Where Has The Time Gone?

I just realized I have been in this whole thing for over a year! Wow, time really has flown. Minutes turn into hours that turn into days, weeks and months, oh so quickly. More quickly than I realized, until now. So here a look at where I've been and how far I've come.

• 12.18.2021 - Annual mammogram appointment
• 01.11.2022 - Ultrasound on right breast as a result of my mammogram
• 01.25.2022 - Biopsy on right breast after ultrasound
• 01.26.2022 - Received official breast cancer diagnosis
• 02.01.2022 - Met with my breast surgeon, Dr. Anglin for the first time
• 02.10.2022 - MRI on my breast to determine exact size of tumor
• 02.16.2022 - Met with Dr. Anglin; recommended a double mastectomy after she received the results of my genetic screening which showed I have the BRCA1 gene
• 02.21.2022 - Appointment with my first plastic surgeon, Dr. Nguyen, and first photoshoot to capture me, as is, before all my changes that are to come
• 02.22.2022 - Had MediPort surgically implanted just under my left collar bone (this is used to infuse my chemo drugs)
• 02.25.2022 - Met with second plastic surgeon (nope, not going with this guy!!)
• 03.01.2022 - Chemo teach class at oncology center & CT scan
• 03.06.2022 - Another photoshoot, just before chemo starts
• 03.07.2022 - My first chemo treatment, and my bestie by my side for support 😌
• 06.02.2022 - Met with OBGYN oncologist to discuss my hysterectomy, which will come after my reconstructive surgery
• 08.08.2022 - The last of my weekly chemo infusions, thankfully. I rang the bell!!
• 08.15.2022 - Pre-op appointment with Dr. Nguyen, my plastic surgeon, as I prepared for my upcoming double mastectomy surgery
• 09.07.2022 - Pre-op appointment with Dr. Anglin, my breast surgeon, as I prepared for my upcoming double mastectomy surgery
• 09.23.2022 - Double mastectomy surgery, and it went very well, again, having my bestie at my side 😌
• 09.29.2022 - I received the call I was hoping for, my cancer is gone!!! 💖💖
• 10.03.2022 - Post-op appointment with Dr. Nguyen, my plastic surgeon. Everything looked great! No more surgical bra needed (I had been wearing it since the day of surgery), and no more bras, period. 💞
• 10.05.2022 -Post-op appointment with Dr. Anglin, my breast surgeon. Looking good!
• 10.07.2022 - Met with my oncologist, Dr. Taboada; although pathology was great, he recommended another 9 rounds of Keytruda
• 10.17.2022 - Drains are out, FINALLY! I hated those mother fuckers
• 10.21.2022 - Started back on chemo (Keytruda), 1 of 9 rounds down
• 12.01.2022 - Started physical therapy due to the side effects from my chemo treatments
• 01.03.2023 - Lymphedema check at Dr. Anglin's office
• 01.26.2023 - One year since I received my cancer diagnosis, as I am here, in remission. Also, Thor's 12th birthday! The OG doggy!

Damn, a little over a year in review, and although every single chemo infusion and physical therapy appointment isn't listed, I sure have been busy, and will continue to be busy. 

Thor, lounging like he loves to do. And yes, he needs a haircut; but he is cold blooded, so I will wait for it to get a bit warmer before I make him cute for all the ladies again!

What's New In This New Year?

What's new? And what's not? Oh so much!

Chemo is still going, which is great. White blood cells are really good, and way sooner than anticipated, so even better. Physical therapy is still a thing, and that is going so so so well! I am really on the mend. My hair is still growing, and like a weed I may add. It's now 2" long! Wow! It's fucking out of control actually. It just does what it wants when it wants, and I just go with it. Why fight it? Lol. I don't care. Some days it's so comical, and I don't care what anyone thinks.

What else? As if I don't have enough shit to deal with just with treatment alone, because that in itself is just a beast, I got laid off from work last week. Like fucking great. I was back for three weeks only for them to say Bye Felicia. WTF? So I can handle this one of two ways. Dwell on it and let it drag me down (which by now you all know that is NEVER going to happen), or look at it that it's for the best, and this allows me now not to be stressed with work on top of everything else, and just focus on myself and my treatment. Getting stronger and preparing for what's ahead. I'll take the latter. 

