6 years old w/ Leukemia

Just last week we found out a little girl that plays soccer with my daughter was diagnoised with Childhood Leukemia.  The only thing worse than going through cancer yourself, would be to have to watch your child go through it.  Cancer doesn’t discriminate.  It attacks young, old and in between.

Thank God that medical advances are such now that 85% of children with Leukemia  are curable.

Please join me in praying  for this sweet, little girl.

Add comment October 29th, 2009 Julie

Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October)

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  As you all know, breast cancer victims are dear to my heart.   I was 40 years old when I was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer.  It was my very first mammogram.    As you can imagine, it was very shocking to have breast cancer at 40.  I didn’t have ANY risk factors.  There is no family history of breast cancer in my family.  I have never smoked, drank or done anything else that you would expect that would lead to cancer.

Treatment was long and difficult.  I had a mastectomy right away, dose dense chemo for 4 month following surgery and 6 weeks of daily radiation after that.  I also had Herceptin infusions ever 3 weeks for a year.   In the mean time I had several surgeries to reconstruct my breast.  All while raising a family of 3 kids, running my store, and taking care of my house and husband.  It was challenging, but I am proud to say I am a Survivor!!

This January it will be two years since I was diagnoised.   Please think of all the mothers, wives, daughters, granddaughters, nieces, etc.  with breast cancer  this month when you see packages marked with the pink ribbon (breast cancer symbol) and purchase as many of those products as possible to aid in the fight for breast cancer.

God bless.

Add comment October 4th, 2009 Julie

Fall is here!

After a long, hot summer in Washington state, fall is finally here.  It has been raining for two days straight.  Just last week it was still in the 90’s which is unheard of in this neck of the woods.

We are almost done with our home remodeling project.  We just have carpet and touch ups to the paint to go.  It is so great to have a huge kitchen.  I almost don’t know what to do with myself when I don’t have to climb over some one every time I move.  The floor to ceiling windows on the back of the house are gorgeous.  They bring in the beautiful trees and flowers outside.

My dear friend is having one of her kidneys removed today due to kidney cancer.  I am worried about her.  Please pray for her safety, health and a quick recovery.

We wish every one a pleasant Fall!

Add comment September 30th, 2009 Julie

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

My husband and I did the 1 mile walk in Portland, OR today sponsored by Susan G. Komon, Race for the Cure.  It was my husbands idea.  He thought it would be a good way to symbolize the end of my treatment battle.  There were 43,000 runners, walkers, and volunteers there yesterday.  It was a lot of fun.  Survivors got special shirts.  It was amazing to see the Sea of Pink shirts among the 1,000’s of people there.  There are many survivors of breast cancer out there.  There were also many who raced in memory of loved ones they have lost to breast cancer.

I am proud to be a survivor!

Add comment September 20th, 2009 Julie

Cancer and my dear friend

I have a dear friend that I work out with at the gym.   They found a mass in her kidney and they think it is cancer.  She is no stranger to cancer.  She was diagnoised with her first cancer (breast) when she was 50.  A few years later they found cancer in her other breast as well.  Then she was diagnosed with lung cancer.  The truth be known, she was a smoker, so it is not surprising.  A few years later she developed cancer in the other lung.  Now she has kidney cancer.  They have all been “primary” cancers.  That means that they originated in the area where they were found.  It is Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer and Kidney Cancer.  Not breast cancer that has spread to her lungs and kidneys.

She was my own private support group when I was going through breast cancer treatment.  We have become close friend.

She is going to have surgery in a few weeks to have her kidney removed. Thank heaven she has both kidneys, so she should be okay.  Please pray that it is contained to the kidney and that they get it all with surgery.  There is no further treatment planed.

