My Cancer Story

Here is how my cancer story began.  My story entwined with your story, as you all walked with me, touched my heart and lifted my head.

 

THANK YOU.

{keep scrolling for all cancer story links}

 

 

August 2010

As some of you might have noticed, I have not posted in awhile.

 

I’ve been a bit busy— getting diagnosed with breast cancer.

How’s that for getting to the point?

I want you to all know that I am ready to fight this thing.  I have so many who love me, and I have so much to fight for.  The last few days have been surreal and quite honestly, some of the hardest of my life.  I’ve already learned so much about myself, life, and love.  I know this cancer thing is going to be a great teacher in my life.  I’ve decided to allow it to do just that, but at the same time, will be doing everything in my power to kick it the heck outta here.

The tumor is quite large, 4 centimeters. {*update…MRI showed it to be 6 centimeters}  There may be lymph nodes involved, we are still in the initial testing phase.  I had a CT scan and a bone scan today, the CT scan did not show any other areas.  Praise God!  I will get bone scan reports on Tuesday.  Next week will be a busy week of MRI, PET scan and meeting with my Surgeon, then Oncologist.  We will know the exact stage the cancer is in and the plan of action by next Thursday.  I’ve been told by my doctor to be ready for aggressive treatment, which she guesses will include chemotherapy first, to shrink the tumor, then surgery.

I’ve had many different moments the last few days.  I have felt intense fear and anxiety to the point of physical sickness, but also moments of sweet peace and thankfulness.  It’s quite a roller coaster, a scary one that quite frankly I would really like to get off of.

We told my three girls tonight (ages 11, 9 & 7).  They were so very sweet. We cried together, they came to us for hugs, then they held each other. They asked lots of questions.  We were very honest with them and will continue to be.  They took it in a much more calm manner than what I expected, which was nice.  They are processing and will continue to do so.  We spent the last 10 minutes of our family meeting dreaming up a Halloween costume for their bald mama! The best we came of with was  twins…my husband is bald.  🙂

This blog has always just been about my life.  If we make a craft, I share it.  A new recipe, I write about it.  Thoughts in my head…out they come down onto a post.  I really don’t know any other way to blog other than just share my life, so this blog is about to have a new subject added to it.  Cancer is life right now, it is pretty much an all consuming fight, so I ask you to bear with me as I write and fight.  I won’t be able to post as often, and the subject matter will be pretty real as I really don’t know how else to be.  Thank you so much for being such great readers and such an encouraging community.  I will let you as much as possible how I am doing.

Before I sign off, I’d like to tell you that the ONLY way I am getting through any of this is by the help of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  He is my everything. He is faithful. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  I will praise His name no matter what happens. He has so clearly told me that He is with me, and will never leave me or forsake me.



{A Video I Made For My Husband.  A Year Of Cancer}

 

August 2010

Finding Cancer

Details of how I found the lump

 

September 2010

Struggling To Surrender

A poem that expressed my heart

My Caring Bridge Site

Link to site, port surgery & fluid on my heart

A Double Dad Day

Lost freedom, frustration & love from my Fathers.

My 1st Chemo Treatment

Thoughts & pictures

Coping Through Songs

2 of my favorites that helped get me though

1,000 Gifts

Counting the gifts even through cancer

Fighting Cancer With Nutrition

My beginning steps

The Gifts Of Cancer

The amazing stories begin..

Goodbye Hair–See You In 2011

The hair starts to go.

Shaving My Head

The whole saga..

 

October 2010

My Bro-In-Law Rockin’ The Bald Look With Me
Baldness support and preparing for chemo #2

Processing Cancer

Thoughts of my mortality, & raw emotions.

Music On My Mind

How songs helped me cope

Getting Pain Checked Today
My spleen acts up

Learning To Dance
One of my most heart felt writings.  It was healing to write.

Hope
A song and some important thoughts on hope.

Chemo Round 3
Preparing and a song that kept me happy

One Thousand Gifts
Counting the gifts in the midst of cancer

Shine
Another song that spoke deeply to me

 

November 2010
Chemo Side Effects
A list of side effects and what chemo patients consider a good day.

A Rambling Update On My Health
Lymph nodes, plastic surgeons, surgery & radiation plans.

 

December 2010
My Continued Journey With Cancer
Meeting with my surgeon, preparing for mastectomy.

Peace
Finding it through song.

Breast Redo’s & Nipple Tattoos?
Awareness, Amy style 🙂

Am I Really Cancer Free??
A short lived freedom from worry.

Do Not Fear
A song and my thoughts

New Test Results Show Cancer
This news was almost as hard as original diagnosis.  Rough.

Dancing With My Husband In Minefields
His knee surgery, my mastectomy.  He is my hands, I am his feet.  Dancing!

A Detailed, Disheartening Update
One of my lowest times in my cancer journey.

 

January 2011
Cancer Update: Pathology Results
An update written by my husband.  His first post ever on the blog.

He Is Lifting My Head
An peace and joy that passes understanding.

Help In Time Of Need
A past poem I wrote, 10 months before diagnosis, asking to be broken then healed.

Riding The Twists and Turns
Stuck in the “waiting for test results” line.

