It’s been quite a while since I updated this blog because I thought I was cancer free but, as most of you know, that is no longer the case & I’m now in Round Two of my battle with breast cancer. My last PET scan was in 2018 & since I continued to show no signs of disease we would just do them if I was having some sort of symptom. I did have an area of concern on my pubic bone from when I was originally diagnosed in 2016 but it had shown as “no longer active” on several scans.
On Halloween night of 2020 my youngest daughter wanted me to ride a scooter with her to Trick or Treat the last street in our neighborhood. I went with her but did something to my hip on that scooter ride that hurt for several days – I chalked it up to me doing something I was really too old to be doing anymore. I continued to do little things that would cause pain in that hip over the next several weeks until I decided that I probably needed to have it looked at when I was hurting so bad I could barely walk due to sitting cross legged in the floor. I was limping & had no strength in that hip. I had to physically pick my leg up if I wanted to cross my legs or put my leg in a vehicle. I sent a message to my oncologist & he ordered an MRI. I had an MRI on Feb. 8th & he called me about half an hour after that scan to let me know that they saw something on that hip – where my previous area of concern was - & was ordering a PET Scan. I had the PET on Wed. the 10th & his nurse called to schedule me an appointment to come see him on Friday the 12th. As soon as she wanted me to come in to discuss the results I knew something was not right.
I met with my oncologist on Feb. 12th & he told me that not only did I have a much larger 4cm lesion on my left hip adjacent to where the previous area was, there were more. I now have an area on my right hip, my sternum, a few lymph nodes, and two on my liver. A small tumor on the bottom & a large area (6cmx6cm) on the top. The areas on my liver & left hip are the most concerning. In 2016 my cancer was Estrogen Receptor positive, meaning that the cancer was feeding off of that hormone. I had a complete hysterectomy in 2017 & I have already started a medication to try & suppress my bodies production of estrogen even more. I am also starting a bone injection to try & increase the bone density so I won’t be quite so worried about falling & breaking my hip. Right now that is a concern due to the bone breakdown the cancer is causing – if I were to break a hip it would be especially difficult to do anything to fix it since the tumor is actually on my pubic bone. I had my planning scan for radiation yesterday (Feb. 23) & I start radiation on Thursday to try & shrink the cancer on my hips & hopefully that will decrease the swelling & pain so walking won’t be such an issue.
The primary concern at this point is my liver. It is still acting like it is supposed to. My liver enzymes are perfect & I do not drink or smoke or do anything to cause harm to my liver. I have a liver biopsy scheduled tomorrow – Feb. 24 – that will determine if the cancer is still feeding off of estrogen & we are hopeful that it is & the medicine I have already started to suppress estrogen is already working to starve the cancer. He gave me options of what we would do if it was not but I honestly can’t remember what any of them were. These medications do not work forever & typically have to be changed as they lose effectiveness but I will be in some sort of active treatment for the rest of my life. I’m also trying to learn as much as I can about what is going on inside me & how I can help myself. I am reading all the books I can get my hands on to learn about supplements I can take & changes to my diet that I can make to help myself & fight this naturally while going along with what my doctor says to do. I am trying to cut sugar out of my diet & learning what foods/ drinks/etc. have been shown to help in the fight against cancer. We hear & read about miracles every day – why can’t I be among them?
I have had some very rough nights since all this started two weeks ago. Lots of screaming & crying has happened. This fight has consumed me & I have spent many hours asking God why & being very angry. I have a husband I adore, three children that are my world, a career I love, & lots of plans for the future – why is this happening?! I would be lying if I said I’m all emotionally & mentally ok. I’m still working on it & have had some down & dark moments – but there has been light. I have had so many people reach out wanting to help, offering prayers, & reminding me of how loved I am. People have reached out with resources & education that have helped others & I’m not writing anything off. Dandelion Extract is good for the liver? On it! Passion Flower is a natural way to suppress estrogen production? Ordered it! Lay off the processed foods & eat more raw/organic? Sprouts here I come! I don’t just want to not die – I want to LIVE! I have not been told I have XXXX amount of years left but I know that I intend to exceed all their timelines & expectations! I’m setting goals now & I plan to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary & see my son graduate high school in 2023, enjoy my 40th birthday in 2024, & then help my baby enjoy her senior year in 2028-2029, & be there for every awesome thing in between . It’s 2021 & I’m 37 now – I’ve got years left of moments I want to be there for & I’ll fight for every one of them.
