The Deets

I honestly don't know where to start with this. Most of you reading this are aware that I've been diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer. If not...uh, welcome to the blog? I've got cancer. 

If you scroll to the previous post, you'll see this is a blog created by my two lovely friends, Kara and Ondy as a way to encourage me to share my thoughts and experiences and as a way for you to share your love and messages back. 

Awhile ago, I wrote a post on FB to let you know the deets. It's a fairly comprehensive post, so I'll c/p it here as a refresher:

In mid-September, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. I am scheduled to start chemo at the end of the month--I'm projected to have two rounds of chemo and a surgery within the next 6 months (in that order). It's too big to operate on in it's current state and the doctors have seen a better response to starting chemo prior to surgery. I'm enrolled in a investigative study at the U of MN (I-SPY 2) and (literally) have some of the best docs in the country working with me to make sure that I'm okay.

But, here's what I need from you, friends:
1) Don't be pissed this is how you found out. It's not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, nor does it mean I don't love you and think you're a great part of my life. It just means that it's really freaking hard to talk about this on the phone to all 100+ of you. I don't have that much time or cell minutes.

2) We will probably need help with something as my treatment goes on. It's really hard for us to ask for anything. But I'm putting it out there now--we enjoy baked goods and dinners. And we have freezer space! At some point, I will probably want to drown my sorrows (because drinking to excess will not be what kills me at this point).

3) Don't be afraid to reach out to us/me. I'm an extrovert and I'm terrified of being home every weekend without visitors. We may not have people over initially, but I will miss you all if I don't see your faces in 6+ months.

4) Call Neil and ask him to hang out. Check in with him too--We all know I'm a huge pain in the ass to deal with. Can you imagine what it's going to be like for him for the next 6 months?!? Poor guy. Buy him a sympathy round or something.

5) Don't buy any pink shit for me. I'm not doing it and I hate Susan G. Komen. Very little of their money goes to research for cancer cures and it makes me a sad panda that I'm going to be associated with them moving forward.

If you have any questions, I'm pretty much an open book. Feel free to ask away. If it's too personal, I may msg you instead of leaving it out in the "open".

I love you all!

Here's the update from this initial post in mid-October. I'm about 1/4 of the way through the initial chemotherapy round. I have 8 more sessions to go before I get placed into the big show, or "AC" round. AC is a generic term for the specific type of chemo I'll receive sometime in January.

No, I have not lost my hair yet. Fun Fact: Neil loses more hair on a daily basis than I have from treatment. 

Fun Fact #2: V told me tonight that I'll still be the most beautiful Mommy in the world, even after my hair does fall out. Take that Heidi Klum! 

The way that cancer treatment is done these days is vastly different than it has been done in the past. Even within the last 5 years, doctors would typically do surgery first and then chemo. This seems rather like a caveman-esque approach to medicine--"Me no like cancer! Me cut it out!" Recently, doctors (and specifically *my* doctors) have noticed that there are advantages to neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer (a fancy way of saying pre-surgery chemo). Mostly, they have seen a large decrease in tumor size--in some cases completely disappearing before surgery! 

A lot of you have been so generous and kind during this! You've reached out, sent food, sent flowers, started a blog(!), visited...it's been truly amazing to have so much love and care surrounding Neil and I. We are so humbled and appreciative of your kind words and your generosity. You inspire us to be better people and you all continue to encourage me on my darkest days. 

Thank you. 

~M