Radiation

 Since my last post, I have finished chemotherapy and begun radiation. 

I was suppose to receive 12 treatments of chemo, but during my 8th visit,  the Dr. decided to stop all treatment because my neuropathy was so bad (numbness in hands in feet). He was afraid that if we continued, the neuropathy would become permanent. My parents were out of town and I'd planned on going to that 8th visit alone. Thank the Lord, my BFF was in town and asked to go with me. Since it was my last chemo visit, I got to ring the bell to signify the end....and I didnt have to do that alone!

I waited 4 weeks with no kind of treatment, in order to allow my body to heal and side effects to alleviate. Then, on Nov 8th, I started my first radiation treatment. I go every day M-F for a 30 min appt to receive radiation to my chest (for a total of 6 weeks).

My first week is complete and so far no side effects. They say after 2 weeks I'll start noticing skin changes (redness, irritation, etc) and fatigue will set in. 

The emotional side of cancer is starting to creep in. I'm finding myself crying more. Added to that I get S.A.D. every winter. Prayers for my emotional well being would be appreciated. 

Keep chuggin along

 I havent posted in a while, because there isn't much to update y'all on. I'm still chuggin along on my chemo regiment. I'm on a weekly regiment of Taxol right now. Things are going well, with minimal side effects and no nausea. I have 7 more treatments of Taxol, a month break with no treatment, and then I'll start daily radiation around first of December. 

Thanks again for all your love and support. I havent received a "Support Squad" t-shirt photo from anyone lately.  Please keep sending those. I have recently been going to treatments alone, so those photos will help a lot. I have chemo every Tuesday afternoon. 

Onto the next...

 I finished the "red devil" chemo!!! I have now had 4 treatments of Adriamycin/Cytoxin chemotherapy.  Starting Mon, Aug 16th, I will begin weekly infusions of Taxol chemotherapy for 3 months. I received this drug 8 years ago during my first cancer treatments, and I tolerated it pretty well, so hopefully I do as well on it this time around too. 

Surprisingly,  this last treatment was the best one, as far as side effects. There were no issues during the infusion, and the only side effect afterwards was fatigue. Absolutely no nausea this time!! This was such a blessing, because it allowed me to help my mom take care of my dad after his rotator cuff surgery. 

My dad is healing well and recovering well. He had his stitches removed yesterday and had his PT consultation.  His right arm is in a sling, but he's getting around pretty easily and doing most things himself. As he is right-handed, he can't drive yet or write anything, and he needs some help getting dressed. I am impressed though with how much he is able to do already. As he has worked full time for nearly 50 years, I think he is bored sitting at home all day. I called the other day and he said he'd just woken from a nap that he took "just to pass the time".

My parents and I have been very thankful for the "Take Them A Meal" meals that have been made or delivered for us. My mom has appreciated not having to cook during this hectic time of taking care of two people. They also love the visitors!! 

Thank you all for continued support, love and prayers!

Coming up...

 I had my 3rd chemo treatment on Monday, July 19th.  This treatment went much better than the last two, as I had no complications during the infusion.  I have had little side effects this time as well.  Wednesday I was pretty nauseous and tired, but felt better the rest of the week.  I was even able to spend the weekend with my niece and nephew. My next chemo (and final round of AC), will be on Monday, August 2nd.  Don't forget to send me love and support with your "Support Squad" t-shirts.  Take a photo wearing it and send it to me, please!  It really lifts my spirits to see you all out there supporting me.

As I mentioned, my next chemo is Aug 2nd.  My father is having rotator cuff surgery (3+ month recovery) on Aug. 4th.  This is going to be a difficult time for my parents and I as my mom will have to do double duty as a caretaker for a few weeks.  She will have to take care of my dad full for a few weeks until he can start using his arm again, and then also take care of me during my recovery periods from chemo.  This is going to be a very challenging time for the 3 of us.  Therefore, it would be greatly appreciated if any local friends and family could help us out with meals during this time.  I have signed up for takethemameal.com.  Search for "Rapers" and use passcode 9798.  I have made a schedule for 6 weeks.  Anything would be greatly appreciated.  Follow the link here .

