September 20, 2011

Tuesday 9/20/11

With my final expansion behind me I have been cleared to start on the path of radiation.  Some of you might be thinking ... why does she need radiation ... didn’t the chemo work?  The truth is that yes, the chemo worked very well.  The double mastectomy actually showed that I had a “complete response” meaning there were no cancer cells in the tumor or the lymph nodes removed only calcifications.  But, due to the fact that I am young, the cancer had already traveled to my lymph nodes and the tumor was the worst grade and size the radiation is preventative, I am a candidate for a recurrence of breast cancer even though I had a double mastectomy.  My treatment team wants me to live a long life and therefore we are doing radiation.  

Today I had a simulation - during which a body cast was done and my body was marked for radiation.  I will not start radiation until my treatment plan is worked out, which is currently expected to be sometime early next week.  Once I start I will be going daily (Monday - Friday) and I am expected to have 35 treatments, which means 7 weeks.  They scanned my body and marked me with a “paint” marker.  They then covered the markings with tape.  

The markings can wash off and the tape can peel, so they gave me the following directions: 

1. shower with my back to the water ... avoid direct water on the front of my body.
2. use very little soap.
3. pat myself dry with a towel (no rubbing).
4. avoid sweating (which means no exercise).
5. if I notice that the markings are disappearing have Matt redraw them on by laying down and using a marker that they gave me.

They said that if the markings come off before my first treatment we have to get a scan again and my treatment will be further delayed.   Despite my plea about the importance of exercise I was told that I need to hold off on exercise for at least a week.  Seriously ... does no one care about this chunk off?  

Despite the fact that this is a rhetorical question ... the answer is still no ... the people that treat cancer do not care about chunk offs or exercise or anything like that.  

Oh yeah and one more thing ... I got all this done while topless, all the radiation girls my radiation oncologist and a couple of other doctors all came in for various reasons.  Modesty is absolutely a trait you have to check at the door when you have breast cancer.    

Upper Body Mold shown here

Body Markings Side View

Body Markings Front View

Monday 9/19/11

All good things must come to an end and today was my final physical therapy treatment.    I am totally in love with the idea of physical therapy and I think the women at this treatment center are very special.  I have quite a bit of information and I am grateful for the fabulous care provided.  After my normal treatment I handed out a few SuperMonkey Pins and said my good-byes.  The information and positive attitude provided will not be forgotten.  Thank you Ingrid, Layla and Sandy for being so awesome!!

PT Team
Ingrid, Me, Sandy, Layla

Sunday 9/18/11

I have finally recovered from the tissue expansion enough to go for a run.  So Matt and I hit the loop at memorial for a 3 mile run.  I have not totally recovered from my tissue expansion so the run was not very pleasant ... but I honestly think no exercise makes things worse.  

Saturday 9/17/11

A little background - I have a leather suit (jacket and pants) that I purchased from Houston SuperBikes last summer and despite the fact that I have worn them for an entire year ... the jacket still looks very new and the leather is very stiff.  I have been wearing the jacket at home and while that has helped it hasn’t made a huge difference.  So ... today I wore my jacket while we ran our errands around town, including the guitar shop.  I am pretty sure that the people at the guitar shop think I am a weirdo, I guess it is best that they know that now.  Below is a picture of me wearing my jacket and playing a ukulele ... after I learn to play the guitar I think I will buy a uke ... they are so cute.  

Matt and I also went downtown and attended their monthly flea market at discovery green.  We didn’t stay too long because the days weather was intermittent rain showers.     The day ended with a relaxed evening at home.  

Me at the Guitar Shop with a uke (wearing my jacket)

Friday 9/16/11

This evening I went for another haircut.  Manny (my stylist) said I have to wait about another month for the cut I want.  Manny wants to avoid cutting it until I reach the right length.  It is interesting because my hair is growing at different speeds (slower on top) and different textures (thicker and curlier in the back).  Manny said this is totally normal ... just that I wouldn’t notice it before since my hair was so much longer before.  Until my haircut I am left visiting Manny to clean up my ears and neck ... here is hoping for a cool cut in a month.  

This is the cut I want to have once I have enough length :)

Thursday 9/15/11

With only one more physical therapy treatment left today’s session was a little sadder then usual.  Overall it is pretty remarkable how much progress I have made in a short period of time.  I have full range of motion and have slowly been increasing strength training with weights.  I find physical therapy pretty tiring and find myself unable to exercise on the days I do therapy.  

Today I also had my final tissue expansion and went from 450 to 570 ccs.  This is a full C cup ... My dreams of a D or a Double D are over.  Today’s expansion was the most uncomfortable.  My tissue is very tight and I left the plastic surgeons’ office feeling very uncomfortable.  To date the most discomfort comes in the evening ...  well after I leave the surgeons office but today the pain started much earlier (like on the ride home).  Per the normal orders I will not be doing any strenuous activity for the next couple of days.  

