Update of My Cancer and Treatments

I am so sorry I have not been on here in a long time, I just got really busy and boy does time fly by. I know a lot of you were keeping up with me on here. I will try and update you without making this really long.
If you can believe this September 2nd will be 2 years ago that I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
I did finish my 7th week of radiation and everything went great, I remember thinking I was almost afraid to quit, because you feel like it's killing the cancer and then you just stop treatment and then what. The staff was just wonderful it made it so easy to go everyday. They had a graduation ceremony for all of us who finished with this treatment and we wore pink hats and gowns, it was really nice and fun. Hopefully I can get my son to down load some pictures of some of these events. I did a modeling show for First Friday with other cancer patients it was such a blast the theme was "Grease" boy did they make you feel special, we wore outfits from Jullian Golds. It was a wonderful experience. I did a 5k walk for "Making Strides against Breast Cancer" with my daughter Samantha, niece Brittany and sister Jeni, oh it was so much fun. I believe there were around 8,000 people. I will do it again this October also, I had friends who didn't know I was walking and want to do it this year, such a great cause of course.
I have continued doing my herceptin treatments every 3 weeks, will be two years on October 2nd. My Oncologist said I will be doing this for a long time. I have to have Echo cardiograms
every 4 to 5 months to make sure my heart is doing well. I continue to take my 5 year pill, which has been a year now.
January 15, 2011 I was hospitalized for a blood infection called Streptococcus, they said you can get it through a cut on your finger, which I had on my thumb at the time. Anyone can get it the Doctor said. I am more vulnerable now from all I have been through. I was in the hospital a week and had IV's of antibiotics. During this time they did a Chest X-Ray on me and this Doctor had come in later and told me there was a spot on my lung, which I said no there shouldn't be.
The next morning my Oncologist came in and I told him what that Doctor said and he said not to worry about it I would be doing CT Scans in March. So I did not dwell on it and was hoping it was something of no significance.
March came and I went and had my CT Scans on March 1st. We left on the 9th to Utah to my daughters Wedding. When I came back I had a Doctor's appointment and he showed me the papers and said there is a spot on my Liver and Lung and the spot on my Liver had grown .5cm.
He then said to stay positive and we would see what happens in August or September my next CT Scans, if treatment isn't working we would maybe have to do Chemo again.
Well my heart dropped I went to my car and cried for a tiny bit, I had always told my family once it goes to your liver and lungs that's it. Well that is so not true, but I did not know that. I told my husband not to tell my kids or parents until we see what happens in September. Well thankfully he did not listen to me and told my kids, who then were upset with the Doctor, wondering 'Why is he waiting and not doing anything now?" I was trusting his opinion, well now they got my younger sister involved and look out, they were all digging and researching like crazy. Meanwhile my daughter had her reception here April 30th and I informed my kids and sister I will concentrate on me after the reception. It did keep my mind off of me and focused on her totally, which really helped. After it was over, oh it was time to take care of me. My sister has a friend who is friends with a Radiology Oncologist and my sister talked to him and he said for me to call him. Meanwhile this past year my dad got throat cancer, and he was treated by the Oncologist that I went to see for a second opinion. Dad is cancer free, voice is still not the same he talks to much.
When I called Dr. Voorhees the first thing he said was "This is not a death Sentence" oh that is all I needed to hear. My husband and sister came with me to the appointment, he was just awesome. He spent over 2 hours with me, he told me this was treatable and something I have to live with the rest of my life, Like people with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems,etc... But in 5 or 10 years who knows what they will come up with. So he told me about this procedure he thought I should have called Radio Frequency Ablation it basically microwaves the cancer tumor. So at the end he told me to put away my shovel, and told me to exercise 4 times a week for 45min. and some other things.
He made me feel so good, my fight was back in me and my spirits totally back to normal. I am having this procedure Monday, June 6,2011.
Don't ever be afraid to get a second opinion, and don't try to fight this alone. I learned my kids are adults and they can handle anything, I was wrong to want to wait to tell them, I needed them all more than I had realized, just like in the beginning of all this I needed the support and it helps to talk to everyone, it's a wonderful therapy. I should have known better, we learn through experience and I know you can NEVER fight something like this alone EVER, I need all those prayers and support that is what makes me so strong, the person I never thought I could be.
I have prayed for strength and comfort and received that from a blessing from my Bishop and Sam. When ever you feel sad and down, do not stay there, that is a horrible place to be. I am so happy now even though I go through all this it is okay, it is my trial, and I know now it is necessary for my salvation that I have to endure this, and I think I have endured it very well. I have two new grand babies that makes 9 and I plan on being around for many more. I will update you on my surgery after Monday.
You people are who keep me going strong, those wonderful prayers that have strengthened me from the beginning. Thank you to all my children and sister who fight for me, my eternal love to all of you and the rest of my family and friends!!!

