5/28/09

One year ago today, I walked into the women's imaging center at my local hospital to get the results of my breast biopsy. They called Jeff and I back into an office, where we sat across from a radiologist and a nurse. I can still hear the doctor's voice in my head "Well, it is cancer......" At first I felt like this had to be some kind of cruel joke, like I was being punked or something. It is too hard to believe even now that I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 29.

After the doctor left the room, the nurse sat there and talked with me about what the next year would probably hold for me.....surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and reconstruction. I was most upset about losing my hair, due to chemotherapy at that point. Little did I know, I would end up losing both breasts as well (one by choice, but still).

It still seems so surreal. I feel like I've been watching someone else go through all this. I still picture myself as having long hair and both breasts.....the mirror must be lying or I'm kinda in denial.

My ordeal is still not over. I have treatment until the end of September and a long road till I am fully reconstruction.

I will always have doctors visits, scars as a reminder, and a fear of recurrence to keep me in cancerland to a degree. You see, cancer is the gift that keeps on giving....just not in a good way.

Over the past year, my eyes have been opened to fully know what it is like to have cancer. You really have no idea, until you have lived through it. The only good thing is, it will be a blessing to have that understanding when I finally enter the work force and can apply it to my patient care.

I hope that my experience will bring awareness to the people around me, that yes, young people do get breast cancer too. Don't ever let a doctor tell you that you are too young.....you are not!

This past year has changed my life forever, but I am thankful to be alive to notice.

5/22/09

Today I had an appointment at my medical oncologist's office. They gave me my 4th post-operative Avastin treatment, which means I only have 6 more to go!!!! It will be so nice when I am finally done.

The doc gave me a script to start Tamoxifen. This is an oral anti-estrogen pill that I will have to take everyday for the next 5 years to help reduce my risk of recurrence. I really don't want to take it, but I need it due to the fact my tumor was feed by estrogen and progesterone. I am told it will decrease my risk by a third. The known, serious side effects of tamoxifen are blood clots, strokes, uterine cancer, and cataracts. Other side effects are similar to the symptoms of menopause. The most common side effects are hot flashes and vaginal discharge. Some women experience irregular menstrual periods, headaches, fatigue, nausea and/or vomiting , vaginal dryness or itching, irritation of the skin around the vagina, and skin rash. As with menopause, not all women who take tamoxifen have these symptoms.

1 down, only 1,824 pills to go!

5/19/09

Today I had an appointment with my radiation oncologist. My burn looks soooooo much better. It only has 2 open places right now. He told me to clean it with diluted peroxide and then put neosporin on it. I don't have to go back for 7 weeks!!!!


The best news is, he told me that in most people who have the response to radiation that I did, the cancer doesn't come back!!! How encouraging is that?!

Radiation burn pictures

May 1
The X is what they use to line up the machine for my boosts.

















May 4

















May 8

























May 13

5/13/09

I had my final boost on May 6th and I am done with radiation!!!!!!!! I was able to complete 28 treatments and 3 boosts. The doctor had originally wanted me to have 6 boosts, but my skin is too sore and he doesn't want it to get worse. Right now it is cracking, peeling, and sometimes bleeding, so I'm glad I can concentrate on healing now.

May 6th, I went for genetic counseling and testing. They drew blood and will be checking for the BRCA 1 and 2 gene mutations. These are the genes that make you more susceptible to developing breast cancer and other types of cancer. Carriers have a 56-87% chance of developing breast cancer and a 27%-44% chance of developing ovarian cancer, whereas in the general population it is only 7% for breast cancer and less than 2% for ovarian cancer. Pretty scary statistics, huh? Knowledge is power.


If they find I have this mutation then my family can then decide if they want to be tested. Finding out they are carriers will give them the opportunity to have increased surveillance, chemoprevention, or preventive surgery. Plus it will then help me decide whether or not I want to have my ovaries removed for preventitive measures.


The results will take 3-4 weeks to come back and then they will call to schedule an appointment to have me come in for the results. I'm hoping I get negative results.


On May 29th-30th, I will be doing Relay for Life at Indiana White Township Municipal Park. It is a 24 hour event starting at 6 pm on the 29th. If you are able to participate at any time during that 24 hours (you don't have to stay the whole time) you can join my team by going to my personal page....


http://main.acsevents.org/goto/bethgibbons


....and clicking 'join my team'. You can also donate there if you are unable to attend the event.

19 weeks of hair growth

About 2 inches long

5/8/09

I went for bloodwork today and while I was there my medical oncologist told me he had received the results of my chest CT....there has been no change. The nodules are stable.

I totally trust my doctor, but at the same time I still worry. UGH!

I guess I just need to stop thinking about them.

5/1/09

Today I had an appointment with my medical oncologist. We spoke about the lung nodules that were seen in my CT scan from 6/2008. He doesn't think it is anything to worry about, because they are so small, but for my piece of mind he is ordering me a chest CT. He said that the nodules could be blood vessels turned sideways even.