JULY 2023 - hair status - 1 year post diagnosis

JULY 2022 - first diagnosed

This post has been a long time coming in the making. (In my head)

May was a difficult month for me as I had my dad's two year death anniversary, and then a PET scan at the end of the month. Both came and went, and we got some good results at the PET scan that allowed us to celebrate, but it was a very bitter-sweet feeling. Not because of my Dad's death, but just because I still had cancer. I didn't go into the PET scan expecting it to come back what they call: "no evidence of disease" NED for short. I still have a noticeable tumor in my left breast that I know is there. It was bitter-sweet because we know how quickly things can turn, and how smart, and unpredictable cancer is. 

Some people who go down a different healing journey than I have chosen, have the worst year of their life, and then are NED. But are left healing, recovering, and learning to manage long term side effects from their cancer journey. Some people are rockstars and I would say get lucky- and have an easy recovery. I am thankful that I am still able to work, and take FMLA for appointments or days that I may feel a little extra sore from treatments. 

The update from the PET Scan is this: compared to February.

SUV (metabolic activity of cancer- you want as close to 0 as possible) 

Left collarbone lymph node: 8.9 in February 2.1 now

Right collarbone lymph node: 4.8 in February now healed!

Left breast tumor: 14.8 in February 8 now

Left armpit lymph nodes: 12.8 in February now healed!

Right armpit lymph nodes: 8 in February now healed!

Right Upper Lobe Lung: 1.8 in February now 1.5

Left Lower Lobe Lung: 2.8 in February now healed!

Sternum: 9.9 in February now 3.3

It also is HEALED from the lymph nodes called superior mediastinal lymph nodes. 

Specific sites my body is still working on healing now are: my left collarbone lymph nodes, the left breast tumor, my sternum, and my right upper lobe lung. 

We are very excited about this progress, it's such a relief to know that my body is healing the cancer, and it's not progressing. We live with a fear that it could get worse again, but I am trying to do all I can each day, to take steps towards healing all the cancer. 

This time of the year right now is the one year mark of when I was diagnosed. My sister and I look back, (along with other friends and family) and like to think on how much we have learned. We never thought the healing journey I have been guided down would be mine, or that we would learn so much, but I don't think we would change a thing yet. 

The biggest thing I have learned is that EVERYONE'S CANCER IS UNIQUE TO THEM, and their treatment is incredibly unique to them, and no one protocol is the same for two people. 

The second biggest thing I have learned is, don't take your nose hairs for granted. I lost my hair, my eye brows, and eye lashes, and nose hairs during chemo. All of them came back except my nose hairs which is common in a lot of women. Thankfully my partners in the ambulance know that and always make sure we have Kleenex stocked in the ambulance because I often times will be in the middle of starting an IV on a patient, and then all of a sudden, snot just runs right out of my nose with no warning or anything to stop it. So don't take your nose hairs for granted. :) 

I thought I would share my photos through the last year of one of the hardest parts of the journey, the hair loss. I ask women of all ages with cancer about what's most difficult, and one common theme is the hair loss. Until you have been through it, forced to lose your hair not by your own choice, you don't know how badly you desire to put your hair in a messy bun on top of your head and roll on out to run errands. 

First Haircut- August of 2022

Second haircut- October of 2022

Third haircut- November of 2022

Head wrap- all winter long + still rocking head wraps

One of my incredible Wigs 

Head wrap w/new hair growth! June 2023

Thank you all for daily prayers, love, support, and encouragement. Whether it be asking my mom, my sister, my friends, or me personally- I know we all feel so incredibly blessed and loved through this journey. It isn't easy, and it truly carries us daily.