Fifth and Sixth Radiation

I just finished my fifth week and began my sixth week on Tuesday because of the 4th of July weekend they were closed on Monday. I am doing great, I have some days I get really tired and others I am fine. I find if I keep busy I do not pay attention to how tired I am, but you do have to pace yourself, I tend to overdue a lot but that is me, stubborn. The redness you get is like a very very bad sunburn, the worse spot on me is my shoulder if you can believe that it is so red and hurts from my bra strap and seat belt. I am not being treated there anymore. After tomorrow they will just treat a smaller area, so I have till next Thursday or Friday, so I guess it will be almost 7 weeks after all. My skin could not have taken much more, some people get open soars and peeling and itching. I have been so blessed so far with no horrible side effects.

I have had some days I have felt nauseated even though the Doctor said I should not be, but it has not been everyday and only one time did I have to take something. I have heard some people do get nauseated, but it has not come back. It is different everyday it depends what I am doing and how much sleep I have gotten. I am almost done, I have a high tolerance for pain and I am a very patient person so that helps. This is not painful though only the redness in certain areas, but I can withstand knowing this is helping me I have to.

Time is passing quickly, even though it is a pain to go everyday except weekends, I do not make it something I dread to do. I go knowing this is going to cure me and I get to visit with some wonderful people everyday and meet others going through the same thing. Smiling and being happy makes life so much easier and I am greeted with smiles everyday so it makes me smile too!!! I have also been called "Sunshine" that really made me feel GREAT!

Have I done any good in the world today? I really try and I try to make others happy and stay positive too that makes me so very happy!

12th Radiation and Doctor's visit

I just got back a while ago from my appointments today. I would like to mention when I go into the building before I go back to the Radiation office I am greeted every morning also by Carrie and smiling Gracie who are just so sweet, there is Frances and Ada on that floor too, who have helped me so very much and are also the kindest ladies. There are the two Cathy's who help women with all these different programs, HONESTLY what a staff of remarkable people and all the wonderful people in my (Chemo) now Herceptin treatments, how fortunate I have been to be treated by these outstanding people and I truly do mean this from the bottom of my heart. They make going through this easy for me, I sometimes have to tell myself am I really doing all this.

My Doctor says everything is going really good, he tells me to do all my activities that it is good for me, and I told him, "Good, because I would be doing them anyway." I am very stubborn and you can not keep me down, I will go until I am laid to rest one day.ha. I am so grateful to be able to do all the things I enjoy doing again, you do not realize how just the simplest things we take for granite. Right now until I get through radiation I will have to pace myself a little more just until I get through this. But all is well!!!

Third Week of Radiation

This is my third week of radiation, and all is going well. I see the Radiation Doctor tomorrow, every Tuesday I see him to make sure everything is going good and if I am having any problems. They take X-rays every 5 days to check for positioning and every other day they put like this big square cold skin like thing it is called a boulus, but that brings the radiation beams to the surface areas and then without it, it will go deeper in, if that makes sense.
I am suppose to be feeling fatigued that is the worst of it, I do get tired but I just slow down a little. Between the Herceptin treatment, my five year pill and radiation, goodness all these can cause weakness and fatigue, but I think I am doing pretty good I try not to think or dwell on that to much and just pace myself until I am done with radiation.

