One Year, Two Words

I apologize for the randomness of this post. My thoughts are all over the place, and I'm trying to update as much as I can, as I haven't blogged since March.

August 11th. A day that will be forever ingrained in my brain. Today is one year since I heard the words, "Heather, it's cancer". IT'S CANCER. Two words that carried the weight of the world had just been dropped on me. The very moment that I was given my diagnosis is so fresh on my mind. I can't even comprehend that a year has passed. It is hard to believe that in a short year, I have endured countless doctor visits, 10 rounds of chemo, surgery, and 30 radiation treatments. I have cried more tears than I knew my body could produce. I have prayed more prayers than I ever had before. I have learned more about this disease than I ever dreamed of knowing, and through all that, I'm here. I'm alive. Thank you God, for your faithfulness.

Cancer is not just a physical challenge. Cancer can destroy you mentally and emotionally. For the past year, I feel like physically, I have held up pretty well. I have had an INCREDIBLE support system and there hasn't been a day that went by that I didn't feel the prayers you guys were praying for me. I wish I could say that my mind has always been in line with my physical fight. There have been tough days...really tough days. Though I've had unwavering support, there have been days when the Devil has held captive my thoughts and convinced me that this is the end. Although the slogan says, "No one fights alone", and I believe that to be true as far as my support system goes, there isn't anyone out there that truly understands MY battle. My journey is personal to me and I can't expect my family and friends to fully grasp what its like to walk in my shoes. I have spent this past year being "strong" and not letting anyone see my tough times. I have very rarely, like maybe three times, cried in front of my husband, and those were generally at doctor visits. I have kept my guard up and tried to be a rock for those around me. That sounds great on the outside. It sounds courageous and inspiring, but the truth is, reality and human nature eventually set in. When I walked out of my last radiation treatment on July 25, my mental battle had just begun. I, as always, had my army behind me cheering me on and congratulating me for a job well done. You would think that would be a happy day, but I just couldn't bring myself to celebrate. The Devil had convinced me that July 25 wasn't not a day that I had completed the race, but instead a day that I would be coming off treatment, therefore allowing cancer to grow again inside my body. Instead of spending the day with a joyful, thankful heart, I spent the day doubting that my all powerful, all knowing God could completely heal me. I have asked God to forgive me for those thoughts and I believe He knows my heart.

I spent the weekend after treatment ended on a wonderful getaway with Ben and then returned to work the next week. I can't express how excited I was to be back at my job. I've said it before and I will scream it from the rooftops again, ScentAir is an amazing company that has been so very good to me. Never once have they questioned me. Never once have they made me feel bad for taking time off. Never once have I felt like my job was in any jeopardy after needing to take extended leave, which is not legally required. I am honored to be employed by them.

Since going back to work, my life has felt pretty normal. I have enjoyed not having to go into treatment everyday and am getting back into the swing of life. Whenever anyone mentions the doctor, my girls proudly proclaim, "You're done with the doctor, mama!" It is music to my ears. Our girls are my greatest joy. I could have never imagined their brain capacity at such young ages. It seems like since day 1, they have been fairly aware of what's going on and have been able to cheer me up and motivate me whenever I needed it. Being a mom is life's greatest blessing and I thank God that he saw me fit to raise Alaina and Madeline.

I have mentioned in previous posts my desire to have more children. If I'm being honest, this is the absolute hardest part of my diagnosis for me. I am struggling the most with the thought of not being able to grow our family and this sadness is almost too much to handle a lot of days. I find myself mourning over the children I don't even have on a daily basis. I have so much anger towards this disease and what is has taken from me. Then, in those moments when I feel like I'm about to lose every ounce of my heart, I am reminded that God is faithful. I know He has a plan. I know His plan is far greater than anything I could EVER imagine. And I know He will fulfill the desires of my heart in His timing. All that said, it is still tough. Very tough.

I had a meeting with my oncologist yesterday. Going in, I figured it would be a brief get together. She'd ask how I was feeling, remind me to take my medicine every day, then I'd be on my way. I didn't take anyone with me (shocker) because I really thought it would be routine and basic. Before seeing my doctor, my nurse April came in. Before going any further, I want to praise her for what she has meant to me over the past year. She has laughed, cried, encouraged, and prayed with me and our friendship is one that I could not have survived this year without. When she came in the room, we began to chat. I told her about some of the anxiety and fears I've been having and she assured me that I was normal. That's still debatable. I had a few emotional breakdowns and then we moved forward. My doctor came in and we discussed a few thing. I asked her about future plans, monitoring, medication, etc. I was able to connect with her on a different level yesterday and that was really nice. I explained some of my thoughts about the cancer lingering in my body, returning, not really being gone, etc. This was her response...are you guys ready??