Add comment September 9th, 2009 Julie

A difficult week

This has been a rough week.  I have been very sick.  I haven’t been this sick since my first week of chemo.  Just caught some kind of virus that attacked my throat so badly I almost couldn’t breath it was so swollen by the time I got into the doctor after two days of suffering.  I was spitting my own saliva out it was so painful to swallow.  I had a high fever and aches.  No one else in my home has been sick, which is odd.  My kids are usually the ones who get stuff first and bring it home then cough, sneeze, and slobber all over me until they get me sick.  ha  You know, the joys of being a mom.  ha ha

Thankfully, I got into the doctor and she realized how serious it was and put me on a steroid to shirk the tissues, gave me a shot of antibiotic in my butt like when I was a kid and gave me something to help the pain in my throat.  Ugh.  What a deal.   Just today I can swallow water without having to brace myself for the pain.  Food would be nice some time soon.  I hope tomorrow.  Luckily, I have plenty of reserve to hold me in that department.

Our remodeling project is going well.  We will be done in a few weeks.  I can’t wait.  Tired of having my home all tore up and living out of just a few rooms.

The kids start school next week.  One more summer down.  It’s kind of sad.  This is the last year my oldest will be in jr. high.  Next year he will be off to high school.  Seems like we just took him to kindergarten in Vancouver.  How can it be?  I feel the empty nest syndrome coming on.

My husbands family had their last funeral today for awhile, God willing.  We lost two very close together.  I know there is so much sadness in Arkansas tonight.  We love you.

Add comment August 27th, 2009 Julie

Aunt Kathy passed away

My husband’s Aunt Kathy died a few days ago from Inflammatory Breast Cancer.  She put up a good fight, but just couldn’t fight any more.  We are sad to see her go.  Please pray for a vaccine or cure for Breast Cancer.   It is leaving so many families with out mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, granddaughters, and daughters.

Add comment August 23rd, 2009 Julie

Gramma Grosse passed away

My husband’s (Andy)  Gramma passed away yesterday.  We are sad to see her go, but happy she is with Grand-Dad again.  They were so in love.  I am sure they are holding hands, smiling down on their family, grateful to be together again.

Add comment August 16th, 2009 Julie

First Post Treatment Check-up

Last week I had my first post treatment check-up at oncology.  It is a two hour drive round trip to get to my oncology office.  What a pain.  I am so tired of driving back and forth from Portland (with the rudest drivers in the West).  I can’t believe I did it EVERY day for 6 weeks during radiation all by myself.  I am so glad that I am done running back and forth from there all the time.  If I had to do that too long I would have high blood presure from the drive.  Ugh!

All is well.   I don’t have to go back until November for another check-up and an infusion of the osteoprosis drug which is used to treat breast cancer among other things.  Unfortunatly, the medication makes me sick, so it’s  a good think I don’t have to take it often.  Last time it gave me a fever, made me feel like I had the flu for 5 days and made me exhausted.

This has been a bad cancer week for others, however.  A family memeber and the husband of an old friend  both got bad news this week.  Their cancers have spread and there isn’t much either person can do because it is so far gone.  Cancer is a relentless force when it wants to be.  Please pray for both of them and their families during this difficult time.

I am so greatful that I went to the doctor when I did.  I believe if I had waited even a few weeks more I would have had stage IV cancer and I would be in dire straights right now too.    Your life can change in an instant.

Add comment August 9th, 2009 Julie

My Last MUGA Heart Exam

Today I had my last of several MUGA heart tests.  YEAH!!!  I am so excited that I don’t have to have test, after test, after test for awhile.  The MUGA is necessary since I had to take Herceptin for a year and it can, and did effect my heart function.  I had to take a break from it for awhile in the middle of treatment since  it had made my heart function go down 10% at one point.  I started at a 60.  I got down to a 48 at one point, which is out of the range that they consider good heart function.  Good is 50-70.  When I started I was a 60, so my heart function was pretty healthy.

I am hoping I can bring it back up to 60 at least with exercise.  Everything is a trade off in treatment.  You have to kill the cancer with out causing yourself other serious health problems.  It is a fine line to walk and an exhausting process.

I am so excited not to have to be poked and prodded on a regular basis any more.  My arm is finally starting to heel from all the pokes, sticks, IV’s, shots, and other tests and treatments.  I have some permanent scaring in my veins from the chemo.  My are is also discolored in spots from the tape they use when they attach an IV.  As time went on, I became allergic to it and it would make my skin red and it would peel.

Please pray that I have a nice, peaceful year.  I could use it.

Add comment July 30th, 2009 Julie