Breast Cancer update #6- chemotherapy #5

Chemotherapy #5- December 6, 2016

I really did not want to go to this past chemotherapy.  I now know too well what the aftermath is. My WBC, platelet, and hemoglobin were low prior to receiving chemotherapy.  I also had an infection on my foot that almost delayed my treatment but the doctors decided to put me on antibiotics and continue with the chemo.  I was so relieved.  My foot was fine, it quickly got better with the antibiotics. I was also having increasing shortness of breath.  I had an echo done and my heart looks great.  Shortness of breath is probably just related to my decreased hemoglobin.  I feel tired after this round and I have constant nose bleeds.  I feel the business of the holidays also has me feeling tired but aren't we all?

I have my last chemotherapy scheduled for January 3rd and bilateral mastectomy with lymph node dissection scheduled for February 7th.

 I was asked to give a talk at our Relief Society dinner about angels.  I felt blessed to be able ponder and think about angels, heavenly angels and earthly angels.  I have been blessed by so many angels in my life especially over the last couple months.  So many have reached out to our family. We have received countless prayers, texts, phone calls, flowers, cards, meals, visits, hugs, and much more......
We have been richly blessed.  Thank you!!! We feel we get great strength and comfort from the love we have received and the love of our Heavenly Father.

Sorry, I don't have many pictures this time around.

Calvin trying to break the piñata at our ward Christmas party

Breast Cancer update #5- Chemotherapy #4

Chemotherapy #4- November 15, 2016

This post will have more pictures than usual.  My sister Sarah came to help me after this chemotherapy.  It was so great to have her here and she was SOOOO helpful.
I have been so blessed by my family!  I haven't had a treatment yet that someone hasn't come to help me and my family.  It has made it possible for my kids to be able to continue in their activities and keep up with their school work.  Thank you!!

Sarah and I waiting to get called back for chemo.

Awaiting the dreaded IV 

My sister Linda and niece Holly sent me these socks.  I love them!  I am for sure wearing them for the next cycle too. I do have to be brave because it is not easy to get myself to these appointments but I know it is what I need to do.  Don't get me wrong, I am very grateful for these drugs, just not the side effects. 

This round was really hard!  I received the same chemotherapies as last time. Perjeta, Herceptin, Abraxane, and Carboplatin. The first 24 hours weren't bad.  I had round 4 on a Tuesday, Thursday morning I woke up vomiting.  This hadn't happened since the first chemo.  I was on every possible anti nausea/vomiting med but they weren't touching it.  Thank goodness I was prescribed a sublingual Zofran that helped.  I didn't get out of bed the entire day except to go to the bathroom. I don't even know what happened with my kids that day.  Thank goodness Sarah was here to take good care of them and get them where they needed to be.  Friday was better and I could at least get out of bed without vomiting.  It is amazing that once I start feeling better and get food in my stomach I get better pretty fast.  Sarah left the next Tuesday and by then I was feeling pretty good.  We actually were able to go shopping the Monday before she left. :-)

Precious picture Sarah captured of Calvin.  He is always kissing and rubbing my head. Love him!

We were able to go to Oma and Opa's house for Thanksgiving.  Ben and Holly along with Holly's mom, Pat, were there. Christy and Aama were there to celebrate, too.  I have so much to be thankful for this year.  It seems my prayers go on and on about how grateful I am for so many amazing people in my life and the life of my family.  We are truly blessed to understand God's Plan and be a part of it.  Even though this time in my journey is tough, I can see so many blessings.  I know there are many that are struggling in different ways than I am and this is always on my mind.  We all have trials and struggles, maybe at different times in our lives, but we will definitely have them.  I hope and pray as those around me need help, love, prayers, hugs, cards, meals, phone calls, texts, etc.... that I can offer those in return for all the amazing acts of service I have received.  I have seen the work of God's hands in my life but never the way I have the last few months.  I am truly humbled by the unselfish acts of so many in our behalf.

While we were in Iowa for thanksgiving my brother Ben decided he wanted to shave his head to look like mine.  I told him it wasn't necessary but he insisted.  The kids were so excited because he let them do it!  ;-)  He looks good!

