Cancer Journey

I’m eager to see how much attention the title of this post will receive.  (snicker)

It is funny how having breast cancer makes it ok to talk about breasts and nipples in such a public manner.  I do think awareness is important, and since pink is not my most favorite color, I will participate in awareness by throwing out post titles that may make some do a double take.  Hee hee.

In all seriousness, I would appreciate any exposure you can give this post and my story.  It has been very concerning to me how so many people, including the medical community (especially the medical community), still do not think of breast cancer as a “young” disease.  I believe that is why I was dismissed so rudely by a surgeon when I expressed my concern for the lump I know I was feeling.  I did not fit the “typical” breast cancer patient.  I really, really want every woman to know that ANYONE can get breast cancer.

{comforting my youngest after our “head shaving” party.  I have orange marker on my head thanks to my middle girl who wanted to “autograph” my head:) }

ANYONE.  

I  know women who have done an incredible job with eating healthy-grinding their own wheat, raising chickens for organic eggs, eating all organic, take their vitamins–and STILL GOT BREAST CANCER.

I know of women in their twenties who were marathon runners who have DIED FROM BREAST CANCER.

I know women who are so spiritual and close to God, who are FIGHTING BREAST CANCER.

ANYONE CAN GET IT.

I admit I was shocked to find out that I had it.  Our family has been on a journey of embracing a lifestyle of health, especially when it came to the foods we eat.  I am the first to admit I placed way too much faith into healthy foods and vitamins/supplements.  I still think these things are extremely important, but I do not place my faith in them anymore.

I have been so blessed to have so many wonderful women read this blog and form such a great community around me.  I care deeply for all of you, so I’m gonna get bossy:

1. DO YOUR MONTHLY CHECKS

2. IF YOU FIND SOMETHING, GET IT CHECKED & INSIST ON FOLLOW UP.

This does not mean you need to go right to a mammogram.  An ultrasound is an easy, painless, non-radiation way to check out any type of lump or bump.  If you are told you have a cyst and there is ANY change, get rechecked.  I wish I would have.

A second opinion is always a good thing to do…another thing I wish I would have known and done.

I will get to the “Breast Redo and Nipple Tattoo” part of this in a minute, by sharing one of my journal entries from my Caring Bridge site.

But before I do,

 Will you please, please share this post with the 

women in your life?  

Blog.   Email.   Tweet.   Facebook.   Del.icio.us.   Stumble.

If my story can help another woman realize the importance of self breast checks, and of insisting on good treatment and second opinions, it would just be THE BEST.  

Thank You!!

{**The following is an entry from my Caring Bridge journal.  If you would like detailed updates on my health, please visit my Caring Bridge site by clicking here.}

Today we met with my plastic surgeon.  It was interesting:)  It was nice to come out of an appointment feeling like we were able to talk about things that are not life and death.  Less serious, more light.  I am really excited that I do not have to go through the process of fills, (a hard implant that is used to stretch the tissue and is gradually filled each week, then replaced with a permanent implant) as they will be doing a “Veritas Collagen Matrix” type reconstruction.  It is a saline breast implant in conjunction with a soft tissue implant called Veritas Collagen Matrix.  Basically, they form a pocket in my muscle which holds the implant, but because of how the chest muscle is formed, the implant is not covered at the bottom.  They use the Collagen Matrix material to create a sling to hold the bottom of the implant, and it will also create a nice “fold” under the implant.   The collagen they use is from a cow (ew), all the cellular material is taken out of it, and it ends up taking the form of whatever tissue it is put on, which in my case is chest muscle.  It is pretty cool that my body just takes over the collagen and it will eventually turn into my own tissue.  There are no rejection issues due to the removal of all the cells.  That is the best I can do as far as explanation 🙂 

 My surgeon has been doing this type of reconstruction for over 5 years, and is very positive about the results.  I am limited as to how big we can go, but as doc said, our goal is not Dolly Parton.  Ha!  Although he did say if Dolly Parton is something I would like down the road, this implant will help stretch the tissue and replacing it with a larger one would be possible, just not right away.  I assured him I did not want Dolly Parton…
A month after healing, I will have a short, out- patient surgery for nipple reconstruction and when that is healed, I will get them tattooed with pigment.  Yep, I said TATTOO!!  Who woulda thunk it, huh?  I am not the tattoo type, but when I saw pics of the results, I quickly became the tattoo type!!  
Ok, moving on…


I’m starting to really appreciate this little break I have, with chemo behind me and surgery to come.  I am starting to feel more “present” with my family as my ear is healing and I am feeling stronger.  My counts were perfect on Monday, praise God!

