Radiation!

Monday starts the radiation. I am actually anxious to get it going because then it will be 6 weeks and it's over. I have been feeling really good with the exception of the colds I keep getting and can't fight off. This one is either a sinus infection or ear infectionm either way my head hurts! My cough is very annoying especially after the surgery. You don't really want details it's just very uncomfortable! Anyway, I have been walking my 30 minutes every day and we have even gone for a family bike ride which was more difficult than I thought it would be but still great! Every day I am feeling closer to who I was before and I am so excited! Shauna

Still doing well!

So, the last 3 weeks has been.... rough. I am feeling better every day. I have finally had the last drain removed (yeah!) but the Dr. filled my expander for the 2nd time, the pressure is unbelieveable. She said I am healing well and all that good stuff so I am glad. This has been one crazy experience along with all the rest. We are somewhat able to breath sighs of relief now that we are at this point, that is especially good for Rick, he was a nervous wreck but is much better now. I am cleared for radiation and we are getting the appointments scheduled but I will be off the schedule that I had set for myself. I wanted to start next week but it will be 2 weeks from today to ensure that everything is completely healed. That's just the way it goes.
Everyone is asking about the hair! The minimal amount of existing hair (and I mean minimal!) has grown a little but not many new sprouts yet. I got some special shampoo/conditioner and intensive hair growth therapy, no one really knows if it will do anything but one of my chemo friends says it has definatley worked for her. If it doesn't work it will get me back in the habit of shampooing my hair. It's been kind of nice to just loofa my whole body including my head, it's very quick too! HA!HA!HA! As soon as I have anything to speak of I will be sporting it! I am very excited to have hair that won't blow away in the wind!
The Race for the Cure is May 9th and we will be there! The team name is Joggin' for Jugs, it should be fun! Love- Shauna

The worst is over & we got the best news!

My surgery was Wednesday, and it was as awful as you can imagine. It took almost the entire night to get ontop of the pain but once I did I felt much better. Within a few hours of that I was ready to go home. I have much more range of motion with my right arm than I had anticiapted so that is good. I have 2 drains which makes me look and feel like an alien. They will be gone Tuesday!!! I feel like I am doing well given the circumstance.
We got the best news possible on Friday for those of you who haven't heard, all 16 nodes were negative! The cancer was not visible to the pathologist eye during surgery but was there under the microscope. They did get clear margins around the cancer cells. The Dr. called and said this should make you so happy! Me and my pain meds were already happy when she called but I was even happier after that news!!
We are all doing better now that the surgery is behind us. Especially Rick! I made fun of him in the last post but I don't think I could have watched him go through this type of thing, it's harder for the care-giver (in my opinion) because you feel so helpless. He and my mom have done great at taking care of me, and so many others caring for our family. The stress has been reduced with so much great support and such good news from pahtology. We are so thankful!
No sprouts of hair yet, I expect something in the next 4 weeks. Who knows???
We love you all so much! Shauna

Surgery Update

Shauna is out of surgery, and everything went well. They say everything looks great and they didn't see any signs of a tumor. Great news! She is now in her room but is still in a lot of pain. They have given her more pain meds and are working on getting it under control. She will stay overnight and hopefully be able to come home tomorrow afternoon.

Wednesday...Surgery Day!

Feb. 18th is my surgery and I am totally aware of how hard it is going to be but anxious to get it over with. For me it will mean I am halfway through all the awful stuff and that is a great milestone! I have not told my kids exactly how difficult this surgery is to recover from because right now they are not worried and I want to keep it that way. Isaac and Megan wouldn't understand anyway but Josh would work himself to tears. I don't want that. Rick is enough for me to handle. They all understand that I will be limited and uncomfortable.

Anyway, Rick is mad at life (I have been there) if he seems more grumpy than normal he's just angry and scared. For the most part I have moved past the anger and I am able to see the one road to get my health back, however unfair, this is it. I also am already looking forward to the reconstruction and know that what tomorrow brings in temporary. Just so you don't have to wonder, I will have a tissue expander placed tomorrow that will be filled as much as possible. I should only have to have saline added a few times. What that means is it probably won't be extremely noticable especially as time goes on.
Cancer has taken away so many things, my health, my energy, and my hair. I am reminded every morning of what is at stake when I see my kids sweet faces, I am fighting for so much and it's all worth it. I have my moments when it weighs heavy on me and by the time I am done we will have had an entire year of really hard things to go through. But that being said tonight (Tuesday night) we are doing something silly to break up the awfulness. I chose to have a Farewell Party for my boob! Rick is not laughing but I think it's great! I wanted to have my family come over for a blessing anyway and decided to make it a party. So tonight we are making lemonade out of the lemons we have been dealt or what ever way you want to say it.

I need all the positive things that so many of you have sent my way. The emails, letters, cards, etc. I really do cherish what you send and from time to time totally depend on them to pull myself together and go on.

I will have my sister post something to let everyone know how the surgery went. Thanks for all your love and support! Shauna

Finally!!!!

Wow! I am so happy to be feeling better I can't even tell you! That one was my last of the "bad" chemo's and it was exceptionally awful but I am feeling better now! I just wish my energy would come back but I have to be patient. We are preparing for surgery next Wednesday, no getting out of it this time! I am not exceptionally nervous (only a noraml level of nervous) because I have had so much time to think about it and get it straight in my brain! It is going to be hard but only for a while. I will be rid of cancer at that point and that is what I have to focus on. My oncologist expects everything to come back negative (which is a positive thing, LOL)and the best outcome possible. These are good steps in the awful ladder of breast cancer. Radiation will begin 3-4 weeks after surgery. That will be another roller-coaster but only for 6 weeks. I am so thankful for everyone taking care of our family. I am also thankful for those following the blog and keeping in touch with our family. You mean so much to us and so do all of your words of encouragment. I love it! Shauna

The Last One is all DONE!!!!

We went to chemo today a little unsure if they would give it or not as I have come down with another nasty cold. They still did it! My fever was difficult to break on Tuesday night initially but I have some aggressive antibiotics and I am feeling better for today. Tomorrow I will go and get the last of the Neulasta shots and then suffer through the next week and hopefully be done with the hardest parts of chemo. We truly never know what to expect but we are definately hopeful. My Doctor couldn't have been more positive and enthusiastic about my response to the chemo. He said I was tough (even though I feel sort of wimpy right now) and that I have responded so well he expects great results from my surgery and lymph node dissections. We are still so amazed, relieved and above all very thankful!
So, at this point everything is still on schedule and will more than likely keep my surgery on schedule for Feb 18. They can always give me another Neulasta shot if blood counts are down! (I will be so mad if that happens!)
We are still going to be "hermits" for a little bit longer to make sure I can be as healthy as possible for surgery. I love all of your emails and can't begin to tell you how they lift my spirits! I am so thankful for everything everyone is doing and have done for us. We have such a long list of family and friends serving us it's so humbling and over-whelming for Rick and I to watch as so many family and friends do everything imaginable to see us through. There are so many things people have offered to do and we really appreciate it. We have been touched beyond words by the sweet things people have offered on our behalf and the constant requests to do more. If you could bottle up some energy for me that's what I really need!! LOL
Thank you to everyone for sticking with us on this. It is definately a long road to recovery! We love you! Shauna