"Heather, you are CANCER FREE! You are HEALED! The key word for you to remember is HAD. You HAD cancer. You do not anymore. When people ask you what's next, you tell them you are CURED!"

Y'all...CANCER FREE. Two words that carried the weight of the world, had just been lifted OFF of me. Just one year ago, I thought I would die. I thought I would leave Ben to raise our girls alone. I believed that this was the end for me. I fell for the lies of the Devil. But NO! Not on my God's watch! He is so good! He has fulfilled his promises to me once again. As I read back over my blog from start to finish this morning, I was brought to my knees. I can't count the times I cried out, "Thank you, Jesus"! Reading the post that I wrote about August 11, 2016, I sensed a woman who was broken, fearful, and uncertain. I was at my lowest point. The woman who writes today, August 11, 2017 is a changed woman. I still have moments of brokenness, fearfulness, and uncertainty, but once again, I have seen the goodness of God. He has pulled me from the pit of despair and answered my prayers in a mighty way. In my first post, I wrote:

"This is what I know. My God is GOOD. He loves me and has a plan for my life. This was not my plan, but I have such a peace about it. Cancer will not kill me. God has something so much bigger in store for me. I want to come out of this, on the other side, ALIVE, and know that I'm changed. Not on the outside, not just physically on the inside, but completely changed at my core, in my soul. The way that only He can change me. "

Wow...he did that and more. I am changed. HE has changed me. My faith has grown leaps and bounds since I got the call that I had cancer and being able to announce that my cancer is GONE one year to the day from when Satan tried to destroy me, feels so amazing. Cancer does not define me, but it will always define a season of my life in which I learned a tremendous amount about myself, realized the value of cultivating relationships, and for the first time stopped taking for granted the beautiful opportunity to live this life.

Since finishing treatment, I am asked on a daily basis (literally at least 5 times a day) when I will get more scans. Unfortunately, that's not in the cards for me, right now. First off, because my body has been through a lot and is inflamed from all the radiation. Secondly, studies have shown that exposing patients to excessive scans can have adverse effects and they don't prove to improve survival rate. Right now, my doctor has no reason to believe there is cancer remaining in my body, so why should I expose my self to the radiation and everything else that comes with them? All prior scans were clear, other than in the areas that we knew about. We removed the cancer we were aware of, so why should we think that after 10 months of treatment, new cancer has shown up? I know this all makes sense, although I admit, I struggle with this as I know a lot of you do too. I've heard your concerns and appreciate them. I trust my doctor and know she has my best interest at heart. Before leaving my doctor visit, my sweet nurse April reminded me of Who I place my trust in. She reminded me that I was not given a spirit of fear, but instead the power of love. My trust is in Him, not scans! Scans are not 100% and they are still read by a person, who can easily make human mistakes. My God, however, doesn't make mistakes. He has me and has delivered on every promise thus far. He will not forsake me and I believe that wholeheartedly.

I cannot express enough how much you guys mean to me. I have received so much encouragement this year and it just blows me away. Cards, food, gift cards, kid sitting, house cleaning, messages, rides, letters of encouragement, handmade gifts, texts, hugs, gift baskets, grass cutting, prayers....the list goes on and on. People I know, people I don't, old friends, new friends, neighbors, small group friends, coworkers, etc. It's just amazing. I am so undeserving, but eternally grateful.

Specific prayer requests:

That my mind will stay focused on the truth & my faith will not waiver on the tough days.
That my heart will align with God's will in regards to more children.
Lastly, that cancer will NEVER rear its ugly head in my body again. I will remain CANCER FREE for all the days of my life, never showing any symptoms that would EVER warrant a scan!

Thank you Jesus, for saving me. For giving me a testimony to share your grace and love. For bringing me together with some incredible people along this journey who have impacted me and changed me for the better. I owe it all to You, for You are worthy of all my praise.