Friday is a big day of scans.  My insurance company DID approve of the PET scan-another huge praise!  I will be getting the PET scan and another breast MRI.  I am nervous about the results.  I wish I could just switch those nerves off, I get butterflies when I think about it.  It will be nice to know just how much chemo worked and see if anything shows up with my lymph nodes or anywhere else in my body. EEK!  Darn butterflies…

More posts on my journey:
Information On My Upcoming Mastectomy
How Cancer Is Teaching Me To Dance
The Gifts Of Cancer
Thoughts While Being Scanned
“I Have Cancer”
What I Read When I Am Afraid

SaveSave

I’m gonna start with some good news…not that I have any bad:) Yay!

We got the results back for the BRCA 1 gene test, and I tested NEGATIVE!!  I was so very excited about that!  BRCA 1 is a test for a gene mutation that runs in families that significantly increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.  I was very worried for my 3 girls and my mom/sisters if this test would have been positive.   What an answer to prayer!

It was great to see my doctor today.  She was very pleased with how the tumor area felt.  She is thinking the remainder of what we feel may be scar tissue, not tumor!!!!    She cannot say this for sure, but she seemed pretty positive.  Super exciting!

The lymph node area that has been concerning me was felt by her.  She was only able to feel one and some swelling.  I’ll try to explain what she said…

She said on one hand, she is concerned because that one lymph node has not changed.  IF it contains cancer, that is not good…we want to see change.  BUT, she said that the MRI showed the lymph node as being swollen, but no “activity” yet, so it could be that it is not cancer and just a lymph node that I have had awhile that for some reason has been swollen.  Also, because I have felt different changes, (lymph nodes seeming to swell then go down within a few days,) that would be another sign that it is not cancer. She said that cancer would tend to stay consistent, grow, or significantly shrink from chemo…not come and go.  I asked her if it is very common for people to just have swollen nodes under their arms that just hang out for awhile, and she said it is very common.  Cool.  I’ll take it.

So there really is no real answer until surgery is done and nodes are removed and studied. I am gonna try to quit worrying about it.  I had no idea how easy it is for me to worry until all this cancer crap!

Because of the lymph nodes being a bit moody and her ability to feel what I have in my other breast (small, pebbly area), she wants to do another breast MRI before surgery.  It will just ease both our minds and let us know if it is FOR SURE surgery time without any more chemo.  She seemed very positive about everything and reassured me, and said to not let this MRI worry me.  I’ll try to obey.  MRI is around the 10th.  She also ordered a pet scan, just to revisit the rib area where there was some question.  She said our type of health insurance is known for being very stubborn and not approving of pet scans, so she was not very positive that they would approve it, but wanted to try anyway.  If they say no, we will do another bone scan and compare the results to the one before.  I’m already dreading the scans..I don’t like scans.  At all.  Ick.

Hmm, what else…

Surgery target date is the week after Christmas–double mastectomy with lymph node dissection–we won’t have a specific date until I meet with the surgeon, nurse is mailing me the consultation date…

Last chemo is this coming Monday–THAT IS SO EXCITING!!  I feel so blessed that there won’t be any more sessions added on (at least we are pretty sure, MRI/PET scan will tell us for sure) Praise God for tumor shrinkage!!

Doc said she will not know about radiation until after surgery.  It all depends on things like margins, how many lymph nodes (if any) etc.
Radiation scares me (not actually getting it done, but long term effects).  I hope that it will be clear that it is NOT needed!

I will be meeting with a plastic surgeon to talk about type of reconstruction.  There are a few different options, but being as thin as I am, I don’t know if I would qualify for using my own tissue (they take it from stomach or back flank area).  It is looking like implants may be for me!  I DID gain about 4 pound these last 3 weeks, which made me quite proud:)  I have been paranoid about getting too thin through all of this chemo stuff.  My church has done a great job of keeping me fed with regular meals.  So thankful.

Oh my goodness I feel like I’m just jumping from one thing to the next, I hope this is making some sense!  I’m hungry and ready for dinner so I’m rushing!!

I guess that is it for now.  If you have any questions you can ask me in the guestbook section.  I think I covered everything we talked about…I think.  

I’ll end with a prayer request.I have a cold that kickin’ me! It makes me really tired!  It is throat, nose and chest.  No fever—yay—but I really would like to be well by Monday chemo.  I do feel like it is movin’ through pretty fast, this is day 3 and I feel better than I did last night.  My girl had it last week, guess I shouldn’t have kissed on her so much…

Two friends asked me to design an awareness/support bracelet, using their ideas and the color preferences of the patient. This will then be made available to the friends and family of the patient, if they want to purchase one to wear until she is in remission.

I’ll donate the first one to the patient, and it will be exclusively sold on my website (not linked to any other sites where I sell)  and, eventually, retired. In addition, for every eight bracelets sold, I’ll donate another bracelet to be given in accordance with the patient’s wishes, thus providing for some individuals who would like to wear it and show support but have a financial hindrance.

If you are interested in purchasing one, please follow this link to a page designed specifically for the sale of the bracelet.  They are $10 each + $2 for shipping.  There are 4 sizes,( xs, s, m, and lrg).