Monday June 17, 2019

Yesterday marked 5 months since my chemo treatments started and it’s been almost three weeks since my chemo treatments ended. I haven’t written in awhile and I know some of you have been checking in on me and wondering how I’m doing, what’s been going on, and what’s next. I had some time tonight so I figured I’d do an update.

So how am I doing? I’m doing ok. Last week and the week before that, I kept myself pretty busy doing things that I hadn’t been able to do in quite sometime. Maybe too busy, but I was ok with that. It was refreshing to be awake and alert on a Friday night or up and out on a Saturday/Sunday  morning instead of sleeping the days away. I ran and played with my boys, went for walks, saw the beach twice, among some other fun things. The most important part was just spending quality time with all of my family, friends, and all the people I love the most, as often as I could.

My chemo was over, and at the time of it ending I had 4 weeks before surgery. The first of those weeks being no cancer related things at all, except for a support group meeting. I put it out of my mind untiI needed to remember again. The second chemo free week I had support group meetings, which I love going to, and a visit with my oncologist. Here we are at my third chemo free week and we are starting back up again. Appointments Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday is my pre admission testing at the hospital because my procedure is July 1st- exactly 2 weeks from today.

As much as I wanted to put cancer out of my mind for a bit, I found it hard to do so after awhile. At night is when it would, or still does hit me.  It’s not that I’m pushing myself at all, I’m just not sure of what I can handle so I try and if I’m tired or something hurts, I back down or stop completely. My sleeping is off again so I’m tired from not sleeping and just plain old tired again. 3-4 months of chemo, I was told it’s still in my body so I’ll still have side effects, though not as harsh anymore, and for as long as I received the treatments, it will take that amount of time for my body to start to become normal again. I still have bone pain, muscle aches, my fingers tingle especially after holding something in my hand for awhile, and other side effects that I’m just used to by now.

So I’m just biding my time, doing as much as my body allows, until July 1st. July 1st is my double mastectomy, lymph node testing, and expander placement.

Tomorrow I meet with my plastic surgeon to go over exactly what to expect in just 2 weeks from today.  I also go back to my oncologist this Wednesday and each time I go I do bloodwork first to check all of my numbers. So let’s keep hoping my numbers stay the way they need to be so that I can go on with this procedure July 1st and get these tumors out of me!

Thanks for thinking of me, checking in on me, and continuing to support me! :)

Michele
💗💪🏻🙏