One Year “Cancer Free”

One year ago today, August 22, 2014, I went to Moffit and had a skin sparing bilateral mastectomy & a sentinel node biopsy. I consider this surgery my cancer removal date so, Happy One Year Cancer Free to Me! There is no cure for breast cancer. None of my doctors have ever told me that I am cured or cancer free. I have heard “I see no evidence of any cancer.” Some say I am in remission… I guess I will always be in remission unless it comes back. The 5 year mark is a major milestone and research shows that "the longer you go, the less likely it is to come back." I try not to dwell on the fear of recurrence too much but it does creep into my head more often than I like. It just takes that one little nasty cancer cell that surgery didn’t cut out or chemotherapy didn’t kill to multiply and reoccur. There are so many articles about this subject …

http://www.breastcancer.org/questions/cancer_free

To celebrate my one year anniversary I decided to do something that I never thought I would EVER do (never say never right?). I got a teeny, tiny pink ribbon tattoo on my right wrist. My Breast Friends Abby & Nikki also came with me and got the same tattoo. Several of Abby’s wonderful family got a tattoo in support of Abby and my awesome sister-n-law Julia got an “L” pink ribbon tattoo for me. We pretty much just swamped Katie’s entire shop in Gainesville (Anthem Tattoo) with a line out the door for pink ribbons.

My "Breast Friends, Abby & Nikki"

Julia's pink ribbon "L" <3

I have my one year follow-up at Moffit with my surgical oncologist next week. Unfortunately, it still seems like I’m always at the doctors for a checkup or something. I guess this is my life and I need to just get used to it. My next procedure is 3D nipple tattoos with the fantastic Vinnie Myers in Finksburg , MD. It’s probably something that many don’t realize when you get a mastectomy, in most cases that means you also lose the nipples. In mine it did and I joke that I’m like a Barbie doll (no nipples). I’m really looking forward to my trip up north next month to get my Vinnie’s done.

Here is a very cool video about Vinnie Myers and the amazing work he does with his 3D nipple tattoos http://www.nytimes.com/video/health/100000002915699/the-nipple-artist.html

All for now. XOXO, Lynn

One Year Breast Cancer Diagnosis Anniversary

One year ago today Monday, July 7, 2014, I heard the dreaded words, “you have breast cancer”. I am now so much more aware of little moments in my life… each day is a gift and I am so thankful for each day I have.

Watch my slideshow ---> One Year Cancer - Anniversary

I started putting together pictures last week to make a slideshow and wow, I have way more pictures that I wanted to share than my “Fight Song” had time for lol. It’s been a pretty scary, yet incredible 12 months. I have to say I had no idea that I would be able to handle what I did while still taking care of my babies and working full time. From Day 1 I knew I had to stay positive about the situation otherwise it would consume me… I didn’t even cry until several days after my diagnosis when I was told that I might have to have chemotherapy. Don’t get me wrong I had my Debbie Downer days; quite a few of them (just ask Jon, (love you babe)) but I tried to see the positive in such an overwhelmingly negative situation and we laughed A LOT! Laugher really is good medicine.

Thank you for going on this journey with me and for all of the likes, comments, cards, texts, phone calls, visits and prayers. I have such a wonderful support system and couldn’t have done it with you (you know who you are J).

What a difference a year makes

~ July 4^th 2014 (3 days before diagnosis) and July 4^th 2015~

 

           I'm not sure how long I will keep my blog going. I might end it in September when I go to Maryland to get my final reconstruction step complete. Either way I'll have a few more posts before then.

XOXO, Lynn

9 Months Cancer Free

I am very sad to say that my Aunt Jane lost her battle with cancer last week. (I blogged about her diagnosis back in December). I hate cancer so much, my heart breaks for her husband (Uncle Stanley) and her son Brian. Here is the link to her obituary, please keep my Uncle and Cousin in your prayers.   http://www.bagnellfuneralhome.com/obits/obituary.php?id=548661 Love always from your Bebe Doll.

 

 

 

 

Here is a quick update on me:

Mothers Day breakfast w/Ava 5/8/15

Mother-Son Dance 4/25/15

On Monday May 11^th I had my 9 month post mastectomy checkup with Dr. Hoover my surgical oncologist. Can’t believe it’s been 9 months already I feel like time is just speeding by. All is good, I had a nice chat with her and discussed my options as far as possibly removing my ovaries vs getting the monthly Zoladex injection… still haven’t made up my mind yet but I will decide in the next couple months. She suggests I try physical therapy for my lower back pain and pain in my right arm which I’m sure is nerve damage from lymph node removal. It’s not excruciating but it seems to be getting worse not better so hopefully PT can help me with that. I go back in August for my one year post-mas check up then I start going for checkups with her every six months.  Other than my back and arm pain I’m doing pretty well. My hair is growing, didn’t like the grey color that was happening so I went outside my comfort zone and went blonde which I’m surprised that I actually like. I think I’ll keep the blonde while it’s short and switch back to brown with highlights when it gets bit longer. I’ve started working out again and I’m hoping that I can get back in the shape I was when I found out I had cancer last July. I was in fantastic shape and I’ve pretty much lost all of that strength and gained a good 15 lbs over the past 9 months, sucks bc I feel like I’m starting all over again but I’m determined to get that strength back and lean up again. I’m ready to start feeling good about myself and having energy. Tomoxifin has a massive list of side effects and I definitely feel tired (exhausted) and have the bone pain and overall achiness that it can cause.... hopefully my working out again will help counteract some of these side effects.

 

My wonderful family <3

My Breast Friends Abby & Nikki <3

The Cuts 4 Cancer event hosted by All About You Angels on April 18^th was a lot of fun. We raised money for local breast cancer survivors.

