Delayed Update

I have been trying to log onto this blogspot server for a WEEK to give updates, but the stupid google server was down. This is the first time my ever trusty Google let me down.

I finished Chemo on May 16. My last Taxol was very taxing. I never felt any nausea from the weekly Taxol until the 12th infusion. I ended up going home early from work on Tuesday and crashed in bed for 3 hours. I didn't even have energy to go running last week & I barely do most days this week. Good things are that Chemo did its job & I will never have to feel this fatigued again unless I get the flu.

Good News: I am growing hair. I am like a chia pet, but so far its all party in the back & business up front. Yes, I am growing a mullet. No, I will not post a picture of it on the internet. Its ugly, but I gave up my scarves in my house & I have been walking around with my Chia-Pet Mullet rocking out to some white-trash 80s rock.

Bad News: I have lost a total of 7 toenails. They have all grown back, but I can't wear flip flops until at least the two purple/brown toes grow out. I know gross. I could always just paint those two & start a new trend. That's something to think about. I also have had my thumbnails lift off the beds & according to TRUSTY Google & Wiki its a fungus. EW, I know gross. I have been soaking my thumbs in Hydrogen Peroxide. I apparently have to do this for 5days & then apply Tea Tree Oil. Isn't Chemo wonderful? Its truly a gift that keeps on Giving. In the meantime, I am paining my crusty fingernails & keeping them clean.

I saw my oncology-surgeon for my 6month follow-up this past Tuesday. All looks good & I will see her in a year. For breast cancer patients whom have had a mastectomy they do not do regular scans. They do signs of symptoms and then scans. They try not to do scans, because the radiation is more harmful & the scans won't detect small signs of cancer only signs where symptoms would be present. I will get MRIs every 3years, but nothing like a PET/CT scan unless I feel like I have any symptoms. My oncologist plans on doing blood work for tumor markers, but for breast cancer the tumor markers are very vague and not accurate. I really just have to stay aware of my body for symptoms & take very good care of myself to prevent Mets.

Today is my last day of work for a month. I have my exchange surgery next week. I have been walking around with rock-hard tissue expanders long enough & I am sick of my clothes not fitting right. I cannot wait for FOOBs. This is a good surgery. Tomorrow, I go to NYC to get my pre-surgical blood drawn to get my counts tested. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I start Tamoxifen on June 7th. Tamoxifen is the Selective Estrogen Reuptake Modulator that will "scoop" up any extra estrogen in my body. Tamoxifen and Surgery are the MOST effective treatments for my type of breast cancer for premenopausal women. My cancer was hormone receptive positive (95% estrogen & 10% progesterone). I will be on Tamoxifen for 5 years. I am actually looking forward to starting that, because then all I have left is to do radiation, which is supposedly easy & is just an "extra" insurance policy. I do not know much about radiation at this point, but I will on June 10th when I have my planning session with my radiation oncologist.

I have been feeling pretty down on myself, because I am finally fatigued and have had energy to either lift weights or sit on my butt. I haven't had much energy to run, but I am hoping that since I gave my legs some rest, I will be out running this weekend just in time to get myself pumped for surgery. Also, although I have been tired and lazy due to last-chemo fatigued. I do have to say that I am pretty impressed with myself. I started chemo on January 3, 2011 and ended on May 16, 2011. In that time, I exercised 97 times. In those 97 times, 49 of them included running 20min-70min. (BTW before anyone thinks I am crazy, I record my workouts to note progress & to plan my gym/workout time) I know, amazing.

Tissue Expanders

Yesterday, I had my pre-surgical appointment up at Sloan. I almost hit another bump in the road as they wanted to move my surgery another week due to "surgery being too close to the end of my chemo." I understood their rationale, but my counts have been excellent and my oncologist even said my risk of infection 1 week will be minimal and 2 weeks will be 0 after chemo. Now, Sloan wants me in NYC on the 27th for bloodwork just to make sure my counts are okay. Now, I am starting to stuff my body with healthy things until the 27th just to make as many little white blood cells I possibly can!