Second chemo

 July 6th I had my second round of AC chemo (Adriamycin and cytoxin). I entered the appointment with a migraine that increasingly got worse. To the point where they didnt want to treat me and wanted to post-pone the chemo. They said all my vitals and blood work were good, so I told them to proceed. They pumped me full of nausea meds and steroids, which weren't helping, and gave me tylenol. I had a reaction to 1 or more of the drugs, and had to get a dose of benadryl, then more steroids. These 2 drugs combined knocked me out for a couple hours and when I finally woke up the migraine was gone. This treatment was suppose to take 2.5hrs. But with all the complications I was there for 5hrs and was one of the last patients to leave. 

Good news is, my recovery this time is going much better so far. No bone pain so far and less nausea.

Keep praying and keeping sending those Support Squad photos, my next chemo is July 19th.

I love you all but...

 I don't want to piss anyone off with this post, but something needs to be addressed. Many of my friends and family have never had cancer, so I don't expect you to understand. But it must be known that the worst thing you can ask a cancer patient is "How are you feeling?".  As my hilarious fellow cancer friend puts it: "I feel like shit. How do you think I feel?!". I have good days, and I have bad days, but overall chemo SUCKS.

I have been getting daily messages from loved ones asking me this very question. It gets overwhelming and exhausting explaining my daily condition to everyone. I am trying to stay positive throughout my treatment, and constantly talking about my symptoms, side effects and overall wellness is bringing me down. Don't misunderstand me, I love and appreciate that everyone is concerned about me and checking on me. This is not about one individual person, so don't take it personally. But there are better ways to go about showing that you care. 

If you want to know about my treatment and how it's going, the best thing you can do is follow my blog at pinkdaysahead.blogspot com. I post regular updates there. Otherwise, if you want to send me a message, send me funny memes/videos (I dont get offended easily), or just say "I'm thinking about you today" or "I'm praying for you". But please do not ask me how I'm feeling or how treatment is going!

If you want more details or don't have access to my blog, you can text my mom. She is more than happy to talk to people and has been advised on how much to share. Any close friends or relatives should have her cell phone #. 

Thank you for allowing me to vent. Do not stop caring, just do it differently please.

Chemo #1

 On Monday, June 21st, I had my first round of chemotherapy.  My mom and I entered the cancer center at 11am and there was so much hustle and bustle, no one realized I was there for my first treatment.  They were so busy, I was there for 4.5 hours, even though the infusions only took about 2 actual hours. I asked the nurse and she said it's like this all the time (It was not like this 8 years ago when I went through chemo).  So, unfortunately, I will not have the same nurse every time, like I did 8 years ago, which was really nice....times have changed. I did have a private room with a wall of windows over looking a nice little water fall and bird feeding area.  I had a cardinal come and visit 3 different times.

I started feeling nauseous and had a headache just a couple hours after my treatment on Monday.  I woke up Tuesday and felt great all day.  I ran errands and had normal energy. Then, Tuesday evening around 6:45p, my Neulasta On Pro was injected (to increase my white blood cells) and the bone pain started. Wed-Sat I was feeling bad.  Symptoms included, nausea, headache, bone pain, slight fever, major fatigue and just overall unwellness.  I will say, that the symptoms this time around are much more tolerable than they were 8 years ago, which is a blessing. My next treatment is Tues, July 6th.  Right now, I'm planning on working the day of treatment (until I have to leave for the appointment), working the day after treatment, and then taking the rest of the week off.  

I have received SO MANY cards, gift cards, flowers, gifts from my Amazon List, well wishes, prayers, texts, FB msgs, and phone calls. I appreciate every single one of them.  I have tried to individually respond to and thank each one of you. They mean the world to me!

