Happy Spring Everyone!
Well I will keep this as short as possible and put as much info as I can, I know y'all are busy folks!
So on 3/17 I had surgery to remove the remainder of the tumor and surrounding lymph nodes in the region. While there the plastic surgeon revised my reconstruction with new implants and fixed a scar and other things that were HORRIBLE. I feel better about my look now. The pathology report from surgery said that all cancer is gone, the chemo did what it was supposed to do and showed only scaring where the chemo killed all the cancer cells. So now I'm officially CANCER FREE!!! I have been off work a couple weeks and had a follow up with all my doctors who gave great reports and that I am healing very well. I have to be off work 2 more weeks due to limited range of motion in my left arm. I still can't drive, my surgeon says that I need to be able to "jerk the wheel to avoid these Dallas drivers" her words not mine! LOL
The next step is radiation therapy, I haven't seen the radiation oncologist yet but in a few weeks I should start.
So, now I'm sitting at home trying to find things to do because I'm starting to get really bored being at home. My next appt is 4/18 and I will hopefully be released back into the wild again.
That's all I got for now, I'm doing well and looking forward to finally living my life again. Starting to make plans to go on a world tour soon, look out for dates when I will be in a city near you! LOL
Thanks to all for the prayers, cards and well wishes. The text and FB messages are always welcomed and make me smile.
God is Good and His Mercy Endures forever!!!!
Smooches!
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Thursday, February 25, 2016
LAST CHEMO!!!!!! WHOOOOHOOOO!!!!!
Hello all my Peeps! First I want to thank you all for keeping up with me and praying and sending me inspiring messages and such. Also, thank all of you who have supported my Go Fund Me account, it has provided me the opportunity to decrease my medical bills substantially! Now to the info!
I had my LAST CHEMO TREATMENT on 2/10/16!!!!!! That was a great thing and it was the worst thing. I had to go back the day after to have iron infusion and fluids plus my Neulasta shot so some numbers were down but as for the tumor it was good. It was the worst in side effects, couldn't eat, constant pain, and just miserable all around. I was out of work for a week and I felt like crap all 7 days I was out! It's been about 2 weeks after and I am just now getting back to myself. Still some fatigue issues but all in all I'm on the upswing! Still having neuropathy in my hands and feet, most of the pain comes in my feet. I am anxious to start doing fun things in Dallas so those in the DFW, I'm ready for invites! LOL
The day before my chemo, I had an appointment with my surgeon in which she had scheduled surgery for March 17th, St. Paddy's Day (no green beer for me!) and I should expect to be out of work for 2-3 weeks. The surgery will be to remove the tumor (or where the marker is because it is pretty much gone and clean margins plus an axillary dissection of the the lymph node that the tumor was right next to. I had to have an MRI yesterday at the surgeon's request to make sure she was seeing everything she needed to see. I will see her again on March 1st (Super Tuesday, don't forget to vote those of you who are in those states) and we will further discuss her plan. I will also have my port removed during this surgery and the plastic surgeon will be present in case she has to go into the pocket where my implants are and they will have a new one on hand in case something happens to the old one. I also talked him into cleaning up something that I didn't like from the other surgery! Hey as long as I'm there, may as well get something I want out of this!
So I got a new wig that is short but I love it and have gotten several compliments on. I guess my collection is complete, well, until I find that Beyonce' Formation wig I want! LOL
In all honesty, I have been rocking some headwraps and hats a lot lately, and as soon as there is enough hair on my head to look like I have a baby caesar cut I will be wigless and wrapless! LOL
I want to thank God for allowing my Grandmother Lillie Mae Leggett to see 106 years on 2/14/16, although I wasn't well enough to attend the celebration I know it was wonderful. I look forward to being able to attend her 107th! This little lady just keeps on going and we love her!
And as always I want to thank my mother for always being here to take care of me, leaving her home to be with me in mine! And this time she brought my Grandma with her, I enjoyed both of them but I know my Grandma is happy to be home so that she can "doodle" around her house, there wasn't enough stuff to do in my house and she can't just sit an relax.....probably because she will fall asleep! LOL
Sorry for the delay in the update, my computer died last week and well, let's just say I'm working on it!
Again thanks to you all for keeping up with my "Saga" and I hope all is well with each and every one of you. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families affected by the storms in the south and east coast, wait, the midwest snow and....aww heck the whole country, El Nino is wrecking havioc on us all!
