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?)
Here’s what’s going on with me right now . . .
Oophorectomy – who knew such a word existed???
My oophorectomy went well today.
Isn’t that a great word, oophorectomy?
It’s so fun to say. Try it.
It makes me think of the Oompa Loompas from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and that makes me smile. 🙂
I got a tattoo this morning
I got a tattoo this morning. Well actually two of them. They are just little dots. Nothing special. Supposedly they look like a freckle, but THERE ARE SO MANY SHARPIE MARKS ON ME, I can’t really see them very well yet. Sigh.
This morning, I had my measurement appointment for radiation.
I started off in the gown changing room, where I put on a very stylish hospital gown and locked my clothes and purse up in a locker.
Welcome Back Neuropathy
Sent a message to my Oncologist this morning. 🙁
Good morning. So… my neuropathy is back. 🙁 Can you hear me crying from Maple Valley? Ok, not really, but I am concerned enough to send you a message. I was so pleased that it went away completely after chemo. I guess I thought that meant I was in the clear. Apparently my guess was wrong. 🙁
Since chemo, whenever I use the bike, treadmill or elliptical at the gym, my toes are very numb and tingly by the end. That goes away shortly after I’m done and I haven’t noticed any other neuropathy in my feet. I can live with that.
However, this past week, the neuropathy is back in my right hand/arm/shoulder. It started on Monday with just a little tingling in my fingers that came and went. I noticed it while working in the kitchen as it came and went for a few days.
See next message…I’m only allowed 1000 characters… read more…
Goodbye Drain! Hello Shower!
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I had my post-op appointment with the plastic surgeon yesterday and the first thing they did was remove my drain! Thank goodness!! It’s so nice to be able to shower and not have to worry about wearing shirts that hide the lumpy drain.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting to come out of surgery looking worse that I did when I went in. I am more misshapen now than I was with the expander fully filled. There is too much skin now and a pucker in the top. So there’s more work to be done, but I guess it will have to wait ’til after radiation. I go back in in 3 weeks to talk about future plans.
Recovery Progress
My recovery has not been quite as smooth as I had hoped. Apparently, the cavity for my implant was a little too large, so during surgery the surgeon had to stitch up my muscle to make the cavity tighter so the implant would stay in place. I guess he told me this while I was in recovery, but I have no recollection of the conversation. Good thing Tom was there. I’m glad he did it as I’d hate to wake up one morning with my implant under my arm. That would awkward…
The pain hasn’t been horrendous and I only took Tylenol to help, but the first two days were a bit more uncomfortable that I had anticipated. Friday morning the pain was significantly better and I was able to do a few things around the house and even make dinner. I’m still taking Tylenol because, well, why not? Why feel pain if I don’t have to.
I’ll be honest, I’m more irritated by the ridiculous amount of tape that goes down almost to my waist holding the drain in than I am by the pain. The surgeon must have been thinking, “Let’s make this drain as uncomfortable as possible by adding a whole roll of tape to her side and under her arm.” Gah!! Having the tape removed will be far more uncomfortable than pulling the drain out at my appointment on Tuesday.
This coming week I have my follow up appointment with the surgeon on Tuesday and then a pre-op appointment on Thursday with my OB for my next surgery. On to the next!!
Another Surgery Done
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My day in 20 sentences…
- Another surgery is done.
- It went well.
- I had no anxiety before (or after).
- Praising God for another uneventful procedure on this journey.
- I have a new and improved body part.
- It looks worse now than when I left the house this morning.
- I have another drain.
- I’m wearing my surgical camisole to hide it AGAIN!!!
- My breast has an indent from the suction of the drain (temporarily).
- My chest, left shoulder and abdomen are colored from iodine.
- I can’t shower ’til the drain is out. (Can you hear me crying????????????????)
- While I hate my short hair, I am yet again thankful for it. (See #11.)
- I am not feeling itchy after surgery!!!!!!
- Dinner smells really, really good simmering in the kitchen. 🙂
- Tom and I talked about work.
- I played many games of 2048 on my phone.
- I took a nap.
- Tom and the girls are playing Wii while I rest in bed.
- I’ve taken 4 Tylenol since I’ve been home.
- I’m tired and having hot flashes.
Surgery tomorrow
Tomorrow morning I check in for reconstructive surgery at 6:30 am. That’s early. It’s even earlier to ask Christy to come be at our house at 5:45 to get the girls off to school. 🙂
Tomorrow will come and go. I will have a new and improved body part and a little pain that hopefully can be managed with just Tylenol. I have Vicodin on hand, but can’t remember how my body responded last time I took it and want nothing to do with Percocet since my crazy itching reaction from it after the mastectomy. I’m am hoping the recovery is as easy as the surgeon says it will be. I’d like to go to Bible Study on Thursday morning. All I have to do it sit there…but we’ll see how I feel. 🙂
Meet Jennifer
Breast Cancer Patient, Chef Wife and Mom
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What to Expect:
