Journal entry by Michelle Mills —
Hello - it has been awhile since I last got on here. I was still so extremely fatigued the last few months of 2019 and was trying to push myself back to working full time that I kind of let some things get put on hold. This was one of them. January until this week saw me working full time hours. I have started scrapbooking but I still experience fatigue so I find myself just doing enough to get through the day, maybe an hour of "me" time at the computer and that is about it.
In comes COVID-19 and my world changes again. I am considered High Risk by CDC so I began self isolation on March 18th. I am a bit concerned because of a few people at work who had traveled through high risk cities (Seattle, NYC, Atlanta) were at work on the Monday and Tuesday before. I found out on Tuesday. I discussed it with my manager and agreed to work from home. As of this week, I am on vacation. Next week, we will see what happens. My manager is doing what he can to protect me and a couple of others who are high risk but keep us working too. This is such a difficult situation.
Why am I high risk? I was diagnosed with Stage 3a Breast Cancer on Dec 19, 2016 and then again Stage 1 Breast Cancer (a different kind) on Nov 3, 2017. I have had chemo and radiation and currently taking tamoxifen and get lupron injections. The lupron, makes my immunosuppressed. On top of that, I have been having many health issues with my heart and lungs. At this time, diagnoses are Asthma and PSVT, but that doesn't account for everything. I am still exploring and discussing with my doctors. Right now, it is on hold of course. Yes, I know that there are others who are higher risk than me and they should stay home as well, but I need to look after me. It is time to be selfish again so that I may live, again.
With some of the free time I have again, I will probably start writing on here again. Look back some more, pick up where I left off. I think I left off with just before my 1st mastectomy. So we have the follow up surgery (node dissection), chemo, 2nd diagnosis, 2nd mastectomy, and radiation. As well as moving to maintenance treatment, side effects, and burnout. Still have quite a bit to write. So we will see what and how much I guess.
Stay safe everyone. Stay home, be smart.
In comes COVID-19 and my world changes again. I am considered High Risk by CDC so I began self isolation on March 18th. I am a bit concerned because of a few people at work who had traveled through high risk cities (Seattle, NYC, Atlanta) were at work on the Monday and Tuesday before. I found out on Tuesday. I discussed it with my manager and agreed to work from home. As of this week, I am on vacation. Next week, we will see what happens. My manager is doing what he can to protect me and a couple of others who are high risk but keep us working too. This is such a difficult situation.
Why am I high risk? I was diagnosed with Stage 3a Breast Cancer on Dec 19, 2016 and then again Stage 1 Breast Cancer (a different kind) on Nov 3, 2017. I have had chemo and radiation and currently taking tamoxifen and get lupron injections. The lupron, makes my immunosuppressed. On top of that, I have been having many health issues with my heart and lungs. At this time, diagnoses are Asthma and PSVT, but that doesn't account for everything. I am still exploring and discussing with my doctors. Right now, it is on hold of course. Yes, I know that there are others who are higher risk than me and they should stay home as well, but I need to look after me. It is time to be selfish again so that I may live, again.
With some of the free time I have again, I will probably start writing on here again. Look back some more, pick up where I left off. I think I left off with just before my 1st mastectomy. So we have the follow up surgery (node dissection), chemo, 2nd diagnosis, 2nd mastectomy, and radiation. As well as moving to maintenance treatment, side effects, and burnout. Still have quite a bit to write. So we will see what and how much I guess.
Stay safe everyone. Stay home, be smart.
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