Hi. I had my surgery to remove my ovaries on August 23rd. I am recovering okay from that. It's a little emotional probably because my body is adjusting but also because sometimes I feel like I keep getting knocked down... I get up and get knocked down. Chemo, surgeries, more chemo...The moral of the story is I always get up. Even though I feel like Rocky beat half to death sometimes, I'll be damned that this is going to take me down.
I just keep going back to God for the answers and the drive.
I'll write more later.
Xoxo
Amanda
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Monday, August 15, 2016
Productive Week Despite Downturn
Hi.
This past week was interesting, productive, progressive despite the chemo effect downturn.
Jack turned 9 years old on Aug 6th. On July 30th, I was able to hang with him and 4 boys at KY Kingdom Amusement Park in Louisville to celebrate.
We have officially had a 10 week old puppy, now, for one week. His name is Ned. This is big for us, as we are not pet people. I am severely allergic to dogs and to most animals, outdoor everything, etc, but we took the risk with a miniature Australian Shepherd and miniature red poodle mix, called a Mini Aussiedoodle. The poodle makes the dog much more hypoallergenic. The result is that my allergies are actually doing ok with him. Surprisingly, he really is very, very low allergenic though sometimes my eyes swell, but 90% of the time, I do okay with him. I keep my hands washed and clothes changed if I handle him a lot. :)
Jack started 4th grade on Wednesday, Aug 10th. He is settling in very well and seems to like it. His reading teacher is his favorite. This is good, because he doesn't like to read so much.
I found out that I am cancer free and now I just get to fight cancer in prevention mode. I know this is great news, but the chemotherapy is a tough trek though. I had chemo on Monday Aug 8th and gosh it was hard this time. Lethargic, fatigued, sore just takes over when it's ready and there is no fighting it. So, for the most part Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, I did nothing. I forced a few things here and there, but even today, Monday, I am not on a full upswing just yet. I am thinking I will be better by Wednesday.
I am having my ovaries out next Tuesday Aug 23rd, and assuming my blood counts look good, I can do this and not skip a treatment. Its laparoscopic, so it should be not too hard to recover as well. Then, my next chemo treatment will be on Aug 29th, just in time for our 13th wedding anniversary on Aug 30th and Labor Day weekend. Oh well. It is what it is! Chris hates when I say this, but its true.
Jack and Chris have been very good to me. Jack is very helpful, gives me random kisses and hugs, he makes me laugh and he is not bothered by my bald head. Chris is extremely helpful and I suppose I could say the same thing about him. :) We make a good team.
Speaking of baldness...I just read this morning that Norton Healthcare in Louisville implemented new technology to prevent hair loss from chemo. Its a cooling cap that limits blood flow to scalp so that the chemo can't reach the hair. Way to go Norton! I am partial to these folks. :) Would love to get my treatment there, but its too far for my Momma who does ALL of this with me. If you know Dottie, you know just how much of a treat it is to have her with me and how lucky I am that I get to have her as my Momma! (I know its not luck, its really God's blessing!)
Speaking of a different facility...I am not going to get a second opinion for now. The cancer is gone and that was the goal. Now our next goal is the BEST prevention medicine to stop this thing from coming back, starve it and kill it to its core! At this past appointment last Monday, my oncologist basically said this, "We are going to keep you alive until the new drugs come out." I asked for a ballpark on how long I had to continue with chemo treatment and she said "you can ask me again in January". I think this is because she is going to review the released new meds coming out this December and actually use those on me. And until she knows a release date, she is keeping me alive with the current regimen.
As of today, I am introducing 2 shakes a day filled with green veges and all that goodness that is supposedly good for your body. I decided this doesn't have to replace anything, it can just add to my day. We tried some this weekend and its very doable, assuming I don't get lazy and don't make them.
Thank you for your care, your concern, your love, your prayers. You mean the world to me. Together, we can overcome and redeem difficult times.
