19:29:13.633-08:00One Year Since My Last ChemoWohoooo!!!! November 7th was one year since my last chemo!!! Here's to many more!Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-63033957100751009712013-07-28T14:31:00.000-07:002013-07-28T14:31:00.192-07:00Chemotherapy Side Effects - Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide (AC Chemo)Everyone has different chemo side effects. I thought for "fun" I would list mine here. Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) were given together so I don't know what side effects were from which one, but I think these two are often given together anyway.
Side Effects from Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide Chemo
Tiredness, fatigue. Not much that can be done for this
Yucky Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-58796646289735198022013-07-27T13:36:00.001-07:002013-07-27T13:36:14.029-07:00One Year Follow Up MammogramSorry for the long absence. I have been trying to live my life again. And I had a scare. Stupid cancer. I had my annual Mammogram and on the one year anniversary of my first chemo (May 16th) they called me to tell me that they found something suspicious on my "good" breast and needed to do a biopsy. I had intended to write a great post about the difference a year Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-17597975334655042702013-04-07T17:22:00.001-07:002013-04-07T17:22:46.173-07:00Things I am Thankful For - Not Just on Thanksgiving but Everyday
Being Alive. This past year has taught me that even when things are not going well, at least I am alive to experience them. What I once considered a bad day pre-chemo is now one that I wouldn't mind having. Perspective is everything.
My New Perspective On Life. I always thought I was living in the moment and experiencing everything, cancer has a wayCyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-27702835349337068752013-03-09T16:28:00.000-08:002013-03-09T16:28:08.471-08:00Radiation HealingYayyy I was done with radiation on February 19th :-) I went on this machine thirty one times - 25 whole breast radiation treatments and 6 boosts that are a different type of radiation that doesn't penetrate the skin as deeply.
Radiation Machine. The machine is set up for the boost but it is the same machine for the whole breast radiations. The blue things are to helpCyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-28817009172032516432013-02-15T20:11:00.000-08:002013-03-09T16:29:24.921-08:00Radiation UpdateI am getting close to being done with radiation. As a reminder, I am having radiation because I had a lumpectomy and that is the standard treatment if you have a lumpectomy. I was lucky enough that the cancer was not in my lymph nodes so I only have radiation in two positions (vs three if my nodes were involved).
The actual radiation treatment is about twenty one seconds in each Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-63680726106102812132013-01-20T14:45:00.000-08:002013-01-20T14:45:28.398-08:00Radiation Therapy for LumpectomyThe word Radiation is a scary word, but it is also a good word. Radiation therapy takes something that can be used negatively and refocuses it on healing and treatment, so I think of it as a hopeful word. I created a new online profile name when I started this journey . . . radioactivegirl. It was started after I had to have some tests in the nuclear medicine department Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-48778533653844045132013-01-05T14:25:00.000-08:002013-01-05T14:25:01.723-08:00Oncoplastic Breast Reduction Surgery RecoveryAll in all the recovery has been much easier than I thought. I did have a horrible sore/dry throat that showed up the morning after surgery. It hurt to talk, it hurt to swallow, it hurt to eat it just plain hurt. Kindof like the worst sore throat from a cold, but I didnt have the other cold symptoms. Whispering hurt and I resorted to using the fewest words possible and Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-79886627322963378642013-01-01T18:41:00.002-08:002013-01-01T18:41:58.230-08:00Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013!!!2012 started out as a good year for me but was marked by bad news and tough times . . . and then I found out I had breast cancer and had to have chemo.
Chemo is by far the hardest thing I have ever been through and I have been through a lot. I am 7 and a half weeks out from chemo and I struggle with a lot of things I shouldn't, newborn babies have more hair than I do, and I&Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-62576809442603117122012-12-31T23:42:00.002-08:002012-12-31T23:42:43.212-08:00Pathology Results :-)"I am pleased to inform you that the pathology from your surgery showed no remaining cancer. This is the best possible result!" . . . direct email quote from my surgeon on 12-11-12. :-) I later found out they tested the "good" one too and there was no cancer their either :-)Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-34827311718466737082012-12-10T21:23:00.001-08:002012-12-11T15:21:42.387-08:00Oncoplastic Breast Reduction SurgeryI had surgery on December 4th. The surgery was given several different names - Oncoplastic Breast Reduction, Needle Guided Breast Lumpectomy with reconstruction, breast preservation surgery, etc. Back in April when I was diagnosed I wanted to have a lumpectomy. To me, having a lumpectomy was the best way to still feel like me after cancer. My tumor was considered larger, Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-79716723917017732442012-11-27T15:49:00.001-08:002012-11-27T15:49:30.471-08:00What's next? Surgery . . . LumpectomyI am very thankful to be done with chemo although I have a new motto "I can do anything, I've been through chemo". Even though it has made me tougher I still wish I didn't have to go through it.