The doctor also gave me a little bit of bad news ... she said I can not mountain bike until after radiation.  That means I will not mountain bike until November (at the earliest).  She said that we have disturbed my pectoral muscles quite a bit and the pushing and pulling involved in mountain biking could result in a torn muscle.  She also said that I may have to return to physical therapy upon conclusion of radiation because radiation sometimes causes constriction of your pectoral muscles.  

Syringes are much scarier close up

Picture of the marked port with the numbing cream

Picture Pre-Run on 9/14/11
(before my final expansion)

Stay tuned for more SuperMonkey Adventures,

Nancy

AKA:  SuperMonkey

"I don't trust anyone who doesn't laugh."

 - Maya Angelou

September 12, 2011

Sunday 9/11/11

Yesterdays track day wore Matt and I out.  The days heat can get to you.  Today I was completely committed to get a little exercise so Matt and I went to the park for a run and we did one loop (about 3 miles).  We got a late start so it was hot out but it always feels good to exercise.  

At the park before my run
(that is why I am smiling)

Guess what I did Sunday afternoon after my nap ... I played the guitar. :)  I haven’t named my guitar but I am very excited about my birthday present ... it has already brought me a great deal of joy and I hope to be able to play a song sometime soon.  This was a fabulous birthday weekend!!

Saturday 9/10/11

Matt had another track day today - location Motor Sports Ranch Houston (MSRH).  We saw a lot of familiar faces and I am reminded each track day that the motorcycle community has been so supportive of Matt and I for the duration of my diagnosis and treatment.  There were many funny moments throughout the day and one of them was the fact that Matt asked that I fill his 5 gallon gas can with gas.  This lead to an event I am referring to as “Gas-Mageddon” (like Armageddon).  During this event the following occurred:  1)  I had to find the gas pump which required that I walk about 1 mile, 2) I had to open the gas tank which I think Matt sealed with super glue, 3) Due to the fact that the 93 octane pump was inoperable I had to get 98 octane gas which cost a little less then $9 a gallon.  All of this combined made for a very tiring day and a whole list of motorcyclists chuckling at me during “Gas-Mageddon”.  

Self Portrait as the day began
(before "Gas-Maggedon")

Self Portrait from the stands
(after "Gas-Mageddon")

The track day ended with a mock race for the advanced riders ... it was the first I have seen and it was pretty exciting.  At this track you don’t have full visibility of the entire track (you actually don’t have visibility of the entire track at any of the tracks we go to).  The portions of the track / race we saw were very exciting.  Overall, a great show of skill and speed.  

Track Day Trailer (created by Matt Jordan)

I came home and I played with my guitar a little more ... according to the lessons on youtube it takes a little time to toughen the skin on your fingers ... I have already noticed that holding the guitar and positioning my fingers is getting easier.  Still no songs but I think I will be able to strum to a beat soon :)

Me with my new Guitar
(what is that hanging off the curtain rod?)

Friday 9/9/11

After a full day of work Matt and I decided to go pick out a gift.  We decided a long time ago that it works a lot better if you buy your own gift and this year I decided that I wanted a guitar.  I have been wanting to learn to play the guitar for a very long time but continuously convinced myself that I was too busy.  With all the changes going on in my life I have tried much harder to cease the day so this is a good a time as any to learn to play.  Picking a guitar is actually much more challenging then I originally anticipated.  I learned a lot about various types of guitars.  Despite the fact that Matt thought I should buy an electric guitar I stuck with the acoustic option.  You can also plug in an acoustic guitar, but the guitar I picked does not have this option, I can choose to add this feature later if I like.  The guitar I selected is an Epiphone Acoustic Guitar.  The color called starburst and it is beautiful.  

I went home and learned a few things on my new guitar; how to tune my guitar, how to play a few strums and a couple of notes.  I was super excited!

Thursday 9/8/11

Today was my birthday and my day started with a phone call from Matt to wish me a happy birthday (he was traveling).  Growing up in a very modest environment / family I grew up understanding that you really shouldn’t bring a lot of attention to yourself, but as you saw from my last post I am a very different person this year.  Matt returned from business travel late in the day.  Matt took me out for a burger and beer at one of my favorite places “Broken Spoke” on Washington.  While it was very low key I felt great and received several emails, cards and phone calls with happy birthday wishes.  I also had no problem telling everyone I spoke to that it was my birthday.  It was an awesome day!  

Matt and I at the "Broken Spoke" for my birthday dinner

Stay tuned for more SuperMonkey Adventures,

Nancy

AKA:  SuperMonkey

“When I was born I was so surprised I didn’t talk for a year and a half.”

