My Cancer Journey
This is my journey living with metastatic breast cancer.
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These posts provide updates and honest reflections of my journey over time with transparency into what it's like to live with metastatic breast cancer. My hope by sharing my story so openly is that it helps, inspires and uplifts others.
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8/8/24 The Start of My Metastatic Breast Cancer Fight
Where to even begin.... Well, for starters, I wanted to write this personally myself. This is my journey, my personal war. While it's my personal war, I know it's not me fighting alone. I have the loving support of many family, friends, work family and others by my side every step of the way and for that, I am forever grateful. Writing this myself is part of my healing journey, to share my story, right from the start....
8/9/24 First Treatment
Giving an update on my first treatment today. These drugs are making me feel restless and so I'm putting my energy into writing. For my closer friends who know me, they know I am already somewhat restless on an ongoing basis, as I like to be productive and doing things, so these drugs just increase that tenfold!....
8/16/24 First Week After First Treatment and Brain MRI Results
Writing this post after my port surgery today and I am still a bit woozy from the anesthesia, so we will see how this goes! Before diving into this past week, I wanted to just share my appreciation and gratitude for the outpouring of love and support from so many people near and far. I am feeling overwhelmed (in a good way) with feeling so loved and cared for. I don’t know how to say thank you enough....
8/22/24 Second Week of Treatment
I am into my second week of treatment and wanted to share some updates.
On Saturday night, I was feeling good enough to go to a comedy show with my friends to see Alli Wong. It was nice to go out for a delicious meal and some laughter which I really needed. Don’t they say laughter is the best medicine! During the show I started to feel a little hot and when I got home, I realized I had red rashes all over my face and body....
8/31/24 Third Week of Treatment
Just giving another update in my third week of treatment. There were SO many highs this week!
Starting last Sunday, my parents and I went to a local brewery to meet up with family, friends and coworkers. It was great to see so many people. Many loved ones who are there for me and support me in this fight. I know that not everyone could make it in person, but I know that you were with me in spirit. This get-together was also a personal mini fundraiser for....
9/6/24 Fourth Week of Treatment
Just giving another update this week. The weather here in Minnesota has been really nice, so we have been taking advantage of it. Over the weekend we played pickleball with my friends, ventured out to another farmers market for vegetables for my juicer (big juicer these days) and sat by the lake. I also bought a bucket hat for the first time, and I guess you can say we are the bucket hat family now.....
9/13/24 Fifth Week of Treatment
Sharing another update this week. Can’t believe I am already in my fifth week of treatment – 5 out of 18! I am into my 2nd cycle of THP (Taxol, Herceptin and Perjeta) out of 6 cycles. My mom took me to my appointment this week. Again, we did the regular lab work and met with the physician to go over my tolerance to treatment. My white blood cells looked really good again, but this time the red blood cells said it’s my turn, and they were much lower this time around.....
9/24/24 Sixth and Seventh Week of Treatment
Posting another update this week and covering my 6th week (last week) and 7th week of treatment. I completed my 2nd round of treatment this last week which includes Taxol, Herceptin and Perjeta, also called Taxane, Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab. On Monday I started my third round of treatment. I am now fully in the weeds of chemotherapy and this routine is becoming more a normal part of my life.....
10/9/24 Eighth and Ninth Week of Treatment
Thought I would post another update since it’s been a couple of weeks. So many positive things going on recently I am excited to share with you all.
First starting with the visit my mom and I had with my aunt and cousins, who were visiting from Michigan. We had such a wonderful time together! We went on walks, played cards, got them into bingo (maybe a little too much 😊) and ate some good food. We laughed a ton! This was probably the most I had laughed since my diagnosis....
10/16/24 First Scan Results and Update
Wanted to do a quick post today to share the results from my 1st scan that was on 10/14. Monday was my PET Scan in the morning, then lab work, tolerance to treatment appointment, 3 infusions and a Brain MRI to end the day. What a long day it was! But so worth it to see how my tumors are responding to treatment!
I am so happy to share that the results were incredibly positive!!....
10/26/24 Tenth and Eleventh Week of Treatment
Posting another update since it’s been a little while. The last couple weeks have been busy for us, and we’ve been enjoying the beautiful fall colors here in Minnesota. I’ve done a lot of walks with my mom and friends, made it out to Stillwater, MN to visit an apple orchard, eat good food and visit the shops, and we headed to the dog park multiple times, which is a happy place for Obie and me. I recently bought a new board game called, “Azul” that my mom and I have gotten into, and we painted some pumpkins one Saturday, thanks to my SRM work family for the supplies!...
