Skip to main content

How I'm doing: First day of chemo, how the week went, and a clarification to my treatment

  • This week has been going well as can be expected.  

  • I had no instant side effects or reactions to the chemo + targeted therapy from today. I understand they might hit tonight or in next few days, and they accumulate. We'll see. 

  • I have a bit of a sore throat and a runny nose, and I feel that more! I tested negative for Covid and flu, so it was OK to proceed. 

  • The port hurts more than the lumpectomy! It's uncomfortable to walk. But I also don't have pain medication for the port. The procedure—like y'all and the medical team told me—was much better than it sounded. It just hurts way more after. I'm told it'll get better in a few days or a week. I have to have it in for a year. But, as I've been reminded: It's a pathway to getting better. :) 

  • Clarification: I've referred to my second infusion that I get as hormone therapy, but I wasn't understanding. It's just targeted therapy because I have proteins on?in? my cells that make cancer aggressive.

I felt so loved by all the texts, cards, and flowers this week. When the counselor at the cancer center stopped by to check in, he was delighted I already had at therapist and that I spoke about y'all. I got this feeling of, "OK, good, you've got this, then." And it's true. Data show that women with stronger social networks are less likely to have cancer come back. 

I might write more about the experience later. Just wanted to get you an update. :)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sara's playbook for dealing with cancer

My care team has commended my playbook for managing symptoms and dealing with cancer treatment.  I can't compare my cancer experience to others', because everyone's cancer is different. But, I can say that I'm coming out of this feeling like a better version of myself, and I didn't experience the intensity of symptoms that most people experience.  I'm a firm believer in doing what I can to manage what's thrown at me and take control where I can.  Here's my playbook for dealing with cancer in case it's helpful.  Note: If you think it might help to share with someone who has a recent diagnosis, I recommend first asking them if they're open to a perspective on managing life during treatment, sharing only if they say yes.  I treated food as fuel. I learned which ingredients reduce inflammation and which ingredients help the body recover, and I chose foods with them instead of comfort foods as often as possible. These ingredients can be found across c...
1 comment
Read more

How I'm feeling: Warmth from returning to work

I went back to work this week, and the best word I can describe it is dreamy. You read that right.  I had the best welcome back from teammates and others. The best. I truly felt joy seeing them, and I received so much warmth and even love back, it really makes me count my blessings. The only triggers I had were problematic, institutional terms in our work that we haven't solved yet!  I also reviewed final content from a big project I had been working on before I left, getting to see how the team finished the foundation we started and how they applied the content guidelines I drove. I couldn't tell the difference between what I wrote and what they wrote, which is amazing! This is what you want to happen! It was also dreamy because my directive from my new manager and partner lead recognized my leadership and strategy skillset, versus a more tactical starting point of, "Can you write this line of copy?" Like I said, dreamy .  There was a weird part I got through. I re...
1 comment
Read more

How I'm doing: Positive reflections as I head back to work

My Florida trip brought paddle boarding, crystal clear waters, tequila, sunshine, and laughs with friends. My final few days before work are a wonderful balance of downtime, long walks with Monty, rest, and fitness. I was also asked to be one of the speakers at the hospital cancer center's Survivors' Day of Celebration this year. Yes, there's so much to celebrate!  And, it's fitting to share my reply to an e-poll question that I answered in a group of former colleagues. The question was, " If you could relive one year of your life, which would it be? "  Here's what I wrote:  " My first thought was age 26. I just remember it as coming into my own and having so much fun. Then I saw [so-and-so's]  mention of studying abroad, and my 2001 experience changed my life in so many ways. But my final answer, if I were to pick one year, would be this past year, actually!  "A year ago at this time I finally, finally just felt so comfortable in my own skin...
Post a Comment
Read more