Komen Race For the Cure, Lexington, KY-- October 1-- Click here to join my team or donate!!! :)
XOXO Amanda
This past week was interesting, productive, progressive despite the chemo effect downturn.
 |
| Picking up Ned at the LEX airport on 8/5/16. |
We have officially had a 10 week old puppy, now, for one week. His name is Ned. This is big for us, as we are not pet people. I am severely allergic to dogs and to most animals, outdoor everything, etc, but we took the risk with a miniature Australian Shepherd and miniature red poodle mix, called a Mini Aussiedoodle. The poodle makes the dog much more hypoallergenic. The result is that my allergies are actually doing ok with him. Surprisingly, he really is very, very low allergenic though sometimes my eyes swell, but 90% of the time, I do okay with him. I keep my hands washed and clothes changed if I handle him a lot. :)
Jack started 4th grade on Wednesday, Aug 10th. He is settling in very well and seems to like it. His reading teacher is his favorite. This is good, because he doesn't like to read so much.
I found out that I am cancer free and now I just get to fight cancer in prevention mode. I know this is great news, but the chemotherapy is a tough trek though. I had chemo on Monday Aug 8th and gosh it was hard this time. Lethargic, fatigued, sore just takes over when it's ready and there is no fighting it. So, for the most part Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, I did nothing. I forced a few things here and there, but even today, Monday, I am not on a full upswing just yet. I am thinking I will be better by Wednesday.
I am having my ovaries out next Tuesday Aug 23rd, and assuming my blood counts look good, I can do this and not skip a treatment. Its laparoscopic, so it should be not too hard to recover as well. Then, my next chemo treatment will be on Aug 29th, just in time for our 13th wedding anniversary on Aug 30th and Labor Day weekend. Oh well. It is what it is! Chris hates when I say this, but its true.
Jack and Chris have been very good to me. Jack is very helpful, gives me random kisses and hugs, he makes me laugh and he is not bothered by my bald head. Chris is extremely helpful and I suppose I could say the same thing about him. :) We make a good team.
Speaking of baldness...I just read this morning that Norton Healthcare in Louisville implemented new technology to prevent hair loss from chemo. Its a cooling cap that limits blood flow to scalp so that the chemo can't reach the hair. Way to go Norton! I am partial to these folks. :) Would love to get my treatment there, but its too far for my Momma who does ALL of this with me. If you know Dottie, you know just how much of a treat it is to have her with me and how lucky I am that I get to have her as my Momma! (I know its not luck, its really God's blessing!)
Speaking of a different facility...I am not going to get a second opinion for now. The cancer is gone and that was the goal. Now our next goal is the BEST prevention medicine to stop this thing from coming back, starve it and kill it to its core! At this past appointment last Monday, my oncologist basically said this, "We are going to keep you alive until the new drugs come out." I asked for a ballpark on how long I had to continue with chemo treatment and she said "you can ask me again in January". I think this is because she is going to review the released new meds coming out this December and actually use those on me. And until she knows a release date, she is keeping me alive with the current regimen.
As of today, I am introducing 2 shakes a day filled with green veges and all that goodness that is supposedly good for your body. I decided this doesn't have to replace anything, it can just add to my day. We tried some this weekend and its very doable, assuming I don't get lazy and don't make them.
Thank you for your care, your concern, your love, your prayers. You mean the world to me. Together, we can overcome and redeem difficult times.
Komen Race For the Cure, Lexington, KY-- October 1-- Click here to join my team or donate!!! :)
XOXO Amanda
Monday, August 8, 2016
RESULTS OF SCAN
Drumroll please! I like the kind with the 7 person drum line in a jam praising God right about now, doesn't that sound like fun!!
THE CANCER IS GONE!!!
Complete Resolution of all affected lymph nodes and no evidence of cancer anywhere else according to the CT scan that scanned all my innards. :)
And they just stuck me for my chemo treatment and one stick and felt easy. AND I am going to hold off on ovaries out until we can fit it between treatments without messing up what we are doing well. :)
Happy days my friends! The flip side and the next question- how long do I continue chemo? Well. It's not what I thought. I lost a lot of bets. :) I will stay on this regimen for a while. Basically she said I can ask her about it again in January. So fine. No biggie. I can do this. This was the best 3 weeks I have had since I started treatments. I just need to be in good rhythm and not force things that are not meant to be.
