The Pink Journey Foundation Spotlight - February 2024

 

We had the honor to share our story with The Pink Journey Foundation for the month of love, February!   Spotlight- Lauren and Chris Yerkes

In February we reflect on how love in our lives strengthens, guides, encourages, and provides that human need of being loved.  It doesn’t mean it will be easy or that we take it for granted,  as every day is a gift.  It is how we choose to live it,  hoping for many more days ahead, as if it is our last. The love story of Lauren and Chris Yerkes represents all of this and their journey through Lauren’s breast cancer treatment, together,  and are moving forward post treatment.

Lauren's creed I am a woman, a wife, a daughter, a granddaughter, 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 granddaughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a niece, a cousin, a boss.

The Power of love  and their fight to survive  Facts: Diagnosed on April 7, 2022 Age: 37 Family history: none Type of breast cancer: Triple Negative, Stage 2 Immunotherapy: 7 of 9 rounds of Keytruda (too weak to complete) Chemotherapy: 14 of 16 rounds (too weak to complete) Hyperbaric treatment: 30 rounds (due to nipple necrosis) Surgery: Bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction Side effects: Nausea, vomiting, ulcers, weakness Result of side effects: GI tube placement Gene disorder: BRCA 2 (gene testing) Surgery: Preventative hysterectomy Pros: Self-exam discovered a lump; later nipple discharge Persistent follow up with mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy Great insurance Great doctors, nurses Great family and friends support Cons: Shock, fear, life changing news Dr said, “You aren’t 40 yet, you don’t need to worry about breast cancer.” Under 40 Vomiting Loss of weight GI tube Ulcers Weakness (wheelchair bound during this phase) Unknown factors (what does a diagnosis of cancer bring to you) Cancer does not know your age In 2021 after Lauren found a lump in her breast followed with eventual nipple discharge, she went to her doctor and found she had a normal mammogram, normal ultrasound, and even with follow ups with these tests showing normal results.  During this four-month period, Lauren and Chris knew something wasn’t right. With Lauren’s persistence she insisted on further testing with a biopsy. This was after she was told, by a doctor, she was “too young” to have breast cancer.   The biopsy confirmed her suspicion that she had breast cancer. She was right!  She found out she had Stage 2 Triple Negative breast cancer which launced her into her cancer journey. The year 2022 was supposed to be a year of celebration for Lauren and Chris....milestones of their 10-year wedding anniversary, Chris' 40th birthday and their newly remodeled home along with visiting their favorite "go to" relaxing place, Maui. “I was raised in a family that accepted challenges and along with being in the military I learned that giving back, fighting for what’s right and not giving up was how we were going to get through this. Were we in shock and scared, yes, but we weren’t mad or sad, just that we had a fight on our hands and no money or time would deter our focus on conquering this through our optimism,” shared Chris. As the caretaker of someone going through breast cancer one takes on a different role than the patient. It is not always the easiest role to manage. Loving someone prior to any true health challenge takes on a new meaning and puts you to the test of what that commitment is to that person crossing over to a health diagnosis.  Some marriages are challenged by a cancer diagnosis, some end in divorce or are changed forever in a way that is unexpected. Chris, being the co-survivor had a different role to play in their cancer story. For him it only made his love for Lauren even stronger. To see Lauren go through the challenges and struggles of cancer were heart wrenching and painful. Both knew their marriage commitment would withstand this battle no matter what it brought.  Lauren had her own thoughts, “Initially we cried and hugged each other, Chris called our family and friends to give the news in hopes of finding support, comfort, and advice on our next steps. All I could think was people die from this and I’m not going to make it to Christmas. I was only 37! I needed to live; to live for myself, for Chris, for my family and friends. Chris was my biggest source of encouragement. We have plans to grow old together and we were not going to let cancer get in the way of that,” said Lauren. “Before breast cancer (bc) we never thought about a serious health diagnosis, we have a large family and many friends whom we spent time with and shared wonderful memories. But we were too young to worry about anything beyond enjoying our lives,” Chris and Lauren said together. Leaning on the doctors and cancer team to do their magic and move Lauren through her bc journey became their focus. Trying to maintain a sense of normalcy by continuing to work became a challenge for both Chris and Lauren.  “My company was wonderful, but I realized my self-care was important and I had to move my energy to overcoming the many ups and downs in this journey,” said Lauren. Chris supported Lauren by attending appointments with her, caretaking her medical needs, balancing work and family needs. This all jumped to the top of the priority list for him. Their daily routine quickly changed to treatment plans, scans, surgeries, and doctor appointments. Normal conversations went from planning family events and vacations to talking to those who have walked in their steps and hoping to find comfort in their knowledge.  Questions ran through their minds…with so much technological advancements in medicine why were so many institutions focused on the magical age of 40 for mammograms? Gene testing is still not utilized as a normal routine testing for women getting mammograms. Lauren had gene testing to find out she is a BRCA 2 carrier. “If we knew that Lauren was going to develop breast cancer years ago, we could have taken the necessary steps to get ahead of the breast cancer diagnosis…..vs Lauren having to be her own advocate and fight to get the scans, tests, and treatment she needed,” shared Chris. We are learning that many women are being diagnosed with breast cancer  under the age of 40. Yet many national organization guidelines, including American Cancer Society, suggest starting annual mammograms at this age, 40. American Cancer Society Recommendations for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer Lauren’s cancer journey was one tough battle. It included chemotherapy, immunotherapy, bilateral mastectomy, breast reconstruction, a GI tube, many days of sickness due to her lack of strength and ability to keep food down, time in a wheelchair, a hysterectomy….all of which threw her in to menopause in a very short period of time which normally occurs over a 10-year period….all before she was 40! Fast forward (and no disrespect to the process in getting there) Lauren and Chris have pure gratitude to the doctors, the medicine and research, the nurses, their family and friends all who supported and contributed to Lauren’s cure.  Celebrating………. In October, Lauren gathered her friends and family to support her participation in the American Cancer Society Breast Cancer walk. The year before Lauren was in a wheelchair and unable to participate, this year she walked, and she raised over $10,000 to provide support and hope to others.  Redefining how Lauren was going to live her life as a cancer survivor and Chris as a co-survivor became their focus. Being on the other side of their cancer journey; helping others as they begin their cancer story is part of what Lauren and Chris want to do to pay it forward. Not a day goes by where they don’t think back to the struggles and the unknown, but the feelings of pure pride, joy, happiness, and love move past the hard parts. Sharing their story in a blog has allowed them to inform their family and friends and hopefully educate those who may be newly diagnosed.  They call it: The Lessons We Learned as Husband and Wife.   Blogging became a therapeutic outlet for both, they wanted to share a step-by-step process through their cancer journey, turning it into a book someday. Lauren’s words of wisdom include, “It’s going to be okay; you don’t know everyone’s outcome, tomorrow is not guaranteed. Don’t try and control it, have trust and faith in those around you…family, friends, and medical staff.” Through the blog posts, they have engaged with others on their cancer journey and continue to focus on making a difference on their progress. “If we can help one person, we have made a difference,” shared Chris.    New normal post cancer diagnosis Some days it hits Lauren hard and everything that has happened to her catches up to her and she must take a minute to talk it out, cry it out or write about it. For Lauren the old “me” is gone, it has all changed. It is the fear that comes, the anger, and the crying goes on and on, but she continues to find something that brings it back to a place of optimism, a silver lining that helps her to keep moving forward. “Life is getting back to ‘normal’ or the ‘new normal. This includes constantly seeing doctors, scans, blood work, etc. but we are okay with it, as long as the news is good, and it has been. I am stronger than I ever thought I would be and much braver than I ever wished to be…my husband, family and friends were right beside me the entire way. I’m finally able to think about the things I miss and grieve the loss of the things I know will never come back or won’t come back in the same way. I hate the grief, but it helps with the growth, so I take it in stride.” reflects Lauren. November marked a few milestones for Lauren and Chris…they celebrated their 11-year wedding anniversary, one year from Lauren’s bilateral mastectomy and ONE YEAR BEING CANCER FREE!A perfect month to celebrate the many things to be “thankful” for on their journey. Lauren and Chris smiled and passed a look to each other that only their bond and love story understands, sharing that they are “dedicated to each other, that patience truly is a virtue, that acceptance is imperative to keep moving forward, that pride goes beyond the things you own, and that appreciation is the greatest gift when it comes to the life you get to live as a husband and wife.  You can read more about Lauren and Chris' story in their blog here: Lauren and Chris Yerkes cancer journey blog

