Breast Cancer Awareness Month hits home

[TheArchitect]

This is my favorite cure
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So beautiful. @Uncle-A has a point, though. Be safe while getting those turns!!!

 

[Tricia]

Well, that felt good.

 

[Uncle-A]

Well, that felt good.

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Always a good way to start the day.

 

[Tricia]

Always a good way to start the day.

The guys who are performing my radiation oncology said, "How you feel when you come in for your treatment is likely how you'll feel when you leave. If you're getting out and enjoying your day before you come in, it will make a difference on how you do overall."

So, I get out and find a way to smile and enjoy my day before I walk in the door.
I win!

 

[RobSN]

Good on you @Tricia! (Sickeningly parallel skis though ... really depressing for us hackers ...)

 

[Tricia]

Good on you @Tricia! (Sickeningly parallel skis though ... really depressing for us hackers ...)

Sorry about that. And the snow was way too chalky too

 

[Tricia]

Because I've been asked by a few, I thought I'd update.
Today will be my 13th radiation treatment (out of 20) and the fatigue is starting to hit me.
I've been diligent about getting on snow as much as possible to keep my soul charged up, and my lungs filled with fresh air.
After my appointment yesterday I came home and rested, ended up falling asleep around 7 and woke up around 7 AM today with only a short bit of time awake in the middle of the night.

If this and the minimal tenderness in the surgical area is all I experience for side effects I've got it pretty good.

I'd like to give a huge shout out to the people in my circle who have encouraged me virtually and personally.
I'm not sure what I'd do without Phil's incredible support.

 

[TheArchitect]

Because I've been asked by a few, I thought I'd update.
Today will be my 13th radiation treatment (out of 20) and the fatigue is starting to hit me.
I've been diligent about getting on snow as much as possible to keep my soul charged up, and my lungs filled with fresh air.
After my appointment yesterday I came home and rested, ended up falling asleep around 7 and woke up around 7 AM today with only a short bit of time awake in the middle of the night.

If this and the minimal tenderness in the surgical area is all I experience for side effects I've got it pretty good.

I'd like to give a huge shout out to the people in my circle who have encouraged me virtually and personally.
I'm not sure what I'd do without Phil's incredible support.

It sounds like it's going really well, all things considered. I'm sure being able to keep skiing is doing you a world of good even if the fatigue is having an effect. Keep kicking its ass, @Tricia

 

[Johnny V.]

Best of luck to you Tricia and here's to your full recovery!

 

[Tricia]

Wow, its been three weeks since I've updated and I've been nudged by more than one person to let everyone know how its going.

I finished radiation on December 15th and it looks like that will be the end of my treatment. Now I just need to give myself some grace as I recover from the fatigue and sun burn feeling from radiation.

Yesterday I pushed myself a little too much and skied with a group of women I've grown to love skiing with at Rose and paid the price by falling asleep as soon as I got home.
Getting some lab work done to determine my hormone levels and how they affect my recovery.
Also I can't remember if I posted about the genetics testing.
The geneticist had me screened for 36 different gene mutations all of which came back negative. That is a huge deal, considering that my mom and I both have had breast cancer.
Considering how much my mom has been through compared to my journey, I feel very fortunate. I'm just tired and sore.

Now on to a different story.
My mom had a mastectomy a 4 days after I had my surgery. She and my dad just celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary and were featured in the local paper about what they have been through during this process.
*I know there is some political commentary at the end of the article. Please don't take this down that road.Its about breast cancer recovery.

Manton couple married 57 years recover from COVID diagnosis, mastectomy at same time

MANTON — Jack Johnson isn't sure where or when he came into contact with the coronavirus.

www.cadillacnews.com

 

[TheArchitect]

An excellent update, @Tricia Thanks for sharing your journey and best of luck to your mom, too.

 

[SpikeDog]

I just caught wind of this thread. Best of luck to you, Tricia. Sounds like you've made it through the worst of it, and glad to hear you're on the mend.

 

[Tricia]

I just caught wind of this thread. Best of luck to you, Tricia. Sounds like you've made it through the worst of it, and glad to hear you're on the mend.

Thanks.
I'm slowly regaining my energy level and most of the discomfort is gone. Now I'm just itchy in the affected areas.

 

[newboots]

Oh dear! Just arrived here (via @Philpug 's Afib thread) and learned the news. I'm so glad this went as well as it did!

 

[Tricia]

Oh dear! Just arrived here (via @Philpug 's Afib thread) and learned the news. I'm so glad this went as well as it did!

Thank you.
For the most part, I breezed through this so well that I feel like a Breast Cancer poseur.
Granted, I've had many days when the radiation zapped every ounce of energy and I had some brain fog, but overall, I'm doing really well and am looking forward to my 6 month check up with the surgeon and oncologist.
Cheers to good health.

 

[Philpug]

Oh dear! Just arrived here (via @Philpug 's Afib thread) and learned the news. I'm so glad this went as well as it did!

Yes, we are very fortunate. We have each other for support.

 

[Tricia]

Today was my 6 month check up after surgery.
Mammogram is clear, and the benign lump that was not removed has disappeared, likely from the radiation treatments. The only side effects I seem to continue to have are hot flashes. They come at random times and leave just as quickly. With my history, I had gone through early menopause after surgery back when I was 36, but there were some minimal hormones, which have been affected by the breast cancer treatment. If that's all the side effects I'm left with... I'll take it!

I'm officially a survivor!

 

[Michael Kane]

Today was my 6 month check up after surgery.
Mammogram is clear, and the benign lump that was not removed has disappeared, likely from the radiation treatments. The only side effects I seem to continue to have are hot flashes. They come at random times and leave just as quickly. With my history, I had gone through early menopause after surgery back when I was 36, but there were some minimal hormones, which have been affected by the breast cancer treatment. If that's all the side effects I'm left with... I'll take it!

I'm officially a survivor!

Congratulations

 

[LiquidFeet]

So glad to hear this. So glad!

 

[TheArchitect]

I know you're going to kick its ass, Tricia!

Mission accomplished!