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 . . .
Another Surgery Scheduled
The next month is going to be crazy, but might as well get it all over with before radiation starts. Along with the reconstruction surgery that is scheduled on May 18th, I will also be having my ovaries out on June 3rd. That’s a crazy weekend, but a better option than the next weekend which would leave me still recovering from surgery when I have to get my first bone strengthening infusion.
Radiation Update
Tom and I met with the radiation oncologist this morning. He feels strongly that we should start radiation as soon as possible. He said it was fine to wait until reconstruction is over, since it is so soon, but did not recommend waiting until September when the girls are back in school.
It looks like radiation will start mid to late June and I will be going M-F for 6 – 7 weeks. I have an appointment on June 1st for some measurements and either at that appointment or the next, will be scheduling the appointments. The Dr. said it’s not a problem to get appointments early in the day (they open at 8 am), so I can have the rest of the day to be with the girls. We’re not sure how it’s all going to work since the girls will be out of school, but we’ll figure it out in the next few weeks.
Great News…I’m in Menopause
Haha! Who ever thought I would say that! But it appears that chemo has put me into menopause. I spoke with my OB this morning and while she sees no need to rush into surgery, she did say that the cancer I have often spreads to the ovaries and it might be a good preventative move to remove them. We’ll see what the oncologist recommends. I’m waiting to hear back from him to see if he agrees with my new menopausal status and decision to hold off on surgery.
UPDATE: The oncologist is concerned that the ovaries might wake up and the menopause might not be permanent. So we have the choice to just sit back and test my hormone level every six weeks and hope for the best, or just take them out and not worry about it. If they wake up, there is also a chance of pregnancy, so the surgery would obviously take care of that as well. At the end of my long conversation with him, I asked him if it was his wife in this situation what he would recommend, and he said surgery. I think we will probably lean towards that, just to have one less thing to worry about. We’ll sleep on it, pray about it, and talk some more, but that’s where we are at right now.
Back at the Infusion Center and Breast Center
Yesterday I spent a few hours at Valley Medical Center. It was actually a nice visit there, for once. 🙂 No pain and actually a little pampering.
I started off with an appointment with a oncology licensed oncology certified aesthetician who was amazing. Christina operates out of the Breast Center at Valley and not only sees regular customers, but works with patients going through cancer treatments. She shaped my eyebrows which are growing back wherever they want and tinted them so small amount of hair that is there, looks darker. Christina has an amazing heart and passion for helping women going through cancer. As a business owner, she chooses to donate sessions to patients going through cancer treatment. It was a nice surprise to not have a bill at the end of my session with her. She is so sweet and caring and such a joy to be around. It was so nice to be in the Breast Center for something positive instead of negative! So if you are up in that area and need a facial, relaxing massage, etc, make sure to look her up. She’s wonderful!
Oncology Appointment
Tom, Mom and I met with my oncologist today. He is recommending radiation to my sternum, lymphnodes and possibly to the breast area. We will be meeting with the radiation oncologist next Tuesday to talk more about that. It’s unsure at this time as to whether radiation or reconstruction will come first. We need to find out from the plastic surgeon how long his plan is for reconstruction. If it’s longer than 6 months, we’ll have to do radiation first (unless the radiation oncologist feels differently).
On Wednesday when I go in to have my port flushed, he is going to test my hormone levels. If chemo put me into menopause, and my ovaries are not producing estrogen, then my ovaries can stay put. If not, out they come. Yay! Another surgery!! The Dr. thinks it’s unlikely that I am in menopause, but we’ll find out for sure later this week or early next week. Wouldn’t that be great if I was in menopause? (And I might be one of the only women to ever say that – lol!)
Change of Plans
It’s really hard to plan things any time in advance right now. I feel like our lives have been up in the air since my diagnosis in September. I’m such a planner. This is really hard for me! Any little get-a-way we’ve done since then, has been last minute. Thursday and Friday were no exception.
Friday, I was scheduled to have an appointment to meet with the oncologist to find out what the next steps are in this journey I’m on with cancer. We had planned to take the kids out of school on Thursday since Mom is here and I’m feeling good, and head over to Leavenworth, Cashmere and Wenatchee and do a marathon day there.
Pathology Report After Surgery
We met with the surgeon this morning. We got some good and not so good news. The tumor in the breast shrunk down to 2.5 cm (originally over 7) and the surgeon was able to get clear margins (the tumor and enough around it). That’s the good news.
The not so good news is that 2 out of the 3 lymph nodes that were removed during surgery had cancer cells. The surgeon is waiting to talk to the Oncologist (hopefully today) to discuss either surgery or just radiation for other lymph nodes that are nearby the ones taken out.
Meet Jennifer
Breast Cancer Patient, Chef Wife and Mom
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