Hello Everyone,

Sorry it’s been a while again. Not much new was happening each week except for going to chemo. Well, speaking of chemo…yesterday marked my last day of treatment! Looking back, it’s hard to believe this has been my life for the past 6 months. 16 treatments spaced out over 6 months. It was a bittersweet day for me, but I rang the bell loud and clear! (Thank you, Mom, for getting me a bell to ring.) Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with me, and thank you to everyone who was with me in spirit. I can feel the love! So, now that chemo is over, now what?

I spent Monday and Tuesday this week at Mayo and got some great news after my mammogram, ultrasound, and MRI. Many of the tumors are gone, and the big one has shrunken over 50%! They were so happy with the results and so was I. So now what…

We spent two days meeting with all the surgeons and creating my surgery plan. I am still on for surgery on June 5^th  in Rochester, through Mayo. I will be having a double mastectomy with reconstruction. Mayo is recommending radiation, but they won’t know how much until after the surgery and the pathologist reads all the lymph node tissue to see how bad the cancer was in that area. I will be off of work for 6 weeks, and the restrictions are a little aggressive if you ask me...how in the world am I to sit still for 6 weeks and do nothing?!

Adam has made the decision to join the National Guard. He leaves for bootcamp for 25 weeks on May 15^th. He has been my rock, my caretaker, and anything else I needed. I am so proud of him but will miss him immensely. Ava was accepted to a study abroad program in Spain. She is leaving June 8^th for a month. I am so proud of her but will miss her too. That leaves Andru and I. He arrives back home from school on May 15^th. He has big shoes to fill, but I know he will be an amazing helper. My mom and dad...I have no words...they have been so helpful I can’t even begin to start. I am so blessed. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for all you have done!!

I have a month off now to recover, process the past 6 months, and get ready for the next stage. I plan to rebuild my mental health as well as my physical health so I am as strong as I can be for this 6-hour surgery and 6-week post recovery.