God is so good. He is so trustworthy. I have not been worried about this. He is good in all circumstances and in all things. All I have to do is really trust His word! I trust him with all of me, all of my time, all of my family and all of my friends. My pastor asked recently in a service, "Are you all in?" And my auto response was yes I am. Then he dove into ways we may not be all in and it really made me step back and ask this to myself. After some thought, my answer is yes, I am all in. Done. Just like that. Every difficult circumstance can question where He is and can question if we are all in or not. I get that and there could be another day that calls that into question. But I have faith and faith is not always easy- He never said it would be.
Thank you and I love you!
Amanda
THE CANCER IS GONE!!!
Complete Resolution of all affected lymph nodes and no evidence of cancer anywhere else according to the CT scan that scanned all my innards. :)
And they just stuck me for my chemo treatment and one stick and felt easy. AND I am going to hold off on ovaries out until we can fit it between treatments without messing up what we are doing well. :)
Happy days my friends! The flip side and the next question- how long do I continue chemo? Well. It's not what I thought. I lost a lot of bets. :) I will stay on this regimen for a while. Basically she said I can ask her about it again in January. So fine. No biggie. I can do this. This was the best 3 weeks I have had since I started treatments. I just need to be in good rhythm and not force things that are not meant to be.
God is so good. He is so trustworthy. I have not been worried about this. He is good in all circumstances and in all things. All I have to do is really trust His word! I trust him with all of me, all of my time, all of my family and all of my friends. My pastor asked recently in a service, "Are you all in?" And my auto response was yes I am. Then he dove into ways we may not be all in and it really made me step back and ask this to myself. After some thought, my answer is yes, I am all in. Done. Just like that. Every difficult circumstance can question where He is and can question if we are all in or not. I get that and there could be another day that calls that into question. But I have faith and faith is not always easy- He never said it would be.
Thank you and I love you!
Amanda
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Important CT Scan on 8/4
Hi :) it's me! :) LOL!
Ok, so here is what is going on...Tomorrow which is Thursday, Aug 4th is a CT scan. This scan will show us if the cancer is gone, if it's shrunk, if it's grown, etc. Just to be clear- we want it to be gone. :)
The results of this scan will determine various paths of action.
1- It will determine when I will go to one of best facilities in country on cancer, like Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN, to get a second opinion and possible new treatment or prevention regimen.
2- It will determine if I get chemo on Monday. (I am scheduled for ovaries out on 8/16, oncologist wants to skip this chemo so that I am well enough for that. BUT if I am close to dropping chemo then I would just wait to do that surgery.)
3- It will determine possible different course of action of ovaries out as that could change altogether with 2nd opinion.
The scan is at 10:20am. I may not know results until Monday when I see Rachel. I have decided to not text her to ask for the results before then because if she says it's not gone, then I will have lots of questions about where it is and if it's shrunk etc. If it is gone and she feels like texting me the good news, then fine and I will gladly report that here. But otherwise I will find out on Monday.
I called my insurance and they don't need referrals and they do approve second opinions. I checked all facilities of interest if in-network and guess what? All of them were in except one... University of Kentucky Markey Cencer Center. What in the world?
Another huge piece of news. We are getting a puppy on Friday. :) Miniature Aussiedoodle (half Australian Shepherd and half poodle). Omg. Nervous nelly here! I'll let you know how that goes. Jack is so very excited. :)
Thank you for donating or being part of my Komen team!!
Lots of love from your crazy favorite cancer chick! 😘🙏🏻💃🏼💪🏻😎😷🙃💓👶🏻🐾
Amanda
Ok, so here is what is going on...Tomorrow which is Thursday, Aug 4th is a CT scan. This scan will show us if the cancer is gone, if it's shrunk, if it's grown, etc. Just to be clear- we want it to be gone. :)
The results of this scan will determine various paths of action.
1- It will determine when I will go to one of best facilities in country on cancer, like Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN, to get a second opinion and possible new treatment or prevention regimen.
2- It will determine if I get chemo on Monday. (I am scheduled for ovaries out on 8/16, oncologist wants to skip this chemo so that I am well enough for that. BUT if I am close to dropping chemo then I would just wait to do that surgery.)
3- It will determine possible different course of action of ovaries out as that could change altogether with 2nd opinion.
The scan is at 10:20am. I may not know results until Monday when I see Rachel. I have decided to not text her to ask for the results before then because if she says it's not gone, then I will have lots of questions about where it is and if it's shrunk etc. If it is gone and she feels like texting me the good news, then fine and I will gladly report that here. But otherwise I will find out on Monday.
