All I Want For Christmas Are Some Negative Lymh Nodes

Santa came to my house early this year!  I heard from the oncologist today and she said that my lymph nodes came back negative! The cancer also did not get into the surrounding blood vessels or lymph ducts.  So, this is GREAT news!  I have an appointment with the doctor next week to discuss my exact treatment plan but I do know that I'll be doing both chemo and radiation.  They just want to make sure any straggling cancer cells are destroyed.  Cancer is not welcome here!

Hope you all have a great holiday!  Have a drink to celebrate my journey to health for me.

xoxo

Back At Home

Hello everyone!

I am back online!  Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers over the past week.  The doctors said that surgery went well on Wednesday.  I came home on Friday and have been feeling stronger as the weekend progresses.  I'm trying hard to be a good patient and not lift anything, as the doctor has instructed, but it's not easy.  :)

I've received many cards, emails and text messages over the past few days -- sorry I haven't had a chance to respond to all of them but I want you to know that it means a lot. A huge THANK YOU to those that have made sure I've had 24/7 care and have kept me company which I recover.

Love and many hugs,
Heather

Today is the day

Today is the day that I begin my journey to becoming cancer free! After what felt like months of tests, I am finally able to stop cancer from having the upper hand.  I am feeling very at peace about everything, calm even -- and I haven't even taken xanax yet.  :)

Thank you to everyone who has sent a message in the last day or so.  Sorry that I haven't been able to respond to everyone.  I appreciate and am so thankful to be surrounded by all of your love and support.

xoxo

Look out cancer -- I'm coming for you!

Two things that made me very happy today:

First, I received the exciting news that my surgery has been scheduled for next Wednesday!  I know the doctor's schedule was pretty tight before the holidays.  I am very grateful that they were able to schedule it this year -- I did not want to agonize about surgery over my holiday break.  I am ready to make some strides forward and get this cancer out of me!

Secondly, the CTA Holiday train started zipping by my office on the brown line.  This is honestly one of my favorite things about the holidays.  I hope to sneak out of the office tomorrow afternoon to catch a ride around the loop.

Message to Cancer

Dear Cancer, this is my message to you.

Viewers please note: The song does have some explicit words.  (i.e. You may not want to watch at work or if you are around small children that like to repeat what you say.)
Also, beware that the song is a little catchy.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0mxOXbWIU

Surgery

The surgery schedulers are working their magic to coordinate a date that works for both surgeons and the OR.  I should have a date soon...

Feeling better

Now that the BRCA news has had some time to settle in, I'm coming to terms with my surgical decision.  Having a bilateral mastectomy is my way of showing cancer who's boss.  I will not give it another opportunity to invade my body. 

Also, I met with a plastic surgeon yesterday that I really liked.  Reconstruction will be a muli-phase process.  It's not going to be easy but I'm confident that this surgeon will get me to where I want to be.  A special thanks to Bridget for coming to the appointment with me at the drop of a hat!

So, now that I've recruited my surgical team, it's time to schedule surgery.  I'll keep you posted on when it will be.  I'm still hoping it will be before the end of the year.

xoxo

What a difference a day makes....

Last night I got the exciting news that the biopsy I did last week (for that tiny spot) was benign.  But now it's a moot point.  I tested positively for the BRCA1 mutation.  I've said all along that I would elect to do a double mastectomy if it was positive (because the risk of me having breast cancer again will be significantly reduced).  I stand by that decision but I have not yet come to terms with the reality of it.  In some respects, I'm relieved that this decision has been made for me but I'm very sad about it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

I have always known that I have been blessed with great family and friends;  but now I am reminded on a daily basis of the wonderful people that surround me.  And that is what I am thankful for this year.  

What's ahead for this week...

Happy Thanksgiving week!  I am SO looking forward to spending time with my family this week.  And after running around a lot over the past few weeks, it will be great to have some time to just relax and rest.
But, before I go overboard on mashed potatoes and stuffing, I do have some things to do...

• I had my fertility consultation today.  The doctor explained my options for preserving my little eggs...I'll spare the details now because I'm still digesting it all. I have a lot to think about over the next week or so. 
• I have a MRI biopsy scheduled on Wednesday to check out that ity-bity spot that was found last week.  

