Cancer Scared!!

I had a little scare last week. I had a bone scan done on Monday, June 16 b/c I have been experiencing rib pain. We did the bone scan to be on the safe side. I was not worried at all about this scan. I just figured the rib pain was from the radiation and was just something that will be chronic and no big deal. So I went into the scan feeling very confident that everything would come back normal. WRONG! It just goes to show me, that I should never be over confident. I got a call Tuesday evening from the doctor's office. She told me that they see something on my sternum and they don't know if it's related to breast cancer or if it's arthritis. She proceeds to tell me they want a PET scan done to rule out breast cancer. We ended the conversation with the plan to have the PET scan the following Monday or Tuesday. The very next morning(Wed. morning), the phone rang at 8:15am, waking me up. I didn't answer b/c I was sleeping and figured whoever it was they could leave a message. Of course it was the doctor's office informing me that my doctor would like me to have the PET Scan prior to my visit with her on Friday at 3:15. What visit?, I thought. This didn't sound good! Fairfax Radiology called and set up my appt. for Thursday at 1:30. So hear we go!!! This was my first ever PET scan, so a little nerve racking. Was this cancer? And oh great what if they see it all over my body. All the negative thoughts raced in my head. I had to assume it was cancer. No one understood that but I had to prepare myself for the worse case scenario! Alex stayed home Friday with the kids and my mom went with me to the doctor's. I did not want to hear the dreaded news by myself.

So Dr. W walks in and I'm sitting on the table with my gown on...she says why don't you have a seat first and let's talk. My heart dropped to my stomach! She had just gotten off the phone with the radiologist. He pulled up every scan that I have ever had and looked at all of them again. In retrospect, this spot that showed up on my sternum has always been there but was never a spot to cause suspicion before. The doctors theory is that the drug that I'm taking in the clinical trial has "highlighted" this spot. Meaning that there is something there, whether it's cancer or it's a crack in the bone. The drug, zometa is making it more dense, meaning it's doing it's job. She said she would love to say it's not cancer but she can't. She said we could do a biopsy but she didn't think that was necessary at this point. She said even it was cancer in the bone, the course of treatment would be the same. I would just continue to take the zometa. So the plan of action as of now is to monitor the spot and see what happens. I will have another PET scan in August and probably again 3 months after that. This was a huge relief and I felt reassured when my doctor looked me in my eyes and said "We're okay!" So, I'm okay! She is not worried about this spot at this time! Thank God!!! More good news is that the PET scan shows your entire body and my body was perfectly clear of cancer anywhere else!!! Go Me!!!!

I continue to pray that my body stays cancer free! And for now, I will continue to enjoy the Harman Summer Camp that I have planned for the kids!!

Hello Again....

Thanks to my incredible Team Captains and awesome team...The Y-Me Walk was a huge success and a lot of fun!!! We have almost raised our goal of $9000 and by the time they cut off donations, I know we will surpass our goal! Thank you to all of you that help support Jual's Gems, it really means a lot and I'm so happy that we are helping local women get the support they need!

It's been awhile since I've updated my blog, I guess for a couple of reasons!! My life is getting back to normal, I'm so busy being a mom and I LOVE it! I love just being! I'm spending time with my children, having playdates, going to Little Gym, cleaning the house, blow drying my hair!!! :-) All the daily activities of a stay at home mom. It's great!!! And the other reason, is that I try to pretend that none of this ever happened...the denial state! It works sometimes...but the fear always creeps back in and the aches, pains and scars always reminds me. It's getting better with each day. I think a lot less about cancer now, I'm not letting it control my every thought anymore! Hopefully one day, there will be a time...when I don't think about it at all!

As far as my health, I keep getting A's on my report card! I had a check up last week and everything looks great!! I pray that I continue to have good health! My energy is back and I've started to exercise again and it feels great! I feel great!! We only have one concern right now, I have been having some rib pain, we think due to scar tissue from the radiation but we will be doing a bone scan soon to rule out the possibility of bone mets. I honestly believe it's just scar tissue but I don't want to think it's nothing and have it be something.