I called my insurance and they don't need referrals and they do approve second opinions. I checked all facilities of interest if in-network and guess what? All of them were in except one... University of Kentucky Markey Cencer Center. What in the world?
Another huge piece of news. We are getting a puppy on Friday. :) Miniature Aussiedoodle (half Australian Shepherd and half poodle). Omg. Nervous nelly here! I'll let you know how that goes. Jack is so very excited. :)
Thank you for donating or being part of my Komen team!!
Lots of love from your crazy favorite cancer chick! 😘🙏🏻💃🏼💪🏻😎😷🙃💓👶🏻🐾
Amanda
Friday, July 29, 2016
Happy Friday!
Hi, I hope this post finds everyone doing well. I am on the upswing. Energy is pretty good, eating is good...no rash and no fever this time. So, week #2 has been better than most so far. (I do have a little rash at site of injection and around my hands, I am downplaying it until I am told its a problem. That is why I wrote it in parenthesis. :))
So, I know last week I wrote about a "difficult week". Please understand that I have a good attitude, I am upbeat, I don't have very many emotional episodes as you would think. Please know that when I post to this blog, I share all of my experiences- the good and the bad. This is a very serious situation and will continue to be, and I may choose to tell you about the times I stay up til 2am to process. But I also may tell you about the times that I laugh at myself. If we are going to do this together, stay with me and swing through it all- the good and not so good.
This week, I did see Dr. Jim Roach with the Integrative Medicine Center. So, he is basically "Dr. Botanical Treatment" himself, I just made that up. It was a very interesting experience. I don't have a final judgement just yet, and I am keeping an open mind. But when he told me I couldn't eat chicken eggs, I said "the eggs I buy at the grocery?" he said "correct, but you can eat duck eggs." I said I am not eating duck eggs! And then I can eat pistachios and walnuts but must take Zinc after I eat them. There are about a thousand more restrictions and consequences. I am still sifting through it to see what I can do. Bottom line is that I am naturally just not a botanical kind of person with or without cancer. I am a realistic kind of person. I live in a small town with a Walmart for a grocery, 5 Mexican restaurants, 5 pizza places, McDonalds, Lee's Chicken and Dairy Queen. I MIGHT have a different perspective if I had a whole foods market around the corner and a farmer's market every week. Regardless, I need to see what will work for me and I am not opposed but it will take work! I will report back.
Also, my family and I made significant steps to embracing the idea to get a second opinion, possibly switching doctors, finding a nicer facility, etc. If I wake up in the middle of the night, these are the things racing through my mind. I will report back on this.
I am going to celebrate Jack's birthday on Saturday by taking 5 children to KY Kingdom. Chris will be there, but this seems ridiculous for me. :) I will be fine, I promise...I will take breaks, stay in the shade and not touch anything, except a funnel cake because I can and I want to! :) LOL!
Not sure who all reads this, but if you do, I love you and I appreciate that you care. :) By now, the newness has worn off and some people don't stay plugged in. If you are still plugged in, I know you care and thank you from my heart. ;) Hope you are enjoying your summer. Jack starts school in 10 days, that is crazy! But I look forward to it for him. Structure in the middle of all of this is a good thing for him.
Komen Lexington Race, October 1, 2016
Click here to join my team or to donate: Amanda's Army of Angels
So, I know last week I wrote about a "difficult week". Please understand that I have a good attitude, I am upbeat, I don't have very many emotional episodes as you would think. Please know that when I post to this blog, I share all of my experiences- the good and the bad. This is a very serious situation and will continue to be, and I may choose to tell you about the times I stay up til 2am to process. But I also may tell you about the times that I laugh at myself. If we are going to do this together, stay with me and swing through it all- the good and not so good.
