Busy but good week

It's been a busy week for me....I ventured back to work on Tuesday after finally getting some sleep on Monday night.  After work I made it to my first Young Survival Coalition meeting. This is an organization that is dedicated to supporting breast cancer survivors that were diagnosed in their 20's and 30's.  Basically people just like me!  In a way it is sad to be in a room full of women just like me but it validated a lot of the feelings I have been having and it was comforting to be around women that speak my crazy cancer language.  (Do you think 'cancer' can be considered a foreign language?) There were women of all diagnosis and survivorship stages.  I exchanged information with one person who was diagnosed two weeks after I was and is one week ahead of me in chemo.  I now consider her my cancer BFF (but I haven't told her this yet).  She and I are both triple negative breast cancer, BRCA1 mutation positive and doing the same chemo regimen (4 rounds A+C and 4 rounds Taxol).  And for those of you that don't know what I just said, that's exactly what I mean by speaking my language.  :) Needless to say, she and I  have a lot in common.

Tonight, I went to the American Cancer Society's Look Good Feel Better program that's supposed to help teach about how makeup can help with the loss of eyelashes, eyebrows and skin changes.  It was nice because I got some swag but I didn't learn a ton about makeup (apparently the program isn't designed for girls that would travel with a Caboodles full of makeup at 12 years old).  The best part about it was that my cancer BFF was there too! She was having an awful day and told me that she was relieved that I was there.  I was happy to see a familiar face, myself.

I've got a follow-up appointment with my oncologist tomorrow. I think she just wants to see how my first round of treatment went.  I am feeling good -- pretty much like my normal self, so I hope that is the case in between each treatment.

Signing off to count some sheep.... Stay warm everyone! xoxo

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

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!!!