Two weeks old!

Time for my two week check up!

Watching my first baseball game with Daddy and Papa Chris!

                           Spending my first "Nonna days" with Liam. 
He had his 2 week check up with the same pediatrician my kids all went to from birth. It was surreal bringing my grandson back to the same doctors office I used to bring the boys to.
We ended the day watching the Rangers with daddy and Papa Chris :) Loved every minute of it ♥

Do you "Think Pink"?

I have found myself struggling with the month of October for the last few years. I wanted to write about how I felt regarding the "pink month" but was not quite sure how to put it into words as I have mixed emotions on this subject. I read this message from Dr. Susan Love for Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day on a friends blog. I believe she says it well for those of us who may not "Think Pink".

"By now you have noticed that it is October, and that a pink haze has settled on the land. The message of “early detection saves lives” has been broadcast on every form of media available. But there is a part of the breast cancer story that is less “feel good” and less frequently mentioned– woman living with metastatic breast cancer.

Have we gotten better at detecting breast cancer? Yes. Have we gotten better at treating this disease? Yes. But we haven’t gotten good enough. Despite doing everything that we now can, about 25 percent of the women who are diagnosed with and treated for early-stage breast cancer will later learn that they have metastatic disease. An additional 4 to 6 percent of all breast cancer cases will be in women whose initial diagnosis is stage IV, metastatic disease.

Right now, about 150,000 people in this country are living with metastatic breast cancer. At this stage, the cancer can be treated–and women can live for many years with stage IV disease– but it is not considered curable.
These women, as Roni Caryn Rabin wrote in the New York Times, “…are not [leading] pink-ribbon lives: They live from scan to scan, in three-month gulps, grappling with pain, fatigue, depression, crippling medical costs and debilitating side effects of treatment, hoping the current therapy will keep the disease at bay until the next breakthrough drug comes along, or at least until the family trip to Disney World.” Some will live for years; others won’t be so lucky. Elizabeth Edwards comes to mind.

October 13 is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and I can’t tell you how important it is that there is at least one day in October that is dedicated to acknowledging that not everyone is cured and not every cancer is found early. We need to stop congratulating ourselves on our progress and start focusing on figuring out why these women have not benefited from all the money we have raised. Reach out today to someone you know that represents the other side of breast cancer, the one that is not so pink. We will not have accomplished this goal as long as one woman dies of this disease!"

CT scan results

Thank you for the encouraging comments left on my last post. "I am a fan of hope".  http://elayneminich.blogspot.com/2011/10/im-fan-of-hope.html I truly appreciate them.
This past week I received a preliminary email from my Oncology nurse stating that my scans looked fine, followed by a confirmation from my doctor.

I have not spoken to anyone or received a copy of the CT scan yet, so I don't have any details.

One of my concerns, other than everything being ok, is if there has been any damage or scarring to my lungs from the radiation. Still waiting to hear, but no noticeable problems.

As for how things are going now, I am feeling much better! My energy levels are getting back to pre-treatment levels. However, when I overdue it I pay for it :) I am not back to a regular running routine yet, but doing between 2-4 miles at least twice a week. I have such a long way to go!


These past 2 weeks I have been spending time getting to know and love on my grandson,Liam.

I'M A FAN OF HOPE!

Today is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread from the primary site to other structures or organs, nearby or far away. There are 150,000+ women and men affected by metastatic breast cancer in the US. See More

By: LIVESTRONG

13 YEARS SURVIVING METASTATIC BREAST CANCER

 

Waiting on scan results

Monday was my follow up CT scan. No official results yet, but I think they are ok. Waiting to talk with my doctor and get a copy of the results.

                                          One week old today!!!

LIAM

After a long morning at the hospital ...this is exactly what I needed. Napping with my grandbaby boy :)

Nonna & Liam

 

4 days old!

Here he is! I am a Nonna to this little peanut...Liam James :) After 13 hours in labor, my beautiful daughter(in-law) and son welcomed their first son and our first grandson. I was blessed to be in the delivery room and hear his first wonderful cry. I will write a separate post later on what it means to be a grandparent after 13 years of living with cancer. For now, I am just loving each and every moment with him :)

                                       Going home!

                                                   Liam & me (Nonna)

                                              Just a few minutes old

                                                   Liam James

False Alarm and other happenings.....

False alarm Saturday night! We were all out eating dinner and Nikki began having consistant contractions. A call to her doctor and off we went to the hospital thinking it was time to meet our grandson! Four hours later, at 2 AM  the anxious parents to be and family, were all sent home. No progress. It is now Monday night and Liam has not yet made his appearance. So...we wait.

Nonna and Papa Chris at the hospital

On the health news front; my energy is getting better each week. The radiation burn continues to be a slow and painful process. Having to be creative wearing light clothes on my skin then my regular clothes on top.  My doctor did order a cream made of aquaphor and lydocaine, I believe. It too has helped. This has been my worst burn yet. It is very upsetting just to look at it.
Monday I will be having a CT scan to see how things are going. Prayers for clean test results are appreciated.
My tumor markers were down prior to treatment but still a little high.

Still teaching and training my classes. Running and walking a little bit. Nowhere near where I would like to be and I miss it. However, my daughter (in-law) Stephanie ran the Komen 5k Race for the Cure on Sept. 24th with a very good time!

Stephanie's birthday dinner with family & friends

Hopefully, my next post will be a picture of our Little Liam!