I wanted to give you all an update on how my recovery has been going. I have a lot of good news to report! I have really been enjoying getting my new house put together and have already completed a few projects. There is still so much to put away and get organized, but I have enjoyed making it my own cozy space and look forward to having visitors soon.
Physically, I am recovering from surgery and chemo well. A few things, like my eyebrows, are back to normal. My eyelashes are making a comeback, too. They are shorter than they were before chemo, but they're getting longer every day. And I'm able to wear mascara again now! My hair is also getting longer, although I'm a long way from having enough to go out without looking like GI Jane. It looks like I'll get a chance to experiment with some fun hair color, since my hair seems to be growing back a light brown and not the strawberry blonde that it was.
I've been able to have another "fill up" added to my expanders and have reached capacity with how far my skin can stretch due to the damage from the abscesses, so after the expanders sit at this volume for a few weeks I'll be able to schedule the surgery to have my final implants put in. I've had a few more abscesses, but overall my skin is on the mend. I hope that my next surgery won't have such a long recovery time!
I'm feeling good most of the time and a lot of my energy has come back. I'm having fun participating in a clinical trial that allows me to be part of a weekly Nia class. I didn't know anything about Nia when I started, but I'm learning, and I enjoy the free format that overlooks my clumsiness. :)
Not everything is back to normal yet, though. One of the side effects of Taxol was discoloration of fingernails and other nail issues. I didn't think I was experiencing that side effect, but now that my nails have grown out a bit, I can see that they are discolored. A few of my nails have also started to detach themselves from the nail bed, and I think they might break off at some point. The thought gives me the shivers. Here is a picture of my nails; you can kind of see the discoloration:
Maybe this is just one of the "scares" I'll have to deal with on a periodic basis, a part of being high risk and not taking any chances with things that look suspicious. I hope I will use the scares that may come as opportunities to rest in the fact that God has everything under control. No matter what happens, His plan for me is good.
But I am definitely concerned that the doctor wants to do a biopsy. I had hoped I would never have to hear that word again, never again have to wait for a test result to tell me I have cancer. What if it is cancer? My mind can't help but wonder, just a little. I'd feel more informed about treatment and side effects this go-round, that's for sure. "Been there, done that." :)
I'd appreciate prayers for "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5). God is always all-sufficient for every situation I face. I know He will keep me in His hands throughout this, just like He did with my first biopsy and its results. But it is through the power of prayer that I make it through each day and I don't want to fail to ask for that.
Many thanks, dear friends!
Physically, I am recovering from surgery and chemo well. A few things, like my eyebrows, are back to normal. My eyelashes are making a comeback, too. They are shorter than they were before chemo, but they're getting longer every day. And I'm able to wear mascara again now! My hair is also getting longer, although I'm a long way from having enough to go out without looking like GI Jane. It looks like I'll get a chance to experiment with some fun hair color, since my hair seems to be growing back a light brown and not the strawberry blonde that it was.
I've been able to have another "fill up" added to my expanders and have reached capacity with how far my skin can stretch due to the damage from the abscesses, so after the expanders sit at this volume for a few weeks I'll be able to schedule the surgery to have my final implants put in. I've had a few more abscesses, but overall my skin is on the mend. I hope that my next surgery won't have such a long recovery time!
I'm feeling good most of the time and a lot of my energy has come back. I'm having fun participating in a clinical trial that allows me to be part of a weekly Nia class. I didn't know anything about Nia when I started, but I'm learning, and I enjoy the free format that overlooks my clumsiness. :)
Not everything is back to normal yet, though. One of the side effects of Taxol was discoloration of fingernails and other nail issues. I didn't think I was experiencing that side effect, but now that my nails have grown out a bit, I can see that they are discolored. A few of my nails have also started to detach themselves from the nail bed, and I think they might break off at some point. The thought gives me the shivers. Here is a picture of my nails; you can kind of see the discoloration:
I've also come face-to-face with what it means to live with a BRCA 2+ diagnosis. Besides the increased risk for breast cancer, I also have an increased risk for ovarian cancer. As this is a much trickier and harder to treat cancer, I'm under surveillance at a high-risk clinic here at UVA. I had my first surveillance appointment a couple of weeks ago. Every six months, I'll have a blood test to look at my CA 125, as well as have an exam and a pelvic ultrasound. None of these screenings are very reliable, but they are currently the only tests available for ovarian cancer. My CA 125 came back normal, which was great and establishes my baseline score. My exam also seemed to be fine. I had my pelvic ultrasound on Friday and, although my ovaries looked fine, the endometrial lining did not. The doctor wants to do a biopsy.Maybe this is just one of the "scares" I'll have to deal with on a periodic basis, a part of being high risk and not taking any chances with things that look suspicious. I hope I will use the scares that may come as opportunities to rest in the fact that God has everything under control. No matter what happens, His plan for me is good.
But I am definitely concerned that the doctor wants to do a biopsy. I had hoped I would never have to hear that word again, never again have to wait for a test result to tell me I have cancer. What if it is cancer? My mind can't help but wonder, just a little. I'd feel more informed about treatment and side effects this go-round, that's for sure. "Been there, done that." :)
I'd appreciate prayers for "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5). God is always all-sufficient for every situation I face. I know He will keep me in His hands throughout this, just like He did with my first biopsy and its results. But it is through the power of prayer that I make it through each day and I don't want to fail to ask for that.
Many thanks, dear friends!
Praying for you, Katherine! Please keep us posted.
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