Heather's Blog: November 2012

Why Am I Writing This Blog?

There's nothing more important to me than my connections with family and friends.

So in an effort to stay connected I'll be posting updates about my treatment and health here. Of course I want to connect with you outside of this blog! But this is a quick way you can find out what's happening.

Also a request: I would appreciate it if you didn't post anything on Facebook about cancer and me.

Writing has always been a natural form of self-expression for me. So this blog is also a personal outlet, one I'd like to share with you.

November 9, 2012

Tattoos and Trees

I'm officially The Girl with the Tiny Purple Tattoos, although the three barely discernible dots don't make much of a "look at me with my cool tattoos" statement.

I've had seven radiation treatments (only 23 to go!), and so far it's no big deal. Every weekday at 1:30 I'm there for about 10 minutes, then I go back to my regular life.

They play a lot of Dean Martin in there, so afterwards of course I find myself wanting a vodka tonic. I'm not sure if listening to the King of Cool is clinically proven to soothe the jangled nerves of cancer patients, but it's a good distraction from the beeps and whirs of the machine.

One of my favorite city parks is near the hospital, so I'm making it a habit to stop by every day after the treatment for 10-15 minutes to connect with nature.

Walking among stately trees is a nice antidote to spending time in the windowless radiation department. On rainy days I visit the conservatory, which has been around for 100 years and is filled with orchids, succulents, and everything in between.

In addition to trees, a conservatory, an art museum, ponds, and city views, this park has a dahlia garden (my favorite flower).

Would I be noticing the beauty of dahlias on a sunny November afternoon if I weren't going through cancer treatment?

Seems doubtful.

Want to Help?

We periodically need help with meals, rides, errands, dog walking and that kind of thing. If you're interested in helping out sometime, you can join "Team Heather" online. Just go to https://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/c/710014/ and request to join the community.

Once you're approved, you'll receive instructions on how to log in. When we post a request for help you'll receive an email message and can sign up if it works with your schedule.

Or if you have something specific in mind to offer, just call or email B. or me! And THANK YOU.

History

2012: Stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma diagnosis. Mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation treatments. No evidence of cancer after surgery.

2013
September: Masses found in liver incidentally as part of a standard screening breast MRI. Diagnosed as the return of the breast cancer. No evidence of cancer anywhere else.

September -December: Chemotherapy.

2014
Chemotherapy (a few different kinds) throughout the entire year. Fared well and felt well most of the time!

May - cancer found in several places in my spine/pelvis. Very small, no pain.
June - December took post-menopausal estrogen-suppressing medication (and received monthly injections to create medical menopause)

2015
Jan - March: chemotherapy as part of a new clinical trial
April: starting a different chemotherapy since the disease progressed while I was on the trial.
June: The chemo is not helping, and my liver function is such that I have to take a break from chemo. Starting anti-hormonal pill plus a pill that targets cancer cells but does not damage the liver.