August 2023 Update

It’s finally Summer in California!  This Summer is way better than last Summer, that’s for sure.  

 

June was busy with birthdays, Chris’s included, our friend’s wedding in Oak Glenn, a trip to Boise to visit my dad and Lynn for Father’s Day, and Chris had a nightmarish beginning trip to Denver for work for a few days, but ended well.

Paco (left), Vitaly (middle) aka “Vito” 🤣

July was spent with our most perfect trip to our favorite place, Maui!  We have waited 2 years for this trip.  Had amazing meals, got massages, met new friends, laid by the pool in a cabana each day, shopped and literally did nothing.  We never even made it down to the beach – which was fine considering we’ve been to Maui probably about 10 times.  It’s the most magical place, as soon as we step off the plane we are relaxed and ready for paradise.  Overall, life finally starting to feel normal again. 

 

Healthwise, I feel great! 

 

-       My weight is normalizing.  I still have some GI issues, chemo really wreaked havoc on my GI tract and colon.  

-       I see Dr. Vandermolen monthly and he continues to tell us things are great.  My tumor marker continues to fall every time we see him.  

-       We saw a Gynecological Oncologist the other week, Dr. Abaid.  She will do a full hysterectomy to remove my ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes in December.  This will be the last of any surgeries I have to prevent cancer; once that is over, I have reduced any risk of Breast Cancer or Ovarian Cancer to a very low minimum. It feels good to wrap things up.  The doctors told me I should do it before I turned 45, but as I’ve said before, cancer doesn’t know your age and Chris and I know for a fact we do not want children, so rather get it done sooner vs later – I don’t want anything lingering.  

-       I’ve been going to physical therapy weekly for my left arm, which is where the 2 lymph nodes were removed.  It’s probably going to be a 18-24 month process to get my arm in a place where I can fully extend it above my head, but it’s ok – it’s more like massage therapy than physical therapy, which feels nice and I’ve already seen progress.  Before starting I was at about a 45 degree angle, now I’m close to 60-65 degrees, so definitely progress being made.

-       My hair is growing and is just wild – it’s like Bozo the Clown when I don’t put a headband on or try to tame it.  I’m going in 2 weeks to get it trimmed so it’s more of a ‘style’ because it’s just getting out of hand.  It’s weird to think about getting a haircut when all I want is for my hair to grow, but I also need to look somewhat presentable!  The last time I had a haircut was when I cut my hair before chemotherapy began.  

 

I should be having a PET Scan in September or October.  It’s scary to think about, but I’m using my tools to not worry about the things that haven’t happened.  I’ll have PET Scans for the rest of my life, but I’m sure these first few for the next few years are always going to be scary since they say that IF your cancer is going to come back it’s within the first 5 years.  Will be sure to keep everyone posted there.  

 

Overall, just really happy!  Enjoying Summer, our house, baking and cooking again, working out and lots of walks.  Not a day goes by right now where I don’t think back to the struggles of last year, but the feelings I have today are pure pride, joy, happiness and love.  Forever grateful to be past the hard parts and to be alive.

 

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One last thing to share.  During treatment and surgeries, I kept quotes up around the house, reminding me to be strong and brave and that treatment was only temporary.  I’d look at them often to remind myself that I’d get my life back.  I also had my creed pasted on my closet and would read it to myself everyday – words are my love language and I needed those (amongst so many other things) to keep me going.

 

At the end of March, after everything was done and I was about 2 weeks post reconstructive surgery, I figured it was time to take everything down – to move past those words that got me through tough days and to build my next chapter.  

 

It was important to me to continue with my creed but re-phrase the words that got me through chemo and surgeries, I needed to redefine how I was going to live my life as a cancer survivor.  So, with that, my new creed now happily lives framed in my closet and I look at it often and am amazed at what I got through.

 

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I am a woman, a wife, a daughter, a grand-daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a niece, a cousin, a boss.

 

I am a warrior and member of multiple teams.

 

I serve myself, my husband, my family, my friends and all those I encounter.

 

I will always place the mission first.

 

I will never accept defeat.

 

I will never quit.

 

I will never let my strength go.

 

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, willing to learn and adapt to anything I encounter.

 

I will always maintain my gratitude and love for life.

 

I am a strong, proud cancer survivor.

 

I stand ready to fight off fear, uncertainty and anxiety for whatever comes my way.

 

I am the guardian of my life, and my husband, family and friends are here to cherish life with me.

 

I am a woman, a wife, a daughter, a grand-daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a niece, a cousin, a boss.