Lauren and Chris met over 23 years ago (married over 12 of these years) and through many events in their life together took this life-threatening challenge on with the commitment of ..."from this day forward, for better for worse...in sickness and in health, to love and cherish always..."  2022 was supposed to be a year of celebration for Lauren and Chris-normalcy took on a new look! Family events, vacations, and "normal" routines were quickly replaced with doctor appointments, scans, treatment, surgeries, and so much more! “I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the old me. Cancer comes quick and it gives you no time to mourn the loss of what you have; the only thing you can do is focus on staying alive,” says Lauren. Support comes in many forms....Chris didn't have to do much to mirror Lauren's hair loss!  "We had a fight on our hands and no money or time would deter our focus on conquering through this with optimism," shared Chris. “Life is okay and I’m going to be okay and it’s my time to live happily ever after-so grief and worries, step aside-I’ve got a lot of love to give. I am alive, I am healthy, and I am living,” expressed Lauren.  Chris and Lauren are on the other side of cancer and are paying it forward by sharing their story on their blog as well as getting back to the "new normal" by visiting family and favorite vacation spots once again.  "We are going to grow old together!" Embracing the Journey- In shadows cast by doubt and fear,  A glimmer of hope begins to appear. Through battles fought and tears we've shed,  We find strength to face what lies ahead. The journey's path may seem unclear, But united, we'll overcome, my dear. With love and support, hand in hand, We'll navigate this foreign land. Together, we'll embrace the fight, Illuminating darkness with our might. With hope as our compass, we'll find our way,  Conquering breast cancer day by day. -Unknown

Next month we will follow Lauren and Chris and their continued outreach to various executives at health insurance companies and government agencies asking them to require that genetic testing be done, or offered, at a woman's annual physical.

January 2024 Update

Hi everyone, since this is the first update in our blog for 2024, Lauren and I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year!  We hope everyone had a great holiday. 

So, there has been a good deal of time since the last 100% pure Chris post, so I thought I would take the reins of this one, giving Lauren a night off.  First thing first, medical updates.  

 

Two weeks ago, Lauren had her one-month post hysterectomy follow up appointment with Dr. Abaid. Nothing we didn’t expect already as the results came back negative for any kind of cancerous cells. Lauren’s BRCA2 gene puts her in the higher risk for ovarian cancer, so it only made sense to reduce her chances by the means of a full hysterectomy.  Chemotherapy placed Lauren into menopause, so as odd as this may sound, her reproductive organs would have served us no purpose other than the risk of giving her cancer down the road, and we did not want to go down that road again, ever.

 

Lauren has done absolutely well post hysterectomy, her scars have practically healed, and her “second” bellybutton from the feeding tube, used as an entry way for the surgical procedure has also healed to a mere cat-scratch like scar; if you know our cat Zoey, you will understand.  

 

Dr. Abaid has cleared Lauren for flying, which is great because we plan on traveling soon to Coeur d’Alene for Lauren’s first visit to our second home.  I’m more than ecstatic because there is a boat load of snow up there and our driveway and entry way need to be shoveled out.  Going to put Lauren’s newfound strength to work, not to mention we have furniture to assemble.

 

If this really happens, I will show photographic evidence.

 

Life is getting back to “normal”, or the “new normal” of forever constantly seeing doctors, scans, blood work, etc. but we are okay with it, as long as the news is good, and it has been.  The ebbs and flow of work, family, and everything else, seem to almost be like it was pre-covid craziness, and you know, I am okay with it.  This all leads me to the next section of this posting that has put our life into perspective.

