First Treatment Done.

It's 6:38pm on Tuesday 6/7/16. The long dreaded first chemo treatment is over. It was definitely not as bad as I made it out to be in my mind.

Got there at 8:30am. Left at about 2:45pm. Had a room with a bed. Next time should be a little shorter. Got the needle in arm.. Perjeta first, then Herceptin, then premeds, then Taxotere.

Four years ago, there were two powerful drugs prior to getting Taxotere so I probably had a lot of residual effects from those. Now as far as chemo goes, the Taxotere is essentially by itself.  The other two drugs (Perjeta and Herceptin) are given intravenously but are in a different family of treatment- technically not chemo.  We are going to do this cocktail every 3 weeks for 3 rounds before we assess how it is working.  This is all a process, not necessarily 1 or 6 and done.

This is Stage 4 cancer. We are attempting to prevent growth of these cells and starve them to kill them. I believe this treatment plan will do that. From how I understand this process, once the current cancer is killed and I have the all clear, we will drop the Taxotere and I will continue on Perjeta and Herceptin (one or both) forever, every 3 weeks. With this, we will attempt to further starve any cells and prevent growth. It's sort of like what we have attempted to do with the Tamoxifen pill to block estrogen to the cancer for past 4 years.

...more tomorrow on how I am feeling and doing.

God is with us. Thank you for your love and prayers.

Round 2, Day 1- Amanda's Army of Angels Vs Cancer

OK, here we go...Day 1 (technically Day 7, I got the news on Tues 5/31) (absolutely surreal that I am writing this to you)

Quick story on how I got here...

In March 2016 (4 years and 4 mos after 1st diagnosis), I was coughing and then started experiencing shortness of breath and some wheezing.  I was up to running 6 miles a day and just like that, I couldn't do it anymore. I saw a Nurse Practitioner who gave me steroids, antibiotics, inhaler and none of it worked.  End of April, I called my oncologist, Dr. Rachel Harper with Lexington Clinic in Lexington, KY and she ordered a chest X-ray, Pulmonary function test- they were normal.  She ordered a CT scan to see if there was a clot from the Tamoxifen.  That's where she found enlarged lymph nodes that were causing the problem.  I got a PET scan a few days later to see if there was uptake anywhere else in my body from top to bottom.  The clusters of lymph nodes around my chest and lungs were the only "hot spots".  So, I got a biopsy shortly where the pathology showed that my cancer was, in fact, back in these areas. 

Doctor says its "very treatable".  This is good.  In the morning 6/7/16, I am starting a chemotherapy cocktail that will be intravenously injected Perjeta, Herceptin, and Taxotere.  I had the Taxotere in my last treatment.  I will lose my hair and have other stupid side effects, like nausea, losing fingernails eventually, etc.  I currently do not know how long we will be at this.  Right now, I will get this treatment every 3 weeks. 

Family are doing well (I think). We are all feeling a range of emotions at any given time.  I am overwhelmed, sad, happy, frustrated as heck, anxious, freaked out, impatient, encouraged...and more all at the same time, all the time.  I am sure Chris and Jack are especially feeling this same way.  We are doing a good job at keeping fear at bay and living our normal life.  As I have mentioned to some, our mode of operation is "normal".  I say that now, but I reserve the right to change that slightly after tomorrow's treatment.

Your love and prayers are appreciated. It is surreal that we are on this journey again.  If I haven't talked to you much, its because I can get very emotional.  I would tell you not to worry, but like Jack told me, "You are my mom, I am going to worry."  I think I am close to many of you out there who are going to worry.  I love you for it, but be encouraged.

Here we go again. Cancer is back!  Chemo was supposed to start today and it starts tomorrow 6/7 at 8:30am. I am testing this blogspot to see if it's working again and my friends can come on this journey once again!

CELEBRATE! ONE YEAR!

As of November 3, it has been one year since my diagnosis.  Today (11/14) is one year ago that I started chemotherapy.  I had a CT scan this week and it is clear!  NO CANCER!  :)  Its been a lot to celebrate.  I finished all my treatments in August.  I am doing really well.  I will have another surgery in August 2013.  Last night I took a picture of the exact time one year ago on my watch that is in the  website header above. 

Does it seem like a year went by? Yes. Now that I am cancer free, I am excited to see what the next year has in store. This time of year will always be a marker and a reminder in my life. A reminder of how much I am loved by my family and friends and a marker of how to live out every moment God has given me in this life. Though, there is one thing that hasn't changed and won't change...I will always need 5 more minutes!!

