Since I'm awake, I thought I would work on a blog post. I've slept 20+ hours so far (since Thursday night) and could probably sleep some more but, for now, I'm up. So, what to write about??? Hmmmm. I just happened to look down at the date on my laptop and what do you know, it's been 4 months today since I was diagnosed. How's THAT for something to talk about?
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In some ways it seems so much longer than that, like this cancer junk has been part of my life forever. Thankfully it has not but it sure has made an impact on the whole family in the past 4 months. As I've mentioned before, for me, things happened very quickly after the diagnosis. Here's a short recap.
- 3/26/14 - Mammograms/Ultrasound/Biopsy/Diagnosis
- 3/27/14 - Confirmation of diagnosis and biopsy results. Launch the blog and tell the world.
- 4/9/14 - Met with surgeon
- 4/15/14 - Bilateral mastectomy
- 4/30/14 - Met with Medical Oncologist regarding chemo plan
- 5/1/14 - Met with Radiation Oncologist regarding radiation plan
- 5/9/14 - Chemo port implanted (outpatient)
- 5/14/14 - Chemo began (Round 1) - 4 sessions, one every 2 weeks
- 6/25/14 - Round 1 chemo completed
- 7/9/14 - Round 2 chemo began - first of 12 weekly sessions
That's just the highlights (you're welcome). If you want to read through all of the fun details, go back to the beginning and enjoy!
So, have I learned anything new in the past 4 months? AFFIRMATIVE!!!
- My family is WICKED AWESOME! From my husband, to my parents, my sister, my in-laws, my aunts, uncles, cousins...the offers of support have been non-stop!
We've had meals delivered, grocery shopping done, help with the property, cleaning, and the most important thing, help with the kids. The goal has been to keep things as normal as possible for them, and when it can't be normal (when Mommy sleeps for 20+ hours and Daddy needs to work) family has been there to care for, entertain and just plain love our babies. I hate that I can't be 100% but I take comfort in knowing that our babies are safe, sound and loved to pieces.
- Both Bobby and I have been blessed with some pretty spectacular work families. I hope it's never anything you have to consider in your professional life but if you're going to be faced with a life changing event, I hope that you experience the same levels of understanding, encouragement, love and support that Bobby and I have. So much love and appreciation for everyone at Sky Unlimited and SCM.
- Be an active participant in your own healthcare. Research, read, educate yourself. Take notes, ask questions and DO NOT BE AFRAID TO GET IN THE GAME!! I not only researched my diagnosis and treatment options, I researched my doctors...all of them! Even now, I take notes between treatments and ask questions at EVERY visit. It doesn't matter if I'm meeting with my oncologist that week or not. I ask the nurses questions all the time. If you try to learn as you go, it can make the process a little less scary. If you have a question or a concern about something, talk about it, ask questions.
- Attitude is important. I thought I "knew" this before but I really know it now. Don't get me wrong, a positive attitude will not cure you but a less than positive attitude can hurt you. A cancer diagnosis has to be one of the most terrifying things but you can't let it knock you down. It's a very tough road to travel - trust me, it's no picnic. That said, with all we've been through in the past 4 months, it has not been as awful as I expected it to be. Again, it's not just attitude, that doesn't cure all ills, however, it is one of the building blocks.
- Put your healing and recovery FIRST! This is not as easy as it sounds. I want to work, I want to take care of my children, I'd prefer to do my own laundry everyday, I'd prefer to do my own grocery shopping and cooking...and on, and on...
I'm blessed with each of the "building blocks" above so I have a sturdy foundation which gives me the ability to focus on what I need to do to get through this challenge. It's not always easy. I've felt guilt over my kiddos, I've felt guilt over handing over grocery lists or asking for some sort of help. I'm not 100% over it but I've realized that others want to do something, they want to provide help and support - they can't do anything about the cancer or treatment side effects but they can help and, in some ways, that helps them deal with this crap too!
I'm sure I could go on and on but you get the idea. If you find yourself in a similar situation, my advice to you would be as follows:
- Be involved in your own care.
- Ask for and accept support when you need it.
- Think positive - look for the upside in everything.
- Put yourself and your healing first.
My goal is that 4 months from now, I'm writing a lovely post about the joy of completing treatment and heading into the most meaningful Holiday seasons of my life. I hope you're along for the ride because I'm excited to see how it all turns out...and yes, there will be a dance party!
Love to all,
Andee
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