How to Support Me

 Since I have several friends and family that live too far to visit or show their support in person, I have come up with an idea. This idea comes from my 2018 cancer camp roommate, Vanessa, who passed away last year. In the link below, you will find a "Support Squad" t-shirt, that can be purchased on Amazon for $15. If you would like, you can purchase one, or many for the entire family. The idea is to wear this shirt on the days of my treatments, to show your support from afar. You can wear it as is, style it, cut it, bedazzle it, add my name...whatever you wish. But TAKE A PICTURE AND SEND IT TO ME! This will really lift my spirits!! The crazier and funnier, the better (i.e. shirts and photos). My first day of chemo is Monday, June 21st, so start prepping! I cant wait to see what you all come up with!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09131V3V6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_9ZJWHX0ZY5E5S4XSJKDT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

(Copy and paste to web browser if link doesnt work)

Updates

 It's been 3 weeks since my major surgery.  I've been at my parent's house the entire time.  Recovery is going much better now.  I can do pretty much everything by myself now. There is still daily pain, but it is manageable with OTC and ice. I was getting pretty restless last week, so we decided to spend a few days away.  We traveled down to the Bloomington area and stayed 3 nights at the Canyon Inn in McCormick's Creek State park. We had great weather and it was so nice to get away and be outside. Nature is very healing for me. I had a great time away!  We returned just in time to see my nephew win 2nd place in his lacrosse tournament for Westfield youth. 

Here are some upcoming dates:

June 1st-return to work

June 16th-surgery for port placement

June 21st-first chemo injection

July 5th-second chemo injection

Some people have asked what they can send me to help with treatments.  Even though I have been through this before, the chemo medicine will be different and therefore the side effects may be different.  I have made a small Amazon Wish List based off what I think I may need.  You may also send me earrings.  I like studs or small dangles. 

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1WP7KX0Z68G7S?ref_=wl_share

(copy and paste link into your browser)  Send to my parent's house, email or text for address.

 

Wish the news was better...

 My visit with the Oncologist was yesterday.  I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say, but it was still upsetting.  Going through chemo was the hardest thing I did 8 years ago, and I did not EVER want to go through it again. But of course, the doctor said it was necessary this time too.  I will have to do 4 rounds of Adriamycin (Red Devil) and then 12 rounds of Taxol.

Since my last update, the pathology has come back and I have found out that my cancer is stage 3. This is mostly due to the lymph node activity.  With all the prior tests I received, the cancer was only seen in one lymph node. A biopsy of that node was done and a marker was put in to mark that particular node for surgery. Therefore, going into surgery we only suspected cancer to be in one lymph node.  It's my understanding that you can't just surgically remove one lymph node; they are in clusters and the entire cluster of nodes must be removed.  Pathology reported that 18 lymph nodes were in the cluster that was removed during surgery and 7 of the 18 were cancerous! SEVEN, not one.  Of course, this was shocking to everyone, including the doctor. I also found out today, that the tumor itself measured 1.3 cm and he said that all the cancerous lymph nodes measured larger than that. It's a pretty serious thing once cancer gets into your lymph nodes, especially that many.  So, that is why chemo has been recommended. Chemo will start in 4-5 weeks after I heal from surgery and last several months.  Then, I will go through radiation.

Chemo is a pretty terrible thing, something I would never wish on anyone.  I am not looking forward to it, but I'm hoping that with advancements over the last 8 years, my journey will not be quite as rough this time around. Prayers for peace of mind, healing and bravery are appreciated right now.

Recovery is slow

 It's day four of my recovery, and I've been resting at my parent's house.  My mom is retired and taking excellent care of me! It has been a struggle to keep the pain under control, as the pain meds aren't working.  To make matters worse, I am intolerant/sensitive or allergic to all the good pain meds (Hydrocodone, Percocet, etc).  So there is little at my disposable to work with. Thankfully, each day I feel a little better than the day before. I've been keeping the areas iced and doing small exercises each day.

The surgery went well and the surgeons were pleased with what they could do.  The Breast Surgeon started off the surgery by removing the tumor, along with a cluster of lymph nodes that showed positive.  After his 2 hour surgery, the Plastic Surgeon came in for reconstruction.  Heading into the surgery, he didn't know exactly what the reconstruction was going to entail, because it depended on how much tissue the breast surgeon excised.  The Plastic Surgeon ended up working on both breasts.  He replaced the implants in both breasts and inserted one drain.  The pathology on the tumor and lymph nodes will take a week to come back.  