I am so thankful for this season without treatments and without cancer.  I am thankful for the Christmas season, the lights, the trees and trimmings, the music, the bustling, the kid's excitement, the planning, the meals, the quality time.  I hope and pray that you and your family will enjoy it as much as I will, this year and every year. 

I spent some time reading my blog from last year on these days, reflecting on those times beginning treatment, what I felt like, etc.  I praise Jesus that it's done.  There was nothing more than God's grace in those days.  That I was playing with my son, not overly sick, blood levels stayed up...nothing but God's grace.

Race Day Anticipation!!

In the days prior to the Komen Race for the Cure in Lexington, preparations were being made! Lynn Imaging wrapped an entire delivery vehicle in pink graphics! Emails were coming in to me saying, "Someone has joined your team." In the hours prior, Barb was gathering hats and gloves that matched for the team since it was a cool and shady 48 degrees on the forecast! Julie was in the Halloween Dept buying out the pink and black leggings and getting home to paint her husband's nails pink. John and Ella were boarding an airplane to fly to Ky to be a part of the race and visit horse country. Jack laid out his pink underarmour with excitement because he knew we were celebrating pink and Mommy!

The clouds broke and it turned out to be a beautiful morning. I was 5 min late and ran into the survivor circle screaming "I'm here!" and ducked under the 0-5 year banner ready to be in the pic. Cinder and I walked the survivor walk together.

Amanda's Team gathered to the front and some walked and some ran. I ran the whole race in 36min. Everyone made it through!

It was so much fun and I am so appreciative of my family and friends who were there and those who donated to my team! :):)

2 "Excellent Points" or Lessons Learned

I wrote a summary of my story recently for an article in TOPS in LEX, the October Breast Cancer awareness issue. I wanted to share the 2 most important paragraphs from what I wrote. I spend a lot of time reflecting on the latter one, thinking to myself, "Is this really a good summary of my experience?" and just about everytime, I answer myself, "yes, that’s it."  (But, there is one caveat; let me give it more thought on how to word it and get back to you.)

"...It was Tuesday morning, November 1, when I found out at 35 years old that I had breast cancer.  Initial diagnosis showed that it was a 4cm mildly aggressive mass in my breast and that it would be considered advanced due to the size and that it was in my lymph nodes.  I had avoided signs of my breast changing, not understanding that it could be something so serious.  My breasts have always been dense and somewhat knotty, so my “lump” located in the middle of my breast, was hard for me to catch.  This is not an excuse or ignorance; it is the reality of not getting properly timed exams, not understanding that breast cancer is sometimes more than just a lump, and that many times it involves changes in the breast- all that should be addressed immediately and routinely, regardless of how busy we are...."

"...Now that I am cancer free, the question that people ask me and that I ask myself now is “how has my perspective changed?”   To sum it up, I have learned so much about the power of “choosing”.  When I made the choice that I was not a victim and turned to the power of prayer, I got to choose a very spiritual, powerful and rewarding journey that would mark me in many ways, but where cancer never defined me.  Each day, I believe we have a choice in how to live out that diagnosis or whatever the situation may be in our lives.   I guess its true that I have a new normal, but I have also resumed a hectic schedule.  The difference now is that I understand more about the magnitude of the journey in each day than the destination itself. 

Join me in a race on October 6, 2012!

Dear Friends and Family,

I recently accepted the challenge to raise funds to support the Lexington Affiliate of

Susan G. Komen for the Curein its efforts to END BREAST CANCER FOREVER.

I am slowly building up to be able to run in the Race for the

Cure©on October 6 in Lexington, KY! I would love for you to join me!

You can run. You can walk. You can donate.

You can do one or all three! J

Please help support me in this important project by becoming a member of my team!

I am looking for my friends and family to join me in supporting this very worthwhile cause.

Becoming a team member is easy! All you need to do is click on the link to my personal

page below and register for the Race for the Cure© and “Join a Team”.

October 3^rd is deadline.

Remember, one person can make a difference in the fight against breast cancer.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure was founded by one sister making a promise to another

sister. You can be a part of this worthwhile effort! Our promise of a world without

breast cancer does not just rest in the hands of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. It is

up to you, our community of survivors and co-survivors, to stand united with us until

the promise is fulfilled and the cures are found.

Click on my personal page below for more details! I look forward to seeing you on race day!

Thanks for all of your love and support

over the last 10 months! Love you!

Sincerely,
Amanda

To donate online, click the link below.

To send a donation:
Make all checks payable to:
Susan G. Komen for the Cure Lexington Affiliate
1795 Alysheba Way
Suite 3104
Lexington, KY 40509

Click here to view the team page for Amanda’s 5 More Minutes