Good Times

Well hello there!  It's October 1st, the first day of breast cancer awareness month.  We'll be seeing lots of pink this month.  Let's keep it in perspective, shall we?  Fundraising efforts by individuals, teams, and companies small and large have led to millions of dollars being donated to breast cancer research.  Trickle that way, way down to little ol' me, and know that BECAUSE OF THESE EFFORTS, I AM STILL ALIVE TODAY!  And the same can be said for 100's of 1000's of women LIVING with stage IV breast cancer.  It matters.  You matter.  Whatever you have to contribute to the cause, you are making a difference!  Thank you!  (and keep it up!)

2015 marks my 15th year as a breast cancer survivor, and my 9th year as a stage IV (metastatic) breast cancer survivor.  9 years, people!!!  This past year, well really the last two years have been difficult.  If you're a regular follower here, you may know that there was a period of time when it was not looking good.  We were planning for the end of my earthly life.  Not exaggerating, just truth here.  However, since March I've been on combination chemotherapy of two different drugs.  Since then, I've been steadily improving, both subjectively in how I feel, and objectively in my scans, tumor markers, and other lab values.  My latest CT scans show a decrease in size of all tumors, or they are stable (no bigger, no smaller.)  There is very little fluid in my lung.  The bone metastases are stable.  The tumor markers CONTINUE to go down.  It's been amazing!!! 

One year ago today, I was having a thoracentesis to drain excess fluid that accumulated in my lung.  This turned out to be the first of two that I required, because the fluid re-accumulated.  My "tumor burden" (a name for the volume of cancer in and affecting the body) was so great, that I was having trouble breathing after any small effort or activity.  I was coughing constantly.  I was tired and slept a lot.  My heart rate was consistently (and for months) over 100 beats per minute at rest.  My heart was actually pushed to the right side of my chest by the expanding fluid in the left lung!  Bad times!!!  Bad, bad times.

Also, earlier this year, I required a blood transfusion.  My hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were critically low as a result of the chemotherapy agents' attack on my blood-producing bone marrow.  I was having shortness of breath any time I tried to get up and DO anything.  Interesting what missing a couple units of blood will make you feel like!  The improvement after receiving the blood was truly amazing.

The chemotherapy has been working phenomenally, but it's been complicated.  I was getting two drugs on Day 1, then one of those drugs on Day 8, then a week off.  My doctor tried several dose adjustments, but it just seemed that I was more often than not having to miss my Day 8 infusion because of low blood counts of some kind.  Low platelets, low H&H, low white blood cells, etc.  Eventually (just a few weeks ago) she altered the chemotherapy schedule by doing away with my Day 8 infusion altogether.  Now, I only have to go every three weeks!  Hopefully that gives my body enough time to rebuild so I can get regularly scheduled infusions and not be so hit or miss with treatments.

On a more personal note ... we have moved!  We found a house in a sweet location in a great neighborhood that is close to all the kids' schools.  Wish we had moved sooner!  Hate moving, but loving the new house.  The old house is still being "fixed up" and will hopefully be on the market in the next week or so.  Prayers please for a quick sale!

My graduate girl decided to stay home and attend a community college until she figures out what she wants to study.  Yayyy!  So happy to have her home with us.  It was the right decision, for lots of reasons.

We are busy at The Pink Ribbon Shop, and that is awesome but stressful on the family.  It took longer than we expected to find a house and move, thus putting the move right when school started and also right when we need to prepare our business for the busy season.  Tough times, but hey, at least I am leading a more normal life, healthwise, than I have in a long time.  So thankful for that.

More exciting news ... My oldest daughter and her husband have just adopted a baby girl.  This makes child number 5 in their household!  They are fostering, but it is looking like a pretty sure thing that they will adopt this little one with rather unfortunate birth/family circumstances.

Lastly, since it's been so long since my last blog entry, and since it's breast cancer awareness month, I decided to try something kinda fun.  You may get tired of seeing me!  I'm going to post a selfie to Facebook wearing a different pink ribbon shirt or apparel item every day.  Little glimpses of a month in the life of Kim.  Who's with me?!  Here's the first:
 

 

This is in front of our modest lil office in the country.  Still can't believe this is what I look like ... that this is the best I could do after several selfie attempts, but it is what it is!!  I do have some hair, and it's growing, but it's very thin.  And my forehead is huge, uggh.  The good thing is, I am UP 20+ pounds from my cancer low a few months back, so at least I have some chub in my cheeks, and color!  I'm sportin' my Saints t-shirt ... supporting my favorite home team and promoting the breast cancer awareness cause all at the same time.

 

Thanks for reading, y'all!