 

In one of the many posts of our blog, I think we mentioned that 1/8 women will develop breast cancer, and as staggering as that statistic may be, it’s worse in Orange County, 1/7 women.  We are both starting to see some articles being written that the 1/8 number might even be a bit low and it might be somewhere between 1/6 to 1/7 women and overall cancer rates in young adults is rising.  What in the hell is going on?  With all the technological advancements in medicine that have been available to the masses for many years, our medical providers, major insurance carriers, and bureaucrats in DC and at the state level all seem to be fixated on the magical age of 40.  Cancer does not care what age you are and it sure as hell doesn’t develop or metastasize at 40.  Gene testing or cancer screening is a drop in the bucket for insurance carriers vs. having to pay out for treatment when the diagnosis has already been assumed.  I can say that if we knew that Lauren was going to develop breast cancer years ago, we could have taken the necessary steps to get ahead of it versus Lauren having to be her own advocate and fight to get the scans, tests and the treatment needed, plus not to mention the $1.5 million dollars billed to insurance.  Truly asinine.  

 

Last week, Lauren wrote an amazing email to more than 30 people including CEOs of major insurance carriers, the California State department of Health and Human Services, local government representatives and federal government representatives with a handful of email bounce backs.  Of all the people we emailed, only one person responded to Lauren, and that person wasn’t even on the original email chain.  Again, truly asinine.  We will post the outgoing email in a few days and the response from the individual with their information redacted for privacy reasons.

 

The last part of this email is about a colleague of Lauren who has recently been diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.  For the sake of keeping her identity private, I will refer to this person as Jane.  Lauren and Jane have been in contact with each other since the initial diagnosis being that Jane’s cancer is similar to Lauren’s, however the difference being the cancer receptors of Jane’s cancer is slightly different than Lauren’s.   As shitty as it is for Jane, and we 100% know every single feeling and emotion Jane and her husband are going through, it is one of the strangest feelings hearing her go through every single step of the diagnosis and treatment process as it still lives vividly in my mind, each step, day by day.  I am so grateful that Lauren can be there for Jane if needed, and it’s great that Jane has reached out to Lauren with some questions since it’s still so fresh for us. 

 

Jane, if you read this, know that we are here for you whenever you need us, and for anyone who has questions.

 

More to come, and here’s to 2024!

 

Chris 

 

Friday, December 1, 2023.

It’s not always sunshine and rainbows over here.  I am still so incredibly happy with my life and where we are at post treatment and surgeries, but some days (they are fewer than they were during treatment) something hits me and everything that has happened catches up to me and I have to take a minute to talk it out, cry it out, and write it out.  

 

One of those days got me this past week.  Like I said, I don’t get those days often, but when they come, they hit hard – the fear comes, the anger comes, the crying goes on and on - but I always find something that brings it back to a place of optimism, that silver lining that helps to bring me back to continuing to move forward.

 

First, grief.  Grief that the old me is gone – how I felt, what I could do, what my mind could do, what my body could do – it’s all changed.  A lot of the old me has come back, but there are still things that have not come back or will never come back, and I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to those things.  Cancer comes quick and it gives you no time to mourn the loss of what you have; the only thing you can do is focus on staying alive.  Now that most of me has come back, I feel like I’m finally able to think about the things I miss and grieve the loss of the things I know will never come back or won’t come back in the same way.  I hate the grief, but it helps with the growth so I take it in strides.

 

Second, worries.  It’s hard not to worry.  As much as I know I am never guaranteed a tomorrow (and really no one is), the worry of cancer coming back doesn’t go away.  It’s with me every day, some days it’s very vocal, other days its dull or non-existent.  It reminds me of those red do not touch signs you’d see as a kid at a store that had pretty/expensive breakable things and all you wanted to do was touch what you weren’t supposed to touch, and one day you’d touch it because it just was staring at you and you couldn't resist any longer, but then you are in big trouble.  I feel like some days there is this ‘do not touch’ sign on me and no one touches it because it says not to, but what if one day there’s that ‘kid’ that comes up to you and touches it?  Then you know, you are in trouble.  I feel like I’m that shiny object at a store with the ‘do not touch’ sign on me wishing and hoping that no kid comes up and touches my sign.  Of course, this is just an analogy, but it’s always there, this worry gets bigger and smaller depending on how the day/week/month is going.  I know that feeling will become smaller and smaller, and that do not touch sign will get smaller and smaller, but I just wish it wasn’t there at all.  I can't wait until it doesn't exist and the store (me) is filled with everything you can touch.