I'd like to thank everyone that sent me flowers, cards, presents and gift cards, and everyone praying for me.  It means so much to me and is keeping my spirits high.  If anyone would like to come visit, please call/text first.  I can only entertain for about 45 min right now before getting tired. So, short visits are appreciated. My biggest prayer request at the moment is that the margins of the tumor come back clear and I don't have to go in for another surgery. As well as getting the pain under control.  I'll have another update once the pathology comes back. 

Here We Go Again!

7 years and 361 days! That's how long I lived with  he knowledge that I was cancer free. Four days shy of my 8 year cancer-versary, I was diagnosed with breast cancer again.  Devastating news that you don't want to hear once, let alone twice.  So far, the month of April has been full of doctor appointments, tests, and exams. My weekly personal calendar is nearly maxed out.  There are still so many things that need answered; so many more test results that are needed.  Right now, all I know is that my breast cancer this time is ER +, PR+, Her2-, Grade 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Staging won't be done until after the first surgery is completed, which is scheduled for May 7th.  Most of the needed answers will come from the pathology after this surgery.  I know right now I will need radiation, but they are not sure about chemotherapy yet. 

I never thought that I'd be reactivating this blog, but this is where I will keep everyone updated.  Please follow this blog for updates.  When I am ready to share any updates, they will be posted here.  Please do not contact me asking for updates, as getting numerous emails, texts and phone calls each week explaining the same thing can be exhausting.  

If anyone feels the need to mail me anything, please send it to my parent's address.  I will be recovering from surgery at their house, and I see them at least once a week right now as my mother is going to most of my appointments with me.  Plus, I recently had a care package stolen from my house.  Contact me for their address. 

The best thing you can do for me right now is pray. I believe it the power of prayer and that with God, all things are possible. He helped me through cancer in 2013 and He will help me through it again. Positivity is the best medicine for a cancer diagnosis and I plan on applying this approach again.  While I don't have all the answers right now to put my mind at ease, God's will shall be done. 

Cancer Celebration

  My parents have been my biggest supporters in every way throughout my cancer journey.  They have gone to almost every appointment with me, every chemo treatment I allowed them to attend, and every surgery I had.  My mother stayed by my side all through the horrors of chemo and nursed me back to health after each surgery. My dad went to a lot of appointments with me and drained my tubes every 4 hours after my mastectomy.  Without them, I couldn't have made it through this.  So after I was done with all my treatments, I wanted to take them on a trip, to show my appreciation.  It was going to be a Cancer Celebration trip.  The final hoorah to celebrate to end!  For several years I have wanted to go to Yellowstone National Park.  I have heard how beautiful it is and I wanted to see it for myself.  I almost went 3 years ago with a friend, but the plans fell through at the last minute.  So, when a breast cancer organization was willing to give me a substantial check, I knew exactly what I was going to use the money for.  On July 15th, my parents and I embarked on a two week trip out west to Montana and Wyoming to visit Yellowstone National Park.
  We drove my car out there, and it took us four days to get to Big Sky, MT where our resort was.  We took the northern route along I-90, so we could drive through South Dakota.  On the drive there, we stopped at Mt. Rushmore, The Badlands National Park, Wall Drug, an 1880 Town and Custard's Last Stand. When we arrived in Big Sky (which is actually the #1 ski resort right now, even beat out Vail), we had a day to relax before going to Yellowstone.  Our resort was WAY UP on this mountain.  We had to take a winding road 13 minutes (9 miles) up to the top where the resort was.  I can't imagine how busy that place is during the winter.  Anyway, for our day of "relaxation" we decided to partake in some of the extracurricular outdoor activities that MT had to offer.  I really wanted to learn to fly fish, but mom and dad thought it would be too boring.  So, instead we decided to go zip lining and white water rafting.  The first time to do both for all three of us.  It was really fun!  The zip line course had 3 lines and I was sooo scared to do the first. My hands and legs were shaking.  But by the third line, I was going hands free!  We did white water rafting down the Gallatin River in 2-3 rapids.  Our guide said that was the river that "A River Runs Through It" was taped on.

