Graves Disease!

Seriously...Today my Thyroid Dr. called and informed me that my Grave's disease has flared back up.  So today I start back on my meds.  I should have known that the Grave's was causing all of my problems: the not sleeping, the hair falling out, and the memory problems.  Maybe being back on PTU will bring my sleeping back to normal.

On another note, I see my cancer dr. on Wednesday.  Had labs last week. Looking forward to talking to her about my joint pain I have been having which is a side effect of my drug femara. 

Update

I am gaining major weight.  Ever since I have started taking this new drug and gotten my ovaries out..I have been gaining weight like it is going out of style.  My arm has swollen up at a lot from my lymphadema.  Todd wrapped up with the wraps instead of wearing my usually band.  I go to the doc in two more weeks. 

Other than that I am hanging in there.  I have my moments of depression but for the most part remaining positive.  Melissa

My decision!

I have been asked about my decision to become a stay at mom. My cancer has not come back..but it has changed me so much. I realized that working I cannot give my kids the memories I want to give them. I cannot control when the cancer is going to come back but I can control what I do with my life in between those times. My docs tell me that the next few months are very critical as far as reoccurance (80% chance in the next year.) I don’t want to look back and think I should have spent more time with my kids.

Hot Flashes, Hair, and My First Week

My first week at home has been so much fun. Campbell stayed three days from school because of the weather. The hardest part is I am constantly going and going. The C’s don’t stop moving. I am used to being able to sit when I need to. Besides that I am having fun. Next week should bring more of a schedule for our family.


Hot Flashes

I was asked about my health today. As far as I know I am doing good. The biggest struggle for me is the menopause symptoms I am having. Hot flashes are really awful. I remember as a kid making fun of my mom for having one. Not anymore!! I can count on waking up between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. from a hot flash. These things are horrible…my upper lip and eyebrows get all sweaty. I know it is not that bad when I don’t have to change my cloths.

Hair

The other big change for me is the hair. I swear I am plucking my chin twice a day for at least 10 minutes trying to get those little black hairs off of my chin. I am obsessed with getting them out. Recently, I tried so hard I have a scab on my chin!!!! Now if the hairs are not noticeable the scab certainly makes someone wonder.

Docs

I go visit my surgeon in Indy on Tuesday. Other than that I am religious wearing my lymphadema sleeves and taking my new drug femora

My New News!!!!!

I am so excited to share my news with you!!!  I am going to be a stay at mom.  I put my notice in and on January 28 will be last day.  I cannot wait to more involved in my kids lives. 

My decisions has been solidafied when I found out that three women in the last week have had a reoccurance of Inflammatory Breast Cancer or recently diagnosed with IBC and are terminal.

Update.

Christmas


Christmas was emotionally for me. I cried a lot over the holidays. I believe it is because I am starting to realize how much I really truly missed over the last year and half. I was at my dad’s on Christmas Day and was looking out the window at my family playing in the snow and sledding. Thinking how lucky I am to have such a wonderful response to treatment.

Treatment

I just cannot believe the progress I have made and how much better I feel. I still get tired easier than I should and I struggle with my words every now and then. It is funny because I used to talk so fast and now if I start talking too fast I make no sense and I forget my words.

I am also worried about reoccurrence. I have been thinking a lot about it..worrying about how many more Christmas’ I will have. It has been almost a year since my breast was removed. The stats say the first two years are critical when it comes to inflammatory cancer. In that last few weeks I have heard of a couple woman whose cancer has come back. I had an oncology appt. last week. We talked about reoccurrence. She said explained to me what I should look for….other than that I see her again in April.

Finally An Update

Survived the surgery. Not such a bad recovery. Doc was able to use the Davinci Method. Will be back to work on January 3. More info later.