A new beginning

I am long overdue to update my blog. Much has happened in the almost two months since I last posted. And I am happy to say it is all good news! :) So, I left off when I was still going through radiation. Thankfully, I have completed all 30 treatments. :)

They started off with not much as far as pain goes, but by the second week, I was very red. By the third week, I was waking up in the night because it felt like my skin was on fire. And at the end, I had begun to peel. The worst of it seemed to be in the area in which the tumor was located. Fatigue was also a major side effect. By 7:30 p.m. every night I was ready for bed. I also had to wear this soft barrier called mepilex in between my arm and radiated area under my armpit every time I worked because the rubbing caused so much pain (due to the burns).

Fortunately, my skin has come back healthy and smooth and my energy is back. The only real indication that I even had radiation is the tanning of my skin that will more than likely remain for quite some time. But now I can breathe. :)

I AM IN REMISSION!!!!


After radiation and school ended, and Christmas past, I took about eight days off from work to just RELAX. I had been going non-stop for two long and tiring months and I just need to have a week to do nothing. Alan and I had another great Christmas together. :) We went to two Christmas parties at his aunt's house and spent about a week at his parent's house. Our friend Lexi took some Christmas pictures of us and they turned out amazing!! Thank you Lexi! :) We rang in the New Year with friends, played Cranium and Clue, ate all kinds of food, and drank champagne as the ball dropped. It was a lot of fun and I have had a wonderful 2011! :)

So, what has been going on this year? Lots of follow-up appointments and testing.


I started taking Tamoxifen to help block estrogen. There are a lot of potential side effects that can occur by taking the medicine, but the benefits outweight those side effects. So far I haven't had any problems with it.

I had a Pap, an ultrasound of my pelvis (uterus, ovaries, endometrial lining), and a mammogram done this month. All came back normal and I am very grateful for that!

This Friday I am having physical fitness assessment and meeting with a nutritionist to help guide me back to a healthier lifestyle. I gained about 25 lbs last year and I really want to take that weight off and then some. I'm ready for that change! As a motivator, Alan told me that when I lose the weight I want to, he will buy me a dog (from a shelter, of course!). I have been wanting a dog for years. And that dog could go walking/running with me! :)


Next month, I am attending the Conference for Young Women affected by breast cancer in Orlando, Florida. My mum, Aunt Stef, and cousin Theresa will all be joining me. I can't wait!! We will be going to Magic Kingdom and Epcot the day before the conference starts, which will be so much fun!


So that's pretty much what's been going on with me. :) I am happy and healthy, by the grace of God and thanks to all of you!

Miles to go before I sleep

The last stanza reminds me of my radiation treatment and how long it takes to get through the 30 days of treatment (6 weeks total). Miles to go before I sleep.... Hanging in there though.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

By: Robert Frost

One of my radiation therapists gave me this pillow yesterday before my treatment. I absolutely love it. :)

Count your blessings

I wish I could be with my family and relatives this Thanksgiving, especially with all that I've been through this year. Although I love living in the West, it does make it particularly difficult to spend time with them because of the cost of travel. I hope that next year I will have the money to afford a trip to Maine (or New York) for Thanksgiving.

I am very grateful for Alan and his family for inviting me to share their Thanksgiving dinner with them so I don't have to spend it alone. This will be my second time spending the holiday with them. I'm making a Three Bean Bake to contribute to the dinner. :)

I will be calling my mom, brother, sister and uncle tomorrow to wish them a very Happy Thanksgiving and I look forward to hearing their voices.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And remember to be thankful all year 'round.

"Thankful for all things let us be,
Though there be woes and misery;
Lessons they bring us for our good-
Later 'twill all be understood.

Thankful for friends and loved ones, too,
Thankful for all things, good and true,
Thankful for harvest in the fall,
Thankful to Him who gave it all."