I had my LAST CHEMO TREATMENT on 2/10/16!!!!!! That was a great thing and it was the worst thing. I had to go back the day after to have iron infusion and fluids plus my Neulasta shot so some numbers were down but as for the tumor it was good. It was the worst in side effects, couldn't eat, constant pain, and just miserable all around. I was out of work for a week and I felt like crap all 7 days I was out! It's been about 2 weeks after and I am just now getting back to myself. Still some fatigue issues but all in all I'm on the upswing! Still having neuropathy in my hands and feet, most of the pain comes in my feet. I am anxious to start doing fun things in Dallas so those in the DFW, I'm ready for invites! LOL
The day before my chemo, I had an appointment with my surgeon in which she had scheduled surgery for March 17th, St. Paddy's Day (no green beer for me!) and I should expect to be out of work for 2-3 weeks. The surgery will be to remove the tumor (or where the marker is because it is pretty much gone and clean margins plus an axillary dissection of the the lymph node that the tumor was right next to. I had to have an MRI yesterday at the surgeon's request to make sure she was seeing everything she needed to see. I will see her again on March 1st (Super Tuesday, don't forget to vote those of you who are in those states) and we will further discuss her plan. I will also have my port removed during this surgery and the plastic surgeon will be present in case she has to go into the pocket where my implants are and they will have a new one on hand in case something happens to the old one. I also talked him into cleaning up something that I didn't like from the other surgery! Hey as long as I'm there, may as well get something I want out of this!
So I got a new wig that is short but I love it and have gotten several compliments on. I guess my collection is complete, well, until I find that Beyonce' Formation wig I want! LOL
I want to thank God for allowing my Grandmother Lillie Mae Leggett to see 106 years on 2/14/16, although I wasn't well enough to attend the celebration I know it was wonderful. I look forward to being able to attend her 107th! This little lady just keeps on going and we love her!
And as always I want to thank my mother for always being here to take care of me, leaving her home to be with me in mine! And this time she brought my Grandma with her, I enjoyed both of them but I know my Grandma is happy to be home so that she can "doodle" around her house, there wasn't enough stuff to do in my house and she can't just sit an relax.....probably because she will fall asleep! LOL
Sorry for the delay in the update, my computer died last week and well, let's just say I'm working on it!
Again thanks to you all for keeping up with my "Saga" and I hope all is well with each and every one of you. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families affected by the storms in the south and east coast, wait, the midwest snow and....aww heck the whole country, El Nino is wrecking havioc on us all!
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Good News, Better News and Paid In Full!
Hola! Well, I would like to begin this blog by saying a HUGE thank you to all who have contributed to my Go Fund me account. Especially Cynthia Johnson, who spearheaded the whole thing. I would never have asked or gone through with it but the fact that she knows me well enough, and knows the struggle I had on the 1st journey, to put that out there was humbling. More so was the overwhelming support that I received, there are no word to express how humbled I was by the amount of support I received. I can say that the PET Scan that I had to have a few weeks ago was PAID IN FULL! I was able to pay for the whole thing! Just one more thing I don't have to worry about. I continue to mount up bills but the fact that is one I don't have to worry about and I am in the process of paying for other deductible related expenses in the coming days. I have a mound of bills on my desk to address!
Ok, now the Good News, So I had a PET Scan on Jan. 11th, in hopes to stop chemo.....or at least that's what I was in hopes for, and the results were great....except I have to keep doing chemo. My tumor was 4.9cm and it was shrunk to 2.9cm with activity (there is another name I will tell you later) was 33 and it dropped to like 10. To say that the cancer has had a positive response is an understatement. However, my oncologist wants the entire tumor to be gone when I have surgery.
Better News! I only have 1 chemo treatment left. ONE MORE LEFT!!!! I will be honest, chemo has really started to be hard, the last one has been pretty bad, I had chemo on Thursday 1/21 and I still don't feel back to my self. More fatigue, more nausea, no appetite, aches and joint pain, not trying to be a whinny baby just wanted to let you know CHEMO SUCKS!!!!
I continue to thank you for all your prayers and support. I will continue to update more. I'm not sure if there is more I need to say because I still have that Chemo Brain thing going on but I think I covered all the basis this time.
Talk to you all later!
Smooches!