  By the 7th day of our vacation, we finally made it to Yellowstone National Park. We'd planned on spending four days there.  Our first day at the park, I'd planned as "pink day".  We all wore pink.  I wore my shirt that said "Heck yes they're fake.  My real ones tried to kill me".  Our four days in Yellowstone were awesome!  We saw a TON of wildlife, including buffalo, elk, pronghorn, marmots, chipmunks, a bald eagle, osprey, killdeer, a coyote, a grizzly bear and a black bear with her 3 cubs.  We went to every part of the park.  With the hour drive we had to and from our resort each day, we'd be gone from sun up to sometimes past sundown.  It was an exhausting four days, but very enjoyable.  We got to see Old Faithful go off several times along with other geysers, we saw several buffalo herds with their babies.  We even got as close as 6 feet to one buffalo that was grazing.  We also had a buffalo cross the street right in front of our car.  We also went on two different Ranger-guided hikes.  For those that are thinking of going to Yellowstone, four days is just the right amount of time.

   After Yellowstone, we left our resort and headed south through Grand Teton National Park.  It is much smaller and not very much to do in this park.  So we just drove through it in about 2 hours or so.  The Teton mountains are gorgeous!  We got pretty close to them.  The first town outside Grand Teton NP is Jackson, WY.  This was our next stop.  We stayed here for two days.  Jackson is a cute tourist town.  Expensive shops and restaurants surround the town square.  As soon as we got into town, we went to town square to watch their nightly "Shootout".  A local theater group reenacts an old western shootout every night at 6pm.  It drew a large crowd.  The next day we explored Jackson some.  We went to Sky King Mountain and went horseback riding and alpine sliding.  Alpine sliding was sooo much fun!  It is a giant slide that you ride down the mountain on in a cart thing.  If you ever get the chance to go alpine siding (they have them in several places), I would highly recommend it.
   Jackson was our last stop before heading back home.  We took another four days to get home, and this time we took I-80 through Nebraska.  We made stops at the Frontier Prison Museum in Rawlins, WY, and at Laramie for their Frontier Days.  This was basically like our state fair.  It was at a fairgrounds, and they had things like a rodeo, an Indian village, shops, food, etc.  We finally made it home after 15 days on the road, exhausted, but thankful!

The Fat Lady Sang!

Wow, it has been awhile since my last posting.  Good news!  I am completely done with all of my treatments!!  I went into the cancer center on June 4th for my last Herceptin treatment.  This was exactly 14 months after my diagnosis (April 4th).    My oncologist is keeping me on Tomoxifen for 5-10 years.  I asked him, "well which is it 5 or 10 years, how will I know when to stop taking it?"  He said it all depends on the research that is conducted between now and then and the recommendations that arise from that research.  He said there isn't enough research right now to pinpoint the longevity of the medication.  So, right now I only have to get my port removed (8/7) and then follow-ups with my surgeon and oncologist. Today, I am cancer free and have been released by all my doctors!

My Wonderful Oncology Nurses: Linda and Janice

 

 

I leave Tuesday for a 2.5 week cross country road trip to Yellowstone National Park for my "Cancer Celebration".

Race for the Cure!

April 12, 2014 in Indianapolis, IN was the annual Race for the Cure.  I gathered my crew, Brittney's Beauties and we all dressed in our best pink.  I made crowns and sashes for each team member to wear, including the kids.  I also made some pink ribbon cookies to snack on.  I arrived at Military Park around 7am and there were already hundreds of people there.  I met up with some family and then I headed to the survivor's tent for the start of the Survivor's Parade.  They line up all the survivor's according to how many years they have survived breast cancer, with the longest survivor's in the front.  So, of course being a 1 year survivor, I was way at the end.  A marching band lead us through Military Park as everyone stood along the route with maracas and cow bells cheering us on.  Then we were lead to the main stage for the opening ceremonies, where WTHR news anchors were the emcees.  A band played music, they had a Zumba warm up, and several people gave us pep talks.  Then, I met up with the rest of my crew and we headed to the start line.  We took so long to get to the start of the race that we ended up being some of the last people to complete the race!  HAHA.  The fire engine marking the end of the walk came up behind us about the half way point and continued to stay behind us until the end.


