Well today I can say another chapter is closed in my pink journey story. For those readers who may not be familiar with what I dubbed my pink journey, I am referring to my breast cancer fight that began in March 2008. If you’d like to read the blog posts you can find them all here. Last week I finished my one full year of Herceptin that I had to have because I was Her2 positive for my cancer. And today, I had my arm port removed.
My arm port was removed by my surgeon in his procedure’s room at the doctor’s office. I was a little nervous as I have heard from several people that they go in a lot easier than they come out. Some people actually have them removed at the hospital under anesthesia but my surgeon assured me it would be fine to just have it removed in the office with a numbing to the incision area. I think the most painful part was the numbing as he had to stick the needle in several areas and the medicine stung as it went in. Then the port didn’t want to pull out very easily. He had to pull, tug, and do a few other things that I didn’t want to look at so I just looked away. He said I had quite a bit of scar tissue that had developed around the port. After several minutes of pulling, the port and the long plastic tubing all came out. I didn’t feel anything really other than a bit of pressure.
My arm is a little sore where the port was but it feels wonderful to have it gone. I always had to worry about not bumping it and had to be careful not to do anything very strenuous with that arm as not to damage the port or line into my chest. But that chapter after one full year is done. I am feeling almost normal or at least my new normal now. My hair has grown back, my scans are clear, and my doctors tell me that my long term prognosis is excellent. So tonight I take a deep breath, say a prayer of thanksgiving, and now move on with the knowledge that I have victoriously finished this chapter in my pink journey.[…]
March 10, 2008 is a day I will never ever forget. It is the day that I was told that I had cancer. I was shocked and my life was forever changed by the news. I remember having to go outside and just walk. I just couldn’t get my head around the fact that I had breast cancer. My first thoughts were wondering if I was going to die. Then how was I going to deal with this? What was going to happen now? When you are first diagnosed with cancer, I think the fear is the worst. With me, I just didn’t know what it really meant. I felt okay but I knew that there was a terrible time bomb inside me and it was ticking away.
I quickly learned as much as I could about breast cancer. I read everything I could and talked with several different doctors so I could understand the ramifications of my diagnoses. For me, knowledge was power. Power to know what to expect and to prepare myself and my family for what I’ve have dubbed My Pink Journey.
At this one year mark, I am happy to report that I am doing well. Yes I still have some issues I’m dealing with such as my very short hair that doesn’t seem to want to grow. The unpleasant side effects of Tamoxifen, tight muscles under my arm from radiation and a bit of lymphedema on my side where I had lymph nodes removed. But really I’m faring quite well considering all that I have been through.
Thanks to my faith, family, and friends I have been able to survive this cancer battle. The battle is never really over once you have cancer. You learn this pretty early on. You must be vigilant and keep close tabs on the big C. It’s quite wily and you must forever guard against its return. This is an important message for everyone to have those cancer screenings done as early detection such as I had can make all the difference in ones survival rate.
So thank you again to everyone for your love, prayers, and support during this last year. I don’t know if I could have made it without all of you. Remember enjoy life and be thankful for each and every beautiful day of it![…]
Well it has been quite a year for anyone who has been following this blog and my cancer journey this year. I figured I’d do a year-end update just to close out the year. First and far most, I am doing well. My recent scans show nothing of concern and I’m feeling pretty good. While my hair is very very short, it has grown back and I can go without the hats and scarves now. I survived surgery in April, chemo this summer, and radiation this fall. I have cut, poisoned, fried, and burned this cancer. Hopefully, God willing, I have permanently kicked it out the door and out of my body. I never want it to return and I pray daily that this can be the end of breast cancer or any cancer in my life.
In closing, I want to say thank you to everyone who has emailed, commented, prayed, written, called, or otherwise supported me through this pink journey. It hasn’t been easy. Cancer never is. But there is always hope and things can get better. I am proof positive of this.
So thanks again all my friends and family, I love you all. Enjoy life to its fullest and have a very happy New Year![…]
It’s been a while since I’ve posted about my pink journey here so I figured I’d do an update. I am one month out now from the completion of radiation treatments. My skin is healing nicely and I don’t have any real issues with my skin now other than being dark on my shoulder in the radiation field. I also have been dealing with my muscles tightening up in my arm and hand on the radiation side. I continue to do stretching exercises to try and relieve that situation.
I started taking Tamoxifen today which I’m a bit concerned about this drug therapy but I know it is necessary as my cancer tumor was estrogen positive and I have to make sure I don’t feed my cancer. I am concerned about all the side effects with Tamoxifen but I am reminded that this whole thing is out of my hands. I need to leave it all in the healing hands of our Lord.
So overall I’m doing pretty good and just wanted to let everyone know how I am doing. My hair is growing back but at a very sloooow rate. My hair has always been fine so all this chemo hasn’t been good for my hair. But it is growing and I hope by Christmas to have a little “do” that I can display so I don’t have to continue the knit hat and ball cap routine.
More later, until then thank you everyone for all your wonderful warm thoughts and prayers.
Cindy […]
My radiation is finished today. I completed 33 treatments of radiation for breast cancer including the boosts. I post a picture of fireworks as an illustration of celebration but it’s also how hot of some of my skin feels. The worst of my skin is my shoulder blade area and under my arm. Recall your nastiest sunburn and that might help you understand how red and raw my skin is in places. I’m told these areas are typically the worst for breast radiation patients.
But it’s over! I can now begin to recover. Tomorrow I don’t have to drive 100 miles for treatment and then go to work. Tomorrow I don’t have to get into that radiation fry pan again. Tomorrow my skin can begin to heal. For all these things, I thank God and am happy that I have turned another corner on my pink journey. There is light at the end of my tunnel and I’m almost there.[…]
Recent Comments