Tag: cancer

Last Chemo And Life Update

Hello my lovely friends!

How has your summer been so far? I hope you are enjoying the weather and I truly hope you are all well, happy and healthy.

This summer I’ve been stuck indoors because I had to be very careful not to get burned from the sun. Chemo can make you extremely sensitive to the sun. So I stayed indoors. I didn’t do much with the girls this summer. I feel bad because I usually love to take them to various places. But now that I’m done with chemo and have my energy back we will start exploring more.

Last chemo! The side effects were so bad but I’m just so happy chemo is over!

I have completed my chemo and I am feeling so much better. I still have some side effects but they are not that bad compared to doing chemo. I still have 13 rounds of Herceptin to do and I receive the Herceptin via IV every 21 days. Herceptin can cause heart problems so every three months I will do a heart eco. I just did a heart eco last week and the doctor said that my heart hasn’t changed so this is good so far. He also said I should do some physical activity three times a week for 30 min. He also said that it should be something that I enjoy. I am still trying to get a routine going but I haven’t established my routine yet. I find it challenging to create a routine when you have kids. When you have children and two kittens life is so unpredictable! Oh yes and that’s another thing. We have two cats. Ziggy and Auggie. They are brothers and they are blue bi-coloured ragdoll cats. Ziggy is 9 months and Auggie is 4 months old. Ziggy is very smart and listens and Auggie is a rascal. It’s been a challenge to have them get along.

Sometimes they get a long. Very rare to see them like this.

This week I start radiation. I’m nervous about radiation but I’m trying to stay positive and strong. I am trying to adjust to all the changes. There are a few things that are happening at the moment in terms of change but I’m trying to just focus on one thing and that’s to finish radiation. I have 19 rounds to complete. After that I’ll be able to tell you all about the new changes.

With everything that I’ve been through the past two years it’s very challenging at times to feel optimistic and excited. I am so grateful for all my family, friends, neighbours and online supporters like you. You keep me positive and motivated and offer me so much encouragement. I thank you for all your support and love.

I didn’t share my latest video with you so here it is:

Also I would like to say thank you to a few beautiful products that I won on Instagram:

I won lovely skincare Beauty by ZERO and I love these so much. Gentle and all natural plant based products. I already started using them and love them so much. These can be purchased at shoppers Drug Mart.

I also won beautiful Maybelline LIFTER lip glosses and Garner Micellar waters. I absolutely love these products so much. The LIFTER glosses smell like coconut and are so beautiful and not sticky at all and Garnier Micellar water is the best to remove makeup and refresh the face. So lovely and hydrating at the same time. So blessed to have won all these beautiful products.

For a couple of years I’ve uploaded a lot of Autumn posts and this Autumn I am hoping to have a few blog post created. Not as many as previous years but a couple of good ones. I just really love Autumn so much. Don’t you?

This month I was fortunate to attend an event. It’s been many years since I’ve been to one so this was so incredible! I brought my daughter with me. She Absolutely loved it! The event was for Leuchtturm 1917 company. https://www.leuchtturm1917.ca I’ve been using their bullet journal for two years and I love them. I’ll have a blog post up from the wonderful experience soon.

Thank you for reading today’s blog post my lovely friends! I will be writing about the Leuchtturm1917 Event next. Oh it feels so good to be blogging again!

Thank you and remember to live your life to the fullest!

My Cancer Journey Chemo and Side Effects

I haven’t written since chemotherapy one. I have finished four rounds of chemo and I have documented my journey on Youtube. YOUTUBE #MYCANCERJOURNEY It has been the hardest thing that I’ve had to go through in my life. Going through chemo is not just feeling a little sick. It is very physically and mentally challenging. I was told in the beginning that I might get some side effects. Well I got all the side effects! The only one I didn’t get is vomiting. Everything else from head to toe is still rolling in as I’m writing this.

From head to toe: Insomnia, migraines, head aches, hair loss, muscle twitches, eye leaking tears, nose leaking, nose sores, extreme dry skin, jaw pain, teeth pain, dry mouth, no taste, shoulder and neck pain, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, tiredness, loss of appetite, leg pain, muscle pain, bone pain, nail frailty, numbing of fingertips and toes, mental stress, chemo brain/fog brain, depression and no patience at all. Also very emotional.

I still have a year of medication to complete and radiation as well. At this point in my journey I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed and I need time to heal. I need more positivity and positive visualization. I need to start my yoga again and even meditation. I have so many questions floating in my head. I sometimes still can’t believe I have Cancer. That it can come back. I now feel stressed about food intake as well. I then get bombarded with people leaving me comments like don’t eat meat, sweets, white pasta, white bread, no potatoes, no dairy and no juice. It’s very overwhelming and stressful. I do understand their concerns but it feels like so much right now. I don’t even know where to start.

I will ask my doctor and oncologist all these questions and I’m thinking of getting involved in a small support group. I also need to get back into doing more artwork. Artwork really helps.

I want to thank you all your love, positivity and support. Thank you for all your prayers and love. I’m truly grateful. Your support has given me so much strength and hope. Thank you. As I continue this road of healing I look forward to sharing my journey with you. I would also like to say sorry if I repeat my self. I still have chemo brain and my eyes and concentration don’t work as well at the moment. Thank you and lots of love and positivity! God Bless!

@bestdayblogger

My Cancer Journey Chemo 1

It went smoothly at the hospital. I drank a lot of water and the support was amazing. The next day I went back to receive a shot called pegfilgrastim.

