I am thrilled to report that I am cancer free. I just completed recent scans and everything is clear. Many people refer to this as NED (no evidence of disease) and we cancer survivors all love to say that we are dancing with NED. We all hope to continue to be dancing with him forever if possible.

I’ve heard it said that time heals us and while most of my physical issues from cancer have healed, it’s what remains that sometimes fills my thoughts and lingers in the back of my mind as I move forward with my life again after cancer. I’m sure its the same for other people that face this beast, you just hope and pray it never returns.

So as a reminder don’t forget to be diligent against this formidable foe. Self-exams are so important as no one knows a woman’s body better than herself. After all I found my own tumor and even my doctor didn’t think it seemed like anything until after a biopsy confirmed my cancer.

As I reflect back over the last three years, I think the most important thing I want to say is that cancer didn’t beat me. You do learn not to think about it every waking moment. You can get your life back. You are able to return to a new normal in your daily routines. And with the help of my faith, family and friends I am a stronger, better person today for having faced cancer.[…]

For those that may not know about my pink journey, you can read all about it at the link provided. I haven’t posted about my cancer in quite awhile. Not that I don’t think about it but sometimes it’s just good not to have to dwell on cancer too much. For the first year after being diagnosed with cancer, that’s all I could do was think about my cancer. At times it felt like I could never NOT think about it. It’s always on your mind and you try real hard not to let it drive you crazy. Then as time goes on, it gets better. It’s not in every thought you have. It’s not the first thing you think about when you wake up and it’s not the last thought you have when you drift off to sleep. You do learn to deal with it or at least come to terms with it.

The battle is never easy and at times unbearable. But for me, time has helped and my body has healed. It’s been just over two and a half years now and with just having completed scans for cancer two weeks ago, I have good news. I am so happy to say — I’m out of the pink and into the NED. NED being no evidence of disease. All I can really say is praise God and try to remember to enjoy each and every precious moment of life.

If you take nothing else from this blog post, I hope you take a moment to be thankful for your health, your life, your family, your faith, and remember all those who are still battling this vicious foe. Some day all our tears will be wiped away and there will be no more pain, no more sadness, and no more death. […]

I have heard many people say that battling cancer makes you a better person. You don’t take things for granted. You love your family a bit deeper and you know how fragile your good health can be. You face your fears. You endure surgery, chemo, hair loss, and radiation. You fight to get well and get your life back as you once knew it. And you remember to enjoy each and every precious minute of your life.

Sure it’s been hard, I won’t try and sugar-coat cancer. There is nothing sweet about it. It tears you and your family apart and you are never the same again. Yes you can get better and yes you learn that you can face your worst days. You heal and become a stronger person for all that you have experienced. You find a new strength within yourself and you move on.

So as I look back on this two year cancerversary, I am thankful to God above and feel blessed that I’m cancer free now. I look forward to many more years of good health, loving my family, and enjoying my life. I know that I am stronger and that I can and have faced cancer. I move on now with a new sense of courage and conviction.

In closing, I want to express my gratitude for all your love, support and prayers. You have all helped me more than you will ever know to be able to endure and succeed in this journey that I began two years ago. Thank you all![…]

Some survivors feel companies are exploiting breast cancer and just slapping a pink ribbon on everything in an effort to sell their products. I’ve read that the pink ribbon, as a symbol, tends to pretty up what is a pretty ugly disease. Some say the pink ribbon is easier to look at than the disease itself.

Cancer is a nasty, cruel, and deadly beast. It attacks our healthy cells, assaults our bones and blood, destroys our vital organs, and invades our brains. Cancer takes our hair, our loved ones, our body parts and our lives. It causes pain, despair, misery, sorrow, and death. Cancer is not a pretty picture by any means, pink ribbon or not.