Anything else you wonder? Hmmm, yes. This neuropathy thing is getting fucking ridiculous. Like seriously ridiculous. My right hand only still, which is my dominant hand, has it all going on. Pinky, nothing, no neuropathy, however, the rest of my fingers, including my thumb, has gotten worse. Jesus. I spoke with my oncologist about it because I thought it had everything to do with my chemo treatments. Nope, I was wrong. He said the chemo meds I am on do not cause neuropathy. Surprise. Wow. I was not expecting to hear that. He suggested I see a hand doctor, and so I will be doing that. Tomorrow actually. Let's see what they have to say. It's suspected that it could be carpel tunnel, but I am not gong to sit here and play this guessing game. I will leave it to the experts.

Has 2023 started off with a bang? Yes, kind of, and not in all the banging kind of ways I wish it was, but, it is what it is. I know I could have it better as some do, but in reality, I know I could have it so much worse than I do, as others do. I am grateful for what I have, and as much as I have a can do attitude and I am going to kick cancer's ass attitude, I know I am lucky, and therefore I am thankful. 

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year! Welcoming 2023 and hoping it is a much better year for me, and all of us, if 2022 was a shit show for anyone other than myself.

So how did 2023 start? With things, many things. The first being I finally started back to work, 6am on New Years Day. Happy fucking new year. It is what it is. It is nice to have a sense of normalcy that way. I mean I am 2.5 days in, so I am not about to try and jump for joy. Not yet. Those first few days of starting back and getting into the swing of things, including waking up at 530am (for those of you who know me well, you know I am NOT a morning person, so fuck me with getting up when it's dark outside), were mentally and physically exhausting. That's a good thing so far though.

What else? Still doing physical therapy three times a week, and getting stronger every time. I still have my struggles but I feel like I am really making a ton of progress and couldn't be happier with that. I know where I still have weakness, and I am working on strengthening my entire body so I can get back to where I was. The little bit of exercise I am doing to get stronger really makes me wish I could get in the gym and hit it hard. Really build my muscles back up, but I need to be realistic, of course.

My hair.......holy shit. It is now growing like a weed! I think it's around 2" long now. Fucking awesome, right? Yes, and no, because I am starting that awkward stage now. You know where you have wings everywhere, you totally have bed head every morning, and the rest of the day you hair just does what it wants. I literally dont give a fuck. Sometimes when I get out of the shower, I towel dry it and let it dry however it wants. Yesterday, that meant it looked like I stuck my finger in an outlet. LOL. I am sure when I was out and about, people noticed. Ha. Who cares. My physical therapist said she liked the look and noticed immediately. I would have looked like a junior Albert Einstein if my hair was white. I'll take it.

So I have noticed something......and I don't know what to think exactly. I am unsure. I haven't shaved under my arms in a long, long time. I did a few times because my hair grew back and now, nothing again. Seems so strange. I am not complaining, oh no, because fuck shaving. I like that I don't have any hair under my arms again. My leg hair has gotten sparse again too. Even better. I'm going to hold out hoping that after the next time I shave my legs, it's the last. If only I cold get so lucky! It may or may not have anything to do with my current chemo treatment. Honestly I don't give enough fucks to look into it or research it. These are just my observations right now.

In my shittier world, I have developed neuropathy. I thought I coasted past this months ago when I was on the Red Devil chemo. That's when it is likely to appear. I experienced that differently than most (based on what I have read and in talking with others who have it), and I thought it was long gone and way behind me. Wrong. Fuck me. I am right handed. Where am I experiencing my neuropathy? My right thumb, index, middle and ring fingertips. Like go fucking figure. Could it have been on my left hand? No, of course not. Why make my life any easier? It's weird. I constantly have a tingling feeling on those fingertips I mentioned, and it never goes away. Sometimes it gets worse. Sometimes from the tips of my fingers to the second knuckle down, my fingers are all numb. It keep me on my toes, lol, because I have to be focused on the things I touch, pick up, move, etc., to make sure I have a firm grip. It's weirder than most things day to day.

Lots of positives, one annoyance. Not a horrible start to 2023. Let's hope things are going to continue to get better every day!

Hair everywhere!!!