 

Third, love.  Marriage is so rewarding and fulfilling.  It’s one of my proudest accomplishments, as an individual and for us as a couple.  Through the feelings of grief and worries, there is this deep love that hits and reminds me how much I love.  Love for this incredible man who has been by my side for 22 years runs far and wide.  Love that I never want to go away, that I want to tell everyone about because it’s the best feeling in the world and that I squeeze Chris's hand for when it comes crashing down on me.  I could tell him I love him over and over every day, which I do, but some days the feeling grows bigger and I love the fact that after 22 years it continues to grow in new ways.  This week brought those big love feelings on top of grief and worry - balance they say is key, right?

 

So all of that grief, all of those worries and all of that love made for a week that felt bigger than others, but ultimately it’s okay because I am okay – I am alive, I am healthy and I am living.  Plus, to wrap the week up strongly, I went to training this morning and I have graduated from 5lbs (I know, sounds small) to 8lbs (and up pretty close to 10lbs) on my left arm – the arm that can barely extend 180 degrees since surgeries and is what I am still going to physical therapy for.  It’s progress and time and patience and I am so grateful that I get to work towards creating those milestones.  And the fact that one of my friends at the gym told me my butt was back to where it was before cancer was the cherry on top of my graduation in weights!

 

Life is okay and I’m going to be okay and it’s my time to live happily ever after – so grief and worries, step aside – I’ve got a lot of love to give.

XO,

Lauren

 

 

October 27 Updates - Good Stuff!

October 27, 2023

 

Well, a few things have happened since we last updated the blog at the end of August.  All GREAT things!!

 

The beginning of September we got to travel to my step-brothers wedding in Coeur d’ Alene (CDA), Idaho.  We fell in love with CDA and will be back (and maybe even buying some property out there before you know it!).  From CDA we drove to Missoula & Kalispell, Montana for 2nd home exploration and just to visit.  It was beautiful and we’ll definitely go back and visit.  We came home and unfortunately got COVID for the first time.  We haven’t been sick in a few years and were especially careful last year due to my weakened immune system.  Luckily our symptoms weren’t too badand we finally tested negative after 10 days!

 

September 25th, I had my 2nd PET Scan since surgery last November.  It went well and was smooth, but the anxiousness and waiting for the results is daunting.  Hoag got a new machine this year and it was faster than previous tests and much smoother, so it made the process much easier and more relaxing.  Hoag is so wonderful and the technician gave us such positive feedback about Dr. Vandermolen and kept telling us how lucky we were to get in with him, we couldn’t agree more.  It’s amazing to hear from so many people that my care is in such good hands.  

September 26th we celebrated one year being done with chemotherapy.  Even though last year was so exciting to be done, things progressively got worse following treatment.  This year we got to really celebrate being done and being away from such a tough period.

 

October 5th we took a quick trip up to Napa for the evening and joined a dinner with Danika Patrick and her wine label, Somnium.  Chris and I are fans of her rose, it’s very good – but more than that, Chris is just a fan of her!  It was nice to get up there and make a quick trip and enjoy a night away.

 

October 9th we met with Dr. Vandermolen and got the results of myPET Scan.  It was CLEAR!!  What a sigh of relief it was to hear those words from him.  We high fived and Dr. Vandermolen joined in with a handshake.  If you could meet him, he’s so kind and thoughtful and we always enjoy trying to make him laugh or smile, so we were excited by the handshake – we felt like he was just as proud and excited as we were!

 

October 12th – 15th, I went back to Napa with my dad and sister for a long weekend away.  It was the first ‘daddy-daughter trip’ we’ve done and was a great trip! Plus it was fun for my dad and I to take my sister around Napa for the first time! 

