Break Over - Radiation RDV

So here we are, once again at the CICL, this time around it will be for radiation therapy. I have already met with my radio-oncologist Dr. Gary Mok as well as his team. The appointment was very thorough and informative, they each explained the procedure and the possible side effects. As for the side effects, what scares me the most is the blistering, basically radiation is like a really bad sunburn over time. Also, they explained that there is fatigue involved, like being at a beach all day in the sun. Honestly, I would rather be soaking in the beach rays then have to come to the hospital everyday for 5-6 weeks for treatment. this is my last hurdle for treatment and I will jump over it with another victory and a gold medal🎖

I just saw Dr. Mok again and went over the possible side effects as to damage or scarring to the heart, lung and thyroid. The risks are low but there is always a risk, being a spring chicken at 41 is what makes my chances less likely for repercussions, lucky me😜. Now we wait again for me to go in for my scan and to size me for the pillow, whatever that means, I will inform you once it is done. They will mark my breast area, underarm and clavicle to be sure that no other areas are affected by the radiation therapy. This is yet another scary hurdle, I guess the unknown is always a little scary, but I have the best hand to hold during my fear, my rock, my husband.  

The pillow sizing went very well, basically it is a plastic pillow filled with a sand like substance. They place me on it with my arms over my head and make sure that it hugs me and it takes a mold of me. That will be used during every radiation session, to be sure that I am always in the same exact position. They then proceeded to mark me and gave me 6 tiny little permanent markers that I will have as a reminder of my journey. The scan will be verified by my oncologist and be sure that all the markers are ready and willing to receive the radiation in the next 2 weeks. 

They really need to do something with the ugly hospital gowns....😘

Love you all

Franca

6 of 9 Taxol = chemo # 12 LAST CHEMO "survivor"

Last Tuesday July 26, 2016 I received my last chemotherapy treatment. Yeahhhhhhh, reason for celebration.

- I did it, I beat the beast inside me............

- chemo was tough but I was definitely tougher..........

- I HAD cancer, it didn't have me............

I walked into the cancer center that morning with a smile on my face, not only because it was my last chemotherapy treatment but because I was a "survivor".  My husband surprised me with a beautiful poster that he made on his own, that I proudly brought me to the hospital that morning. 

I have fought hard since that dreadful day December 30, 2015 when I heard the words that I had Breast Cancer. There were some very difficult decisions that I had to make, but for me they were the right ones, it was going to be a fight and I needed to brace myself for it. 

This is my timeline:

November 22, 2015.......... I discovered a lump on my left breast

November 23, 2015.......... Went to see my GP and he scheduled Mammogram & Ultrasound

November 26, 2015.......... Mammo and ultrasound done

November 30, 2015...........Results show a mass and a biopsy to be done ASAP

December 9, 2015.............Breast Biopsy done......waited 3 weeks for results of the inevitable 

December 30, 2015...........Stage 2, Grade1 invasive lobular carcinoma ( Breast Cancer) 

In the next two weeks there were a battery of blood tests, scans, MRI, bone test, ultrasounds and another biopsy on the other breast. 

Results - NON METASTATIC Breast Cancer.......Thank GOD, it did not spread beyond the lymph nodes

This is where the decisions had to be considered and made, let's just say I didn't have very long to decide, things had to start moving quickly.  

January 20, 2016..........1st meeting with my oncologist, with complete pathology report of the biopsy 

January 25, 2016..........decision made to have a dbl mastectomy with the breast surgeon 

February 12, 2016.........lost both my breast to the beast living inside of me, hardest part of this journey 

March 10, 2016.............met with the oncologist to decide chemo options

March 23, 2016 - May 4, 2016 ........1st protocol 3 chemo treatments = 1 every 3 weeks 😔

May 25, 2016 ...............2nd protocol 1 treatment = 3 x Taxol......hospitalized for 4 days😷

June 14, 2016...............oncologist decided a change was required and switch to Taxol weekly

June 21, 2016 - July 26, 2016 .......... Received 6 of the 9 Taxol treatments😔

July 25, 2016 ................ Declared officially CANCER FREE😀

It's been a very long and exhausting journey with so many tears and uncertainty, but the thing that kept me going was my husband and my daughter.  I feared the worst but told myself that I am stronger, I cried and still do but then look in the mirror and tell myself, I can do this.  This is a Journey that nobody every dreams of having to face, once faced with it you charge at it with full force. 

I would love to say that it is over, but I am on a little break right now for 4 weeks. I will be doing about 4-5 weeks of daily radiation therapy starting in September. The beast inside me took a little trip into 3 of the 11 lymphnode that were removed, so this being said they will burn the hell out of my underarm area to be sure that it is all dead. That I will deal with when I get there.

So for now I will try to enjoy the next 4 weeks of break from treatment, I will need to heal from all the pain and water retention that I am presently having.  

Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement and support throughout my journey.

Love you all

Franca