All in all it was a fantastic day!  Great weather, great company, and great outfits!  I am so thankful for all the support I have received for this year's race.  I had a goal of raising $500 this year.  I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to raise that much.  But to my amazement, I was able to far exceed that goal and I raised $1, 050!!!  I am so thankful for generous hearts.  I am also so thankful for all my family and friends who came out to supports me.  My cousin had plans for the day, but got up bright and early just to spend the morning with us, before the race began.  My friend drove 2 hours to spend all day with me.  I am one blessed girl!


I can't wait to make this annual event.  Mark your calendars for next year...April 18, 2015.

One whole year!

I can't believe that on April 4th, 2014 it will have been one whole year since my diagnosis of breast cancer!  So much has happened in the past year.  I will never forget April 4th, 2013.  At 8:30am I was woken up by a phone call from my gynecologist telling me that my breast biopsy results were in and that it showed I had breast cancer.  I immediately began crying.  Although I suspected this result, I was not prepared for it.  Once those words sunk in, I gathered myself and asked "what's next?"  Thus, began my journey.  The next day I met with the breast surgeon and met my breast navigator.  I was administered chemotherapy from May 7th-July 27th, had my double mastectomy on August 29th, and reconstruction on December 6th.  Right now I am continuing Herceptin every 3 weeks through June and am taking Tamoxifen for several years.  Currently, I am in good health, feel great and am having no side effects from medication.  I can definitely see the end of the road!  It has been a very long year for me, but thankfully it has gone by quickly.  This is definitely not something I would have ever imagined dealing with at this age, but with the support and encourage from family, friends and co-workers I have made it through.  I SURVIVED!!




Update:  Genetic testing for BreastNEXT test (which looks at 18 genes) has been completed and the results were given to me today.  All 18 genes were negative for mutation.  This means that I do not have an increased risk for breast cancer or other cancers associated with these genes.  While this is good news for me and my family members, it is also disappointing, because it still does not explain why/what caused my cancer.


What's Next?  Herceptin every 3 weeks until June.  Then, surgery to have my port-a-cath removed.  Then, nothing except check-ups and taking Tamoxifen.

Updates

A few more updates:

1.)  My insurance approved the genetic testing.  So, my blood was drawn and sent away to an out of state lab for testing.  It will take about 3 months to get the results.  I am getting the larger BreastNext test which looks at 18 genes for mutations.

2.)  We have jumped head first into planning our Yellowstone Trip.  Currently my rep for the Ott Foundation has secured our first two nights in a hotel for FREE!  She is working on the rest.  She said once the managers hear my story they are more than willing the help out... such generosity!  Hopefully we can get all of our nights comped and then with the money from the foundation we will only have to pay for our RCI timeshare resort and food.

3)  I have created a team for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  My team name is Brittney's Beauties.  The Race is April 12th, 2014 in downtown Indianapolis.  Registration is $35 and includes a t-shirt and pre-race/post-race goodies.  If you would like to participate in the race with me, please make sure you register through my team.  If you cannot make it out, please consider making a donation to my team.  I am hoping to raise $500.  The race is 40 days away and so far I have raised $50.  Check out my previous post for the links.

Pink Pajama Party!