Ok, now the Good News, So I had a PET Scan on Jan. 11th, in hopes to stop chemo.....or at least that's what I was in hopes for, and the results were great....except I have to keep doing chemo. My tumor was 4.9cm and it was shrunk to 2.9cm with activity (there is another name I will tell you later) was 33 and it dropped to like 10. To say that the cancer has had a positive response is an understatement. However, my oncologist wants the entire tumor to be gone when I have surgery.
Better News! I only have 1 chemo treatment left. ONE MORE LEFT!!!! I will be honest, chemo has really started to be hard, the last one has been pretty bad, I had chemo on Thursday 1/21 and I still don't feel back to my self. More fatigue, more nausea, no appetite, aches and joint pain, not trying to be a whinny baby just wanted to let you know CHEMO SUCKS!!!!
I continue to thank you for all your prayers and support. I will continue to update more. I'm not sure if there is more I need to say because I still have that Chemo Brain thing going on but I think I covered all the basis this time.
Talk to you all later!
Smooches!
Sunday, January 10, 2016
New Year, New Deductible!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Wow, didn't realize it had been over a month since my last post. Sorry, things just really rolled along since Thanksgiving! Well, let's see where should I start.
I guess where I left off. Or somewhere close to that. Since the last episode, I have had 2 more chemo treatments. The 3rd treatment on 12/3, it was took a little more out of me and took me a little longer to bounce back it seemed but I did. By the time I was back to what appears to be somewhat normal I had a great weekend with good friends. My DPF (ask me later I may tell you what it means...) Shari R. Jones came to visit from waaay up in Frisco! LOL, as she was settling in my West Coast/East Coast Homie Farrah "Cocoa" Brown came thru with Demetria in tow, we laughed and talked for hours. I was so welcomed to have some sense of normalcy in my world. I really needed some girl time to just hang with my Girls, we even went shopping for new hair! It was an adventure, but it always is with either of those ladies! I would recite our motto but I'll just end with this....My President's Black and My Lambo is Blue! (Watch Boondocks Season 3 to figure that out!) That evening, my girl had Great show, no one can make me laugh like Cocoa Brown, she is "One Funny Mama" especially when you know where the jokes come from! Oh the things you see through the eyes of a true comedian! She is an artist who is amazing at her craft!
Here are the wigs I got, Thanks to the Wig Queen (Farrah) for picking these out and gifting me the fly one I call my "Storm" wig! LOL
I continue to be in the hunt for a church home, it has been somewhat daunting because going through this is when you really need a church family to surround you with prayers and love, luckily, my First United Presbyterian Church family in Richmond and my Pineview Presbyterian Church family in Hattiesburg keep me prayed up. Not to mention all the other churches that have me on their prayer list, I am truly grateful for all the prayers that go up on my behalf. I can feel the power of your prayers.
Work after that 3rd chemo picked up and my hours have been long, no really that's a good thing, it makes a different when you miss days of work but you have extra hours to make up for it.
As Christmas approached, I had several decisions to make, chemo would've been on 12/24 but with the holiday I had to choose 12/23 (not an option who wants to feel crappy on Christmas) or 12/29. The later was the obvious choice, then I had to figure out when to go home and come back. To keep it simple, I rode home with Victoria on 12/23 to be home for a couple days, making it to Hattiesburg for a few hours Christmas day, leaving 12/26 to make it back to TX to be at work on 12/27 & 12/28 to be off for the rest of the week.
Fourth chemo was a little more taxing on me. Bouncing back was even harder! However, of course before each treatment I see my Dr. and I explained that the neuropathy (pins & needle feeling or loss of sensation which may lead to permanent nerve damage) in my feet and hands, especially my feet were getting worse and more pain and harder to feel better after treatment and a few other complaints. My Dr. ordered another PET scan to determine if chemo will be necessary going forward. The tumor is not really palpable (she can't detect it with her hands any longer) and the side effects aren't worth it if I don't need any more chemo. I have responded very well to the chemo so lets all pray that I don't need anymore chemo. This, of course will push up my surgery but it will also push forward my healing and getting on with my life. I am really looking forward to that part.
As 2016 begins, I look forward to moving past this diagnosis and all that goes with it, I also look forward to being told I am NOT a diabetic and don't need to take THAT medication any longer. I can see that my numbers are lower than what was determined to be high when not on steroids therefore maybe I won't need it. I look forward to losing weight, working out and living a better life.