I look back over the last year and I know that I never would have made it through without all the love and support that I got. Thank you to all of you for being there for me and my family! I'm truly blessed with a great family and great friends!

Y-ME Walk 2008

Last year about 1 month after my diagnosis, we participated in the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization Walk To Empower. It was an unbelievable event, where my family and friends came out to be there for me in such a surreal and frightening time. In less than 2 weeks we raised over $8000 to help support women with breast cancer. We also had over 70 members on our team, Jual's Gems walking with us! My sister Sara is organizing another team this year and our goal is to raise $9000. We invite you to join us on Mother's Day for the walk in Washington, DC. If you can't join us please consider donating to the Y-ME organization, their slogan is, "no woman should have to face breast cancer alone." I have not faced one step alone in this battle and I'm so thankful for that! I want the same support for everyone who faces this horrible disease! Please go to the website for more information on the walk and on donating! Thank you so much!
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization: Walk to Empower - Washington, D.C.:

Good News!!

My CT scan came back clean!! The spot on my lung is still there but there has been no change. It sounds to me that the doctor is not concerned about it at this point. I have another follow-up on Feb. 19. I will post any new info then!

Thank you for all your prayers and words of encouragement! I feel the love and support and it means so much to me! Without all of you and your prayers, love, words of encouragement, and support, I don't know if I could have made it through this whole ordeal!

I feel great! My energy is not as it use to be but hopefully in time this will get better! I'm ready to put this all behind me and move on with my life!!

The plan now is to start Tamoxifen next week (for 5 years) and then regular follow-up appt. every 3 months. I will continue on the clinical trial for the next 3 years!

I know God is hearing our prayers!! So I will continue to pray that he restores my health and keeps me cancer free! God is great! I have seen this, I feel this!!

Happy New Year!

I hope this year will be better than the last! Praise, I'm so relieved to be done with treatment. I've really enjoyed being home with my babies! But I still need your prayers, please! I'm so terrified and can't seem to shake it. I'm should be happy that treatment is over but all I can think about is will it come back. I went for a follow-up last week, blood work looks good, no new symptoms. They are sending me for a follow-up CT scan to look at a small lung nodule. They say it could be nothing and that I could have had it there all my life. Reports from previous scans said it was 2mm back in August and in November 4mm. My doctor assured me that this is not a big difference and just the readings from different radiologist could be the reason for the change. But it terrifies me, What if it is cancer? Please pray that I keep my courage and strength. Please pray that this lung nodule never turns into something that's harmful to my body! Pray that I beat this horrible thing so that I may live my life with my wonderful husband and beautiful children!! Thank you!

This time next week...I will be done with treatment! I'm so happy and relieved! It's been a terribly hard 8 months and I'm so thankful it's coming to an end. I'm healthy and happy! I've been cancer free now for 5 months. I plan to stay this way! I plan to live a long healthy life and I will enjoy every minute of it!

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! Your support to me has been a tremendous help and inspiration! I have been truly blessed to have all this wonderful support. My family and friends...is exactly what keeps me fighting!

Merry Christmas!!!

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

I only have 7 more radiation treatments to go! So with all the holiday breaks, I should finish up Jan. 4! I can't wait! My skin is really red and peeling. Ella says it's looks really disgusting and she is right! It's very sore and irritating but only a few more days and then it can heal up!!!

I've started a clinical trial with my medical oncologist. I will be in this study for the next 3 years. I will be monitored every 4-6 weeks, so I feel "safe"! The study is for women who's cancer is currently in remission. (That's what it reads but I haven't gotten the verbal words from a doctor, still waiting to hear those words!) The study is investigational and is being done to find out if adding a drug (a bisphophonate) to hormonal therapy or chemotherapy will help prevent cancer form spreading to the bones or other parts of the body. I will be in getting an IV injection of one of these drugs every month for the first six months, then every 3 months after that for the next 2 1/2 years. Like I said they will be monitoring me very closely!

My spirits have been pretty good these last couple of days...I guess it's the spirit of Christmas! This is one of my favorite times of year!

Take Care and God Bless!