With love,

Heather

Surgery and New Treatment Plan

Hey friends! I've slacked on my updates, but finally have some news and prayer requests to share. It has been a month and a half since my surgery and I am recovering very well. I can lift my girls and move my arm without issue! Thank you for praying for quick healing!

I went to see my surgeon a couple weeks after my surgery to have my drain removed and get the results. That week was emotional for me. Originally, the plan was to heal from surgery and go straight to 6 weeks of radiation. I met with my team of doctors expecting to receive my radiation start date, but was thrown a curve ball. When I was in surgery, my doctor was able to remove the tumor in my breast and get clear margins. Praise God for that! She removed 6 lymph nodes and unfortunately, 5 of those showed active cancer. At least one had extra nodal extension, meaning the cancer cells had escaped the lymph node, increasing the possibility of spreading elsewhere in my body. Bummer.

After much deliberation and conversation with my medical team, it was decided that I need to go back to do more aggressive chemo. To be honest, this really defeated me. I had not even considered this possibility and thought that when I rang the bell on January 9, that would be the LAST time I stepped foot in that infusion room. It took me a good week to come to grips with this, but I'm at peace with the decision now.

I have two little girls and an amazing husband who need me. I have to do all that I can to make sure I'm here to watch A & M grow up, get married, and have kids of their own. My dream since I was 20 years old was to grow old with Ben and I fully intend on doing just that. I have to be able to look him and our girls in the eye and tell them that I'm doing EVERYTHING possible to beat this disease, regardless of what that takes.

 the reason I fight so hard

So...what's next? On Monday, I will begin my next phase of chemo. I will be taking Adriamycin (Red Devil) and I'm honestly very nervous. The side effects and the way this drug is administered scares me. I know my God has gone before me and I am fully protected, so I am clinging to that promise.

^"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”  Deuteronomy 31:8

I would greatly appreciate your prayers for the following:

My fears and anxiety would subside as I go into this next round of treatment

My body will tolerate this drug well and I won't have any of the adverse side effects later in life

No sign of cancer in any of my organs or bones

Complete healing for my body 

I know I say this a lot, but I just feel so loved. The support I have received over the past 6 months has been incredible. You guys are so amazing and keep my spirits high even when I feel like everything is crumbling around me. I have a lot of fight left in me and plan to ring that bell louder and prouder in May than I ever thought of doing in January.

I believe that I am going to be healed on THIS SIDE of Heaven and plan to continue sharing my testimony of how He carried me through this season.  

With love,

Heather

 

I Hate Cancer.

Well, here I sit, 5 hours before I need to be up to head to the hospital for surgery, and I can't sleep. My mind is racing and I have so many thoughts running through my head. Since my last update, I completed my final scan after chemo. It showed that my tumor had shrunk some, but also revealed that there is still a 2-2.5 cm mass in my breast and cancer in my lymph nodes. My surgeon explained that the mass could very likely be made up of dead tissue and it does not mean that it is all active cancer cells, so that gave me hope.

I go in tomorrow to have a lumpectomy and a full lymph node dissection. I am excited to get this step over with, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't anxious. I've never had a major surgery and just don't know what to expect. I will be out of work for a month, so at least I'll have time to heal.

This week has been tough on my emotions. I have been able to hold it together pretty well throughout my journey, but I hate cancer more than ever right now. I've been reminded this week how devastating and vicious this disease really is.

I hate cancer because it is stealing the life of a lady I adore so much. She is a beautiful soul who should be celebrating the birth of her first grandchild, but instead, cancer has robbed her and her family of that joy.

I hate that cancer is making me miss my sweet Alaina's Valentine's Day party at school tomorrow due to surgery. I know its not the end of the world and in 10 years she likely won't remember that I wasn't there, but it breaks my mama heart to not be able to share that fun experience with her. She asked me today if I always have doctor appointments on days that she has school. I hate that cancer is forcing my baby to think about hospitals, doctors, and sickness.

I hate that cancer is making me take off a month from a job that I truly love. I know most people would welcome a month break from work, but for me, its not like that. I love my job, my boss, my teammates, my customers, and everything about the company I work for.

I hate that cancer has made me have a distorted body image. I never used to be the person who looked in the mirror and thought negative thoughts about my appearance. I've always been comfortable with my body and how I looked, even when I wasn't in the best shape. Cancer has changed that.

The devil is attacking my thoughts and doing everything he can to convince me that this disease is going to take my life. I have to tell him daily that he will not win. His words have no truth and my God says otherwise. It is a daily struggle, but I have to take back control so that I can continue to fight this battle.

