I’m sorry you found my blog.

HA! What a funny thing to say on a blog!! But seriously, if you landed here, you either know me, or know someone that has cancer. That’s why I’m sorry!

Cancer.

I hate that word.

I remember sitting in the oncologist’s office in my early 20’s listening to the Dr. tell me that while it was not likely I would get Ocular Melanoma like my Mom, 3 out of 4 people would be diagnosed with some sort of cancer in their life. Since all of my Grandparents and my Mom have died of some type of cancer, I knew my day would come. I just never thought my diagnosis would be the day after my 41st birthday and as a mother of a 10, 7 and 6 year old.

Fast forward 4 years (October 2019) and the cancer has returned in other bones. So here we are, ready to fight again…and looking to be on some sort of treatment for the rest of my life.

This blog is my journey as I fight to leave cancer behind and move on in my life.

I should probably back up and introduce myself . . . my name is Jennifer. I’m a Christ follower, married to an amazing man (who happens to be a chef turned Co-CEO of a restaurant), have 3 beautiful daughters and I’ve been diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer which originally spread to my sternum, but has now spread to quite a few other bones and one of my lungs as well.

I know it can be confusing when you stumble upon a new blog, so let me help you get started.

I have a blog to keep track of my thoughts and to let friends and family know what’s going on.
You can get to know our family or read my personal testimony here.
As I’ve been going through different procedures, I’ve written down what it was like. You can find a list of those over in the side bar (or down at the bottom if you are on a mobile device).
Click here to receive an email when I publish new posts.
And finally, if you noticed above that I’m married to a chef and think that must be the MOST AMAZING THING EVER, click here and browse through my blog about what it’s really like to be married to a chef. (I love blogging. Can you tell?)

Jennifer

Here’s what’s going on with me right now . . .

Chest Tube Update

Nov 9, 2020 | Blog | 13 Comments

Quick update…

I still have the chest tube in but there is not much air left in the cavity, which is good. The problem is, is there’s quite a bit of liquid coming out. I just had another thoracentesis and they drained 800 ml of liquid. It has only been 6 days since my last one. That means fluid is accumulating quicker. While they could take the tube out as I don’t need it to get air out, it would pull fluid with it and cause a problem.

I Made it to Another Milestone

Nov 8, 2020 | Blog | 11 Comments

The amount I cried as Sage drove away from our house today for the first time by herself was ridiculous. It totally surprised me.

I’m so excited for her. But honestly, more excited for me because I am alive to see another milestone!

Thank you Lord!

I made it to see Sage turn 16!

We Made It To The Weekend!

Nov 7, 2020 | Blog | 11 Comments

It has been a long week and we were up seeing the doctor every single day this week either for an appointment or to get some sort of procedure done.

Yesterday I had another chest x-ray done, and there is still air in that cavity near my lung. So I still have the tube in.

Tube still in

Nov 5, 2020 | Blog | 4 Comments

Well, there’s not much to report. when I got there today, I turned off the valve which was allowing my lung to push air out. After about an hour they took a chest x-ray. There was air in that cavity again, almost as much as when they first did the procedure yesterday. Apparently the lung is not healed yet.

So we leave the tube in another day and we will go back tomorrow and do another x-ray. Hopefully the air will be gone and they can take the tube out.

Today I am thankful for all of the beautiful leaves I get to see on our drive to the Medical Center.

I have a tube coming out of my chest

Nov 4, 2020 | Blog | 17 Comments

Yes, you read that right.

The picture below is the bottom of my chest tube. The procedure to insert the chest tube was pretty uncomfortable, but it’s already working, so it was worth it!

Change of plans

Nov 3, 2020 | Blog | 5 Comments

Quick post…Im pretty out of it.

I was on the table all ready to go and the radiologist got the ultrasound and started looking for fluid. I didn’t have as much fluid as he thought I would, and it was only accessible through my back.

The tube that was going to be put in is permanent, and is not meant to be taken out. Having it in your back makes it extremely difficult to lay down or sit. So he recommended waiting until there was more fluid and they could access it from a different point so that my quality of life wouldn’t be so greatly affected. I agreed!