 

 

 

 

 

my handsome hubby

All for now, XOXO, Lynn

P.S. I'm sure most of you have noticed my Hubby's beard situation, he started growing his beard when I finished chemo treatment in December. I told him no shaving his beard until I got my first haircut. When I had my hair colored last month I did get a (very very light) trim so I gave him permission to shave but he obviously hasn't shaved and I do believe that this beard is here to stay for a while. I totally digging though.  

Two Weeks Post-Op Foobs

Hi everyone: Today is exactly 2 week’s post-op expander to Foobs swap, port removal and umbilical hernia repair. I had three procedures on March 11^th in hopes that I won’t have to go under anesthesia again for a while. It was out patient at Moffitt and other than some bad nausea and vomiting for a few hours after the surgery all went well. I had my annoying drains removed last Tuesday March 17^th and don’t have to go back till April for another follow-up with my amazing plastic surgeon. I can’t work out for 8 weeks post surgery which I hate and I’m not supposed to lift anything heaver than 10 lbs which is extremely hard to do considering Ava weighs 30 lbs. I also have to wear an abdominal binder so that I don’t reinjure my repaired hernia… this is super annoying and basically feels like I’m being tortured while wearing it. Overall I’m healing really well and super happy with my results.

right before surgery 3/11/2015

The weekend prior to my surgery (March 6-8) I went to the YSC (Young Survival Coalition) National Summit in Houston TX with my two best BC girlfriends Abby & Nikki. The YSC National Summit is a conference for young women diagnosed with breast cancer before their 41^st birthday, their co-survivors and healthcare providers. It was the first YSC event that Abby, Nikki and I had attended and we had a blast. I met so many wonderful ladies and felt so “normal” hanging out with hundreds of young ladies who totally understand. We are hoping to get more involved with YSC and really looking forward to next year’s conference in Atlanta.



Nikki, Me & Abby

Me, Abby, Marjorie & Nikki @ YSC

 

Abby, Nikki and I are also working with a local charity this year called All About You Angles. We will help raise money and awareness for local breast cancer survivors.  All money raised will stay in Marion County to benefit local women with little to no insurance during and post treatment in need of lymphedema and mastectomy supplies.  All About You Angles will have several fundraisers throughout the year starting with the Cuts 4 Cancer on April 18^th from 9am to 1pm on the Downtown Ocala Square. I will be in the 2016 Angles calendar and we are currently selling advertising space in the calendar so if you work for or own a local business it’s a great way to get your name out there and help a wonderful cause. Let me know if you want to learn more about the Angles and how you could help.

 

I am acutely aware of how incredibly lucky and blessed I am to have had (and continue to have) such an amazing support system throughout this crazy scary breast cancer journey I’ve been on the past nine months. Thank you to all of my family (Hubby, Mom, Dad, Mimi, Julia & Wanda) and friends for being so supportive and loving. I pray that they find a cure for this terrible disease soon, so no one has to endure having body parts chopped off and poison pumped into their veins. I am very thankful to be considered Cancer Free and I ask that you continue to pray that I stay that way. I have tried to stay positive but since completing chemotherapy the scary thoughts of reoccurrence keeps creeping into my head.  I will continue to think happy thoughts and do my best to stay positive… I don’t need negative nelly messing with my head.

All for now. XOXO, Lynn

 

P.S. Happy 65^th Birthday to my amazing Mommy!!! I love you so much!!

post chemo update

I thought I would do a quick post chemo update. It’s been 7 weeks since I finished chemo and my hair has started to fill in nicely, it doesn’t appear curly so far and I’m hoping I don’t get the “chemo curls” I definitely still have the grey though. My eyebrows starting really falling out last week and now they are about 63.8% gone so hopefully they grow back in quickly. My biggest issue right now is the insane hot flashes, it is very common to have these during and after treatment and I started Tamoxifen Monday Feb 2^nd so the hot flashes will probably start getting worse with this drug. Since my cancer was strongly estrogen positive (98% positive) I’ll have to be on Tamoxifen for 10 years L. Tamoxifen is an estrogen blocking drug and has its own list of side effects that I’m praying I don’t get or at least I can manage. I already started aching a lot (very common Tamoxifen side effect is aching and body pain) mainly in my chest area where my expanders are… they have only been uncomfortable past few months but not causing actual pain, a couple nights ago I starting really aching and I’ve had to start taking Motrin and Tylenol for the pain.

6 weeks post chemo

My Moffitt Oncologist wants me to start getting Zoladex injection every month for the next 5 years (possibly 10 yrs). It’s a small pill that in injected in the stomach and slowly dissolves during the month, it’s basically putting you into chemical menopause…… I’ve heard the injection is very painful and the side effects can be harsh… that or she said I could get my ovaries removed. I really don’t want to do either one, so I’m going to discuss this with my local oncologist before I make a decision.

My next and hopefully final surgery is scheduled for March 11^th at Moffit. I’m having my expanders removed and round gummy bear (silicone gel) implants put in their place, my port removed (yeahhh) and a small umbilical hernia fixed. I figured since I’ll already be under and having an amazing plastic surgeon working on me I may as well get the hernia fixed (I got the hernia when I was preggo with Ava, so its definitely time to get it repaired). I am seriously so excited for every one of these procedures I CAN NOT WAIT! Right now we have it scheduled for outpatient surgery so hopefully everything goes well and I won’t have to stay the night in the hospital.

I did find out that my oncotype score was a 29 which is an intermediate high score if it was a 32 I would have needed 8 rounds of chemo (that is a bit scary to think about). 18 and under is low, 18-31 is intermediate and 32+ is high.

Overall I’m doing well just trying to adjust to “my new normal” life.

All for now XOXO, Lynn



2/1/2015 park fun with my kiddos