One year post chemo

I woke up this morning and realized its a milestone day...one year post major chemo! It is amazing to me that a whole year has gone by.

It has been just recently that I've realized cancer has changed my life, I think for the better. It seems strange to say I am grateful for cancer, but I am grateful. It didn't change the core of who I am, but I think it has enhanced who I am. It has made me incredibly grateful for every day and for all the people in my life.

My life is not perfect, but I have nothing to complain about I am healthy and alive. I am determined to stay healthy and live my life to its fullest.

As always I appreciate each and everyone of you who has been here with me along the way.

Much Love and Peace
~K

Radiology Check-up

I went in to see Dr. Spiegel, my radiologist, yesterday for my six month post radiation check-up. Everything is good. I still have quite a bit of tenderness along my incision line and under my breast. Dr. Spiegel tells me that this is really just a short time out from radiation and that things should continue to get better. I will continue to do my check-ups with him as I need to, next one again in six months.

I am very sad today; I found out that a friend I met through another friend and through treatment isn't doing well. She has ovarian cancer that has spread. Cancer is a hideous disease, and ovarian cancer is especially hideous. It is incredibly difficult to detect and is usually late stage by the time it is found. My heart is broken for her and her son. I am going to do everything I can to support them. Please say a prayer or send a good thought, I know she will appreciate it.

Peace ~
K

A New Day...

I am grateful for a peaceful day, looking forward with hope for an even brighter day for our children and for each of us. "Yes we can"...if we do it together!

Happy 2009!

Ok, so I'm a little late in wishing a Happy New Year. I hope everyone had a great Holiday season, whatever you celebrate, and I hope this will be a wonderful year for everyone.

In my last post, I said that my oncologist had told me the following treatment would be my last. Well, we had a big snow storm a couple days before I was scheduled to go in, so I called just to ask how everything was going at the hospital with the snow and if I should reschedule. They called me back to let me know that Dr. Ellis said I could just be done. So my last treatment on December 3rd was my LAST treatment...what a Merry Christmas to me!

I still have the usual follow-ups to do and a couple more tests left, but other than that I'm done. I feel done and I'm grateful to be done. It's been a very long year and a half, I'm ready to concentrate on other things.

I am very grateful to each and everyone of you for supporting me through this. It has given me such encouragement to know that I have you by my side. Thank you.

I am going to keep blogging, maybe not quite as often but I will continue.

Peace and Love,
~K

Almost completely done

I went in for my Herceptin today. Just a normal day, but today we double checked to see when I could be done knowing that I was getting close. Last time Dr. Ellis had said something to me about January. I thought I would be done at the end of this month. Turns out I was right; I only have ONE left. It's sechdeuled for December 23rd.

I'm so excited, I can't believe I'm almost done. I don't even have the words for it right now...

Thank you all so much for everything this past year and a half, it has meant so much to me.

Peace
K

Oops, two months flew by!

I can't believe I haven't written for two months! It's really been even longer since the last time I wrote was just about the walk.

Henry and I had a great end to our summer. He went to his first sleep away camp and returned on his 10th birthday. It is beyond me how he's gotten to be 10. I am amazed by him each and every day. We took the last week and a half and drove to California to see friends and family. We went to the Oregon Caves, Humboldt County, St Helena, Sonoma and San Francisco. It was a really great way to end our summer.

Henry is really enjoying school this year. He seems more settled, which isn't really a surprise after last year; he had a lot on his mind. He's started playing the trumpet and is taking to it quite easily. He's also continuing his TaeKwonDo and is a green belt now. A couple weeks ago he had a small accident and cut his finger, so we spent the evening in the hospital getting 4 stitches. He was so brave, much more than I. The stitches are out and he's healed up now. I hope we never have to do that again.

I'm still having Herceptin every three weeks; only three more to go. It's easy, it just makes me tired. I have lots of hot flashes from the Tamoxifen too. Some days are worse than others, but I try to ignore them and move on, though I have been known to walk out on the deck in the rain to cool down.

There are days when I feel as if nothing has changed, other than my hair, and then there are days when I know that nothing is the same. I think I like the fact that everything is changed.

Much Love and Peace

~K


Me and Hery at Halloween
He's a hippie...Peace, Love and Obama man!

Shari did it!

My sister Shari and her team, CheckYourBoobies, participated in the Breast Cancer 3-day this weekend. They walked over 60 miles in just three days. I am so proud of all of them. It took a huge amount of dedication and training over the past few months. They are all amazing.



Just by luck Mom, Jenna and I got to see Shari as she came across the finish line, that meant the world to me. I am so honored that she and her friends took this journey not only on my behalf but on the behalf of all the other women who have been or will be diagnosed with breast cancer.



Thank you Shari, I love you!

I hope everyone is well. I will do an update on me soon.

Much love,
~K