Approaching Halfway!

So groundhog day really didn't happen after my second treatment.  I had some similar symptoms, but round 2 went much better than round 1.  I got a lot more sleep and had very little nausea and pain after my second round!  Woo hoo!  I only missed two half days of school!  Best news, I was feeling well enough to attend the Hershey Bear's end of season banquet the evening after receiving my treatment.  Enjoy the pictures!

Coco giving me a kiss!

One of my favorite players from a few years back and the Bear's assistant coach, Bryan Helmer!  Such a great guy with an amazing family!

2 really awesome, supportive guys!  Tomas Kundratek and Garrett Mittchell!

Great players and super friends!  Congrats to both as Tomas is enjoying his new little bundle of joy and Garrett will be doing the same in a few months!

 And here's what my most wonderful husband bought me.  

After being diagnosed, he wanted to buy a Bear's breast cancer jersey.  After reaching out to friends, he found this one.  Joel Rechlicz was the enforcer, the fighter for the Bear's for a couple of years.  We were hoping for a current player, but after thinking it through, Cole knew that this was a sign...a fighter for a fighter!

(Of course our puppy, Chance had to be a part of the picture!)

Thank you so very much, Brock, for your help and your support!

And speaking of support, my school is the best!  They had a pink/purple out day just for me.  When I walked into the auditorium and saw a sea of students and staff wearing pink and purple to support me, I was brought to tears.  A local newspaper also wrote a story about me.

Here's the link:  

Newville Elementary teacher faces cancer with community's support

Just another sample of the support that, well...  No words are needed!

After showing a phenomenal video that all of our students and staff participated in, I was once again brought to tears that I could not hold back.  I have no words to express my gratitude, my love, my appreciation...

These are the final words from the video that made me weep like a baby.

