My Breast Cancer Update: First Chemo Treatment

Answering the selfie requests for my new short haircut.

I began yesterday very anxious about my first chemo treatment. I over packed, you would have thought I was going camping... but better have too much than too little. I had a lot of great tips on how to get through treatments from lots of lovely ladies. I absorbed all of their advice and I had my mother (AKA Memaw) and my super-hero of a husband with me. I knew that I would do just fine.

So yesterday was treatment 1 of Part A: AC with tons of anti-nausea meds beforehand. My anxiety went away as the nurse began with the infusions. I drank a lot of water on the days leading up to treatment, and the day of treatment, which I think helped. During treatment, I sucked on tiny ice cubes throughout (great tip from friends), sipped on water or ginger-ale, and snacked on graham cracker cookies. I watched Freaks and Geeks on Netflix and just tried to relax. Memaw was, as usual, knitting. Husband was working, so was in and out of the room throughout treatment.

The "Red Devil" of Adriamycin (Doxorubicin) is no joke! It looked like red Jell-O being injected into my system, which already freaked me out. I could feel an overwhelming surge of drowsiness come over me as it was going in. All the water I had been drinking seemed to help get it through my system quickly.

Once complete, I was feeling ok. I had been told that I would feel great, but to also take it easy, especially with food. When I got home I went on a nice long walk with Memaw and Karma dog. Then relaxed on the sofa for the rest of the evening. I began to feel a bit woozy, like a mild hangover. I ate some brown rice with scrambled egg, my go-to comfort food when I am not feeling great, and went to bed fairly early.

This morning, I still had the hangover feeling but a bit stronger with the addition of a slight headache. I ate some granola with yogurt, and keep drinking water. I just finished up a short walk with Memaw and Karma dog, and now am trying to get to my unanswered messages and write this update post.

Excuse my flabby arm. :)

Oh, I was also sent home with this cool Neulasta kit. I'm supposed to have a Neulasta injection the day after chemo, but instead of making me come in, the nurse stuck this little kit to my arm (picture right). It will beep to let me know when it will begin injection, and has a blinking light that will go solid once the dose is complete. How cool is that! I don't have to make another trip to the doctor's office, AND I'm not sticking a needle into myself.

Soo... So far, so good. As I have been telling friends, it feels like a hangover BUT without the funny stories from the night before. Also, if I had a hangover, I'd be at the diner by myself in a lonely booth, wearing sunglasses, downing a giant omelet.

Thank you again for all the advice, tips, good vibes, and encouragement throughout this moment of my life. I cannot thank you enough and explain how much it means to me... but I'll do my very best to try. You help keep me tough.

Lots of love!
Jackie

My Breast Cancer Update

“It is fun to be alive. It's a hell of a lot better than being dead.”
― Joe Strummer

OK. So it feels like I'm being taken apart, but I'll be put back together - better and stronger. It may not feel like fun now, but I know things could be worse, and things WILL get better.

An update:

The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve, I found a lump in my left breast while showering. I wasn't doing a self-exam, just showering, and there it was. I freaked and made an appointment with my doctor for the following week. 

1/5/16 - My doctor seemed optimistic that the lump was just a cyst, but still wanted me to have it checked out further. 

1/21/16 - I have an ultrasound... Then my first ever mammogram. After reviewing the mammogram, I was asked if I could do a biopsy on the mass that same afternoon. Then my first ever biopsy and another mammogram.

1/26/16 - I received the call that the biopsy did test positive for breast cancer. 

1/29/16 - I meet with surgeon option 1.

2/1/16 - I meet with surgeon option 2. I also meet with a genetic counselor and have lab work done. I tentatively schedule surgery for the following Tuesday.

2/3/16 - I have my first ever MRI. I meet with plastic surgeon. Tuesday surgery for bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction is scheduled. 

2/4/16 - I have fitting for post surgery camisole. 

2/5/16 - Pre-surgery lab work at the hospital.

2/8/16 - Pre-op appointment with plastic surgeon.

2/9/16 - 8:30am arrival to hospital for surgery. I told the anesthesiologist that I didn't want to know anything, feel anything, or puke anything. Surgery was began around 11am, and ended about 6-7 hours later. All went well. 

2/22/16 - I have my first appointment with the oncologist. We come up with a 2-part plan for chemotherapy. Part A begins Monday, March 7 and will be every 2 weeks for 4 cycles. Part B will follow every week for 12 weeks. 

TODAY is 2/27/16. It's been a little over 2-1/2 weeks since my surgery and I'm feeling better and stronger everyday. My energy level is still up and down, and I get emotional at times. Things have happened very quickly, which I am thankful for.