 - Author Unknown

“Birthdays are good for you.  Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.”

 - Author Unknown

September 7, 2011

Today is Wednesday 9/7/11 and this update is a little different then all the updates I have done to date.  I have always blogged about things that have already happened, doctor visits, hospital stays or other cancer shenanigans.  Today I have decided to write about something that has yet to happen. 

Tomorrow is my 35th birthday.  

There have been several times in my life when I have reflected on where I am and the pride that comes along with the accomplishments or adventures I was brave enough to endure.  The best things in my life have happened when I took risks / chances.  The challenge of “Kicking Cancers’ Butt” has been no different.  

I felt nervous when I left home to go to college, I felt nervous when I started my career, I felt nervous when I started riding mountain, I felt nervous when I started racing, I felt nervous when I learned to ride a motorcycle and I felt nervous when I set out to Kick Cancers’ Butt.  Matt and I saw a very powerful movie a few months back called “127 hours”.  This movie is about a mountain climber who gets trapped under a boulder while out climbing alone near Moab, Utah.  During the course of being trapped he has to cut off his own arm to survive.  In this movie the young man comes to terms with the fact that he was destined to be in this exact place at this exact time and I feel the same way.  As I look back on the risks I have taken in my life and the adventures I have experienced I realize that I was meant to be here right now.  And it is through this realization that I am able to learn the most that cancer has to teach me.  I know I didn’t have to cut off my own arm, but this experience has been full of challenges.  I feel that the first 34 years of my life prepared me for the moment that I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  I once read that a person can have cancer for 10 years before they are diagnosed, if I think back on my life for the last 10 years I really think it wasn’t until I was 34 that I was ready to attack this disease with such enthusiasm.    

I understand that many cancer patients can have a cancer recurrence.  I also understand that the treatment I have chosen (chemo and radiation) have long term effects and I am highly likely to experience those as well (heart issues or pulmonary issues).  All of that being said I would not trade the life lessons behind this diagnosis for anything.  I am very proud to be where I am today.  Cancer survivorship isn’t something I dangle in front of others or the only identifying factor I have these days ... but cancer has absolutely changed who I am and how I see the world.  No matter what, for the rest of my life I will always be proud of the path I have walked and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn from and be with those who have walked the path with me.  My absolutely amazing husband, who shows me everyday how much he loves me.  My loving family, who have no choice but to love me.  My supportive friends (new and old), who have proven to me that the adventures in our lives bring us closer.  

While I can remember many fantastic birthdays in my life, filled with family and friends ... I can guarantee that tomorrow will be one of the happiest birthdays I have ever had!!  Mostly because the gift of wisdom gained through illness is like no other.  

As a reminder:  Don’t forget that the way we celebrate birthdays in our family (Matt and I) is by way of weekends ... so my birthday lasts from Thursday through at least Monday - so please feel free to send me an email or post a comment to the blog with your birthday wishes :)

Hugs and kisses to each and every one of you!!

Stay tuned for more SuperMonkey Adventures,

Nancy

AKA:  SuperMonkey

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.  It’s the life in your years.”

 - Abraham Lincoln

“Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.”

 - Mark Twain

September 5, 2011

I apologize as I have been having issues with my home computer and this has caused delay and limitations to my posting.  I am working with apple and hope to resolve the issue soon. 

Monday 9/5/11 

Today was the first entire track day I attended since surgery.  Location was Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas.  I spent most of the day with Stephanie while Matt and Mark rode around the track and attended classroom sessions in between.  Mark and Stephanie have a toy hauler that has a lot of amenities and today we decided to pull out the awning.  Without directions / instructions we referenced the web and we were able to learn how to set up the awning and later learned how to tear it down.  We used a small coleman grill to cook lunch, which was a lot of fun.  Days like this remind me of the fact that spending time with friends is always a good thing.  While I am completely exhausted I am grateful for our friendships / relationships.  

Getting started in the morning 

Xerox 999 R
(as the day begins) 

Self Portrait
(What is that in the background?)

Matt in his leather suit

Matt taking off as the day begins 

The day begins and Matt is in the line up

Matt on the track

Toy Hauler with the Awning Set Up

Lunch being grilled
(super yummy) 

Sunday 9/4/11

Since it was a holiday weekend a neighbor of ours arranged an alley party.  Everyone opened up their garages and mingled.  It was surprisingly great weather.  While the day held some pretty strong wind gusts the evening consisted of a light breeze and fabulous weather.  It was a great time and we met a few new neighbors.  With a track day scheduled for Monday Matt cut his evening short, while I stayed in the alley a little longer to visit with the neighbors.  I had a great time and learned a little more about my neighbors.  