After that, it's TURKEY TIME! Hope you have a wonderful holiday!  xoxo

Genetic Testing

I did my genetic testing today and thought the meeting with the genetic counselor went pretty well.  We did a little biology 101 and talked about the risks associated with my family history. There were a lot of numbers thrown at me (which is funny for me to say since I am a quantitative researcher).  Thankfully Katie was there to take notes.

I learned that there is a good chance (85-90%) that I do not have the BRCA genetic mutation.  I was expecting it to be the inverse, honestly.  I am being cautiously optimistic... I will be sure to post once I have those results (probably the first week of December).  

Lookin' Good Lefty

I just spoke to the radiologist at Northwestern.  Lefty is clear and has no abnormalities! :)  I'm quite relieved about that! I may need to do some additional tests before surgery.  There's an ity-bity spot on Righty that may need to be checked out.   I also have a lymph node in my right arm pit that is a little bigger than the others (hopefully it was just a little bloated from my big lunch yesterday).  But it's obviously concerning that it's on the right side, which is where the cancer is.  I'll be talking to my surgical oncologist soon to see if he thinks the tests are needed before surgery.  I'll keep you updated on what's next... 

MRI & Genetic Testing

I had my MRI today.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be (perhaps it was the Xanax though).  I was face down and my head was resting in one of those massage things so I kept telling myself that I was getting a massage while a fire drill was happening (forgot how noisy MRIs are).  I should hopefully have the results from that by the end of the week.

I'm also going for my genetic testing this week.  I spoke to the woman today and gave a bunch of family history so I'm not really sure what to expect out of this meeting, aside from a blood test.  Those results will take a couple of weeks to get back.  So, just need to be patient about what the surgical next steps are.

I'll be sure to post as more updates come through.  In the meantime, just trying to keep myself busy.  Thankfully my social calendar is quite full which helps to keep my mind off things. :)

Email Updates

Please email me if you would like to blog updates to be sent to you as they are posted.  I'm still figuring out this blogosphere stuff... xoxo

1st Doctor Appointment

I met with my surgical oncologist today and received an overwhelming amount of information. I'll try to summarize what he said...

I still need to do a couple of tests to determine my exact path here and hope to have that all scheduled in the next week or so. I'm having an MRI to confirm that the cancer is limited to 'righty' and that will also help to determine if I can have a lumpectomy or mastectomy. Because I had the same exact kind of cancer as my mom (which is not surprising since 80% of breast cancers is this kind) but there is a chance that I have the BRCA gene (for those unfamiliar, that's the breast cancer & ovarian cancer gene). If I test positively for that, I will probably elect to have a bilateral mastectomy (double mastectomy). Otherwise, I may be eligible for a lumpectomy (depending on what the MRI says). I will have to do chemo no matter if I have a lumpectomy or mastectomy (probably 8 weekly treatments). Radiation will depend on the kind of surgery I have. If I need to do it, it will likely be 6 1/2 weeks of daily treatment.

There's still some unknowns but we're getting closer. The next few tests will help my team of doctors figure out what is right for me. Regardless, I will probably be having surgery in the next 4 weeks. I think that's all I have to report for now.....

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers leading up to this appointment. A special thanks to Jamie for coming along with me.

I'm pooped and I'm going to take a nap now. :) Love to all!

Hurry Up & Wait...

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. I thought it was Thursday, which would bring me a day closer to my surgical consult on Friday. I'm anxiously awaiting that appointment. I'm sure that we will discuss my surgical and treatment game plan in detail. I scheduled an MRI for early next week to confirm that the cancer is limited to the right breast. It feels like I just have to hurry up and wait... I'll post more details on Friday once I have more info from the doctor. xoxo

Hearty Lentil Soup

You'll probably notice that I'll be posting a bunch of soup recipes. In my mind, it's soup season -- the perfect time of year to have a pot of soup on the stove over the weekend. If I'm ambitious, I'll make two soup recipes in a weekend so I can have some variation through the week. Soup is pretty easy to make and usually healthy -- so win, win.