Since my family and I started this journey, we have received an overwhelming outpouring of love and support from friends and family near and far. I can't imagine how I could ever express my sincere gratitude to everyone, but if you know me - you know I will try my best to thank every single one of you personally. 

My motto that I've adapted from a very dear friend: 

It's not going to kill me... it's just going to suck for a while. 

I plan on using this old blog to update everyone on my progress... a journal of sorts. 

Thank you again for all the love. I send lots of love and positive vibes back to you all.

Without you, I'm not sure I could feel as positive as I do that everything will be ok.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Jumbo Muffins

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Jumbo Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 c. all-purpose flour
⅓ c. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
⅓ c. brown sugar
6 tbsp. melted butter
3 tbsp. sour cream
3 tbsp. no sugar, creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. mashed ripe bananas
1 c. chocolate chips




DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease or line six wells of a jumbo size muffin pan (like this one), and set aside.
Beat together melted butter and brown sugar. Add sour cream, peanut butter and mashed bananas. Mix on low for 45 seconds.
Add egg and vanilla. Mix until just combined.
In a small bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients at low speed until combined.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Fill each muffin well with at least ¾ of the mixture.
Bake for 18-22 minutes. Muffin tops should lightly golden brown and and firm.
Cool completely on wire racks before serving.
Enjoy. 

All-Natural Berger Style Cookies

Baltimore's famous Berger Cookies could change or disappear due to a trans fat ban!

I haven't consumed the original cookie in years because my family enjoys our organic/all-natural food lifestyle. I also adapted the following recipe from King Arthur Flour's online recipe to be an All-Natural Berger Style Cookie. It does the trick and is ohhhhh so delicious.

I hope you enjoy these jumbo-sized cookies that are topped with rich fudge like frosting.

All-Natural Berger Style Cookies

I always use organic/all-natural ingredients when possible.

For the Fudge Frosting - 

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli.)

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (Best if sifted.)

Fudge Frosting - 

In a medium-size saucepan, over medium-heat, melt the chocolate chips, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and heavy cream until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. Adding small amounts at a time, beat in the powdered sugar. Set aside while you make the cookies.

For the Cookies -

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/3 cup milk

Cookies - 

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large-size mixing bowl, cream the butter, salt, vanilla, and baking powder until smooth. Beat in the sugar, then the egg, mixing well. Alternating the wet and dry ingredients, add and mix well the unbleached all-purpose flour and milk. 

Using a tablespoon, drop the cookie dough onto parchment covered cookie sheets, placing at least 2 inches apart from each other. With cold water, wet your clean fingers, then gently press down on each cookie mound to slightly flatten each. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are slightly golden. Be careful not to over cook/brown the cookies. These cookies are meant to be a bit soft, so check the bottoms for just a slight golden color. Cool cookies on pan for a couple of minutes before transferring to wire racks for cooling.

I think it's easiest to wear disposable rubber gloves when frosting the cookies. Give the fudge frosting another good stir before starting to dip each cookie into the mixture. Berger Cookies have a rounded bottom, so make sure to dip the flat side of the cookie into the fudge frosting and swirl around to get a good coating on top. The thicker the better. Place cookies back on the cooling rack after dipping. Spoon any extra fudge frosting on top of the cookies for extra fudginess!

Enjoy!

The Hart Senate Building where activists protested against Monsanto

@CHARLIESPIERING VIA TWITTER

Check out the story on NY Daily News.

Trip to Greece: Athens

After cramming 2 weeks worth of travel attire and needs into a carry-on, flight delay, missing a connection, and what seemed like 12+ hours of travel time, we finally made it to Greece. 

We showered, rallied, and head out 

for sightseeing. 

The Parthenon (Greek: Παρθενών) is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece.

Late night we stopped into Brettos for a fun traditional Greek cocktail.

Rakomelo - raki boiled with honey

So far, so fun!

Wellness in the New Year

Happy New Year!

Many of us vow healthy goals for New Year's resolutions. A segment of the Kojo Nnamdi Show this week really spoke to me, and has made me choose some simple and achievable goals that will benefit my health and overall wellness. The discussion was about wellness in the workplace, and I thought... What about wellness in the home, in school, and so on? The guests talked about how they felt the U.S. has a "diseasecare" system, instead of a healthcare system, and how we need to focus on preventing illness, aches, and pains - not just masking them. I feel that many of the ideas given in the show would benefit families, not just companies.

Overall wellness is often a New Year's Resolution for many people. Make a simple goal to listen to this show.

Listen to the show: The Kojo Nnamdi Show - Wellness And The Workplace