WINTRY FAMILY FUN

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Wow Me Wednesday #138


Welcome to the party!
It's my favorite day of the week,
and I'm so excited to see all your fun projects!
Grab the WOW button,
check out other entries that catch your eye,
and leave a little crafty comment love along the way!
Ready, set, GO!!!

Monday, March 24, 2014

Chemo: Round 1


A week ago I was dancing on my chair at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor.
I had just received my stage 4 diagnosis, but was still confident that cancer had nothing on me!
I had no idea how powerful chemo really is.


I arrived Wednesday for my first chemo treatment full of excitement.
This was the day I began zapping the beast within.
This was the day I had been waiting for since I heard the word CANCER.
I was ready.

They started with a bag of saline in my IV and some benadryl in case I had an allergic reaction 
to any of the 3 medications: Docetaxel, Trastuzumab, and Pertuzumab.
Of course I had no reactions to any of them, but reacted badly to the benadryl!
It made me terribly sleepy and dizzy but with the worst restless legs and arms!
I was a mess.

The whole process took 7 hours, since they took time to flush out the line 
in between each medication and wait for a reaction. 
Next time will be shorter thank goodness!!
I went home tired, and very sore in my cancer sites.

The next day I woke up not quite sure what to expect.
My husband stayed home to watch me, but the only reaction I had was sore teeth.
I thought to myself, I got this.

Friday I started going downhill.
My sister came to do my laundry and help with the kids.
I began to hurt and nothing sounded good, not even my trusty chocolate!

The weekend was miserable. 
My stomach was all crampy and it felt like I was being stabbed all over my body with dull knives.


Saturday I managed to get to my daughter's dance performance but was down for the rest of the day.
Sunday I went to church for a little while, and was glad I did.
The message was clearly for me, and the fellowship did me good.
But I was done.

I messaged my cancer girls and they told me not to suffer in silence.
I contacted my oncologist and we are working together to manage my pain.
Things don't seem quite so hopeless, I can do this!

I'm looking forward to figuring out what works so I can be prepared and fight off the pain.
Life is too short to lie in bed if I can help it!

I look around me and everyone looks so alive.
So vibrant and well.

It seems so strange that I would take a medicine to make me better but it actually makes me sicker.
And in getting sick, I am actually getting well. 
Because having cancer didn't make me feel sick, I felt incredibly well.
But in reality I was being eaten alive from the inside from the beast cancer.

I hate cancer. More than I thought I could really hate anything.
I'm mad at it. And I'm going to kick its butt. 
Because I want to dance again.


Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Wow Me Wednesday #137


Welcome to the party!
It's my favorite day of the week,
and I'm so excited to see all your fun projects!
Grab the WOW button,
check out other entries that catch your eye,
and leave a little crafty comment love along the way!
Ready, set, GO!!!

Monday, March 17, 2014

The Diagnosis...


If I've learned one thing, it's that nothing ends up like you thought it would.


When we had our "big" meeting with the doctors, we were given a lot of info, but no further diagnosis.
I needed chemo right away, that much they agreed on.
They wanted to place me in a clinical trial, and my favorite part...
I am very young!
This was very important for me to hear as I was celebrating my 38th birthday 
and feeling close to 40 and most definitely not young!


My husband decided we needed a trip to Disneyland before chemo started.
It was a beautiful day and I wanted to remember every moment of it forever!


My best blogger friends threw me a fantabulous surprise party 
and surrounded me with love and handmade goodies. 
I especially loved my pink hoodie they all signed to wear to chemo!


The next day was my liver biopsy. 
The CT scans were inconclusive and showed suspicious gray areas, 
so the oncologist ordered up another biopsy.
The blankets were warm and the sedation was dreamy.
I got to spend a few hours alone with my husband and I laughed a lot.
It was a good day.


My actual birthday was the day after the biopsy 
and the church ladies pulled off a surprise brunch for me at the park!
Cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, cookies, and some very thoughtful gifts!
I felt so lucky and loved.


All week I came home to little surprises on my doorstep.
I loved them all, but am especially fond of this necklace from my friend who understands sadness 
and is an example to me of never giving up and pushing forward.

This morning it got real.


Just when I got to school with the kids, I got the call.
The liver biopsy came back positive with cancer.
This is a game changer.

We met with my sweet oncologist a few hours later.
She explained that I have Stage Four infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the right breast, 
estrogen receptor negative, progesterone receptor negative, 
Her 2 neu positive with mestasis to the liver.

My cancer will never be fully cured, only controlled.
I will have 4 months of aggressive chemo, once a week, with 3 medications.
Things will never be the same.

But really, life is ever evolving.
I know that this is my time and season to experience cancer.
I still choose to fight for my life!

But it feels very heavy, and so I still ask for your prayers.
Your smiles and hugs boost me up and give me renewed energy and purpose.
I thank you with all that I have for your support!

XOXO
Jaime

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Wow Me Wednesday #136


Welcome to the party!
It's my favorite day of the week,
and I'm so excited to see all your fun projects!
Grab the WOW button,
check out other entries that catch your eye,
and leave a little crafty comment love along the way!
Ready, set, GO!!!

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