Weekly Update

Not much to report. Feeling much better physically. Am back to running (okay, jogging) 30 minutes a day. I really think this helps to keep my energy level up.

I went back to work this week. It has been wonderfully busy, which has been a great distraction for me. I love my job and I love being back around the kids and all my people at the Creek. I broke the ice with my co-workers, aka my second family, with this video:



Brian and I are feeling a bit more normal, though we are obviously still shell-shocked by our circumstances. We are sleeping more, crying less, and even laughing, most often at our special little girl.

My husband is the best cheerleader in the world. He has taken care of me and has been listening to all of my worries. I am so lucky to have a husband that shows his love for me in everything he does. His kindness and selflessness has been astonishing.

We feel continually blessed by the outpouring of love we have received. I am the luckiest unlucky girl in the whole world. Keep up the prayers.

Love,
Bev

Some good news

After three weeks of heartache, we finally got some good news. I met with my radiologist today, and after just 7 treatments, he was thrilled with how good the skin looked where the cancer was first found. He said it looked 100 times better than it looked 2 weeks ago.

I had started praying during the treatments last Friday. I asked for God to bless the radiation going into my body and help it to kill the cancer. On Saturday afternoon, there was a noticeable change in the skin that had not been apparent the day before. If that is not proof that prayer works, I don't know what is.

My body is finally recovering since my hospital stay. My appetite is coming back and I had more energy today than I've had in a long time. My spirit was lifted when I heard the doctor's excitement, and I smiled for the first time in awhile. I had hope for the first time in awhile.

We went out tonight with friends and it was great to be out and about in the world again. I am starting work on Thursday and am looking forward to being surrounded by my "second family" and my many, many children.

We are so thankful for the outpouring of love we have been receiving. Again, we are failing miserably at keeping in touch with everyone by phone, so hopefully this blog will help me to keep everyone informed who is kind enough to be thinking of us.

All My Love,
Bev

My Treatment Plan

I know that people have a lot of questions, and it has been too hard for us to call everyone with the details. In an effort to keep everyone informed, I decided to start a blog about my battle. I will try to post once a week, so you can check in every once in awhile to see how things are going. Hopefully, by doing this, people can spend their time talking to me about things other than my cancer, like the latest episode of Jersey Shore, what a good time I am, etc. etc.

I have been diagnosed with a recurrence of my breast cancer. It is metastatic, which means it is not curable. It is on the skin of my chest wall, there are small spots on the bones, and there is a small amount on the lining of the lung.

The average life expectancy for this type of diagnosis is 5 yrs., though I am certainly hopeful to be above average, as I have been in all other areas in my life (kidding!)

I have started radiation every day which will be for a course of 4 weeks. I am also on Arimidex, a hormone drug, and am receiving bone infusions to strengthen my bones and fill in weaknesses, so the cancer cannot.

My doctor believes that this course of treatment can work for a little while, maybe for a year or two or maybe even more. When this starts to fail, which it will at some point, I will need to go onto chemo, and will remain on chemo for the remainder of my life.

We did have a set back, as I had a pneumonia like infection, which had me in the hospital for 4 days. It might have been a blessing, because it showed me that I have to embrace life when I feel good, because there are surely times ahead when I will not.


You may be at a loss for what to do or say. Please just be our friend. We want to start living again---the past weeks have been so terrible--we just cannot live like that anymore, or else what is the point? My life was normal 3 weeks ago, and I would like to get that life back for as long as I can.

I hate to instruct people on what to say, but there are some things that just aren't helpful to me. Please don't ask me if I trust my doctor. I trust him with my life. He is smart and he cares about me as a person. When people ask me if I trust him, it makes me feel unsettled. Also, please avoid asking me about second opinions. Yes, I plan to get one eventually, but I will do that when I feel ready. I'd like to just get my treatment underway and then I will worry about second opinions. Look at me---I am so bossy!

I am returning to work next week, and my district has been kind enough to grant my a partial leave, so I only have to work 4 days a week. I am actually excited to go back, because the kids always treat me like good ole' Mrs. Keegan. It is a great environment for me to be in, plus they keep me super busy!

Thank you so, so much for all of the support you have given to our family so far. We have felt enveloped in love, and we truly feel blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives. Yes, I have been dealt the worst hand in poker, but it doesn't mean I am unlucky. I have had more joy and love in my relatively short life than many people have in 70 yrs. I love you all. Will update soon! Keep up the prayers or as a very wise and wonderful woman used to say, "Keep looking up."