I also had my tissue expanders over expanded & they look riddiculus. I look like one of those Fem-Bots from Austin Powers. Now, I cannot wait for these annoyances to be removed. They are planning on having 475-500cc implants placed on the 31st and I am expanded to 520cc...looks very horrible because tissue expanders have no shape and are hard like rock. I am really looking forward to having a softer look soon.

4 more days until my last chemo ever!!! I am celebrating with some chinese take-out. What an exciting life I lead! I will be having some party later on this summer but with surgery in June, a bachelorette, 3 weddings,  family gatherings, and bridal showers, My Party will just have to wait until I am at least started with radiation.

As of now radiation will start on the 27th of June. I am not sure what to expect from this its supposedly short and takes an hour to get zapped and ready for each appointment. This is very exciting...(insert sarcasm). I will be half tan on top & I get to use a cream, Aquaphor, that apparently ruins all clothes except things that are colored black. I think I am just going to worry about this after I heal from surgery. This sounds like a plan.

Finishing Line

After today only 1 more Taxol :-). Three more weeks until surgery. Seven more weeks until I start radiation and then the I will start to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I cannot believe that this has all flown by so fast. It is just unbelievable how much my life has changed.

I finally decided to change some of my blog. As you all know, I have stayed active throughout this whole treatment process. I added some new Weight Circuit routines in my fitness page for those whom are interested.

I also added some things about Hair Regrowth in Treatment Tips. I have started to do topical treatments for my scalp. I cannot wait until I can start adding more vitamins to my routine for hair growth. Grow Hair Grow!

• A good Multi Vitamin with: Vitamin K 100IUs daily; Vitamin E 400IUs; Vitamin A 25,000 IUs; Vitamin C 100% daily value ; and Zinc 100% daily value
• Biotin : Word of Caution, Biotin in excess causes cell multiplication. It caused Acne in me in the past. Most Multi-Vitamins have a small bit of Biotin in it & I wouldn't over supplement the product IMO. I would also ask your oncologist about the supplement before you start it.
• L-Glutamine: It comes in powder or pill form. It is found in most protein powders. In the past, I found that Syntrax Nectar protein powders helped with hair health & also helped with exercise recovery. It is also found in all natural forms of protein, so eat up on your Beans, Poultry & Fish!
• Omega 3-Fatty Acids: Before chemotherapy I would take 1,200 mg Omega 3 daily. I would not start taking this until after Chemo & Surgery as it does thin your blood. 
• Vitamin D3: 1,000IUs daily are recommended for hair health. I take this with my daily Calcium Supplement in the AM & also take an extra 1,000IUs of D3 at night. 
• Hair Products I Used: Jason Organics Thin to Thick Revitalizing Scalp Elixir (daily before bed); Therma Scalp Natural Scalp Repair Spray (daily after my AM shower); Giovanni Wellness System Shampoo (daily on my scalp during each shower); Avalon Organics Biotin B-Complex Thickening Shampoo & Conditioner (daily before I lost my hair & plan on returning when it grows back)

2 More Taxol

2 More Taxol....

Taxol has caused me to lose 1.5 pretty toe nails. Taxol has caused me to have pain in my nail beds. Taxol has caused me to gain 10lbs. I don't heal as fast as I used to & I bruise easily. That is about it.
      :-) Toe nails grow back. Weight can be lost...thats why I joined Weight Watchers with my mom & its why I was given the ability to run my heart out. Bandaids cover cuts.

Taxol has allowed my hair to grow back. Taxol has taken away my arm and leg hair (BONUS!!).

Taxol has given me the energy to get back to running. I can now run 5.5miles again. I was only up to 6 before surgery, due to my prior knee injury a year ago. This is not too shabby.

I am getting antsy to be done with treatment. I am glad this leg of chemo was easier, but it definitely was a long haul. 10 down 2 to go!!! I honestly cannot wait to be done with my final surgery and move onto the next stage of things. This last year has been hard, it has sucked & I am ready for the next year to be better.