This shot causes white blood cells to form from the big bones. It causes soooo much pain. Omg the pain for two days was hell. I didn’t sleep for two nights. The 3rd and fourth day all the side effects started.

The side effects of my 1st chemo were atrocious and excruciating. I had nausea, diarrhea, headaches, bone pain, body aches and pains, no sleep, mouth dryness, indigestion, loss of taste, dry skin, chemo brain and tiredness. I also had pain in my throat and sores in my nose. I am now just starting to get a little energy back. The symptoms don’t all away right away.

Right now I have dry lips, taste is a little better but some things taste bitter to me and really salty. My hair is starting to fall more and the follicles are hurting. My stomach and nausea is better. I have my appetite back.

Right now as I’m getting ready to head into round two of chemo I’m praying that these symptoms don’t all flare up again. It’s truly the worst thing I’ve ever been through.

When going through the side effects I was crying and saying I can’t do this. But then I thought to my self this is temporary and I only have three more to go. I can do this. One day at a time.

Thank you Julie for the socks. @trysmallthings

I’m taking it one day at a time.

Thank you 🙏 for your comments and well wishes and support. It means so much to me.

Maria

My Cancer Journey

I really don’t know how to start this post. Sometimes it feels like I’m stuck in the twilight zone. It feels very surreal.

A year ago I found a lump on my breast and I thought it was a cyst. It was on the surface. I waited a little to see if it would go away. It didn’t and I decided to go to the doctor. She sent me to get a mammogram and they said that I should do a biopsy. The biopsy was so annoying by the way. Waiting for results can take years off of you. It’s so stressful. Biopsy results showed that it is cancer and that it is HER2 positive.

HER2 positive is:

“HER2-positive breast cancer is a breast cancer that tests positive for a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). This protein promotes the growth of cancer cells. In about 1 of every 5 breast cancers, the cancer cells have extra copies of the gene that makes the HER2 protein”

This was so shocking to me. I never in a million years pictured my self going through this. I mean no one does. I felt like I was in a black hole when I first found out.

My breast surgeon sent me to do all the testing to make sure that it hadn’t spread anywhere in the body. I did it all. CT scan and MRI are the worst tests. For me personally. Uncomfortable tests. At this time it felt like I was lost in a vortex.

All the tests came back good. Thank God and I had the cancer lump removed. I did not remove the breast just the lump. I also had lymph nodes checked out because cancer can spread to the lymph nodes under your armpit. Thank goodness it hasn’t.

I am now in a place where I’m ready to battle rather in a place of loss and confusion. I had to switch my mind set. I need to feel like I’m in control and the only way I can do this is to be optimistic, positive and determined. I need to be strong for my children and husband whom I love so much. I’m so grateful for everything in life.

So my treatments begin next week. I start chemotherapy, followed by radiation and hormone therapy. The entire process should be completed in a year and I also have to continue taking a prescription that puts me into menopause for five years or longer.

I also have to do a heart echo after each chemo because the medication can have an effect on the heart. This is scary but I’m working out on my treadmill to keep my heart in good shape.

I’m documenting my journey through videos because I want to share my story with others and I want to help others that are going through this as well.

Yesterday I had my PICC line put in and next week I will be ready to do my first chemotherapy. The first chemo takes 4 hours. I definitely need to bring a bag with me full of essential things. I will share #mycancerjourney on my YouTube channel.

Please subscribe if you want to follow me on this journey.

So this is what’s been happening in my life. It also sucks that we are in lockdown 3 in Toronto and I can’t bring anyone with me during my chemo. But I’ll be ok. I’m strong.

In April I celebrated my 45th Birthday. I don’t feel 45. I feel like I’m 30. 🎉

We have a kitten and his name is Mr. Ziggy He’s a blue bi-colour Ragdoll. He is only well behaved when he is sleeping. 😂
Hi I’m at the hospital doing a heart echo. All went well and I’m ready for my 1st chemo treatment.

I would like to say thank you 🙏 for all the online support and love that I’ve been receiving. It really brings me strength and gives me so much hope so thank you. I’m so grateful for all of you. God bless!

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green REVIEW

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SYNOPSIS
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

-goodreads

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MY THOUGHTS
I had to wait a few days to write a review for this novel. I needed time to recuperate. 
I really like the story, it made me cry. I related to a few things. I cried like a baby and felt really sad and emotional. I was taken on a beautiful and sad journey. I would not want to read it again though…well maybe again.  My mother passed away from cancer 8 years ago and I feel like I was going through all the dark emotions again. A tough read for me but a really therapeutic one.  I think I want to read comedy from now on. lol 

That being said, it’s a really good love story. In the beginning I find that the characters speak in a very mature way. I just don’t think teenagers speak that way. A little too mature, but I let that go and dove into the book with an open heart and mind. There are sweet, beautiful and delicate moments that are really well written. It’s a very raw story and hard to read at times only because its emotional…well for me it is… especially if you have experienced cancer from close up. I can understand why the characters questioned and challenged a lot of thoughts and emotions. Especially thoughts about life and love. I also liked how the characters pondered about afterlife. 

I’ve noticed other reviews and people either like it or hate it. Some people feel the author romanticized cancer but I don’t feel that he has done that in anyway. I think that he did a wonderful job. It’s a beautiful story about love, friendship, family and existence. It is honest and heartfelt. It’s about how small details matter and how we should enjoy every minute that we have on this earth. It’s about being in the moment and cherishing what we have. 
GRATITUDE

Do I recommend this book? Yes!
I give this book a 5/5
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