My friend NED
Sep 09
It looks like me and my new BFF “Ned” will be very busy. First we will frolic and spread sparkles around. Next we will move on to the business of following through with the rest of plan to keep me cancer free.
Part of the “Pinch Me” sentiment is that I still feel I am very much in the trenches. There is still much to be done; in fact, I am entering what feels like it will be the busiest part of the cancer treatment. The focus of the treatment from this point forward is to inhibit and prevent cancer growth. Here’s the breakdown of what is ahead:
Oncology: Dr. Wonderful will continue to see me weekly to administer Herceptin, the biological targeted therapy drug that marks any cancer cells so my immune system can kill them. He will not give me an end date for this therapy; forever is a possibility. Herceptin can cause heart damage, so big prayers are needed that my heart will be strong enough to take this drug. Herceptin is critical to the long-term plan.
Cardiology: I’m a lifetime cardiac patient now; I have a daily drug regimin. Dr. Gold will be adjusting my medications and monitoring my heart over the coming months. As Dr. Wonderful said, “The heart is a vital organ, so we have to give it the respect it deserves. We can’t continue Herceptin if your heart won’t tolerate it.” Please pray that my heart stabilizes and/or strengthens. I need my heart and I need my heart to be strong enough to take my cancer-preventing-medicine!
Breast Surgeon: I will continue to see Dr. Awesome for surgical follow-ups. Dr. Awesome will also give me a referral for a lymphedema specialist. Lymphedema is a condition that causes painful swelling in the limb following removal of the associated lymph nodes. Please pray against lymphedema and other complications.
Radiology: I’ll have thirty radiation sessions between now and Thanksgiving: they will use lasers at the surgical site to make the it unreceptive to cancer growth. It is a form of cancer prevention. In my case, radiation increases the risk of heart damage and lymphedema. Please pray that radiation would only get the dangerous spots and that it would leave the healthy spots.
How’s that for a “Please Keep Praying” post? 🙂 All of this feels easier knowing that I get to do it with NED. God is good. Please pray for my hearts. Both of them. The one that runs my body, and the one that runs my soul.
*PINCH*
HIP HIP HOORAY!!! I am so excited!! Of course continued prayers for smooth recovery and strength prayers for your hearts! And prayers for Brad and the girls and all the wonderful angels you have watching over you all!
The news is so exciting.
Much love to you!
XoXoX
Are you still drinking your ‘sludge’ smoothies? They will help through out radiation (and rest of life). I vaguely remember my mom having a metallic taste in her mouth a lot during radiation, food didn’t taste the same. Make some powerful green smoothies so that your body stays strong and nourished. Did you ever get Kris Carr’s book ‘Crazy Sexy Cancer’? I think you’d like it. You had the same kind of cancer and treatment thus far that my mom had, she is now 3 years out of treatment, 4 years out of diagnosis. She’s been NED since Sept of 09. Congrats! It’s the best news ever. Will be praying that radiation goes fast and that you all have the sweetest cancer free Christmas on earth.
Jen, I’m so thankful to read all this good news. So wonderful to read about where you are in your journey. Continued prayers of thanks and healing for you and your family.
Hi Jen! I am so thrilled to hear about your new friend, NED…though NED does sound like a high maintenance friend! Someone sent me this verse today and I immediately thought of you, though you may have already posted this one…Psalm 120:1 “I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.”
Still sending prayers up for you…but rejoicing in your new status!
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” -Rumi
Praying that you will be filled with the Light as you continue fighting this battle. Love you.
I love how you list your prayer requests and praises. There is So Much Life in you… of both kinds. ♥
Jen,
how wonderful news! God is with you, fear not! Will continues to pray for all of the above. Stay Blessed!
Just thought I would share something with you. I developed lymphedema in May after my ordeal. It is uncomfortable and debilitating but compared to many people with it I feel so lucky. I have a great lymphedema therapist, a pump on the way, a sock I wear every day and a new sense of humor about it. It’s a hard thing to swallow and I HOPE and PRAY that it doesn’t happen to you. But “knowing” you (ha ha) I think you will take it in stride.
Maureen
Praying, praying, praying for your heart(s).
You and NED can rock this next part of your prevention path – I just know it. Will pray for your hearts in the mean time 🙂
Check out “Abreast in a Boat” in one of your ‘spare’ moments (because I am sure you have so many of those!) – in short, they are an amazing group of women, who dragon-boat. defy odds and challenged the old perception that upper body exercise caused lymphedema. They have been in the same trenches and live life fully and completely.
I added Anderson Family Zoo to my blog list after a recommendation as a must-read by Glennon from Momastery. You are a brave, brave, woman (mama, wife, friend, daughter, etc…) and teacher – to all of us who struggle with the little stressors of everyday things, being a working mom for instance – about how the little things suddenly mean so much and so little. To take this life by the horns, love it, live it and ask for help when you need it. Your posts help me keep things in perspective every single day. We lost my father to glioblastoma brain cancer in November and following you along your journey has given me a little insight into what he must have been feeling when he couldn’t tell us. Thank you for being you, and sharing you with the rest of us.
I was wondering that even though you are cancer free if you’d still have to go through radiation. It’s good to know what my mom still has to face.