So, let me tell you how round 3 went.  My parents joined me for this treatment. As usual, I was super excited to get another treatment.  Not the typical reaction by most patients, I completely understand that.  But I am so excited about kicking this stuff!  I was called back to get my blood work which consists of them inserting the needle into my port and drawing 3 tubes of blood.  It doesn't hurt, not any more since the area around my port has healed.  I only feel a tiny skin prick.  Well, needless to say, if something is going to happen, it's going to happen to me.  She couldn't draw blood.  She said my port may be clogged.  For the next 10 minutes or so, I was raising one arm, then the other, then both, turning my head, coughing, laying down in a recliner, raising arms, turning my head, leaning forward...all for them trying to get my port unclogged to draw blood.  Believe it or not, I remained totally calm and humorous throughout this whole ordeal.  They were unable to draw blood through my port and used a vein in my arm.  My veins are pretty much shot (thank you cancer and chemo), but she was able to get the vein on the first try and get the needed blood!  Since the port was still clogged, they had to order a TPA.  Not sure what that stands for, but basically it was a syringe of medicine injected into my port to unclog it.  Of course I asked how I would receive my treatment if my port remained clogged and how they would get it unclogged.  Their answer:  chemo would be injected through an IV in my arm and they may have to order a port study to see what's going on with it.  Ugh!  Oh well.  It is what it is and I'm doing whatever it takes to kick this crap!  Again, I remained calm and just kept smiling.  Next stop, Dr. Lee (my oncologist)!  This was the best visit with her yet!  She was happy to hear how well the second round went for me.  She always asks me if I noticed any difference with the tumor under my arm.  I told her that I didn't want to jinx it, but it felt smaller.  She replies, "Let's find out."  As she felt it, she smiles and says, "Oh my, Wendy!  It's definitely smaller!"  The biggest smile came across my face as I raised my hands in the air and said, "Yes!"  Progress!!!  After only 2 treatments, there is progress!!!  Praise God!  And thank you to everyone that is praying for me!  It's working!  You are all amazing for so many reasons!  Thank you for keeping me in your prayers!
So back to the troublesome port...  Dr. Lee told me that the TPA was ordered and they would try that.  If it didn't work, I would have the IV and the chemo would be administered through it.  I would have to lie extremely still as the chemo was being injected (in particular, the "red death") as it's very, very, well...toxic.  Any contact with tissue outside the vein would result in a skin reaction.  Lovely.  But yet, still no panic.  It is what it is!  I've got this!  Off to the infusion center to pray that my port will work!  After waiting 35 minutes, more raising of the arms, turning of the head, laying back...success!!!  That staff is amazing!!!  They started my drips of medicine for nausea and then it was time for the "red death".  This is a thick medicine that has to be injected from a syringe.  They push some, then draw back for a blood return, inject some more, repeat process until both syringes are administered.  After the first or second push, I felt a burning sensation and knew I wasn't supposed to.  I told the lady administering it and she stopped right away.  They took out the needle from my port and put in a new one in hopes that this would work.  She began pushing again and I felt nothing this time.  Of course throughout this process, there was some panic (not by me miraculously), but by some staff in hopes that the burning I felt would not give me a reaction.  Dr. Lee came to check me out and questioned what needs to be done and if there was a reaction.  I felt calm and very reassured by everyone and what they were doing.  Another doctor was called in to take a look.  He said that if anything had gone wrong, I would have had an immediate reaction and an antidote would have been given to me.  Looking back, I'm wondering if I should have been just a bit more concerned.  This just absolutely goes to prove how much faith and trust I have in this staff.  Nothing short of amazing!  I'm so blessed to have the best people treating me!  As Dr. Lee walked away, she smiled, laughed, and reminded me that they like calm around the center.  I told her I would try better next time.  I always tell them that I don't try for drama, it just follows me around.  Everyone definitely knows me around that place and smile when they see me coming!
So after receiving treatment number 3, I'm still doing well.  The symptoms get a bit worse as time moves on, but to me, that just means that everything is continuing to work!  I'm definitely looking forward to Tuesday, May 5!  My last round of the A/C (the type of chemo I'm receiving for my first 4 treatments).  
With the good news, there is a bit of sad news.  I received a phone call a few weeks ago stating that my genetic testing was perfect.  There were no mutations of my genes, meaning that I'm carrying no other signs of cancer.  Well, when your surgeon calls you at 5:30 PM, you know it's not going to be good news.  She told me that the company called her and told her that there was an error with the testing and of course, my sample was involved with the error.  I have now tested positive for CHEK2.  I have a mutation for breast and colon cancer.  This is the one that Cole and I were sure I would test positive for, if any.  My grandmother had colon cancer and with my Hirschsprung's, we're not surprised.  What does all of this mean?  In a nutshell, I have the potential of developing the same or different type of breast cancer in the future and/or colon cancer.  We will meet with a genetic counselor to get more information.  It will also lead me in the right direction for choosing which surgery is best for me.  If I can reduce the risk of developing more breast cancer, I'm without a doubt taking that option!  As for the colon cancer potential, whatever preventive measures I can take, that's what I will do.  
With all of this, I continue to remain positive and thankful for everything and everyone!  I am so appreciative of everyone's positive words, thoughts, prayers, cards, gifts...the list goes on.  Please know that I am doing well and will continue to fight this fight!  It doesn't stand a chance!  So many people call me an inspiration and honestly, I truly had a difficult time understanding this.  So many people have helped explain it to me and I'm finally figuring it out.  Part of me feels guilty for calling myself an inspiration.  I am me.  This is who I am and who I always will be.  If I'm an inspiration to others, then God has done more for me than I could have hoped for throughout this whole process.  

One last thing.  I've always believed in supporting causes that help others.  Cole and I have created a team for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.  This is a walk at City Island in Harrisburg on Saturday, October 17, 2015 to raise funds for breast cancer research.  Our team is called Wendy's Warriors.  My hope is that I will be able to be there and complete this walk...as a survivor!  This word is the word Cole and I are reserving for that grand moment when they give us the best news of all!  They say you're a survivor at the moment of diagnosis.  I believe that, but I also know we can't wait for the best moment of all!  If you are interested in joining our team, we would love to have you there with us.  Please visit this website by clicking on the link below to join our team or make a donation.  I thank you in advance for all of your support in helping me achieve this goal!

