Its been a while since I blogged- ok a few weeks.  However I felt the need to go ahead and just write a little about how things were going.

The last 3 weeks I definitely decreased my activity level.  I think I told myself mentally I got the December half marathon out of the way and I deserved rest.  Plus I was into chemo #4 by then thinking more rest is better than none. We did get some sledding time in though with the snow!  So I wasn’t completely inactive.

But I chose to not do any running up until the day before chemo #5 and on that morning as well (I got 4 miles in Wednesday on the Biltmore Estate and 2 miles the next morning)

Treatment #5 was Thursday.  My sister wanted to get to one with me so she was my cheerleader.  So far, I found that this one has hit me the hardest and quickest with symptoms.  I’m hoping that means they disappear faster too!  Between the fogginess and fatigue… and tummy aches are a little more common.  My sister and I were trying to figure out what may be causing this since it doesn’t feel like typical nausea.  Perhaps GERD?  So I’m going to stay on my Ranitidine a little longer this go around and see if that helps.  Up until now I’ve ditched meds as quick as the symptoms disappeared just to avoid taking meds (I seriously hate taking pills or shots for that matter).

A nice little walk with my sister and mom

Nonetheless, as I sat in church this morning, my head slowly trying to focus, trying to keep awake (no offense to Josh or Stacey, this is truly day 3 Chemo brain)… wonderful friends surrounding me with hugs and love, and even another meal to take home.  And let me tell you that was an amazing meal.  I can’t wait until my brain is 100% so I can refocus on these wonderful people with my full attention!
I took a 2.5-3 hour nap on the couch this afternoon as well.  Sleep is not as amazing as it sounds though- the pressure points on my neuropathic feeling back and hips is painful for these few days as well.  But once I get into my sleep cycle, its amazing.

I have some amazing friends.  A lot of them.  But one specific set of friends had sent me some cards to read when I felt certain ways.  I had one that read ‘Read this when it feels like its all too much’… well I never feel like that.  I’m a pretty easy going person.  But this weekend just felt a little more overwhelming than most so I decided it was time to open this card.  It had the sweetest of blessings inside!  Great reminders of who really has my back through all this.  I haven’t questioned this, but its so good to see it in writing.

Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.”

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

So as I sit here tapping my fingers onto the keyboard, my nails are hitting hard.  Yes, my nails.  I have no hair, but my nails are strong as ever!  They haven’t been this strong since I was pregnant.  Apparently this happens to chemo patients.  I haven’t figured out why just yet, but after I end my chemo, they say my nails will probably fall off.  Yes, hair grows back slowly and nails crumple.  And I use my hands a lot for work, so this could get interesting.  So I got it on with my Jamberry Nails- another thanks to an amazing friend who sent them for me to try 🙂

I know I mentioned in a previous blog post that they couldn’t even find the tumor any more on Ultrasound… therefore the meds are targeting correctly and working!
The hard stuff will be over after 1 more treatment!  Praise God!
And I have yet to re-meet with my radiation or surgical oncologist, but my understanding is that the plan will be that I stay on the Herceptin infusions for another 6 months at least (I already have the 1st one scheduled for the end of February).  These should be quick in and out treatments with hopefully few to no side effects (no pre-meds either), but still could take up to 2 hours to receive due to the time the pharmacy takes to get the meds once I arrive.  The pharmacy won’t even bring the meds to the office until they know I’m there and ok to get them because of the cost- waste is not a good thing.

I will still have a lumpectomy- this will likely occur in March is my understanding.  I’m aiming for mid-March because I have another half-marathon I need to be ready for on March 10th… But my understanding is my recovery from this should be fast.  The anesthesia will be what keeps me home that day.  Otherwise, I can’t imagine this can be more painful or restricting than the enormous # of diagnostic exams that required extensive and painful poking and prodding… and I was back to work after every one of those days.

I should also have radiation treatments.  Details of how many and when are not set yet, but I’m assuming this could be the beginning of April before these start.  These would be quick 15-20 min appointments I’d have to attend almost daily from my understanding to sterilize the tumor area.  I hear these could range from leaving me feeling ok to feeling fatigued.  I guess we shall see how these go.

Back to that running another half marathon thing… I’m not going to lie, my legs feel like lead weights running now.  My speed is down by a solid 1.5min per mile slower than before, if not more.  But I’m determined to do the best I can.  I don’t see myself doing as well as I did at Kiawah- again one I’m just hoping to complete.  I’m not even sure how my training motivation is going.  Its getting harder these last few treatment cycles.  But I have 2 months to train… so there’s time!

Thank you for all of the amazing food we’ve had this weekend!  Continued prayers for my continued healing and moving forward through this.  It will be over soon.  Through Jesus I will conquer this and win this battle.  And prayers that it never returns!