Clara's turn

Calvin's turn

Twin noggins

Left-Right.  Clara, Emily, Holly, Oma, Pat,  and Eliza, at the farm.

Me, my dad, and Ben. Love them!!

My mom is coming today. Yeah!  I am still dealing with some residual side effects like annoying bloody noses, peripheral neuropathy in my fingers and toes, and a nagging cough.  These will most likely be gone by next Tuesday.  Just in time to start over again.  JG has been out of town this week in Chicago at a Radiology meeting.  He has seen many of his friends from all over the world.  I can tell through our phone conversations how much he enjoys reconnecting with all these amazing people.

We met with the NP that schedules surgery last week.  It looks like double mastectomy, lymph node dissection will be scheduled for the first week of February.  My bone marrow just needs to rebound after my last round of chemo.  I am hoping to go somewhere warm for a couple days in the week before surgery.  Here's to hoping!  

Breast Cancer update #4 - Chemotherapies #2 & #3

Since I last posted I had chemotherapy #2 and #3

Chemotherapy round #2 10/4/16

My friend Breanna Bly was there to hang out and talk to me during my chemo.  I love her and I could talk to her forever!  Did you know we drove all the way to Utah and back last summer and talked the whole way?  She is an amazing friend and a great example to me of love, service, compassion, and dedication.  My mom was here helping out and would have been with me but Eliza was home sick with Strep throat.  Instead of infecting anyone else we opted for grandma to stay home with her and Breanna to come with me.
At the beginning of Chemotherapy #2 I had another reaction to the Tater (taxotere).  My doctor then decided to switch drugs and give me a newer drug that is in the same category called Abraxane.  This drug is expensive so they don't use it as a first line drug.  If insurance pays for it they will give it as a second line.  My insurance covers it, (thank you Mayo!) and so this is what I will get as an alternative.  They started me out at 25% dose reduction to see how I would do.  I did well and had less side effects then the first round.  I still had severe bone pain and myalgias but I didn't get the nose bleeds or the horrible mouth sores.  My mouth turned raw and sore but nothing like the first time.  My nose continued to run and I had significant neuropathies in my feet and hands.  These all went away prior to round #3.

Here is a picture of Liza and I at lunch at Nupa 2 weeks after round 2.  We had a fun time! 

St Paul Temple.  Milton Ortiz going through the temple for his first time.  This was a special and memorable day.  So many were there to support him and it was great to see so many friends together in the temple. BTW- Our car broke down on the way home and we still don't have it back yet.  The part is on back order.  This Saturday it will have been 3 weeks!!

Chemotherapy round #3- 10/25/16

Prior to this chemotherapy my WBC count was low.  They were hoping to increase the Abraxane to 100% but because of the WBC count they kept it at 75%.  I was just glad they didn't postpone the treatment!

JG was able to take me to round #3 of chemo.  It was so nice to have him there with me.  A couple hours into the treatment my Dad and Sherri came to be with us.  

The chemo was completely uneventful this time!  Yeah!  No reactions!

I received: Perjeta, Herceptin, Abraxane, and Carboplatin.

Side effects this time seemed very similiar to last time.  I had the bone pain and myalgias.  This week my mouth has been raw and sore.  The only thing that is different is that I have been totally exhausted.  I get up to get the kids ready for school with the knowledge that I can take a nap in the afternoon.  This gets me through.  

My Dad and Sherri left on Monday.  They were so amazing to have here!  My dad made 10 loafs of brown bread and 4 loaves of coffee cake.  We have bread in the freezer to last us awhile.  They also made countless meals, ran kids everywhere, took care of me, took care of the house, and whatever else came up. 

Oma (Sherri) was able to go to school with Calvin and carve a pumpkin.  They had so much fun!

I am so blessed to have such amazing friends and family supporting me through this journey.  JG is holding up and is a great support to me.  The kids seem to be doing well except for the fact they have to adjust to not having doting grandparents around. :-)  My sister Sarah is coming for the next round and I cant wait to see her.  