Many people feel overwhelmed by the constant pink reminder of cancer. I know I’ve never really been a big fan of the whole pink thing. I remember when I first was diagnosed with breast cancer, I didn’t want anyone to know and I sure didn’t want to wear pink cancer stuff. I remember being given a free pink baseball cap at my cancer treatment center. I did not want to wear it. Maybe I was in denial but I didn’t want to publicize my cancer by wearing pink. Later as I came to grips with my cancer and accepted it, I did wear my pink baseball hat. I don’t know if I am making any sense but these are the many thoughts I have about the whole pink thing. Oh don’t misunderstand my feelings about cancer awareness. If all the pink ribbons will help some women to get their mammogram or do self-exams, I’m all for it. I only hope that companies aren’t looking to profit off all this pink stuff as that just isn’t what this is all suppose to be about.

So please during this month of breast cancer awareness, do focus on the important message in all this. We all want to kick cancer out of our lives and the lives of others permanently. I pray for all those fighting this terrible foe, may you have healing and peace as you move along your journey. But ultimately I hope and pray a cure can be found once and for all![…]

It’s been since March 2008, that I have been battling breast cancer. Once you’ve had cancer, you tend to think about it’s return. You try and not worry about a recurrence. At first it’s about all one can do but not think about it’s return. But as time goes on it does get better. The reassurances that it has not returned is empowering. Things haven’t always been easy and I still have a few aches and pains from surgery and radiation. But overall I am feeling pretty good and have basically gotten my life and activities back to normal now. So I smile and say that I love NED. I hope and pray I stay that way forever. Until the next scans and follow-ups, I am reminding myself to enjoy life today and to be happy I am beating cancer each and every precious day.[…]

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![…]

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 […]

Rest assured, God willing, I will be back soon and in full health to post more free patterns very soon.[…]

In May, I had a baseline MUGA scan done before I started Herceptin. My baseline score was 55. A normal score is between 50-80. My treatment plan has me scheduled to take Herceptin for a full year. So having a beginning score of only 55 made me very nervous. Many people’s scores are reduced as they continue on Herceptin and if you have too low of a score, you may have to stop Herceptin or cut back on your treatments. Because it is a wonder drug for breast cancer patients who are HER2 positive like me, I was really anxious to have my first MUGA done since I started Herceptin.

I am thrilled to share that my recent MUGA score was 61.9. I am so happy and relieved to know that my heart is functioning well and that my score was actually higher than the baseline one. So that means for now, I am tolerating the Herceptin well and it’s not causing any damage to my heart.

One other update to share is that my radiation or rads as we call it in the cancer lingo world, is going well. On Thursday, I will be halfway done with my treatments. My skin has just a mild pink look which is similar to a sunburn. I am using my gel cream twice daily and so far my skin is holding up.

Anyway that’s all the MUGA and rads news I have to share. Now I’m off to work on a new recycled tote bag project that I’m trying to get done. I’ll be back to share it soon, until then — Happy Green Crafting to all![…]

I returned on Wednesday once all the calculations were completed. I’m told it is quite a process for the doctor and the radiologists to set up a person’s exact treatment fields. I changed into my hospital gown and robe. I entered the radiation room and laid down on the table. My form is under the sheet that I laid down on so it fits me comfortably. More measurements were checked and other final films were taken.

I then got my tattoos. Three small freckle-like dots down the center of my chest between my breasts and one on each of my sides just down from my armpits. They use these dots to line me up for the radiation beam. I’ve never had a tattoo so I didn’t know what to expect. Apparently it is a similar procedure if a person is getting a regular tattoo. I must say it does sting when they stick you with the needle that has the ink in it. It’s a strong, stinging feeling that burns as the ink is injected. It doesn’t last too long but I’ve come to the conclusion that I’d never be game to have a real tattoo as it hurts too much for my liking.

Once my tattoos were done, we were ready for my first treatment to begin. The main and most important thing is that you must lay completely still and in the exact same position for each treatment. The techs line up the marks and verified all their measurements before they step out of the room for the radiation to begin. The first radiation is done above me and is aimed across my left breast area. It only lasts for about 30 seconds before the machine moves way down near the floor. Then the second radiation is aimed from near the floor passed my armpit up across my left breast. […]