Sent August 25th, more indepth update.


Hello my dear family and friends!

I think it is time for another update.  I am sorry it has 
been awhile, I just have been healing well from my surgery 
and preparing for my nextrendezvous with chemo.  
 



Today I had my second weekly chemo.  It is a much lighter 
dose than before, when I had it once every three weeks.  
The plan is three weeks on, one week off.  Of course, the 
week I have off I still need to have my weekly herceptin 
infusion and my monthly zometa to strengthen any damage in 
my bones.  The chemo is not too bad this time, I am tired, 
but I am told first that it is normal, and also that my 
body is still recovering from the mastectomy.  
 
The recovery from the mastectomy is going well.  I did all 
of the physical "therapy" recommended by the surgeon and
the hospital the first week of recovery, being very careful,
of course, but thinking it might be better while I still 
had my meds available.  I actually went back to tae kwon do
last week, but I am only at about 40% of what I could do 
before my diagnosis.  Again, I have been told not to worry 
about it, not to exhaust myself, but keep up with what I 
can.  It will help me through the chemo.  My tae kwon do
master, the teacher, has given me exercises and stretches
not only to get full mobility back to a comfortable level, 
but also to help generate new neural pathways to take care
of the numbness and slight discomfort in my arm from the
removal of the three nerves.  My surgeon and my oncologist 
have let it be known that they are all for this kind of 
help!
 
I've had my first bloodwork come back after the first chemo
session.  I was told to take two of the neupogen shots to 
increase my body's immunities, and the results came back
actually too high!  So I am just going to do one shot this
week.  I am glad about that, because it tends to make me a 
bit achey, not bad, just slightly annoying! (again, Thank 
God for a life of insulin injections, I can do the neupogen 
myself, and have control over when the discomfort is most 
likely to hit...I try to arrange it for when I am asleep!  
It's amazing how previous trials have done so much to 
prepare me for this battle!)   
 
I talked to the Physician's Assistant today.  She felt a 
bit uncomfortable, because I asked her what the plan and 
philosophy are for this treatment.  I am thinking that 
we've had the huge battle, and that this is mopping up 
leftovers, but I will always need to be alert for return.  
She wasn't totally comfortable with that, reminding
me that metastatic cancer is something that is treated long
term, that I will be on herceptin for a very long time to 
inhibit spreading of microscopic bits of the little cancer 
boogers.  I know, I said boogers.  But it is a much nicer 
word than I want to call any leftover bits!  I am working 
in faith and hope, and while I have my eyes open, I remain 
convinced that this illness is not unto death.  She told me 
that she has many metastatic cancer patients that have 
lasted for many years, and many of them have not passed 
from cancer if they have passed already.  She told me that 
I am one of their "best" patients, doing everything I am 
told to do, and that I am "remaining positive, which is 
better for my health anyways" I am feeling good.  


 
Okay, time for a story.  Gentlemen, I do not want to offend
or embarrass you, so if you choose to read on, do so with 
the knowledge that I will be speaking about a breast......
OK, ladies, so here is something that happened Sunday the 
17th.  Harry called me at 9:45, asking why I hadn't left 
for choir rehearsal yet. I responded, with a totally snippy
attitude, that I was not coming to church.  He asked me why,
and I told him I couldn't find my boob!  After ripping 
through my house, I found it in the dirty clothes hamper.  
After a bit of freshening in the dryer, it was fine.  Then 
I just started giggling.  I couldn't go to church because I
couldn't find my boob.  That just tickles me!  I got 
dressed, made it to church, and am very happy I went!  Of 
course, I ordered a couple of spares that afternoon online.  
 
I'd like to thank you all for your continued thoughts and
prayers.  I'd like to thank my "cancer sisters" for being 
so open with their experiences and their scars!  I'd like 
to thank my dear friend since the second grade, Karen, for bringing me and my family delicious dinners, 
just because she wants to.  There's still a lot of tears 
here.  It is a frightening walk.  I worry a lot about my 
seventh grade son, my amazingly loving and gentle husband, 
my entire family.  Please know that I really feel the 
prayers supporting me through this.  I thank you for the 
time you spend bringing us before God.  What an amazing 
gift you give to me and mine.                                                         
 
I ask that you continue to pray for me and mine.  Please 
continue to pray for everyone in our lives that is 
impacted by this disease.  I have a new chemo sister.  I 
would like to ask some of you to add her specifically to 
your prayers.  God knows her name.  This is her second 
round with cancer.  She was Stage IV three years ago, beat 
it, and then it came back six months ago.  She is a nice 
person, caring, sharing, loving to family and friends.  Of 
course I ask that you pray for her healing, but even more 
importantly, I ask that you pray for her to develop a 
relationship with God.  I told her I would be praying for 
her, and she said thank you, that she accepted all prayers,
but that she didn't believe in God, she believes in herself.  
My friends, I cannot fathom the despair that must come in 
fighting this disease without faith.  I ask that you 
continue prayers for my other chemo friends as well, these 
ones have a personal relationship with Jesus. Please pray 
especially for L., whose body is really struggling with the
strain of the cancer and chemo, and Lil., who is keeping on
after many years of the gentler chemo, but her body tires 
out sometimes too.  Please pray that the chemo works on the
cancer, and protect everything non-cancerous in their 
bodies.  This is actually a good prayer for anyone that is 
going through chemo!  
 
Once again I thank you, and I love you all!  -Amy
 

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Sent 9-17-08, just before another pet/ct scan

Hello my healing prayer team!
   I am scheduled for my next pet/ct scan, the scan that 
shows where any cancer may remain, and how much there is of
it, on Sept. 26th at 8:30 in the morning.  The validity of 
this test is very dependent on good blood sugar control, so
please pray for me and my body to be in 
really good control next week!  Please also pray for good 
access to my veins for the blood tests that I will need as 
well, as I can only use my one arm now since the surgery, 
and I've always been a difficult one to  get blood from!
 
My dear friends I also ask for prayers for my cousins Cheri
and Sharon, one here in California, the other on the east 
coast. They are battling breast cancer as well. Please pray 
for health and strength for these strong and lovely women. 
Please pray that they get the care they need, that they 
feel God's presence in their healing, and that they feel 
how loved and special they are to everyone around them.
Please also pray that any tears that fall be healing tears,
washing illness away! I continue to ask for prayers for 
healing.  I ask for prayers for complete eradication of all
cancer cells in our bodies.  I pray for no recurrence.  I 
thank all of you for praying these things for us!  Please 
also pray for guidance for me and my family and my doctors 
to continue the best treatment, to keep alert and to notice 
what needs to be noticed!
   Thank you all so much for your continued thoughts and 
prayers. Thanks also for being such an intimate and 
important part of my healing!
Love, Amy

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