Enhertu Cycle #13 and Update - 10/1/25

It’s the start of breast cancer awareness month and what better time to write an update than today.  I have mixed feelings about this month overall and I want to say so much.  For those that follow me on social media, today I shared my story again, about how a lump that I put off for months led me to a stage 4 diagnosis.  So I share my story again, so that my story raises awareness that anyone can get this disease, young, healthy, no genetic markers.  Someone with no symptoms other than a lump, someone who never had a mammogram, but also someone that was developing stage 4 within months timeframe so a mammogram might not have even mattered.  I share for raising awareness that you should go to the doctor if something is off in your body, to not put past a cancer diagnosis out of the realm of possibilities.  And really what I want to do is scream all this from the top of mountain.  Because while I was aware of breast cancer, I was not aware of it enough to go to the doctor sooner.  If only I heard from someone like me way back when.

But here we are today.  And it’s breast cancer awareness month.  This month means bringing awareness to this disease and seeing all the “pink” with many businesses and organizations profiting off breast cancer donations without the money really going to research, in what is called “pinkwashing.” All I can say is be wary of where your money is going and if you choose to donate, please donate to Vranicure as all proceeds fund stage 4 breast cancer research. 

Because research is what keeps me alive.  I am grateful to be here to continue to share my story.  I am also incredibly grateful to my family, friends and those that have been by my side through this journey. I would not be who or where I am today without all their support.  Breast cancer has taken so much from me, but it has also given me so much.  I have new friends I would never have had and a new community that I am not thankful to be a part of, but thankful for the people in it that make it feel as much like home in a home I don’t want to be in. 

As far as updates for me go on the health front, I had my 13^th Enhertu infusion about a week ago.  I was originally supposed to have the infusion before I left for Washington, but my blood cell counts were too low and I was neutropenic.  It turns out that was a blessing to have my infusion pushed out because I would have been feeling like crap while I was on vacation.  Dr. Lassi said it likely was the radiation in combo with Enhertu causing the low blood cell counts.  When I went in for my 13^th infusion, the blood cell counts were back up in normal range so I was happy about that.  All my liver enzymes continue to look great as well which I am thankful for.  In terms of side effects, I have been feeling more this round than most, which I am not sure if it is due to radiation a few weeks ago or just cumulative effects of the chemo over time.  Lately I have had horrible brain fog and low mood.  I would wake up tired as I have been sleeping a lot and just feel awful.  I felt like I lost joy for activities that I was doing during the day and just going through the motions.  That on top of feeling angry at everything was really getting to me.  I have been in a funk but trying to take it one day at a time and hope the next day is better. 

In terms of fun stuff going on in my life, I really enjoyed my trip to Washington with my friend Steve.  We explored Mount Rainier and Olympic National Park.  It’s very beautiful up in that area and I loved being in nature.  We did some light hiking, ate good food and the weather was perfect.  I did set out to tackle a 5.5 mile hike up Mount Rainer but a mile and 800 feet in my body just had enough.  I physically couldn’t hike up the mountain any further.  It was hard for me to accept that as previous me knew I could do something like that, but I had to give myself grace and I am proud of myself for making it up 800 feet at least!  Sharing some photos from the trip. 

In other fun news, my mom is coming back in town on October 4^th and I am excited to spend some time with her!  I also want to mention that on October 11^th, we will be doing the walk at Mall of America again from 7:30-9:30am.  I will be with my mom and a few close friends, but if you are available that day, please join us as we walk together. 

To end this week I wanted to share something the women of the Lake Tahoe trip (aka my new good friends), do often in a group chat together to still check up on each other.  We share a high, a low and a buffalo.  A high from your day, a low from your day and something out of the ordinary or something interesting to callout.  Yesterday I shared that my high was doing a hot yoga sculpt class with my firefly sister (and I made it through the whole class sweating profusely, but I did it), a low was the side effects of Enhertu and a buffalo is that my next scan is on Halloween.  I really should dress up this day but then I think scan day is scary enough! Ha

Anyways I have my next scan at the end of the month on Halloween and will get to see the success of my radiation treatments.  In the meantime, I will be enjoying this month of October, the fall weather (or summer weather sheesh) and doing some breast cancer month activities.  Thank you all for the continued support, always.

Love, Stacy