That being said, all these treatments will be put towards my new deductible so I will be needing to work even more hours that I was before to pay these bills!!!!
I pray that all that read this are having a great year and will continue to pray for me as I pray for you!
I love the comments that you are giving, I just ask that you put your name on your comments I don't always know some of the email addresses initially! LOL
I feel like I'm leaving something out. I guess that's just reason to write sooner than later! I will try to update with the results of the PET scan ASAP.
Smooches!!!!
Wow, didn't realize it had been over a month since my last post. Sorry, things just really rolled along since Thanksgiving! Well, let's see where should I start.
I guess where I left off. Or somewhere close to that. Since the last episode, I have had 2 more chemo treatments. The 3rd treatment on 12/3, it was took a little more out of me and took me a little longer to bounce back it seemed but I did. By the time I was back to what appears to be somewhat normal I had a great weekend with good friends. My DPF (ask me later I may tell you what it means...) Shari R. Jones came to visit from waaay up in Frisco! LOL, as she was settling in my West Coast/East Coast Homie Farrah "Cocoa" Brown came thru with Demetria in tow, we laughed and talked for hours. I was so welcomed to have some sense of normalcy in my world. I really needed some girl time to just hang with my Girls, we even went shopping for new hair! It was an adventure, but it always is with either of those ladies! I would recite our motto but I'll just end with this....My President's Black and My Lambo is Blue! (Watch Boondocks Season 3 to figure that out!) That evening, my girl had Great show, no one can make me laugh like Cocoa Brown, she is "One Funny Mama" especially when you know where the jokes come from! Oh the things you see through the eyes of a true comedian! She is an artist who is amazing at her craft!
Here are the wigs I got, Thanks to the Wig Queen (Farrah) for picking these out and gifting me the fly one I call my "Storm" wig! LOL
I continue to be in the hunt for a church home, it has been somewhat daunting because going through this is when you really need a church family to surround you with prayers and love, luckily, my First United Presbyterian Church family in Richmond and my Pineview Presbyterian Church family in Hattiesburg keep me prayed up. Not to mention all the other churches that have me on their prayer list, I am truly grateful for all the prayers that go up on my behalf. I can feel the power of your prayers.
Work after that 3rd chemo picked up and my hours have been long, no really that's a good thing, it makes a different when you miss days of work but you have extra hours to make up for it.
As Christmas approached, I had several decisions to make, chemo would've been on 12/24 but with the holiday I had to choose 12/23 (not an option who wants to feel crappy on Christmas) or 12/29. The later was the obvious choice, then I had to figure out when to go home and come back. To keep it simple, I rode home with Victoria on 12/23 to be home for a couple days, making it to Hattiesburg for a few hours Christmas day, leaving 12/26 to make it back to TX to be at work on 12/27 & 12/28 to be off for the rest of the week.
Fourth chemo was a little more taxing on me. Bouncing back was even harder! However, of course before each treatment I see my Dr. and I explained that the neuropathy (pins & needle feeling or loss of sensation which may lead to permanent nerve damage) in my feet and hands, especially my feet were getting worse and more pain and harder to feel better after treatment and a few other complaints. My Dr. ordered another PET scan to determine if chemo will be necessary going forward. The tumor is not really palpable (she can't detect it with her hands any longer) and the side effects aren't worth it if I don't need any more chemo. I have responded very well to the chemo so lets all pray that I don't need anymore chemo. This, of course will push up my surgery but it will also push forward my healing and getting on with my life. I am really looking forward to that part.
As 2016 begins, I look forward to moving past this diagnosis and all that goes with it, I also look forward to being told I am NOT a diabetic and don't need to take THAT medication any longer. I can see that my numbers are lower than what was determined to be high when not on steroids therefore maybe I won't need it. I look forward to losing weight, working out and living a better life.
That being said, all these treatments will be put towards my new deductible so I will be needing to work even more hours that I was before to pay these bills!!!!
I pray that all that read this are having a great year and will continue to pray for me as I pray for you!
I love the comments that you are giving, I just ask that you put your name on your comments I don't always know some of the email addresses initially! LOL
I feel like I'm leaving something out. I guess that's just reason to write sooner than later! I will try to update with the results of the PET scan ASAP.
Smooches!!!!
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