I Don't Even Have the Gene

First chemo: Dec. 7, 2018 Unexpected blessing: The day before I started chemo I was invited to a cancer group. I was skeptical but it turned out to be awesome! It was a small group with welcoming people and lots of different stories. I loved that we could laugh and talk about life and not have cancer be this big lead balloon in the room that covered all the joy.  Thanks for letting me come! :) Chemo Details-ish:  I took half a day off of work on Friday and had a three hour infusion. My mom came with me (yay for moms!!). It wasn’t fun but wasn’t horrible. I didn’t start to feel nauseous until an hour after I got home. There are a few anti-nausea meds I’ve been trying out.  Currently I am still at home. The whole weekend I felt pretty icky and didn’t eat much. I’m feeling a little better today and will hopefully be able to go to work for the last six school days before Christmas break! Saltine crackers and fruit smoothies have been my best friends! One chemo down, 14 to go!!! Goi

Last Tuesday I had the last surgery that I will have for a while. I had cancerous tissue removed and had a chemo port placed. I’m not allowed to shower yet or drive. I am definitely still bruised, sore, and very slow moving! I am missing my normal life and the freedom to do anything and go anywhere, alone! Going forward: Chemo will be starting on December 7th and will be done every 1-2 weeks for about 4 months. I’m waiting to see how I’m feeling before deciding to take any more than just the time for the appointments off of work. Helpful things: Prayer for contentment, and hand sanitizer to keep me healthy while trying to continue working! We did go out and walk around in Everett today and grab coffee. It felt so good to be outside after being stuck on the couch for so long! I am only a third of the way through my time off of work and I am itching to do things! It will feel very good to get back to work and reestablish some normality in my life. However, I did receive a video fr

The “I Don’t Even Have the Gene” blog is back for another round! I’m sharing my experience for a few reasons: I don’t have to share my difficult situation over and over, and hopefully you will see God’s love and grace in the midst of trial. My breast cancer has returned. This time it wasn’t announced in one conversation. I had a feeling it had come back before anything had happened. I see this as God’s grace and kindness to prepare my heart to handle this crappy situation. Recap of four years ago: Four years ago, I told about my first round of breast cancer. I had a double mastectomy, and estrogen-blocking medication. No chemo or radiation. I had genetic testing and did not test positive for the gene (*cough cough* name of the blog). Today: This time the path to take is a little less certain. I have already had one surgery, but am having another to hopefully remove anything concerning and have clear margins. For that surgery, I will be out of work for three weeks. Radiation is de