This week, I did see Dr. Jim Roach with the Integrative Medicine Center. So, he is basically "Dr. Botanical Treatment" himself, I just made that up. It was a very interesting experience. I don't have a final judgement just yet, and I am keeping an open mind. But when he told me I couldn't eat chicken eggs, I said "the eggs I buy at the grocery?" he said "correct, but you can eat duck eggs." I said I am not eating duck eggs! And then I can eat pistachios and walnuts but must take Zinc after I eat them. There are about a thousand more restrictions and consequences. I am still sifting through it to see what I can do. Bottom line is that I am naturally just not a botanical kind of person with or without cancer. I am a realistic kind of person. I live in a small town with a Walmart for a grocery, 5 Mexican restaurants, 5 pizza places, McDonalds, Lee's Chicken and Dairy Queen. I MIGHT have a different perspective if I had a whole foods market around the corner and a farmer's market every week. Regardless, I need to see what will work for me and I am not opposed but it will take work! I will report back.
Also, my family and I made significant steps to embracing the idea to get a second opinion, possibly switching doctors, finding a nicer facility, etc. If I wake up in the middle of the night, these are the things racing through my mind. I will report back on this.
I am going to celebrate Jack's birthday on Saturday by taking 5 children to KY Kingdom. Chris will be there, but this seems ridiculous for me. :) I will be fine, I promise...I will take breaks, stay in the shade and not touch anything, except a funnel cake because I can and I want to! :) LOL!
Not sure who all reads this, but if you do, I love you and I appreciate that you care. :) By now, the newness has worn off and some people don't stay plugged in. If you are still plugged in, I know you care and thank you from my heart. ;) Hope you are enjoying your summer. Jack starts school in 10 days, that is crazy! But I look forward to it for him. Structure in the middle of all of this is a good thing for him.
Komen Lexington Race, October 1, 2016
Click here to join my team or to donate: Amanda's Army of Angels
Friday, July 22, 2016
Update for a difficult week
Hi,
This week has been an interesting week. It's been a difficult week most of all. But, we are all learning to deal with this disease and are choosing to be faithful and thankful.
On Monday, before treatment, a few of us met with my Oncologist. I asked her the question, "after this episode, what is the likelihood of this coming back?" Basically, its what we have known...according to her, it is coming back, its just a matter of when. This fight for my life got really serious in those moments. It is not easy to hear those words that you will have to do this again.
The chemo has been tolerable until today, it is just not very fun. Just the weight and fatigue of it is upon me.
I have skipped over a lot of details. This has been a week of reflection and process. I am excited for each day I have here. This is how I have to choose to live. I don't have a time clock on my life, but I am pretty aware that it is probably shorter than most, at this point.
I have to and enjoy seeking God's peace in this. There is no other way to do this and feel good about it. I feel so much better when I choose to believe just how trustworthy He is. He makes all things impossible, possible. And that makes me very happy! :) None of us have a guarantee on our life.
Let me shout this out...I hate cancer! And listen you healthy people...get out there and get your check ups, mammograms, colonoscopies, etc! There is a reason why they screen these things. Don't wait until you have a problem. AND if you do have a problem, pick up your phone and call your doctor right now and make an appointment. If you need a referral, let me know, I will get you to the right doctor! :) LOL!
XOXO Lots of love, Amanda
This week has been an interesting week. It's been a difficult week most of all. But, we are all learning to deal with this disease and are choosing to be faithful and thankful.
On Monday, before treatment, a few of us met with my Oncologist. I asked her the question, "after this episode, what is the likelihood of this coming back?" Basically, its what we have known...according to her, it is coming back, its just a matter of when. This fight for my life got really serious in those moments. It is not easy to hear those words that you will have to do this again.
The chemo has been tolerable until today, it is just not very fun. Just the weight and fatigue of it is upon me.
I have skipped over a lot of details. This has been a week of reflection and process. I am excited for each day I have here. This is how I have to choose to live. I don't have a time clock on my life, but I am pretty aware that it is probably shorter than most, at this point.
I have to and enjoy seeking God's peace in this. There is no other way to do this and feel good about it. I feel so much better when I choose to believe just how trustworthy He is. He makes all things impossible, possible. And that makes me very happy! :) None of us have a guarantee on our life.
Let me shout this out...I hate cancer! And listen you healthy people...get out there and get your check ups, mammograms, colonoscopies, etc! There is a reason why they screen these things. Don't wait until you have a problem. AND if you do have a problem, pick up your phone and call your doctor right now and make an appointment. If you need a referral, let me know, I will get you to the right doctor! :) LOL!