  So, I talked in my last post about being invited to a Pink Pajama Party fundraiser for the I.W.I.N Foundation that I was a recipient of.  I attended that fundraiser last weekend and had a blast!  My fellow breast cancer survivor/friend/foundation recipient was given 2 tickets to the event and she invited me to go along with her.  When I got there and checked in, I met several of the I.W.I.N ladies and found out that I was actually next in line to receive 2 tickets as well.  They were surprised when my friend called to register us for the event and she gave them my name.  I didn't even know this until they told me at the event check in.  It turns out that the tickets were a pay it forward initiative.  We met the lady and her daughter who paid for our tickets and she had an amazing story of how she raised the funds.  She attends the church on the hill in Carmel and they had given out $83,000 to each of their parisioners in envelopes one sunday morning (divided into various amounts) and they were told to do good will within the community with their money. She said that her envelope had $15 in it.  She already knew that she wanted to pay for a ticket to the event, so she started a gofundme-type account on the web.  She was hoping to just raise enough money for 1 ticket, but the word spread and she was able to raise enough for 2 tickets.  What a great story!
  This event was soooo much fun!  We started off by checking-in and receiving a pink bag with a Vera Bradley blanket ($50), an event t-shirt, and some small trinkets in it.  Then, we headed over to the main hall to check out the silent auction.  There must have been atleast 200 items.  Everything from Kroger gift cards to signed athletic memorabilia to jewelry.  There was also a few items that you could buy raffle tickets for. There were hor d'ouvres going around and drinks for purchase.  Then at 7:15p the banquet opened for a sit down dinner, MC Angela Cain, a band, dancing and dessert table.  The best part of the evening though was when they opened the entire first floor up to SPA SERVICES!!!  All kinds of local businesses had set up stations/tables for us to go around and partake in.  Things like facials, eyebrow waxing, chair massages, make-up, hairstyling, nails, acupuncture, foot massage, group hypnosis, terot card readers, etc.  It was CRAZY!  I couldn't believe how much they had to do and it was all included in the ticket.   I came home with a bag full of goodies.
The cool thing about this event is that is was all ladies there, no men.  Everyone was wearing pink pajamas, some even in house slippers and robes.  Lots of girlfriend groups and mother/daughters.  This is the 12th year for this even and it seems like lots of people make this an annual outing for their friends and family.  I am already planning on going with my mom next year.  The neat thing is that for only about $30 more, you can have a room in the hotel included in your ticket (with breakfast).  If you would like more information on this event, please check out their website.

There were several rooms where spa services were set up.  This was the pool area, which had acupuncture, foot massage, chair massage, and a couple other things.

 

 

Dancing to Living Proof

                                                              Me and Debbie in our PJs
                                                                                                    

Lots of Updates

It's been a while since my last update, but I didn't have much news to share until now.  My last post was about getting genetic testing done and I don't have much news about that except that they are in the process of getting my insurance to authorize the testing.  I found out that even if my insurance does NOT okay the testing, it will only cost me $100 out of pocket...so I should be able to get it done either way.


I am planning on participating in the Race for the Cure on April 12, 2014 in downtown Indianapolis this year.  I have created a team of my own called Brittney's Beauties.  I would love for anyone and everyone, male or female to join my team.  You can either join me in person on April 12th and walk with me ($35 registration, 5k) or if that doesn't suit you, you can make a donation to my team.  I pledged to raise $500 for my team and I'm hoping to get at least 10 members, so that each member will raise $50.  I have participated in this race three other times, supporting my mother's friend, but this will be my first year walking as a survivor and I am SUPER EXCITED!!!  Please support me in whatever way you can.  Go here to donate to my team (click on donate to team and search for Brittney's Beauties).  Go here to register for the race and my team (click on join an existing team and search my team name).


Several months ago my nurse sent me paperwork on a couple different Breast Cancer Foundations that assist breast cancer patients with their needs.  I filled out the paperwork, sent it in and didn't think much of it, as it was a few weeks before my surgery.  Then, two weeks ago I received a call from both foundations in the same week.  The first foundation is I.W.I.N (website), based in Indianapolis.  I received a $250 grant from them.  I will be using half of it to hire a house cleaning service and the other half was sent to me as a grocery gift card.  The second foundation is the Megan S. Ott Foundation (website), based in Noblesville.  This foundation is so unique and wonderful.  They assign two ladies to each recipient, who then meet with you and take you out to dinner.  During this meeting, they tell you all about the foundation and who Megan was, they give a giant basket of cancer goodies, and they discuss with you what your needs are.  This organization is giving me a sizable donation that will allow me to take a trip.  Once I learned of what other recipients had used their money for, I knew instantly what I wanted to use my money for.  My parents have been my major support system throughout my cancer journey and without them I wouldn't have made it through the struggle.  I wanted to repay them for all they did for me, and with this generous gift I knew just the perfect way.  I have been telling my parents for a few months that I wanted to celebrate the end of my cancer journey in someway this summer, when everything is completed in May.  So.....with the help of this organization, we are taking a trip to YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK!!!  We are sooo excited and cannot wait!  We started planning immediately :)  I think this will be an amazing way to both celebrate the end of my cancer journey and repay my parents for all they did for me.