 

October 22nd, we got to celebrate the American Cancer Society Breast Cancer walk in Costa Mesa.  This was HUGE for us.  Last year, I was in a wheelchair and so weak.  It was extremely rewarding on so many levels to be there and celebrate with family & friends.  I don’t know if people could tell how happy we were, but that day marked a huge triumph in our story.  We got to reflect on everything we went through and share our story with so many people.  I was asked to be the guest speaker prior to the walk – shared my story, everything I went through and where I’m at now.  On top of that I did 2 interviews with CBS News. (See it below, 0:55 in!)  It’s funny how these types of things would make me so nervous in the past and I had no fears, I was so proud and excited to share my story that it was easy to talk.  I’m pretty sure my parents and Chris’s parents have shown the video to everyone from their neighbors to the lady at the grocery story!  I was able to raise just over $10,000 this year and I can’t even begin to thank everyone for all of their support here.  It means the world to me that you supported breast cancer and more importantly that you supported me!

 

October 25th, I met with Dr. Guerra, my plastic surgeon for a 1 year post double mastectomy check up.  She said things were looking great and I’ll have another check up in 6 months.  They basically want to continue to monitor to ensure I am healing properly.  2 years post surgery I will have an MRI to get a baseline average of how my body has responded.  

 

We have 3 big milestones coming up in the next few weeks with lots to celebrate!  First, our 11 year wedding anniversary is November 3.  Last year we were in the hospital because I had my feeding tube placed – this year will be much different and a hell of a lot better!  Now I wait to see what Chris has planned for us – hehe.  November 7th marks 1 year from my double mastectomy.  Just as a reminder of the number 7 for us…I was diagnosed April 7th, I had my double mastectomy November 7th – it is 7 months between those 2 dates, so 777 has become very significant to us.  November 11th marks 1 YEAR BEING CANCER FREE!! 11.11.22 – another number significance….11 + 11 = 22.  We are number people, if you can’t tell!  So all in all, lots to celebrate, lots to be thankful for as we approach this Thanksgiving and lots to cherish.  

 

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and we’ll be sure to update again soon!  All our love!

 

Lauren

Save the Date - October 22, Cancer Walk

 OCTOBER 22, SAVE THE DATE!  

American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Walk in Orange County, CA

 

Last year was extra special, we couldn’t stop smiling (inside & out) as we were surrounded by all our family and friends while Lauren sat in a wheelchair and was pushed around. Lauren felt so weak and sick, but the smile made all those things feel small for that short period of time – she was done with chemo, getting close to her double mastectomy and had entered a new phase in our cancer story.

 

This year we meet again and we are so excited for October 22.  First, Lauren gets to walk this year!!! Second, it makes us smile knowing that we did it and we are on the other side and can help other people as they embark on this horrible disease. Third, we get to see all our family & friends; to have everyone around us during this day makes it extra special.  

 

So, if you can, please join us again this year (and all the years to come) as we walk the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer walk to raise critical funds for breast cancer research.  Details to come in September.  For now, if you’d like to donate, please donate to Lauren’s page, here.  

 

We hope to see you there!

 

XO,

Chris & Lauren

Breast Cancer Walk 2022

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.

 

--

 

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.

 

 

May 24, 2023 Update

May 24, 2023

Status update – doing great!

 

The past 6 weeks has been busy for Chris and I, but full of so much life.  We’ve been able to spend time with each other and our families and friends.  Adventuring to new restaurants, small trips to celebrate my birthday and attend REVOLVEfestival last month, enjoying bike rides and lots of walks.  Updates get harder to talk about as we get further away from surgeries, treatments, doctors visits which is all great, it’s also weird to not still provide progress in regards to how things are going as we still want to share the entire process, over years, for whoever may be in our shoes in the future.

 

So with that, here are some health updates:

