Ding Dong the Devil is Done! Yesterday was my final Red Devil. I’m still only 1/4 way through my chemotherapy journey, but Red Devil was supposed to be the most dangerous chemo for my body. Meaning the side effects it can do to your organs are at greater risk, specifically the heart. I’m freaking done with it and, by the way, I’m also done with Neulasta. As a reminder, Nuelasta is an injection mechanism that is attached to my arm after my chemo treatment. It injects me about 24 hours after chemo with healthy white blood cells. Side effects from that for me mostly include headaches and muscle/joint aches that last for a couple days. Yes, these side effects are just after I’m starting to get over the constant nausea side effect. So TWO things I’m kicking out the door.

I was actually very emotional after yesterday when I realized I am done with this round. In the past 3 months, literally three months, I have had 3 major surgeries. Up until then I have NEVER had a surgery.

A LOOK BACK OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS:
April 11: Double mastectomy – all clear, we got it all, we just wait for final pathology. Woo-hoo!
April 19: Call from final pathology – NOT all clear. Cancer went invasive and aggressive, hit your lymphnodes and we need to remove your right nipple. WTF! You must go through chemo and radiation and we’ll have to kill your ovaries and you’ll take a pill every day for the next 5-10 years after all of this. Double WTF!
April 25: Nipple removal. Introduction of the winking hooter. ; )
May 11: Surgery to install my charging outlet, AKA chemo port.
May 18, June 1, June 15, June 29: Red Devil & Neulasta
So, that’s what I’ve done so far in 2022. Suck it 2022.

As I’m SURE you can tell, I like to make light of my situation whenever I can. It’s my personality to joke when appropriate and let’s be honest, I’m going through it and I can make any joke, insensitive or not. Things obviously do get real though. Chemotherapy wears me out. I wanted to share a selfie of my treatment from yesterday, I think you can see in my eyes, my spirit, of the before and after. This is real. Also sharing a picture of the stupid arm injection that sits on my tricep (good thing I have none), which makes it extremely difficult to sleep on my side.

Now… before yesterday more fun things happened. A women that I’ve mentioned in previous blogs that started a charity a few years after her own battle with breast cancer held her first annual charity event. I was fortunate enough to attend the first annual Sunset Social by Bringing Joy. This charity, founded by Joy Harmon, was amazing! It was overwhelming to see what she had put together and no little detail was missed. Gorgeous venue, yummy food and drinks, fun silent auction & raffles, and an emotional and inspiring presentation. Not only did Joy speak of her journey, but her nurses and care givers of those that have passed expressed what Joy and ‘Bringing Joy’ have done for them personally and their communities. I kept it together almost the entire night, until Joy discussed her journey in detail with slideshow of pictures. That’s when the waterworks happened for me. This journey is still so new for me, so to see Joy’s pictures, knowing I have similar pictures already, it just really hit home. Pictures of her and her family, shaving her head, sitting in her recliner with the chemo drip, the freaking arm injector! Then to look back at Joy on stage, looking gorgeous, her husband and two daughters surrounding her; I became empowered. Fuck you cancer, I’m still standing after Red Devil and I’ll be laughing when I’m done with this entire nightmare. You know why? Because I have an amazing medical support team and an even more gooder, awesomer, kick asser, army of family and friends. Plus at the end of ALL of this… I’ll have new boobs! BOOM!!!

Thank you all again for supporting me through my journey and reading my blog. I’m so humbled by the messages, flowers/gifts from neighbors, shipments of Gatorade from special friends/mentors. I also want to acknowledge those that have reached out to tell me they’ve scheduled or had their mammograms because of my reminders. I love you all. Now, if you haven’t already, go check your boobies and schedule your mammograms!

Next week is holiday week, not sure if there will be a blog or not, but know I’m not done with my stories. Have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July!