Although I'm struggling tonight, I am choosing to refocus my mind and press on to the finish line.

I'm grateful to know that, although we wish we could have her here forever, my sweet friend will soon meet Jesus and will be pain free.

I'm blessed to have a mother in law that will fill in for me tomorrow at Alaina's party so that I can have pictures of my girl and see the excitement on her face.

I'm thankful to have a job that I love and to work for a company that encourages me to take care of myself without worrying about what goes on while I'm out.

And although I might not be happy with my body right now, I'm alive. I'm still here to fight for this life that God has blessed me with, and that's what's important.

Specific Prayer Requests:
My friend Cindy and her family. Please pray for her to be pain free and for her family to be comforted during this difficult time.
My surgery will go well and my surgeon will be able to remove all cancer cells and get clear margins.
I will have a quick recovery and be back to picking my babies up in no time!

Thank you for your faithfulness to pray.

With love,

Heather

Ring the Bell!

Well, I failed at getting better at updating my blog! :) It has been far too long since I've written and I've honestly missed it. Between treatments, work, and the holidays, I just got behind. Oh well, such is life!

Since I last posted, I've completed rounds 3-5 of chemo. I originally posted that I would be doing 4 rounds, but my oncologist said my tumor was responding significantly to the treatment, so she wanted to me to do 2 more in hopes that it would go away completely. Sounded good to me! Here's some pics of my last 3 rounds!

                                                               

So, here I sit, in the chemo chair for round 6. I have been flooded with emotions today and have had to stop and catch my breath a few times, because I'm just so overwhelmed. As I entered Kirklin Clinic this morning, I remembered the fear that I felt when I walked in here for the first time. The anxiety that I felt when I met with my doctors and had scans to determine the severity of my cancer. The uncertainty of what was to come when I sat in the "chemo chair" on day 1 of treatment. It all came flooding back and in the middle of that moment, I was also reminded of the greatness of my God, the unwavering support of my family and friends, the wisdom of my doctors, and the unbelievable acts of love that I've received through the course of my journey.

It seems surreal that just 5 short months ago, I heard the words "you have cancer". Even typing that again brings me to tears. Twice a year, in January and August, our church does 21 Days of Prayer, where we gather at 6 am for 21 days to devote an hour to seeking God and praying for the needs of others and our own. I started the 21 days of prayer in August with specific prayers that I was believing God would answer. Most of those were personal prayers for my family and friends, but I also asked God to draw me closer to him and use me however He felt necessary. On the first day of that 21 days of prayer, I had an appointment to biopsy the lump I had found. Four days later, I found out I had cancer. I remember sobbing through every hour of the remaining 21 days, pleading with God to heal me. Praying big, scary prayers that he would keep me here for my husband and babies. Today, the beginning of our 21 days of prayer for 2017, I'm at the end of my chemo treatments and thanking Him for answering in such a mighty way.

Through this trial, He has revealed so much to me. My relationship with God has never been stronger and I am on fire for Him. I also have a burning passion to help others who are going through the same thing as I am. Since I was diagnosed, I've had the joy of being introduced to other young ladies who have been given the same scary news as me. I just want to hug them all and walk them through this as so many others did for me. I know the emotions that they are feeling all to well. Most of the ladies I've met are young mamas and are burdened with the fear of leaving their children behind. As moms, its our nature to put our kids and husband first. When you're faced with the thought of not being here for them, or leaving the man you love to raise your children alone, it can feel like too much to handle. I want to be a LIVING testimony and am hopeful that God will continue to use me to touch others that are battling this disease.

So...what's next? In about an hour, I will ring the bell, to celebrate the end of chemo! I have a scan tomorrow to see what's left of my tumor. I will meet with my surgeon on Thursday to go over the results and formulate a plan for surgery. Right now, we are planning on a lumpectomy around the beginning of February. After I heal from surgery, I will begin radiation, which will be everyday for 6 weeks. All that to say, I'm not done yet. I'm grateful to be finished with chemotherapy and look forward to wrapping up the rest of my treatment in the next few months.

Specific Prayer Request:

Healing for my new friends: Carla, Haley, and Kristen as they begin chemo, have surgeries, and continue to beat cancer. Also, please cover in prayer the children, husbands, family, and friends of these ladies. Please pray that they all keep their eyes fixed on Him and never lose sight of the work He is doing in them.

