Hip Hip Hooray for this No Mo Chemo milestone! It's a relief to be done with the chemo part, hopefully for good. This treatment was for my second primary run in with Triple Positive Breast Cancer. The first diagnosis in the other breast was 12/2010 with treatment that time of a mastectomy, Carboplatin, Taxotare, Herceptin, radiation, hormone blockers.
This time after my second mastectomy my chemo drug was changed and protocol altered due to a reaction (Went from Taxol to Abraxane), a skipped dose because of a low white count, and shortened because of neuropathy. We all know the nature of this beast: am hoping that this was enough along with Herceptin for 9 more months and no more chemo is ever necessary again and a NED status is for keeps. If it dares to rear it's ugly head again though, I'll do what I gotta do just like you guys.
I was poking around in my blog this morning--a place that I've journalled my journey over the years and pulled the below from the archives. Here's two poems I posted in my blog and here a couple years ago that I'll re-share in celebration of my milestone today---hope you enjoy:
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This one was written by Nancy Emerson:
Today
Breathe deep
Talk slow
Walk soft
Let go
Give big
Take less
Don’t count
Just guess
Act fair
Think long
Laugh loud
Hug strong
Plan bold
Dream far
Feel loved
You are.
“In 1985 when Nancy Emerson was diagnosed with breast cancer, her doctor gave her a life expectancy of only two years. But that grim statistic did not take into account Nancy’s indominitable spirit. In fact, that year Nancy was just beginning a remarkable and inspiring journey across almost two decades and becoming an extraordinary spokesperson and champion, advocating for patient rights, lobbying to secure more funding for cancer research and treatment, and supporting and encouraging other cancer patients and their families.”
I learned about Nancy when volunteering for a week with
http://www.LittlePink.org (who provide free retreats for families battling breast cancer) and like the message of her poem. I’m no poet but her beautiful thoughts got me in the mood to write one of my own after I read hers:
Her2 positive cancer can knock you down and keep on knocking you down and dragging you around to places you do not want to go. Get back up. be brave, and fight, fight, fight.
Insurance companies can try patience and make things harder and more wearisome than they are already or have to be. Document and keep calling, calling, calling.
Doctors can mess up or lack expertise or run out of options. Find another doctor as necessary and move on, move on, move on.
Hurting people sometimes spew bitter, spiteful poison out of hurting hearts. It’s like acid and can eat the giver and receiver alive if one lets it. Forgive, forgive, forgive.
Negativity is very toxic stuff. Be like a duck and let it roll off your back like water. Waddle on over and choose to swim in the lovely sunshine instead. Quack, quack, quack.
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Here's to good health for all of us Her2 sistas!
Paula
My latest update in my blog along with a riddle that tickles my funny bone:
http://jpoliver.com/wordpress/archives/1903