About

I really hate writing bio pages.  Its like, every ounce of wit I’ve ever had  access to just drains away when I see the words “About Me”.  So, let’s do the basics:  I am 46 years old.   I have a 21 year old son (we’ll call him A).  He is amazing.  I have a British boyfriend (we’ll call him M).  He’s amazing.  I have two dogs, a German Shepherd and a Chihuahua/Fox Terrier mix. (Emma and Pippin).   My life was clipping along merrily until November of 2010–then I lost my job and I was diagnosed with breast cancer. (seriously–all at the same time.  When I think about that, I have to smile and shake my head, because what else can you do when everything happens at once?)

November 11, 2010 was the day I got the call from my surgeon that the lump they removed from my breast the week before was not a benign little lump, but cancer.  I have a lot of feelings about that and I may (or may not) document them here.  It is my greatest, fondest wish at the moment to get through this with as much dignity and (hopefully) humor as I can.  There are so many women I’ve met or read about since I was diagnosed that blow me away with their strength.  I want to do them proud.   I hope I can.

UPDATE:  A quick word about my cancer and the treatments I have chosen.  I had a large lump on the right side of my breast (which I found, truth be told, whilst adjusting my breasts in the TANNING BED), but there were also several  small spots of high-grade DCIS in other areas.  Since my cancer was multi-focal, I decided to go with a lumpectomy/reduction combo.  My plastic surgeon came in first and marked me up as though it were a routine reduction–my surgeon came in after and was allowed to take as much tissue as he needed.  Then, my plastic surgeon came in and reduced my left breast to match the right.  That’s the surgery part.   My chemo consisted of  8 rounds of AC/T and then 28 rounds of radiation.   My cancer was estrogen positive, so I have 5 years of tamoxifen to look forward to.

(as of this writing, I am nearing the end of my chemo—only 2 rounds of Taxol left!  Done!).  Then, I have to do 33 rounds of radiation (since I opted out of  having a full mastectomy.).

UPDATE:   And, I am, for all intents and purposes, done!  All my treatments are finished, and all that’s left is 5 years of tamoxifen, getting my frenemy, the Chemo Port taken out, and checkups.

I do love striking things off of this page–My treatments are done.  My port is out.  I am finished with chemo and radiation.  My hair is growing back and except for the occasion hot flash (caused by the tamoxifen) and the utter financial ruin (caused by my medical bills and losing my job-heh), I’m doing really well.  It was not the end of the world, it was not the end of me.

Post surgery, pre chemo.