Hi all!

Well... I completed 6 months of Chemo AKA poison.  You get to ring a bell when your done.  I am thankful that I am done with that!  It was challenging and I wanted to quit a few times, but I perservered.  I suppose that is normal.  The chemo messes with your emotions a bit I think. Thank goodness I have a good group of people on my side to help me through.  That is imperative in this unchosen journey, so many thanks to you!!!!  So far it seems like I do not have any lasting not normal effects that afflicts many.  The oncologist said it will take 6 months or longer to feel back to normal.  I was unhappy about that statement!  I wanted to feel better sooner.  I suppose though, the body has been through quite a lot.  Still working on that patience thing. I do think the last dose of chemo shrunk the tumor quite a bit, so that is positive.  We won't know until the pathology report comes after surgery if anything is left over. Speaking of.... I am going to have my double mastectomy with expanders and all my lymph nodes on the right removed on Tuesday, May 21st.  I am excited for them to get this cancer out of my body and move on to the next step, but nervous about the lymph nodes and the effect that will have on me the rest of my life.  I will be out of work for 6 to 8 weeks to recover.  This is the first of at least 3 surgeries I will be having.  Dr's Landis and Bowen have a very good reputation out there in the surgery world, so I know I am in the best of hands that I can be in.  I have a rotation of family caregivers taking shifts the first week and a half staying with me.  Mom, Aunt Val, Brother Adam and Donna, and of course Jorge taking care of me.  I will have drains the first 2 weeks that are apparently hard to independently manage, so I will need help with them.  I had my first dose of "stand alone Keytruda" (just Keytruda, no steroids or pre-meds) 2 weeks ago and it went ok.  My muscles are sore and tired from it, mostly my legs and feet.  The oncologist said I am "decompensated" so I have to rebuild my body muscles back up.  I am not sure if this will happen every time with Keytruda or if it is because I am weak from the chemo.  The body is still unpredictable at this point, but I am no longer as nauseous so that is awesome.  It still feels like I am in the twilight zone and all this is happening to someone else.  It is hard to describe.  I just keep plugging along hoping one day I will feel and look like me again.  

Many people have asked how they can help or donate vacation or PTO time.  I have attached my venmo account if you are interested in donating.  The work policy to donate vacation or PTO states I have to have exhausted all of my time before I can accept donations.  I still have a little left so at this time and for this surgery I think I will be covered!  

Thank you again for the well wishes and prayers.

Ang