This is one of my favorite soups right now. It does not require a lot of babysitting and can be made in less than an hour. Perfect for me to make a batch and pack it up for lunch at work.

From: The Best New Recipe Cookbook

Ingredients:

3 slides of bacon (organic, preferred), cut into 1/4 in pieces

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into medium pieces

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon fresh thyme (I used 1/4 tsp. dried thyme)

1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over

1 teaspoon salt

ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 1/2 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Fry the bacon in a large stockpot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy (3-4 minutes). Add the onion & carrots, cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened (2 minutes). Add the garlic until fragrant (30 seconds). Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme and cook until fragrant (30 seconds). Stir in the lentils, salt, pepper to taste; cover, reduce the head to medium low and cook until the vegetables are softened and the lentils have darkened (roughly 8 - 10 minutes)

2. Uncover, increase the heat to high and add the wine, bringing it to a simmer. Add the chicken broth and water and bring to a boil. Cover partially and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape 30 to 35 minutes, discard the bay leaf.

3. Use an immersion blender to make the soup a little smooth (it does not all have to be blended). Or puree 3 cups of soup in a blender until smooth and return to the pot. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and heat the soup to medium-low heat until hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley to serve.

Home for the weekend

I got to go home this weekend and see the family. I finally got to meet the newest baby in the family, Nataley.

Alyssa was anxiously awaiting my arrival -- jumped into my arms as soon as she saw me.

I also managed to made some delicious lentil soup and kale pesto. I'll post recipes later.

Have a great Monday!

xoxo

TGIF

Happy Friday everyone! I'm going to just lay low and relax this weekend. I'm going home and visit my aunt & her family. Also planning to research recipes that will help my recovery and starve the cancer (but it's gotta still taste good -- I am a foodie after all). More to come... xoxo

Thanks Ambien

Got an AWESOME night of sleep last night (after a couple of very restless nights). Going to my internal medicine doctor today to help me figure out how to ease the anxiety. Being wide awake at at 3:00 a.m. is not productive. Sleeping Beauty needs her rest.....

Why blogging?

I'm blogging about my breast cancer because I want to keep everyone informed of what's going on with me. There have been waves of friends and family that have reached out to me, which is awesome but it can also be emotionally straining (having to repeat updates, etc.). My goal is to update this pretty frequently but not everyday. Thank you for reading and supporting me.

Hugs to all! xoxo

I have WHAT?

From the Beginning...

I was taking a staycation, just putzing around my new apartment and running errands. I had a mammogram on 10/11/10 (just routine since my mom was so young when she had cancer). But then on 10/13/10, I found a lump on my right breast. I thought it was strange so I immediately made an appointment to see my ob/gyn to have it checked out. He said it did not show up on my mammogram* and thought it may just be a cyst and because I was in the middle of my menstrual cycle. So he sent me off to have an ultrasound the following week. After two ultrasounds, a needle aspiration and a needle biopsy, my doctor called me to tell me that it was a malignant tumor. He sounded shocked. I was shocked too. I was really hoping that it would not be malignant. No dice.

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at 38. I am 32. I've been preparing myself for this day over the last 12 years. I was still shocked though.

I was shocked for probably about a day and then the anxiety rolled in. There are still so many unknowns -- what stage, what treatment do I need t do? Will they remove the lump or the whole breast? Are lymph nodes involved? (Lots of things to worry about here.)

The day I found out I had the big C, I made an appointment with a breast surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. My ob/gyn recommended this surgeon (among a couple others). I've heard the guy is Maggie Dailey's surgeon too (Mayor Dailey's wife) so he must be good. I'll find out more details on the recommended surgery and treatment plan next week at this appointment.

At times, I get pretty overwhelmed about the road ahead. Right now, I'm pretty calm about it. I'm just going to take this a day at a time. For now, I'm getting my boxing gloves ready for the fight! Love to all who are behind me and are going to cheer me on.

* Mammograms are not perfect. Breasts are so dense at a young age so it's not a big surprise that it didn't show up. This is why it is so important to DO YOUR MONTHLY SELF BREAST EXAM. No matter if you have family history or are young. It can save your life!!!