Carla has a young daughter and lost her husband in October, so her diagnosis comes at such a difficult time. Her heart hasn't even had time to heal and she is just so devastated. Please pray for her and her daughter as they navigate through this trial and try to find a "new normal" for their lives. 

My scans will be clear and show no signs of viable cancer cells.

My upcoming surgery. Pray that it will go smoothly and they will be able to get clear margins when they remove my tumor.

"In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." 1 Peter 5:10

Again, I cannot put into words my gratitude for each of you. The meals, grass cutting, cards, calls, messages, texts, gifts, kind words, and prayers are all so appreciated. My heart is full and I'm honored to say I have the most loving army of friends and family behind me.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2017. I am declaring that this year I WILL be cancer free!

With love,

Heather

Chemo: Round 2

Well, Round 2 has come and gone and that means I'm halfway through my chemo regimen. Yay! This round went pretty much just like the first one as far as infusions go. I got my Benadryl and Zantac ahead of time to counter act the allergy that I have to the Taxotere and didn't have any issues. I had a few more visitors this time and the nurses were accommodating, which was great. My friend Amy came to see me and I also got a special visit from her parents. Her dad has recently gone through treatment to fight leukemia and is in remission. Praise God for that! Her parents, Regina and Sammy, are just wonderful and I am honored to have their support and their daughter in my life. My mom and Ben were also there, as always. They never leave my side and I can't express the way it makes me feel to know they are forever in my corner. Ben's boss has been so understanding and is so great to let him off to be with me when I need him. Two of our neighbors stepped in and took care of our girls while I was at treatment. One got Alaina to and from school and even took the time to do a craft with her, while the other loved on Madeline and took her on a walk, all while caring for their own kiddos. I'm surrounded by some Supermoms! I'm overwhelmed and forever grateful for the support and encouragement that we have both received from work, family, friends, strangers, etc. It is just amazing!

Praise report: I met with my oncologist while I was in the infusion clinic and she said she would not be concerned if we didn't see any changes until I came back for my 3rd treatment. She felt my tumor and said it is already showing positive progress, which means it is SHRINKING!! Thank you, Jesus!

So far, I'm experiencing the loss of taste buds again and am a little more tired than I was Round 1, but overall, I'm doing pretty well. I have been more emotional this time around and have broken down a few times unexpectedly. I know my hormones are out of whack and with that, on top of treatment, it catches up to me occasionally. The devil is trying his best to attack my thoughts again and to remind me of what cancer CAN do to me, my family, and my body. I am fighting back with scripture to remind him that his words are not going to win!

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:11

Over the past couple weeks, God has placed a few people on my heart and has reminded me of how precious life really is. Sometimes, with those reminders, comes fear and heartbreak. I am trying to stay in His Word and focus on His promises. Cancer is so real and it is more present than I ever allowed myself to acknowledge. This past week, a friend from high school reached out to tell me her best friend was just diagnosed with breast cancer as well. I immediately asked for her number because I had to reach out and introduce myself, as many others did for me when I was diagnosed. "K" is 32, the same age I was when I received my news. She is scared. She is anxious. She is shocked. I've been there and I know exactly what she's going through. We have become instant friends and have vowed to fight this battle together. We are meeting for dinner tomorrow to chat before she meets with her team of doctors at UAB. I am so ready to hug her and watch her defeat cancer with grace. I know God has placed her in my life for a reason and for that, I'm grateful.

The morning after I was "introduced" to "K", I opened up my Bible to this:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

I would also like to ask you guys to pray for Megan Zipperer. Her story has just completely broken my heart and I think about her constantly. I don't know her, but she is facing a very difficult battle with terminal cancer. I have attached the link below to her page and would love it if you guys would read her story and pray for her, her husband, and her 3 precious babies.

https://www.facebook.com/weareteammeg/

Specific Prayer Requests:

Peace and guidance for "K" and her family as she meets with her doctors this week
A miracle for Megan and comfort for her and her family as they face this trial
Continued strength for my body to fight this disease

Thank you all so much for reading. Your prayers are felt DAILY and they are being answered one by one. I appreciate each of you so much. God is good and my army is strong!

