5 years and counting

So I officially started my Tamoxifen today.  It's a common anti-estrogen medication you take if you have  estrogen- receptor positive breast cancer.  The typical time frame for taking Tamoxifen is five years...ugh.  The good news is that I shouldn't feel too many side effects because the Zoladex I am on has already put me through the hot flashes.  I had to start taking extra Calcium and Vitamin D too since the anti-estrogen medication can cause early bone loss.  I am going to need a massive daily pill holder if this keeps up!

Plastic surgery update

I had another expander fill yesterday morning and I am happy to say that an end to my reconstruction process is in sight!  I have two fills scheduled two weeks apart and then I have my final reconstructive surgery penciled in for the end of March.  The final reconstructive surgery will replace my expander with a permanent implant and lift my other side.  After everything I have been through, my new ta tas are going to be well deserved and hard earned!  Overall, I am feeling much better and have my energy back.  I am back to work full time and I have no more appointments scheduled for almost two weeks.   My fingernails are feeling a little better.  I haven't been sleeping that great-obviously as I am blogging at 4 am.  I think most of the sleep issues I can contribute to my induced menopause and fabulous hot flashes.  I just have trouble falling back asleep once I wake up.  I hope that my sleep improves over time, but I have faith that it will improve along with everything else.

Nice extra day off!

This week was the perfect time to have a three day weekend.  I needed an extra day this round to start feeling better.  I think because it is partly due to the cumulative effects of chemo-it takes a little longer each time to bounce back. I have had some annoying complaints, the worst being sore fingernails.  It sounds minor, but it feels like each of my fingernails were smashed in a door.  Every time I use my hands to pull, push, or grip it really hurts.  Seven of my nails have strange red marks under the nail bed, so the infusion nurse said I may loose them.  Awesome.  I also have a weird rash to my right index finger that I have been getting after each treatment that kind of feels like a burn.  It will be interesting to see how long all of these strange problems take to clear up.  I just hope that my hair starts growing like it did before- I never thought I would be so excited to have my crazy mop of hair back!

Can't wait for this part to be over!

Hopefully I am on the upswing of this final round of chemo.  The fatigue this round has been horrible so far!  But I think I am starting to recover because I just went to take a nap and I couldn't fall asleep.  My legs are also getting this restless feeling like, "okay, time to start getting it in gear again!" 

Ringing the bell today was an awesome experience!  Dr. Birhiray and all of the staff came out to celebrate with Ryan and I.  Dr. Birhiray said, "I want your boys to hear this all the way at school!"  It was a very emotional experience.  I am so happy to be done but at the same time I feel like it's a daunting task to get back my full strength and health.  I am going to try to be patient with myself, but it won't be easy.  But for today, I feel darn proud.  Chemo is something I hope nobody will ever have to go through, but I know I will never be the same person for having gone through it.  I feel like an official survivor today!

Last Blogging on Location!

I am sitting in the infusion clinic receiving my last round of chemo!  I had a small irrational fear in the back of my mind that the oncologist would say, "just kidding, you are not really done.  Now we need you to do a round of this drug."  But thankfully that didn't happen and I am officially finished with chemotherapy when I walk out of these doors.  My IV was started on the first try again so we are off to a good start.  I am going to leave here with a prescription for my Tamoxifen that I will have to continue for five years and I will have to take Vitamin D since the Tamoxifen and Zoladex that have put me into early menopause can affect my bone density.  I also have to have a baseline bone density scan. Crazy- it didn't seem like I had anything left to test.  I guess there can always be more!  I will be taking some pictures today and will try to post them later. 

One day to go!

One more day!  It sounds so strange to say that I am excited!  Brady ended up having strep throat but none of us came down with it- knock on wood!  I was very crabby all weekend because my eyes were driving me crazy.  After tearing badly all weekend they also started to twitch, you know those really annoying tiny muscle twitches?  AHHHHH!!!!!  I will take my computer and blog on location tomorrow.  I can't wait to ring that bell!