Allll done!

I'm very excited to say that as of last Wednesday, I am finally finished with all of my treatment!  I'm not really sure what to do with myself now that I don't have to go to the doctor every single day.  It feels great to sleep in a bit (because I'm still a little fatigued).  I should probably use that time to workout but I haven't had much motivation...it's also been pretty hot here and I don't enjoy working out in weather that makes me sweat when I'm just sitting in the shade.  I hope that I will soon develop an internal motivation that will get me out the door no matter what. Any suggestions from those that workout regularly? 

Every single doctor has mentioned that regularly exercising will help my chance of keeping cancer at bay and it will also be better for any possible side effects from surgery/radiation (i.e. lymphedema).     I've been thinking of getting a trainer to motivate me until I develop this internal motivation.  But again, open to suggestions. 

My hair is slowly but steadily growing.  I don't have enough to feel comfortable to go without a wig but it feels great to finally have some fuzz growing.  I'm seeing some grey and I want to pluck them out but at this point, beggars mustn't be choosy. :)

So, what's ahead?  I have a checkup with my surgical and radiation oncologist in a month.  I'm already clear to do 3-month check ups with my medial oncologist (the chemo doc), which I will do for the next 2 years.  Aside from a blood test and being checked up by the doc, there's not much monitoring that I need to do.  And since I don't have any breast tissue left, I don't have to do any more mammograms.  But as I said before, I do need to start exercising more regularly and eating healthy (i.e. lay off the cupcakes -- I'm looking at you, Dad -- stop driving by Sweet Mandy B's!).  I'm also enrolling in the Northwestern Ovarian Cancer Early Detection & Prevention program because I'm also at a high risk for ovarian cancer. I'll see that team every 6-months.  And, I hope to have my reconstructive surgery at the end of the year, around the holidays.  Thankfully that surgery should be much less invasive than the surgery I had last year.   

Though I'm taking a sigh of relief for making it this far, I still have some work to do.  But I made it through the toughest part...it's nice to have that behind me!

Happy Valentine's Day

It's Valentine's Day, which I believe is a made up holiday but in the spirit of things, I wanted to do a little shout-out to my favorite Valentine's.  

To my family: I know it's not easy to see me go through this so thank you for being strong.  Not everyone is lucky enough to have family that will be there at a drop of a hat (even though you live far in the country, ha ha).  Thank you for all of your prayers and for supporting my every decision.  

To the Goldman Family: I have always considered you to be a part of my family and am so blessed that I have you in my life. Thank you for being there every step of the way for me.  A & D, thanks for listening to me ramble on and on about stupid cancer.  Our conversations have been hugely helpful in putting my mind at ease.  Sometimes I just need to get those feelings out so I can move on, so thank you for being on the listening end of things.    

To my college girlfriends (Karin, even though we didn't go to college together, I consider you part of this group): Katie, I know you hate this song but this is where the Golden Girls theme song "Thank you for being a friend" would begin.  You girls are my rock and I don't know what I would do without you.  I felt like my life was a roller coaster after my diagnosis and you were there for me when I was too afraid to tell anyone else.  You are an amazing group of women and I am so grateful for our friendship.  

To the past and present NPD girls: I'm so glad that we have remained close after all these years. Who knew that sorority row would stick together as long as we have?   Thank you for listening to me vent, allowing me to cry and helping me to laugh again.  Sometimes a girl just needs a little comic relief and you are not only able to deliver on that but I would also say you over index. Let me know if you need me to create a chart with PCYAs to prove it. :) 

To my family at H&P: I am so fortunate to work with such compassionate and caring people.  You have probably seen me cry the most out of anyone and were not shy about running to my side.  I needed that and thank you for being there.  

To the McCormick Family: We unfortunately have both seen the craptastic things that cancer can do to people but yet you help me be optimistic through this.  And you cook me delicious meals and send me fun notes before chemo (which actually make me look forward to my chemo days).  I love you guys.

To Bonnie: Even though we just met, it brings me such comfort to have someone like you to go through this with.  I look forward to being on the other side of things and celebrating our health together.    

To anyone I have not mentioned but are reading now: I love you too.  Thank you for reading my blog, for your prayers, notes, and support.  I feel like I am surrounded by an army of supporters and it makes me feel incredibly powerful (so powerful that I can kick cancer's ass).      

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

The Blanket Ladies

I received a very warm (literally) and thoughtful gift when I arrived in the office on Monday. My colleague's mom works at a senior center in Northfield and there are a group of women, The Blanket Ladies, that make blankets for patients undergoing chemotherapy.  I was so touched!  And what perfect timing when I'm heading into chemo right after Chicago's snowpocalypse! Thanks Blanket Ladies for your kindness! 

There was just a lovely article in the Chicago Sun-Times about The Blanket Ladies. (Click here to read more about them.) 

Stay warm and safe everyone!

My Mentor Angel

This week I reached out to this amazing organization, Imerman's Angels which pairs cancer fighters (me) to cancer survivors.  I was able to select a mentor not only based on her age but also by the exact type of breast cancer that she had (including the stage of her diagnosis).  I also specifically requested someone who was a several year survivor  because I am trying to surround myself by women who have made it past that 5 year mark (something that my mom unfortunately did not make).

My mentor angel is Maria.  I had a chance to speak with her for a bit yesterday. She was also in her 30's when she was diagnosed, has the BRCA1 mutation and had triple negative breast cancer -- just like me.    Maria is now a 6 (almost 7) year survivor, which gives me hope.  The tragic loss of my mom within that first 5 years of her diagnosis has made me fearful about my own survival.  But I know statistically that my mom was the minority.  It's hard to put into words how helpful it is to meet someone who had the same kind of cancer as my mom and I, but have made it.  If anything, having lost my mom has taught me to be that much stronger and more aggressive when it comes to my fight.  (I'm not trying to say that my mom didn't put up a good fight herself but things are different now.)  I'm planning to kick the crap out of cancer and be part of the majority that survives for years and years.

A bit more about Imerman's Angels....
It is an organization that not only helps cancer fighters of all ages and types of cancer but it also supports caregivers.  If you know of someone fighting or is a caregiver, maybe this would be helpful to them.  I can't tell you how good I felt after one conversation with my mentor angel.