With love,
Heather

Hair Loss

I am making this a separate post because I have a lot of pictures that I want to share. When I discussed hair loss with my doctor, I was told that it can start anywhere from 10-21 days from your first treatment. As I've explained before, I had a lot of stress about losing my hair, how it would affect the girls, how I would look, etc. I have to say, this has not been anywhere near as difficult as I expected. I am daily reminded of the beauty that God placed INSIDE of me and that has really helped me approach my outward appearance.

One of my small groups from earlier this year decided to throw me a hat and scarf party to load my closet up with a variety of headpiece choices for the winter. These girls mean the world to me and have blessed me in ways I cannot put into words. Although I still had my hair for the party, it was still a lot of fun to open the hats and play dress up. Below are a few pictures from the event!

We went back to the beach for vacation and around day 12 (after treatment), my hair started thinning. I decided to just let it slowly come out and see how I felt, knowing that I would shave it as soon as it became noticeable. It was honestly one of the most fascinating things to experience. My friend Aaron reminded me that with each strand that came out, to think of it as being one step closer to beating this disease, so that's how I viewed it. Each day, more and more would slowly fall out, but it was manageable. I didn't look bald yet and still had enough hair to wear it down and look/feel normal. On day 17 (after treatment) I got out of the shower and my hair was matted. I just did not anticipate being able to get the knots out, so I called in my stylist team (Ben, Mom, my sister in law, Melanie, and the girls)! I made a braid on each side of my hair and let Alaina and Madeline each cut one out for my memory box. My friend Lisa suggested this and I'm so glad she did. Mom did a little trimming then Ben handled the shaving. It was fun, liberating, and I feel great. Below are some pictures!

And just like that....I'm bald :)

With love,
Heather

Chemo: Round 1

Whew! I didn't realize how much time had passed since my last update. I have been spending some great quality time with my husband, kids, family, and friends, and just haven't had time to blog. I am going to try to get better! I will do my best to document as much as I can remember from the past month and will split into a couple different blogs to keep from rambling too much. Please forgive me if this post is all over the place. Chemo brain is a REAL thing!

Round 1:

Leading up to my first round, I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect and just really had a lot of lingering anxiety about how I would handle the treatment. That morning, as I nursed sweet Madeline for the last time, God covered me with a peace that only He can. My mom, Ben, and I headed to the hospital in good spirits. My sister, Carly, joined us shortly after we arrived. I have to be at treatment an hour early because labs are required in order to have a starting point for my white blood count levels and a few other baselines have to be established. I did my lab work and waited patiently for the next available chair in the infusion clinic. I had been told that they don't allow people to sit back in the treatment room with you for more than about 15 minutes at a time, so I came prepared with things to keep me busy: my Bible, adult coloring books, laptop for work, books, earphones, etc. When they called me back, they let Ben come with me for support while I got set up. Much to my surprise, they let him stay in there almost the entire time. He took a short lunch break, but was by my side the rest of the time. It was a crazy feeling to sit in a chair and know that the bags of fluid hanging around me were what could save my life. They start with a bag of Zofran for nausea and a steroid. Those took about 15 minutes each. Next up was the Taxotere which is one of my chemo drugs. My nurse explained that 20% of people have a reaction to this drug which causes tightness in the chest, a warm, flush feeling above the neck, and back pain. She said that it usually occurs within the first 15 minutes of administering the drug. We got right to the 15 minute mark and my chest tightened up. I thought maybe I was subliminally feeling the effects since she had warned me, but then my head got hot. Ben got the nurse and as she walked up, the back pain hit me. Looks like I'm one of the 20%! She stopped treatment and explained that she was going to give me a dose of Benadryl and Zantac before re-administering the drug. That worked like a charm and the Benadryl knocked me out. It was the best nap I have had since before having kids! The rest of the treatment went fine. My mom and sister got to come back and chat for a few minutes each and overall everything went as well as I could have hoped. Here's a few pictures from Round 1!

I didn't experience too many side effects from Round 1. The first thing that happened was that I lost my taste buds. My mouth felt kind of dry and raw and food just didn't taste like it should. I had a few bone aches and some stomach pains, but other than that, I'd say it was very tolerable. I was able to spend the weekend after chemo at the beach with my husband and some of our best friends, so that was a real treat. I've been blessed to be surrounded by the most amazing support system and it has made all the different in the world.

This journey wouldn't be complete without you guys, who give me strength to keep fighting!

With love,
Heather