I have a friend who is also going through breast cancer right now and she was also a recipient of the I.W.I.N. Foundation.  They are having a Pink Pajama Party this month as their fundraiser.  They sent her 2 tickets to go and bring a guest.  She invited me as her guest!  So, I'm really looking forward to that.  It will be the weekend after my birthday! Yea!


I'm so excited for all the upcoming opportunities.  Lots more pictures and blog posts to come.

Gene Who?

   Last week I had an appointment with a Genetic Counselor.  Community Hospital provides this services complimentary with a breast cancer diagnosis.  I knew ahead of time that they would be asking a lot of family history questions, so I came prepared.  Not only did I bring my mom along, but I did my research ahead of time.  My mom has 6 siblings, and my dad has 2 siblings, with a total of 15 cousins...so I had my work cut out for me.  Between my parents and I, we emailed, called, or text every family member.  We had to ask them about anything they have ever been diagnosed with and at what age they were diagnosed with it.  Of course, we also needed to know about my deceased relatives, so we inquired about them too.  I made a branched family tree (thank you college genetics class) for each side of the family (maternal and paternal), and slowly began to fill it in.  What I didn't realize was that they had mailed me a packet to fill out before the appointment, and all this information was to be filled out again in the packet.
   So, with mom and family history in tow, I headed to the appointment, not sure what to expect.  I met with a young women (about my age) named Kaylee.  We talked extensively about genetics and how they play a role in cancer, the different ways my genes could have contributed to my cancer, and they types of genetic testing I could participate in.  The appointment lasted just over an hour.  My insurance will be changing at the beginning of the year, so we must wait until then, so see if I can get coverage for any genetic testing.  But until then, I was sent a letter summarizing our appointment.  I will share some of what it said.

"We discussed that at least 60% of all cancer cases are sporadic, meaning they are not passed from parent to child and are due to genetic changes in the cell thought to be caused by environmental factors.  Familial cancers account for approximately 20-30% of all cancer cases and are characterized by multiple family members affected with similar cancers.  Familial cancers are caused by a complex combination of both genetic and environmental factors.  Hereditary cancers account for 7-10% of all cancer cases, and are due to an inherited mutation in a single gene that can be passed through families.  Cases of hereditary cancer can be present in multiple generations on one side of a family, are characterized by bilateral or multifocal cancers that are exhibited at younger ages, and show specific patterns of cancer in blood relatives."

"Ms. Raper , your family has characteristics that indicate that you may have a hereditary form of breast cancer.  You have a personal history of melanoma at age 30 and breast cancer at age 31, a paternal first cousin once removed with breast cancer in her 50s, a paternal great aunt with breast cancer in her 70s, and several family members with a history of melanoma.  Multiple instances of breast cancer in a family, breast cancer occurring before menopause, and multiple cancers in the same person are  concerning for hereditary breast cancer.  Additionally, while skin cancer is a common cancer to observe in families, but having multiple individuals with breast cancer and melanoma in a family is concerning for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome."

   There are two types of genetic tests out there that I can choose to forgo (I have already done the BRCA1/BRCA2, which was negative).  These two tests are called BreastNEXT and BRCAPlus.    The BRCAPlus would only look at 4 other high risk breast cancer genes that would provide clinically actionable information.  This means that if any of these genes show mutation, I have another cancer or syndrome that caused my breast cancer, which would need to be treated.  The BreastNEXT test would look at a total of 16 genes for any mutations.  However, with either test the results could be positive, negative, or a variant of uncertain significance (which is a change in one of the genes tested that has not yet been classified as benign or disease-causing).  So, let's hope and pray that my insurance will cover at least one of these tests, because it could potentially give me life-saving information.

FAMILY: "Ms. Raper, although we know that you do not carry a mutation that can be found by sequencing and rearrangement testing of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, your female relatives warrant increased surveillance for breast cancer. We recommend that women in your family have annual mammograms beginning at age 25.  Typically, the recommendation is to begin mammograms 10 years prior to earliest age of diagnosis in a family; however, we do not recommend mammograms prior to age 25."