My Oncology Appointment Today
“Reading about my insides being studied on the outside freaks me out”

No More Chemo and a Plan Of Action
Ductal diagnosis changed to Lobular.  Lots to process!

Cancer Battle Update
“L” is for lymph, not loser!

Cancer Journey Update
A lump.  Another surgery. Radiation postponed.

 

February 2011
Cancer Update
Surgery. A blown I.V. & God’s amazing Words to me.

A Real & Healing Transfusion
Words of mine written before needles, pokes and tubes were part of my life.

2 Cancer Journal Entries
Peaks & Valleys.  A great day.  A bad day.

You Are All I Need
A song, sent by a friend, right when needed.

I Found My Spring Wardrobe
Stupid tumor.com –Ha!

When I Leave
A song by JJ Heller

 

March 2011
Being Held
A breakdown.  Hard days.  Weary from radiation.

Laura Story “Blessing”
A song & starting Tamoxifen.

Last Radiation Treatment
Not quite ready to celebrate

 

April 2011
It’s Not Too Late
A song, reflections, and the death of a friend.

What’s Next On My Cancer Journey
A bone scan, & plans for another reconstruction surgery.

I Am Romanced
Spring in my step

Scan Results
Good news, but a scary reaction.

Psalm 91
A chance meeting with a friend.  Her perfect words.

Sadness
Lingering fatigue & medication side effects.

 

May 2011
A Reminder to Breathe
A song from Laminate

Healing from Surgery
A link to details

The Healing
Hair is growing!  My thoughts on the healing process

Reading and Relaxing
Surprised by after treatment, lingering fatigue

A Lump and a Biopsy
Just when things were starting to feel normal again..

 

June 2011
One Thousand Gifts
Thankfulness in Cancer

 

July 2011
One Thousand Gifts
A Vacation.  Celebration.

Happy Anniversary, Husband!
Celebrating who my man was for me during this hard year.

 

August 2011
A “TMI” Health Update
Cysts and a sliding implant

I Hate Cancer
A bit of a pity party, but real.

Reflecting On Cancer
One year since diagnosis.  My exact thoughts when I got that dreaded call.

 

September 2011
You Are
A song that lifted my heart

A Health Update
Another TMI post.  Too many female parts are talked about!

Surgery Tomorrow
To fix my sliding implant

An Update
My thoughts when waking up from surgery

Living Like I’m Dying
A song, & a test to explore stomach pain

 

October 2011
Health Update
Stomach test results.

 

November 2011
A Health Update & A Confession
Another lump & scans.

 

December 2011
A Health Update
A lymph node to be watched, & words of love for my Oncologist

Chest MRI
Thoughts in my brain during an MRI

 

January 2012
What a Difference a Year Makes
A picture says it all

 

Not As I Pictured
Relating to another survivor

One Thousand Gifts
She is a gift cancer brought to me, all the way from Cali!

 

February 2012
Strong But Scared

Her story is my story, but it is not, but it could be.

A Glimpse of Life A Year Ago
Finding leftovers of life fighting

 

March 2012

Decluttering & Finding Chemo Memories

How words helped me

Pain, Perspective, & a Spot On My Kidney

Getting quite good at waiting.

 

April 2012

A Health Update
“Yippee Do Da Hallelujah!”

 

May 2012

Honestly
My body is in remission, but my soul is still sick

Thank You, Mom
She was there.

 

July 2012
A Health Update-It Is No Coincidence
3 Month Checkup, A Thickening, & Another MRI

Waiting And An MRI Scheduled
Finally!

MRI Results
Another MRI experience, another negative result. So thankful!

 

August 2012
Good To Be Alive
It really is!

 

September 2012
I Am Weak
Medication side effects

 

October 2012
Struggling Well & A Health Update
Oncologist visit.  Xray of a bump on my clavicle bone

Music Speaks When I Can’t Find My Words
A song, memories, and a thank you to my caregiver heart friend.

 

March 2013
6 Month Checkup
She wants to scan due to weird symptoms + it has been a year!

Potassium Deficiency & Scan Time
Such strange symptoms, getting worse.

Magnesium Deficiency

Scan results!

 

August 2013
I Get To Live Longer, My Heart Soars, & God Kisses

 

October 2013
I’m Getting New Implants and More Reconstruction
Details on why

Surgery Day
A quick greeting


2 Surgeries In A Week? Oh My!
A failed expander and one of the hardest weeks.

Needles The Size Of Coffee Stirrirs

Starting Goserelin / Zoladex Shots

 

November 2013

Fills and Infection

another setback on the way? Giving thanks in the unknown.

 

December 2013Fightning Infection — Christmas countdown & fighting infection.

 


Breast Reconstruction Results — A doctor’s gamble, and being part of the 10%.

Zoladex Side Effects –A 2 Week Journal — Feeling Hot! + Armidex update.

 

January 2014

He Is Making Me— chest pains and pouting.

 

February 2014

Figuring Out What New Means — wondering about ongoing symptoms.

 

March 2014
Blood Test Results — relief + dealing with new med side effects.

 

May 2015

A Health Update — nausea & possible surgery

Time For Scans — & the best of girlfriends

Health Is A Gift — Scan results

 

October 2015

Trust — finding normal

No Comments

Leave a Reply

Top