Ready for Thursday!

I am SO ready for Thursday!! After Thursday, I will only have 2 more chemo treatments!!!! I am SO ready to be done. I will have 14 of 16 treatments done!!!!

I finally got results back on my ultrasound (from 3 weeks ago), and the lymph nodes shrunk 35%. So, from my entire time on Taxol, my lymph nodes shrunk 60%!! I was so thankful and relieved. I am so expectant for this Thursday. I have an ultrasound first thing in the morning and I expect wonderful results. This will be my first check-up on this new chemo. I am praying and believing it is killing every last bit of cancer.

These last 3 weeks have seemed a lot longer than usual. While I am thankful to be home for 3 weeks at a time, it has been an adjustment and sometimes more time on my hands can be bad. Although I haven't had much downtime, the times I am doing things, often my mind wanders and thinks about my cancer, stage, lymph nodes, mastectomy, radiation, and fear of reoccurrence. I am confident that when I am healed, I will be healed forever, so that the cancer will never return; however, anything I read on my type of cancer has so much about reoccurrence.

The type of cancer I have is called "triple-negative", which means that my cancer is not hormone-sensitive, which also means it is not responsive to hormone-targetted therapy, which is typically what treatment for breast cancer is targeted toward. About 10-20% of women with breast cancer are triple negative. This type of cancer tends to be more aggressive and more likely to re-occur. The first 2 years after ending treatment are the "scariest", but 5 years after treatment is a big hurdle to get past for any breast cancer survivor.

I KNOW I will be healed and will live a long, healthy life, but the statistics and information can be discouraging. I limit my reading and read more from the book of LIFE- God's word. I trust in it wholeheartedly and am desperate and dependent on God's promises.

"It is the Spirit who gives Life, ... the words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are Life." John 6:63

Please continue to pray that I am healed and whole in Jesus' name. Please also pray that cancer never returns to my body. We also know that another hurdle will be deciding when to try to start a family post-treatment. Of course, we want to start a family very soon, but there will be precautions and hurdles that my doctor and medical team will advise, and we are just not sure how long that time will officially be. Because I am triple negative, and will not respond to hormonal-therapy, I am not a candidate for Tamoxifen (a breast cancer pill), that typically most breast cancer survivors take for 5 years post-treatment that help to prevent re-occurrence. So, this means that there is nothing I will be taking medically to prevent the cancer from reoccurring. I will be eating crazy-healthy and exercising daily to remain as healthy as possible, but that is all I can do to prevent reoccurrence (outside of praying, believing, and claiming complete healing for the rest of my life).

So, in some ways this is great news, because if I was taking Tamoxifen after treatment, I would have to wait 5 years to try to get pregnant, so a part of me is excited that I wouldn't have to wait that long! But, there's no telling what my doctors will tell me in regards to waiting for a baby. We are just praying that God will give us peace and lead us as we look down that road. I refuse to live in fear...not only because it would be misery, but because God's word tells me not to fear... I will trust Him with my life and future.

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10

I am just getting so ready for chemo to be over... it has gone by quickly, but I am just so very ready for it all to be over. I know it will be here soon. I am just ready:)

I am still feeling great. I have just been tired and my nails are still suffering. I have lost my left big toe nail and my right one looks like it is about to fall off. My nails look so disgusting and it looks as if some of those may fall off soon as well. It really isn't that bad- it is just more of a nuisance. Little to no nausea, no mouth sores, no stomach problems!!! Praise the Lord! I will take ugly and sore nails any day:)


Please continue to pray for us, every time you think of us. We are learning every day that although my healing will soon be apparent, this tough road is far from done for us. I will see an oncologist for the rest of my life! We will see doctors often, but we will constantly be reminded of what God has done.

We will update after our doctor visits and chemo on Thursday. Love you...