It's That Time Again

Just an update. I have had 3 rounds of the Taxotere now and 2 rounds of Avastin (reduces blood vessels to the tumors). So far, I have just had a touch of nausea a couple of days after treatment, but nothing that stops me from eating. My meds pretty much cover it. Tired the weekend after and the week after treatment. I start perking up a bit the 2nd week and by the 3rd week, I have been feeling pretty normal. This med has definitely been good for my quality of life, so if it is working I will definitely be very happy. I have had some touches of tingling in my fingers every once in a great while. I really need that to not get worse, as it could affect my being able to take the chemo as well.

I have scans Sept. 3rd to see if it is working. I will let you all know when I get results back.

It has been a hard summer on our little support board that we have for young women with metastatic breast cancer. We have lost four of our friends in just the past month. That doesn't even count the ones we lost early on this summer. On top of that, I have been dealing with some personal grief issues myself these past couple of days. Grief is a funny thing. I liken it to a wound that has a very, very thick scar after many years, but it is never truly gone or healed. Sometimes something will poke the wound like a quick needle stick, and it hurts a bit, but you can shake it off pretty much instantly. But sometimes, a piece of the scab will get torn off suddenly and unexpectedly, and you find yourself hurting from it. Thus you have to begin the work of cleaning it and tending it until the scab heals back in that spot.

Most of our summer has been fun. The girls and I have traveled to Kentucky and had great times seeing friends, visiting the zoo, shopping, and hanging out with family. Back home we have been to the beach, the library and the park. We are making the most of our last two weeks of summer here before school starts back Sept. 8th.

Thanks for all who pray. These upcoming scans will be a bit rough, not knowing yet if the chemo is working. I feel like it is, but the scans are the only thing that can tell.