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

Groundhog Day

I do not like that movie at all!  But that's what my life will be like for the next 6 weeks.  How I've felt each day after my first treatment is how I'm going to feel each day after my next 3 treatments.  My doctors and nurses say that there will be little variation.  So let me tell you how my first 2 weeks have gone.
The day of, I felt pretty good.  The day after, tired, but that didn't keep me from surprising everyone when I showed up at school for a full day!  2 days later, I was exhausted.  I could barely keep my eyes open.  I did not sleep well the night prior.  But nothing was going to keep me from missing the big event after school!  I was donating my hair and getting my head shaved!  I loved every moment!  After I got ready for school that morning, I put/threw away all of my hair products, hair dryer, curling iron, straightener, etc.  It was the best feeling to see the entire bathroom counter top!  Not so much fun seeing the dirt/dust that was hiding under some of those things.  Ha!  Enjoy the pictures!

My first look!

Because nobody fights alone!  I have the best husband!

I had no idea he had planned this.

 3 days after my first treatment found me so sleepy (from not being able to sleep at night - partly due to the medication) and I could only make it through a half day of school.  I rested Saturday and was able to make it to the Hershey Bear's game Saturday night.  For those of you that know me, I am a huge hockey fan.  I have had season tickets for the Hershey Bears for several years and plan to continue to renew these tickets each season for as long as I possibly can.  Cole and I have awesome seats!  2 rows up from the ice, 3 and 4 seats away from the Bears' bench!  To say that I am a huge fan is an understatement.  One season a few years back, I attended 74 of the 101 games that they played.  Yes, I traveled many times and many miles to see them play.  Our class pen pal is a Hershey Bear!  Many, many, many thanks to number 36, Garrett Mitchell!  You can probably tell that these games give me something to look forward to.  My goal is to not miss a game, especially since playoffs will be starting soon.  But don't worry, I know my limits.  
Sunday was a great day.  I rested and was ready to start the week.  I drove to school Monday and realized on the way there that I should have stayed home.  I couldn't stay awake as the exhaustion and fatigue was setting in hard and fast.  My parents picked me up at lunch.  I slept some that afternoon and was hoping to get enough sleep that night to make it back to school the next day.  Well, the next day, one week after my first treatment, I was still really fatigued and did not sleep well that night, so I had no choice to take off that day.  I was feeling well by lunch and wanted to go to school for the afternoon, but I was so glad I didn't go in.  The pain from the Neulasta shot was now setting in.  I could barely get off the couch.  Any little pressure on my body felt like my bones were breaking.  It wasn't the worst pain I had ever experienced, but it was bad.  Tylenol helped a bit as well as a hot bath.  But at 1:45 Wednesday morning, I was waking up Cole asking him to get me Claritin.  There's something in Claritin that helps with the pain associated with the Neulasta shot.  We, of course, had no Claritin in the house, so at 2:30 AM, Cole returned home from Giant with Claritin.  It fortunately set in quickly.  It didn't take away all of the pain, but it helped a lot!  I did not sleep at all that night, so I spent all day Wednesday at home.  Thursday was the best day I had had since treatment day!  I felt like I was on top of the world!!!  Friday was just as good as Cole and I were headed to Norfolk, VA with our great friends, Amy and Joe!  Yes, this was a hockey road trip!  We had the best time!  Winning 500 tickets on a game at Dave and Buster's was incredible!

  I actually got the best night's sleep in many, many, many weeks while we were away!  We headed home Easter Sunday.  I was feeling the onset of a cold.  Ugh!  Today, Monday, April 6 finds me feeling well, feeling very anxious for tomorrow, my second treatment!  After tomorrow, I will be 2/8...no, 1/4 of the way done with chemo!  Woo hoo!  All in all, everything has gone very well for me.  So much better than I expected.  I know things can change and can change quickly.  But for now, I continue to count my blessings!  I've got this!

Once again, many, many thanks to all that have sent cards, prayed, and helped us in so many ways!  Special thanks to Cole's coworkers.  We're speechless.  There truly are not enough words to express our gratitude for what you did!  We are so grateful for everyone and everything!  

Let groundhog day commence...