The party begins 

Yummy 

Saturday 9/3/11

Matt and I spent the day doing some much needed home maintenance and yesterday’s walk left the dogs completely exhausted.  So tired in fact that we came into the bedroom and found our German Shepherd “Gusta” relaxing on the bed with all fours in the air.  While the weather was better today then it had been in the recent past it was still very tiring.  

"Gusta" on her back

"Gusta's" Scary Teeth 

"Gusta" from another angle 

Friday 9/2/11

After work I took a nap and Matt and I had a late dinner.  I was feeling good - because of the nap.  Tonight’s weather motivated me - so I asked Matt if we could all (including the dogs) go for a run or a walk at the park and at about 10:00 pm he said we could go.  We changed and packed up the dogs and were off to the park.  It was around 80 degrees and we all had a great relaxed walk at the park.  No pictures to share -- but it was a great time!!

Thursday 9/1/11

Today was Matt’s 38th Birthday.  Matt and I have always been more the type to celebrate daily and less the type to celebrate on “special occasions”.  But with birthdays Matt has taught me that one day of fun isn’t enough ... instead it is a Birthday Weekend.  So today marks the beginning of Matt’s Birthday Weekend.   He and I took some time to reflect on the fact that in the face of this horrible disease we have both learned the most about ourselves and about one another.  It is pretty wild how cancer speeds your maturity.

I returned to the plastic surgeons’ office for another expansion.  I went from 330 ccs to 450 ccs (increase of 2 syringes / 120 ccs).  By way of size I am now a C cup, a slightly fuller C then I was before all this began.  I think I would still like to go a little larger.  The plastic surgeon said that the final reconstruction will look different / better, because an implant is a more flattering shape then the tissue expander.  It is really strange to feel the bag pliability inside my body.  Today my breasts feel a lot harder then they had with the previous expansion and my surgeon said that is normal - my tissue will soften in the next 2 weeks.  She advised that I take it easy for the next couple of days - best to cancel physical therapy.  

Waiting to see Plastic Surgeon

Syringe of Saline

Me getting expanded

I also saw my oncologist in the late afternoon ... I mentioned last week that I have yet to start radiation due to the delay in expansion.  Well this delay in radiation also delays the administration of my maintenance medication “herceptin”.  My oncologist was not happy about this delay.  Most of my care is administered at Kelsey Seybold (oncologist and surgeon are there) but my surgery was done at Methodist which does not connect to the electronic medical record system.  In all honesty working outside of the Kelsey Seybold System has been the most challenging ... my feedback to Kelsey Seybold will definitely be to hire a plastic surgeon or two for this reason.  Also administer radiation ... so patients like me don’t have to suddenly leave the Kelsey Seybold system for care.  

Despite the need for medical appointments Matt said he had a good birthday and the love we feel for one another is so much deeper then it was before, thanks to the challenge we are facing together “Kicking Cancers’ Butt”.  

Wigs are fun :)

Tuesday 8/30/11

Return to Physical Therapy and my therapist - Ingrid was happy to hear that after my last visit I had a hard time tuning the car radio.  I have reached the point where I have regained most of my range of motion and am working on strength training.  Because the work we do is so focused I go home feeling every bit of the work out in my arms (more in my left then my right).  I have regained the ability to do all household chores (dishes, laundry and vacuuming), my goal of returning to normal activity is what I am working on now (pushups, long road rides and vigorous mountain biking).  My therapist continues to be impressed with my motivation to resume an active lifestyle.  

Sunday 8/28/11

So it has been almost 11 weeks since surgery and today Matt and I decided to start building on my workouts by doing a bike, run combo.  We were busy in the am and didn’t start our workout until late in the afternoon ... which meant it was super hot!!

We biked on our mountain bikes at the picnic loop (1.3 mile loop) ... covered a total of 7.5 miles.  I felt queasy during the bike ride and at one point stopped because I felt sick.  We transitioned off the bikes and did a quick 2.5 mil run through the trails which was great.  I had a hard time during the run and while we were stretching and drinking our recovery drink I suddenly felt nausea and threw up.  Some folks may not understand why I push myself so hard that I feel sick ... I am of the opinion that if I push to this point I will feel better during future workouts.  I burned a total of 750 calories (bike and run combined).  

This workout wore me out and I napped for several hours afterward.  

Saturday 8/27/11

This evening Matt and I went to Seabrook for a birthday party.  It was a great time!!  Jeff and Christy live right off the water on a canal.  Their house is awesome ... the previous owner made lots of changes to make it look a like a boat.  The party was a lot of fun and Jeff claims to be 50 and he doesn’t look a day over 40.  

Stay tuned for more SuperMonkey Adventures,

Nancy

AKA:  SuperMonkey

"Beer is proof that God loves us."

 - Benjamin Franklin