Chemo #6, The last of the hard ones!

After the most amazing family vacation I came home to have my last and final hard chemo! I'm so grateful to have had a vacation! We spent a week up in Jackson Hole hiking, playing in Jenny Lake, String Lake, going to a rodeo, riding Grandpa's motorcycle, canoeing at Colter Bay and canoeing from the Jackson Lake dam down to Cattleman's Bridge. The food we had was so yummy! The cousin and family time was wonderful! This was a much needed get away from reality and I'm so happy for the memories that were created!

Today amazing husband took the day off to be with me and drive me to chemo! I'm love having him with me! He is my ROCK!
My appointment was at 9am. I was taken back to have my port accessed pretty quick. I had a nurse I'd never seen do the access and it didn't go to well. It as pretty uncomfortable and then the blood wouldn't flow. She tried flushing it with saline and heparin, but it didn't work. She ended up having me lay on my back with my right arm behind my head. I made coughing sound while she flicked a syringe trying to unplug my port. I eventually started laughing because I sounded so silly fake coughing and that got my blood to flow. And to top it off my access needle was placed crooked. :(

My chemo buddies today were two of my great friends. My husband stayed for a while and then went home to get my 3 youngest kids so they could be there for the bell ringing! Ringing the bell was everything I hoped it would be! It was quite an emotional experience! I cried! I know I'm not done, but to be done with this part of chemo is so exciting! I'm ready to move on!

My MRI was scheduled for August 8th at 4:30pm. I'm going to call my family Dr. to get a prescription to 'chill' me out for this appointment. This is the test I live the VERY LEAST!! They will do a contrast IV and I will get to lay on my face for 45 minutes. Anyone want to take my place and do this for me?!

My herceptin chemo is August 15th and we will be discussing my MRI results. The herceptin treatment will much faster than the chemo I've been receiving. With the port access, visit with the Dr. and the drug administration it should only be an hour to hour and a half. Bradley will be my buddy at this appointment. He loves the cancer center! :)

After meeting with the surgeon and plastic surgeon earlier this month we set a tentative date for surgery of Sept 4th. This could be a one night stay in the hospital, but depending on my pain level it could be a two night stay. I am currently leaning towards a double mastectomy, but I'm waiting for the peace of mind that this is the right decision.

I can't say enough how much your love and support mean to me and my family! We couldn't do this without your love, service and prayers! It's true what they say, you don't know how many friends you have until you go through something hard! I hope that I am able to give something back to you as you watch me travel this path. And I look forward to the day I can pay it forward to someone else in need!

July 7, 2014

I made an appointment to meet with my surgeon. My husband and I will meet with her this Wednesday to go over my options and choices. I'm really looking forward to this meeting as I'm hoping to gain some peace of mind as well as become more educated so I can understand what's going to take place. I most likely will have to meet with her again after the MRI to go over it's results and confirm the plan of action, but I'm ok with that.

I am meeting with a fellow breast cancer survivor this week who has experienced surgery and just started radiation. I hope to gain from her experience some insight as to what I may experience as well. Strange as it may sound I'm looking forward to this meeting and our conversation.

Thank you for continuing to pray for me and my family! Thank you for loving and serving us! There is not a night that goes by that we don't pray for those people who are blessing our family! We are so grateful! There are times that I feel your love so strongly that I get emotional and cry. Your service strengthens my spirit and gives me strength to fight on!