XOXO Lots of love, Amanda
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Chemo treatment is on Monday
Chemo treatment #3 is Monday 7/18 morning (tomorrow). The most exciting thing about this treatment is that it is #3- we will be doing a scan at some point over the next weeks to see if the cancer is GONE! Can I get a whoop whoop!? Let's not get too excited just yet. Let me get the scan first. I will report back on the scheduled date.
I have been preparing for chemo a little better this time. I made stuffed shells for the freezer. It's a good recipe, Chris really liked it. Pioneer Woman's Red White and Green Stuffed Shells. I also got some steel cut oats with dried fruits, brown sugar, nuts that I will like in my down days. I am pretty excited about that. I am stocked with a little more chemo friendly foods and drinks I think I will like. I just wrote that and I thought to myself "I am so optimistic today"- and now I am lauging at myself. Because in 4-5 days, I might just be writing how horrible the food is. Lol! That will make me laugh only for about 10 seconds in that moment, but right now I find it very funny. It's all about the perspective of the day! :):):)
I watched a movie Miracles in Heaven with Jack today. I knew I would cry and I hate movies that make me cry. It was exhausting. There are two things I will say that were good from this. One is that in all reality it was probably therapeutic for me to watch it and cry a good cry. Secondly, going to bed tonight, Jack tells me that he felt safe watching the movie. It reminded him that God is always there no matter what. I'll take that anytime! ❤️
So about tomorrow, yes I am anxious. Yes, I hate going into this knowing what the next week or two is going to be like. I don't want to be stuck in my arm more than one time to get it right. But, overall I am okay. I am still learning this journey all over again. And my emotions have calmed down a lot. The transition from normalcy to the newness of fighting cancer for the second time is almost complete. Now what follows is the transition to my new reality. This is just beginning and will take a lot of time. Though, this is probably less of a transition and really just more of a process that will continue on forever for me. Daily perspective is one of the components and it will be sharper than Bobby Flay's knives.
Thanks for your love, your support, all the ways you are to me and my family-and do for me and my family; you know what you are and what you do. I love each and every one of you!
FYI...
I am gearing up a team for the Komen race, October 1 in Lexington, Kentucky. Let's get some exercise and raise money to fight this stupid ridiculous dumb breast cancer crap. I don't care if it's a good day or a bad day, I will be there! More details to come. It's a 5k. Start getting your training in now. :)
I have been preparing for chemo a little better this time. I made stuffed shells for the freezer. It's a good recipe, Chris really liked it. Pioneer Woman's Red White and Green Stuffed Shells. I also got some steel cut oats with dried fruits, brown sugar, nuts that I will like in my down days. I am pretty excited about that. I am stocked with a little more chemo friendly foods and drinks I think I will like. I just wrote that and I thought to myself "I am so optimistic today"- and now I am lauging at myself. Because in 4-5 days, I might just be writing how horrible the food is. Lol! That will make me laugh only for about 10 seconds in that moment, but right now I find it very funny. It's all about the perspective of the day! :):):)
I watched a movie Miracles in Heaven with Jack today. I knew I would cry and I hate movies that make me cry. It was exhausting. There are two things I will say that were good from this. One is that in all reality it was probably therapeutic for me to watch it and cry a good cry. Secondly, going to bed tonight, Jack tells me that he felt safe watching the movie. It reminded him that God is always there no matter what. I'll take that anytime! ❤️
So about tomorrow, yes I am anxious. Yes, I hate going into this knowing what the next week or two is going to be like. I don't want to be stuck in my arm more than one time to get it right. But, overall I am okay. I am still learning this journey all over again. And my emotions have calmed down a lot. The transition from normalcy to the newness of fighting cancer for the second time is almost complete. Now what follows is the transition to my new reality. This is just beginning and will take a lot of time. Though, this is probably less of a transition and really just more of a process that will continue on forever for me. Daily perspective is one of the components and it will be sharper than Bobby Flay's knives.
Thanks for your love, your support, all the ways you are to me and my family-and do for me and my family; you know what you are and what you do. I love each and every one of you!
FYI...
I am gearing up a team for the Komen race, October 1 in Lexington, Kentucky. Let's get some exercise and raise money to fight this stupid ridiculous dumb breast cancer crap. I don't care if it's a good day or a bad day, I will be there! More details to come. It's a 5k. Start getting your training in now. :)
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