The kids carving pumpkins. I wasn't feeling very well, but I was sitting upright.  Sorry, I am not wearing a hat or anything.  I feel like I look like my grandpa Rex sometimes. ;-) 

Breast Cancer Update #3

Well, it has almost been 3 weeks since my first chemotherapy.  Sorry for not blogging about all this sooner but the first 9 days were not easy.
I felt great for the first two days following chemotherapy, probably because I still had steroids on board.  On the third day I started experiencing horrible bone pain. The pain was deep in my bones.  I have never experienced pain like that before.  I ended up calling my oncologist to get some pain medication.  The pain meds helped but made me nauseous so I took compazine which made me super tired.  The bone pain is most likely from a Neulasta injection that I received 24 hours after chemotherapy.  This drug helps increase the white blood cells that the chemo seems to wipe out. After the severe leg and hip pain were gone I started having middle back pain.  It was not until a day or two later that a rash developed on my right flank. I went into the doctor and was diagnosed with shingles. Shingles!! What?!?  Aren't the side effects of chemotherapy enough you say?!?  I guess chemotherapy throws your body into such a shock that anything is possible. I was put on some Valcyclovir and that has since cleared up.  Within a couple days after the chemotherapy my taste buds changed.  I couldn't stomach anything sweet, salty, cold, or hot. I only wanted foods that were room temperature. I usually ate peanut butter sandwiches. Thanks mom! You still makes the best peanut butter sandwiches.  I was also able to stomach Kefir which my neighbors made for me.  For some reason it was soothing and tasted great.  I am now able to make my own which is an amazingly simple process but it tastes fresh and delicious.  A couple days later I developed really bad mouth sores and nose bleeds.  The mouth sores were tough!  I had a friend bring me some Melaleuca oil from DoTerra.  I would just put a drop on my tongue and swish/spit.  This helped tremendously. The nose bleeds were just annoying.
This week has been all about hair loss.  On Sunday I wore my hair down and curly to church.  By that evening I grabbed my hair and a huge handful of hair came out.  The next morning when I showered it was non stop hair falling out.  It was pretty gross.  I decided to call my hairstylist Ashlee to see if she had any suggestions.  She had me come in on Wednesday morning to see what she thought.  She ended up cutting it into a pixie cut.  I thought it was fine at the time.  It was better than being bald, right?  Wrong!  I hated it.  I didn't like the cut or how it looked on me.


The next day, Thursday, I was finding short hairs everywhere.  On my plate, pillow, clothes, etc... it was just gross to me.  I went downstairs and asked my mom if she would shave my head, of course she would.  It was a nice transition because I feel better bald than with the haircut.  Hard to imagine, but true.  Also, my head has been really sensitive.  It feels like someone has been pulling it all day.  It feels better without all the hair.  I now feel like I am in the Hunsaker bald clan-Kent, Floyd (I miss him), David-I am with you. I have some hats to try out as well as a beautiful wig. I will post pics soon.

So now reality has set in.  I actually look like a cancer patient.  Good thing is I don't feel like a cancer patient this week.  I feel good! My energy is good, I am able to eat whatever I want, I can eat/drink hot and cold, my nosebleeds have stopped, and my mouth sores have healed.  I have been able to get out for a walk every day this week.  It feels great! I am not looking forward to next week because I now know what the days after entail.  I am hoping things will be better without the shingles.  I am optimistic.

Thank you so much for all the continued prayers, calls, texts, emails, letters, packages, flowers, etc.... I feel so loved and so blessed! Our kids are doing well and are feeling loved and supported as well.  Ella and Clara continue to play volleyball and keep their busy schedules.  Calvin and Eliza have seemed to handle all of this relatively well.  Calvin is loving Kindergarten which is a huge blessing. JG seems fatigued but able to juggle all his responsibilities with amazing ability.  I feel grateful I have a wonderful care team at the Mayo Clinic who truly care.  My amazing mom is here to keep me distracted throughout the day and juggle this crazy schedule while we can.  

