Alison Holloran

Dear Family and Friends.  As you probably have heard by now I was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in April.  It came, of course, as quite a surprise to both Matt and I since I really don't have boobs to speak of--well, one of them has taken quite a hit!  At any rate,  since diagnoses, events have moved very quickly; I have had a lumpectomy, and removal of associated lymph nodes as well as a port placed in my chest (which I thought deserved a name, Eloise Lipshitz,  because it is so large...it could actually pass for a third boob).  Unfortunately, when they biopsied my lymph nodes they also found it there as well.  Given the spread to my lymph nodes and the "type" of cancer (I tested positive for the estrogen, progesterone and HER2 markers) I am undergoing 5 1/2 months of chemotherapy,  followed by 6 weeks of radiation, 1 year of Herceptin and long term medication to suppress estrogen.  This is all  to ensure this is a cure, just not a way to manage the cancer, and that is the better news!


 I have already had one chemo treatment, which I have to say was rough, not the treatment itself but the side effects the following 3 days after (they are not messing around!).  I am on a 2 week regimen until early July, and then moving to weekly treatments through October.  After a few days I have started feeling good again so my hope is that I will have at least a few good days a week.    And that is the point of this site; to keep you updated and informed if you like!   This journey so far has been scary, irritating, frustrating as well as  an eye opener.  With every challenge or event I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, it may not make sense at the time, if ever, but I can tell you I have come to fully realize what an amazing support network I have.      You all have rallied around me and my family, ensuring that we know we are not in this fight alone and I can't tell you how much that has helped us already.  I feel so very lucky to have you all in my life and want to thank you for all your support, it has, and will make all the difference.  So, I will be "posting" updates here regularly just to keep family and friends updated in one place.   I greatly appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement.  Love you tons and thank you again, you all are amazing.   Alison