1.     I’m recovering well from my reconstructive surgery.  I saw Dr. Ng on Tuesday for a 2 month post op visit.  She said I am healing nicely and that I won’t need to see her again until 1 year post surgery!  Not going to the doctor is great but also still a little weird for me.  I’m happy I am not going to doctors appointments multiple times a week but in the back of my head I also want to go on a regular cadence to make sure everything is all good – it’s a little bit of a mind fuck to be honest and will take time to recognize it’s all good and it continues to mean I’m healing.  Dr. Ng suggested that I get physical therapy, which is really what I was hoping for.  The arm extension in my left arm/shoulder has been a struggle.  The right arm can fully extend to the sky, but the left arm gets to about a 45 degree angle.  Prior to reconstructive surgery my left arm was at about an 80 degree angle and I had worked really hard to get it back to that place post mastectomy.  The reconstructive surgery has pushed me back and its not recovering as quickly as it should considering reconstructive surgery was much easier.  So I’ll start physical therapy as soon as I can.  The one thing that came out of my visit with Dr. Ng is that I should really avoid laying on my stomach and in particular should avoid pressure being applied to my chest.  So, I asked…can I ever get a massage….the answer is, no, not unless I’m sitting up.  Basically the skin between my implants and my chest is so thin (because they removed all breast tissue) that there is concern that blood could not flow properly and that I could injure myself creating internal problems.  So, with that said, I’ll need to be cautious with pressure on my chest for the rest of my life – which is totally ok just a bummer that I won’t be able to fall asleep to a relaxing massage!  The future of my appointments with Dr. Ng will involve annual check ups but additionally they will do yearly MRI’s to ensure everything internally is still aligned.

2.     I saw Dr. Vandermolen earlier this month. He checked my blood work as they do each month and for the first time since before treatment, my numbers were within range!  This was a win for me – I had been monitoring my white blood count and red blood count a lot since treatment ended and it fluctuated so much each month that prior to surgeries I was very cautious (per doctors orders) to stay clear of anyone who was sick.   Granted my numbers could shift again, but we take the wins and continue to hold onto them.  The best part of the visit was that Dr. Vandermolen looked at Chris and told him, I’m doing great!  It made us both smile and to get his confirmation just puts our minds at ease.  Dr. Vandermolen is our guiding light, we trust him with my life.

3.     I’ve had some colon issues the past 6 weeks or so.  Started to work with our PCP to get some blood work and stool testing done.  The testing all came back normal with some weird nuances – will explain in a bit.  So next steps were to reach out to Dr. Quist, my GI doctor, to determine what else we could do.  He scheduled me for a colonoscopy – if you haven’t had one, wowzers – 24 pills and 128oz of water over the course of 8 hours sure does add up!  And then of course the aftermath of all of that is super fun – we’ll just say I spent a lot of time in the bathroom that day.  Dr. Quist conducted the colonoscopy and immediately told us there were no polyps or cancer – we assumed this would be the news, but of course it was still nice to hear.  A week or so later we were given the biopsy results from the colonoscopy – again, all clear!  So, what the heck is going on – we still don’t know.  But as I mentioned, some of the testing I had done with our PCP added some additional context, but still leaves some continued monitoring.  

a.     One of the tests was a food allergy test.  The results are graded 1-5 with 5 being the highest level of allergy – all of my scores were 4-5, so basically it concluded that I am allergic to everything, and the results said I should be on a strict diet of….1 coffee bean, 1 green bean and 4oz of chicken / day.  Well, this is definitely not sustainable, so the conclusion is to monitor my foods (I’ve started a daily food log) to see what causes any issues, keep eating how I have been and check again in 6 months.  The interesting thing is that our PCP spoke to a specialist from the lab and they mentioned that 1) the case of someone being allergic in the grades of 4-5 is very rare, he’s seen it happen to about 10 – 15 people.  But, 2) he also said that chemotherapy and immunotherapy could have disrupted my gut so much that it’s causing a false read, hence the reason they want to check again in a few months.  

4.     Menopause.  Prior to treatment Dr. Vandermolen asked us if we wanted to freeze any eggs because chemotherapy would put me into peri-menopause.  Considering Chris and I didn’t want to have kids, we were comfortable with the outcome (and honestly were happy that this solidified the fact that we wouldn’t be having kids)!  Over the course of treatment and even to today, I’ve continued to have hot flashes and have not had a period.  I was curious if I was still in the peri-menopause phase and if I’d ever get a period again.  So, I had our PCP do some hormone testing.  It concluded that I am actually in post-menopause!  So, I basically went through peri-menopause and menopause in a year and am now post-menopausal with hot flashes and no additional side effects.  Granted I’ll be in post-menopause for the rest of my life and still could experience the side effects of menopause, but my body basically went through a ~10 year process in one year – pretty wild.  

