OH holy chemo!

Warning: LONG POST but it will catch you up from the beginning to now.

Well I have all the tests finished up. I head to Manhattan on Monday for the last set of tests. The first day was strictly tests (mri's, labs, mammos, ultrasounds, etc) We were there from 10:30am-4:30pm. The next day was meeting with Dr. Fabian and her staff. We had a wonderful warm welcome from everyone involved! We were told that they found 5 tumors on the left breast and 1 on the right. It has doubled in size and is growing into one big mass. The measurement was around 5 cm. Dr. Fabian believes it is late stage 2 beginning stage 3 breast cancer. The FANTASTIC news is it is NOT in the lymph nodes or bone marrow!!! God is good!! The stage 3 is solely based on the size of the tumor so although it sounds scary it is not :) I start chemo on January 25th and will return for chemo in KC every 2 weeks for the next 4-5 months. I am so blessed of the amount of support from you all!
Oh one more thing I started menopause too. My tumor is growing b/c of hormones so they shut them down! We will see what this brings :)



I did a genomic test which shows your oncotype DX. Oncotype DX breast cancer assay uses RT-PCR to determine the expression of a panel of 21 genes in tumor tissues. The Recurrence score is calculated from the gene expression results. The results score range is from 1-100. I scored a 28 which puts me in the intermediate risk group to have a recurrence at 10 years after 5 years of Tamoxifen treatment. This will help me to know what type of breast surgery we will do when chemo is over. I will most likely have a bilateral mastectomy with a complete hysterectomy as well.

I am currently taking 3 chemo meds they are called Taxotere, Epirubicin, and Cytoxan. Have fun researching :)

Oh holy chemo!!  Well my first round of chemo was on the 25th and for the following 2 days I felt okay.  I could walk, talk, hug, laugh, etc.  On Friday  I was starting to feel the effects of this poison.  I had horrendous chest pain, couldn't eat, couldn't lift my head for longer than 15 seconds it was ROUGH.  I don't even know if rough is the word.  I have never felt so close to death ever.  I know some of you are laughing, oh this is Courtney being dramatic, but really it was bad!  I laugh as I type this because the worst is over and I look back and think WOW I made it through that .  This second round is going to be a breeze :)

I went to the hospital on Monday where they pumped me full of fluids and meds and by the evening I was a new person.  What an iv bag can do is miraculous!   The lab report showed that my white blood count was 0.3!!  A normal person's wbc is 4-11.  No wonder I felt yucky.  My oncologist nurse called and said that we won't be able to do chemo on the 9th but will do it on the 16th.  I will leave Monday evening for KC to have my port placed in my chest by my breast surgeon. 

Grandma JJ has taken all three children to Aunt Ellen's house for a cousin's party!! They are having a fantastic time and I can't wait to see them on Sunday.  I am tired, weak, but able to do small tasks.  The best way  I can describe it is with my toaster.  I have stood and waited for toast soo many mornings for my boys but now I have a hard time standing to wait on it.  Everyday gets better and better.  I wake up each morning reaching for my hair to see if I still have any and I do!  Here is a recent pic of me and I am wearing THE SCARF that my girlfriend is making in my honor!  LOVE IT! 

Thank you all for the meals, cards, calls, etc.  I am humbled by all the love and support my family and I have had!!! 

Next time I will get a shot of all my meds I have to take :(  I have the BIGGEST pill organizer in America.