11/8/24 Twelfth and Thirteenth Week of Treatment
Wanted to post another update this week covering my last two treatment weeks. Over the past couple weeks, I’ve done a few fun things, going deep into my mental and spiritual health, and appreciating the joys in life. This is a little bit of longer post this time, I just had a lot to say 😊
To start, just sharing some fun things I’ve been up to lately. I know Halloween is behind us, but last month my mom and I went to the Jack O’ Lantern Spooktacular at the Minnesota Zoo with my best friends....
11/23/24 Fourteenth and Fifteenth Week of Treatment
Sharing another update this week covering my 14th and 15th week of treatments. Can’t believe we are now only a few weeks away from me completing chemo! What a wild ride the last 4 months have been and been trying to soak up every day as much as I can. Time does fly by, and in my case, it’s a conundrum of wanting chemo to come to an end yet wanting time to slow down. I am learning, learning to internally slow down, so that every moment I have, is a quality moment. While it's not the years in our lives, but the life in our years, that counts....
12/14/24 Sixteenth, Seventeenth and Eighteenth Week of Treatment
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted and wanted to provide another update.
I am finally done with chemo!! These last 3 weeks of treatment flew by, but that is also life, it just goes fast and then you find yourself saying whatever it is just flew by. Just like Christmas is a couple weeks away, then it’s the end of another year. And 18 weeks of this year have been the hardest days of my life.
But I made it. And I am so proud of myself. 18 weeks. It’s an incredible amount of time to be injected with drugs that are meant to kill. As I sit here and reflect on the last 18 weeks, I find myself filled with gratitude....
12/19/24 Second PET Scan Results and Next Steps
Sharing the results of my PET scan on Monday and next steps. Unfortunately, it is not the news we wanted or were expecting, especially just finishing chemo.
So there is good news and bad news. The good news is that my liver and some of my bones look stable. The bad news is that there is progression on some of my bones, new areas in my right breast, and the big lump on my breast is growing. The results from the scan indicate progression, which means I am not responding fully to the treatment I am on....
12/30/24 Treatment Next Steps After Second PET Scan
Giving an update since finding out I had progression after my last scans. I mentioned I was going to get a second opinion from the Mayo Clinic before I move forward with the recommendation to start my second line of treatment called Enhertu. Thankfully I was able to get an appointment at Mayo the day after Christmas with Dr. Goetz. It worked out because both my parents are here and were able to go with me. I was scheduled to start Enhertu infusions on Jan. 2nd, so glad I was able to get in before this....
1/17/25 Start of Enhertu Treatment
It’s been a few weeks since my last post, so just wanted to share an update on how things are going. The start to the new year has been filled with ups and downs, but mostly ups, and so grateful for it. We are also knee deep into winter here, and while the snow isn’t quite knee deep, there have been some cold days where both Obie and I bundle up to brace the cold – I end up looking like the Michelon man and Obie looks like the most handsome dog with his fresh new booties, ready to pick up one of the lady girl dogs next door.
I know last time I mentioned I was starting Enhertu on January 2nd, so at this point I am into my first cycle, as the cycles last every 3 weeks....
2/12/25 Enhertu Cycle #2 Update
It’s been a while since I posted my last update, so I thought I would share how things are going. Been a fun filled last few weeks, and so thankful I had the energy to do the things I love and travel.
I recently came back from my solo trip to beautiful Puerto Rico, and I must say I had the best time! It was a jam packed few days of beach time, rainforest hikes, bioluminescent bay kayaking, Jet skiing, snorkeling, delicious food and history tours. A solo trip is also not complete without my tripod to take photos of my exploration and adventure. I stayed in a beautiful, quant hotel that was a few blocks from the beach and....
2/23/25 Third Scan Results and Update
I ended up receiving the results of my PET Scan this morning and I am happy to share that it’s great news!!
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The results show the tumors shrinking and/or stable from last PET scan. The breast tumor is reducing in size and there is only one tiny remaining spot left on my bone in my left hip. The remaining areas have all gone away and the scan shows those areas as treated disease!...
3/13/25 Enhertu Cycle #3 Update
Wanted to share another update of how things have been going. Time seems to be flying by as we are already in March and for me, I just wish time would slow down. The weather however is getting nicer here in Minnesota, minus a big snowstorm we had over a week ago, but the warm days are coming, which means more walks and activities outdoors which I’m excited about....
4/6/25 Enhertu Cycle #4 Update
Been another few weeks so sharing an update of how things are going. I mentioned last time that I was going on a ski trip with my friends as part of my birthday celebration. We went up to Lutsen, MN which is the biggest ski resort in Minnesota. I’ve been wanting to check out this place for a while and so happy that the time finally came for the adventure! It ended up being a fun time with my best friends Kelsey and Kevin. We stayed at a cute little cabin and then took on the trails most of the day on Saturday.....