 

All in all those are the updates for now.  Continuing to see Dr. Vandermolen monthly for blood work and check ups and will have my next PET Scan in Fall, a GI post feeding tube removal in July and a follow up with Dr. Guerra, one year post mastectomy in November.  The monitoring is in full effect and we will gladly take it!!  

All our best and lots of love, Chris & Lauren

 

April 7, 2023 - One Year Later

April 7 (10:51am to be exact), marks one year from my diagnosis.  

I’ve been pretty emotional the past week or so as today was fast approaching.  It’s been an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and pride, but on the flip side the fears and anxiety of the day of my diagnosis are resurfacing and I’m reminded of how scared we were. I think back to that day and hate that the first thing that came to my mind when the Radiologist told me I had cancer was that I wouldn’t make it to the holidays or my next birthday, my mind went to the worst possible scenario when we heard the news.  Now I know, I am stronger than I ever thought I was and so much braver than I ever wished to be and what is even more impactful, is that my husband, family and friends were right beside me the entire way.

 

As we look back at the past few years (beyond just 2022) we recognize that we’ve had some really tough years. When you search for the hardest things in life, you’ll find 5 events.  A serious illness, death of a loved one, moving, losing a job, and divorce.  Hitting 3 of the 5 hardest things in life in the span of 4 years really added up.  To take it back a bit as we continue to embrace 2023, here goes what started the lead up to 2022.

 

It began in 2019 when we sold our first home in Buena Park and bought a home in Seal Beach…hit our first hard life event, moving.  We love our house in Seal Beach, but buying/selling a home at the same time is stressful and moving is just the pits.  About 2 weeks into moving to Seal Beach my grandpa passed away, he was truly one of the best guys we had the opportunity to know and be loved by….we hit our second hard life event…death of a loved one. We talk about him often and I talked to him every night while going through chemo asking him to take care of me and our family.  Then COVID (most people’s first pandemic) hit in 2020 and it changed the world and how not only we did things but how we all had to adapt (side note, shouldn’t this be a hard life event?!).  2021 rolls around and we begin construction on our house.  This adventure was supposed to take 4 months and ended up taking 8 months, again moving twice in that 8 month span since we had to move out for construction.  Hard life event…moving, yet again.  We lived at Chris’s Uncles rental house during this time and we were able to spend so much time with him that it made a temporary home fun.  After settling into our house, one month post construction - March 5, 2022 we moved back home, BAM, we are told I had Stage 2 Breast Cancer.  Treatments, scans, surgeries, and doctors’ appointments started to pile up. Third life event, a serious illness.  All 3 events came at us in what feels like multiple slaps in the face in a short amount of time, despite it being over the course of 4 years.  We had no break. Not that any of this contributed to my cancer (since I am a BRACA carrier it was highly likely for me to be diagnosed), but 2022 was supposed to be our year to go on more vacations, get out in the world again, celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary, Chris’s 40^th birthday and really enjoy our newly remodeled home.  It was taken away from us for yet another year.  As we look back on the past 4 years there were a lot of really high highs but even bigger lows.  Through it all, we would change nothing about the past 4 years. Granted we’d want my grandpa to be alive, but we often talk about how worried he would have been to experience COVID and my cancer diagnosis. 2021/early 2022 brought us a home that we love and makes us feel calm and comforted.  

 

Fast forward to April 2022 and the remainder of the year that brought us so much pain and towards the end, pure gratitude for the end result.  The doctors, the medicine and research, the nurses, our family and friends – all contributed to curing me of cancer.  We think back and we would not have changed a thing about 2022 and how we approached our journey. We would have liked things to have been smoother towards the end, but there was nothing we could do about it, we weren’t in control.  We know we fought, and we fought REALLY hard. And as we share our story and meet new people, we find comfort in talking to those that have walked in our shoes, it has helped to heal our minds and heart and feel understood.

 

Today will always be a day that we celebrate going forward.  Celebrate the challenges we overcame, the lessons we learned and the life that we get to live.  Cheers to us, to life, to health, to happiness and to you.  

 

All our love, Chris & Lauren