Love you all!! XOXO 

Emily

Breast Cancer update #2

Yesterday I received my first round of Chemotherapy.  It took a total of 7 hours, which is standard for the first round because they have some loading doses that take longer.  JG was with me as well as my mom--love them! I did have a little hiccup, while receiving the first chemotherapy(docetaxol), I had an allergic reaction.  My stomach started to hurt, I became flushed, and then I couldn't breath very well.  The nurse immediately stopped the infusion and gave me additional benadryl.  I then received some more dexamethasone and Pepcid.  After these were infused and a brief wait, they rechallenged me with the chemotherapy.  I did well and finished the infusion. I tolerated the rest of the chemotherapy just fine.

I was so relieved to be receiving such great care from my friends and colleagues up on Gonda 10E!  These nurses are amazing--medically and empathically.  There couldn't be a better group of workers with the kindest words of encouragement and love.  I love those girls and they will always hold a special place in my heart. Roberta was my nurse yesterday, and she kept me informed and calm throughout the day.

I felt great throughout the night, and I have felt good most of today.  I just feel weird.  Not really able to describe how I am feeling.  Everything tastes salty.  I used a regular spoon at lunch for some soup, and it tasted like metal so I switched to plastic.  Otherwise, I have been up and around and feeling pretty normal today.

Thank you again for all the prayers, texts, phone calls, emails, and love sent our way.  We feel very blessed to have such amazing family and friends.

First day of school-Ella and Clara-September 6th, 2016

Ella-1st day at Century High school, 9th grade
Clara-1st day of school at Pine Island middle school, 7th grade

Emily Breast Cancer Treatment Update # 1

Dear family and friends:

We feel very blessed to be supported by the Lord and so many of you in your thoughts, prayers and actions.  We want to use this blogpost to update you on Emily's treatment during this next year.  We intend to keep it up to date, so feel free to save this link and share it with others.  I'm not a breast cancer expert, but have done my best to educate myself and accurately reflect what is going on with Emily.

Emily has what is called an invasive ductal breast cancer that is positive for a receptor called Her-2, and it is also a hormone-sensitive breast cancer.  She first discovered it after feeling a lump under her armpit.  This lump was not the breast cancer itself, but lymph nodes to which the breast cancer has spread.  She will start chemotherapy this coming Monday, the 12th, and will be on a chemotherapy regimen called THCP ((docetaxel [taxotere], carboplatin, trastuzumab [Herceptin]), pertuzumab), which she will take once every 3 weeks until about mid-January.  We expect that she will undergo surgery in February, and undergo radiation around April.  After surgery, she will take anti-estrogen drugs and continue the anti-Her-2 drugs thru next September.  There are many details relating to her surgery, radiation therapy, and beyond that we will just need to wait and see how things are going to decide.

We feel we have received wonderful care by an outstanding team, and are grateful to have so many family and friends praying for us and supporting us.  Emily's mother, Margene, is here with us, and Oma and Opa, and Mimi and Papa have also helped us with the children in addition to so many friends, neighbors and colleagues. 

Emily has an excellent prognosis, and we expect her to make a full recovery, but we also understand it will not be an easy year, so we are making changes to accommodate to the new daily uncertainties.   We don't know what all of the challenges will be, or which will be the largest, but we are anticipating a lot of fatigue and probably some other side effects toward the end of the THCP regimen, which the medical oncology team will manage.  The children are doing great.  Ella and Clara have started High School and 7th grade, respectively, and both are playing volleyball and continuing in music (flute, violin).  Early morning seminary starts tomorrow for Ella (at 6:10 a.m.).  Eliza starts fourth grade on Friday, and recently played her violin with Clara and Dad in sacrament meeting.  Calvin starts Spanish immersion kindergarten this Friday.  We gave all the children back-to-school blessings this past Monday night.  J.G. has some flexibility with his research, great colleagues that understand and support him, and has applied to go to 80% status.  The local church unit (called a ward) has really reached out to help and support our family in addition to many other close friends--so much so that there are too many people to name--but please know we are so grateful!  We feel these prayers.  Please keep them coming!

God bless, JG