Snowed In

It's a cold and stormy night out there. Salt Lake City is getting it's first good snowstorm of the season. I'm laying in bed with my cat cuddled up next to me, feeling blessed to have warmth and shelter on a night like tonight.

I just wanted to update you on how radiation is going. I've had 5 treatments so far. My skin is beginning to get a little red, but there's no pain. I have 25 more treatments to go, and expect to be done between Christmas and New Year's Day.

I woke up this morning with horrible pain in my right hip, to the point where I could hardly walk. It's gone away for the most part, however I can still feel it. It's amazing what a diagnosis of cancer can do you to. My first thought was, "Oh no. The cancer has metastisized to my bone." It creates this paranoia that's hard to shake, and I am trying to sum it up to the idea that maybe I just slept on it wrong. I'll keep you posted.

As far as other side effects: FATIGUE. I am finding myself exhausted by about 7:00p.m. I have no energy. I'm gaining weight like crazy. Even when I eat right, I'm not losing the weight because I am not exercising. So I now have to challenge myself to get up, go for a walk and then take a nap if I have to. Pray for God to give me strength. And aside from a constant headache all day, things are going well. School is going well. I have an 'A' in Biology which was so exciting to see! And next week, I don't have class, so that will be a nice break.

Hope you all have a nice weekend! Stay warm. :)

Royal Wedding

I know this has nothing to do with breast cancer, but it's an exciting day for me as my celebrity crush for the last 15 years has announced his engagement! :) I know, I'm ridiculous, but I just can't help myself. :) Anyway, congratulations to Prince William and Kate Middleton!

She dresses like a princess already. :)

I've attached the link so you can read about it and watch the video of them talking to the press. :) (Just click on the sentence below.)

Prince William and Kate Middleton speak about their engagement - watch the video here - mirror.co.uk

He gave Kate his late mother's engagement ring because as he stated: "It was my way of making sure my mother didn't miss out on today and the excitement, and the fact that we're going to spend the rest of our lives together."

I thought that was incredibly thoughtful of him. And I'm sure she is very happy for him. :)

I'm really looking forward to watching that event unfold on television next year. I with them all the best for the future! (Even though I wish it were me..) haha I'm just kidding. :)

I have my prince. :)

28 days and counting

I really like these pictures from the website, www.yourtruenature.com This one is appropriate in that it calls for patience. I'm so anxious because I am so close to being done with treatment!! But I've heard it goes by fast.. so I just need to be patient. :)

And so I have begun this last leg of my breast cancer journey. I started radiation on Thursday, November 11th. My prescription calls for 30 days total of treatment and I estimate that I will be done on Christmas Eve (if they're open that day). If they are closed, then it will be December 27th.

The radiation therapists are very kind. They like to joke around with me and (for some reason) think I 'have a great sense of style'. :) They love my purse. They love my necklace. They love my jeans. I walk out of there feeling fabulous!

The radiation is quick and painless. I get to Radiation Oncology, check-in and go right to the dressing room. I change into a hospital gown (leaving the lower half dressed) and sit briefly in the waiting room. Once they call me in, I just walk back to the radiating room, lie down and they mark me and line me up under the machine. Then I just lay there with my arms up over my head, gown open over my mastectomy site and watch the machine rotate around me as I listen to country music. Five minutes later, I'm back in the changing rooom and out the door headed home.

Like I said, quick and painless! :) And that's that. More updates soon! xo

mixed it up

The chaos of this closet is basically how my bedroom looks since I haven't had a chance to unpack or clean since I moved in a week ago.

Due to unorganization or perhaps just a mind-slip, I missed my radiation appointment (for the 'dry run') today. I thought it was at 3:00 p.m. and apparently it was at 11:00 a.m. Not to worry, they rescheduled it for tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.

Goal for the day: Get my bedroom to look like this:



..or at least something like that. :) I'll update again on Wednesday. They told me that they will make the schedule for my radiation (for the next 6 1/2 weeks), following the 'dry run'.