I lead a very busy life and do not have time to be sick, I joke it takes a lot to slow me down so this is just temporary. You do not feel any pain or anything at all during radiation, they say they are so precise it only gets the area they are targeting and nothing else, radiation has really come a long way.

I have a wonderful Radiology Doctor who is very nice and caring, and all the staff is just so sweet they greet me each morning with a smile, Rachel, Anita, and Michelle. And my technicians Cat, Jennifer, Jeff, and Ineatta are so nice and fun to talk with. It is so crazy that I have met such wonderful people that have touched my life so and if it were not for me going through this I would not have known or met these people it is funny how life works. Then you can not imagine these people not being in your life, these things I know happen for a reason and my life is richer for having met all of these wonderful people and all the experiences I have had so far.

There will be lots of Doctor appointments over the next few years and they taper off by the fifth year its not as many they say. You have to remain positive always and not dwell on the "RECURRENCE" you have to be aware of signs that could be telling you something is not right, but not to constantly be thinking it is going to come back. I pray that mine will never come back but if it does I would just have to deal with it like everyone else and they get through it again. Of course none of us want it to come back and hopefully over the years they will find better cures.

I am waiting for the day when all my treatments are done, they will then run tests, and I want to hear the words YOU ARE CANCER FREE that is what I am looking forward to. I will probably volunteer at the cancer center one day when I am done with all this,

The prayers I have received and still do receive have given me strength beyond I could have ever imagined I amaze myself, you all have been so wonderful and caring how could anyone not recover from such support and love. I will always remember the wonderful feeling and comfort I have received from these prayers I have indeed become so strong our HEAVENLY FATHER hears our prayers and answers them. I am grateful for everyday I have, I do look at life differently now, do not take anything for granite!

Getting Ready for Radiation

This was such a crazy week and a very busy week. I went to my Oncologist appointment and talked with him about starting radiation then he sent me to the Radiologist downstairs to register. He gave me a prescription for my 5 year pills that will cost $400.00 a month, he did tell me to go downstairs and talk with one of the ladies that helps get the drugs reduced, so I pray that I will get excepted into this program because those are some very expensive pills, he said they are effective in helping prevent cancer from coming back.

The next day I had to get a heart test, echocardiogram because of my treatments with the Herceptin, it could possibly cause heart problems. I didn't hear anything from them so everything must be fine. The following day was my Herceptin appointment which they would not have let me do if something would have been wrong, so that was good.

The same day 30 minutes later I went to see the Radiologist and talked with him he explained what they were going to do and the side effects the most common one is fatigue but he said if I am active and are use to doing a lot of things it shouldn't be bad nothing like chemo anyway. He told me to do everything I was doing before, of course to use common sense and do not do something till your in pain or exhausted. That made me happy because I was doing it anyway!

Then came the fourth day Friday, by then I was tired of going to appointments, ha. Went to Radiologist again and got a CT Scan and positioned for Radiation, was getting nervous all over again about all this but I am better now. I know the Lord is watching over me and I feel a real comfort inside of me.

Next Wednesday the 26th I have more X-Rays and on Thursday the 27th I start my radiation everyday except weekends for up to 7 weeks at the longest may be 6 weeks not sure yet, The radiation treatment is really fast they say less than a minute so that is good, I will be so happy when I am done with this treatment!

I have endured this well so far and remain positive and happy and plan on living my life to the fullest and trying not to dwell on the "Recurrence" part of it, yet you have to be aware of your body and know when something is not right then you get it checked out right away.

This is a very scary thing to have but I truly rely on all the Prayers and Fasting, Priesthood Blessing and a lot of FAITH!!!! I know the Lord has a lot of work for me to do yet and I will not let him down and I Thank him everyday for my health and all that I have, and I can say "The LORD is on my side and onward I shall MARCH!!!!

I Love your prayers and encouragement they have helped me so much in getting through all of this. THANK YOU SO VERY VERY MUCH, I Love You All!!!!