I am now in the recovery phase . .. chemo really beats up a lot of different cells in your body and the steroids and chemo do a number on your white blood cells. I kindof feelCyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-1310133312964525272012-11-12T09:21:00.000-08:002012-11-12T09:21:00.589-08:00Last Chemo - Finally Done with this part of TreatmentMy last chemo was on 11/7/12, wohooo!!!! It was pretty uneventful (yay!). It hurt a little when Julie got the IV started, but I wasn't complaining cause nothing was going to stop me from getting the last chemo!!! They rang the bell for me too . . . and I went and rang the bell too :-) For those of you that don't know, ringing the bell is a tradition at most Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-52134553476018192942012-10-29T14:56:00.000-07:002012-10-29T14:56:46.911-07:00Weekly Taxol Number 7 - 3rd Time is a CharmHow many times does it take to get an IV started? Three. Yep, 3 . . . and the first two hurt really badly! I had this nurse, Christy, for my final AC and I had no issues with that IV. I suspect my veins are protesting the weekly prodding, but they have not been poked for two weeks since I missed chemo last week. She started on the side of my wrist, just below my Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-91839841949496147632012-10-19T15:39:00.000-07:002012-10-22T14:18:51.821-07:00Chemo Cancelled this week due to my cold :-(No chemo this week for me :-( Last week I felt like a cold was starting and I was right - runny nose, sneezing, coughing, chest and nasal congestion, ugh. I struggled all week with the symptoms and felt like I was getting better on Tuesday but then Wednesday (chemo day) morning I was coughing up a storm. It was more of a dry cough and my whole body hurts from coughing so much. &Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-40155845561953905772012-10-12T13:48:00.001-07:002012-10-12T13:48:32.234-07:00Weekly Taxol number 6 - three more to goA few days before Wednesdays infusion I started having a really stuffy nose. My nose has been stuffy for awhile and my oncologist told me to use the saline nasal spray. I had been using that and it was OK, but it seemed to be getting worse even though I was also taking Zyrtec. Oh, and by the way I have no nose hairs, in case you were wondering. But I do have a lot of Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-86749788983049586052012-10-12T09:37:00.002-07:002012-10-12T09:37:22.772-07:00ChemopauseCyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-24116999249130470792012-10-08T12:39:00.000-07:002012-10-09T11:37:36.278-07:00Weekly Taxol Number 5Taxol infusion number 5 went ok. Being there every week is starting to get old. This week I was given Chair Number 1, wohoo. Not that there is anything special about it - it does have a window which was nice, but it is just about the same as all the other rooms.
See, I told you - it prettymuch looks like the other cell, I mean "room".
My counts have been steadily drifting Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-16062413272793658512012-09-27T11:22:00.000-07:002012-09-27T11:22:28.570-07:00Taxol 4 of 9Prior to my Taxol infusion yesterday I had bloodwork done, including ALT, a liver enzyme. My results were 119 and the upper limit of the specification was 54. Last time it was checked was on September 4th and it was 60. I though 60 was a little high, but just barely and since chemo can do some weird things to your bloodwork I didn't think too much of it . . .Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-68929637447789347182012-09-26T17:44:00.000-07:002012-09-26T17:44:31.719-07:00Good Cancer QuoteA friend shared this with me and I thought it was too good not to share.
Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-2316353575342099932012-09-24T11:00:00.001-07:002012-09-24T11:00:15.581-07:00Third Weekly TaxolMy third weekly taxol infusion was pretty uneventful. I was hoping not to get my least favorite nurse and got lucky and got my favorite nurse. But sadly, I still ended up with a bruise where the IV went in. So now I am at a loss . . . maybe I am just destined to have a bruise after each infusion. With six chemo's left I sure hope that is not the case.
My fingernails have Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-13072325378096594362012-09-17T09:30:00.000-07:002012-09-17T12:24:24.895-07:00Chemo Hair Loss Silver Lining - Top 10 Reasons to Like Being BaldIn my best David Letterman Impersonation
Drumroll Please . . .
Top 10 Good Things About Loosing Your Hair to Chemo
10. Showers go much quicker since there is no hair to wash/condition/dry.
9. Save the earth by not using a blowdryer.
8. Hair doesn't get caught in your necklace.
7. If you are cold, just put a hat or scarf on for instant warmth. If you are warm, take Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-11065839359658758382012-09-16T14:06:00.000-07:002012-09-16T14:09:28.401-07:00Breast Cancer 101Cancer is cancer, right? The only difference is where it is found, right? WRONG. Each cancer is different, and each breast cancer is different. Don't worry, I was clueless before I had to get educated ASAP.
Here are a few things I have learned about Breast Cancer, in laypersons terms.
Hormone Receptor Status - Hormone receptors are proteins on the breast/tumor that Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-10201317653442394452012-09-14T15:22:00.000-07:002012-09-14T15:22:55.462-07:00Taxol Infusion Number 2I was worried about infusion number two of Taxol because it was my second infusion of Taxotere where I had the bad allergic reaction. But I tried not to think about it cause worrying does no good.
I got called in to the infusion center and found out I again had my least favorite nurse. Why is she my least favorite you ask? Because the IV always hurts more when she does it Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669820282298123152.post-87471690760787598572012-09-11T15:12:00.001-07:002012-09-11T15:13:24.475-07:00Taxotere to Weekly Taxol - Change of Plans in my Chemo TreatmentTwo weeks ago I had an allergic reaction to Taxotere. My bloodwork prior to the treatment showed that I had high eosinophils. According to the doctor eosinophils are high due to an allergic reaction. I had noticed that my eyes were puffy, and I was cleaning out some stuff and exposed to a lot of dust (and stress, but that is another story). Well, last week I had blood Cyndeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154266997779766414noreply@blogger.com1