Breast cancer Amy's blog & video journey through chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation read more I have breast cancer September 26, 2013 It’s been a while since I have added a new blog entry. Really the site was not up for the past year or so. I have decided to bring it... read more First chemotherapy treatment September 28, 2013 I got one round of chemotherapy down and it didn't go that badly, as you can see in the video above. When I got home, I decided to take the... read more Neulasta after first chemotherapy treatment September 29, 2013 Today I am feeling great. Yesterday was not too bad. I woke a little nauseous, but that went away. We had to go back to the hospital for my shot... read more Chemotherapy-friendly food from a cancer cookbook October 1, 2013 I took yesterday to make some staples to have on hand for the upcoming weeks. Mark and I are trying to figure out what I should and shouldn’t be eating.... read more First week of chemotherapy: Wig selection October 6, 2013 Last week, besides beginning chemotherapy, I had my appointment for my wig fitting at Lucia's Wigs with The Salon in Kenosha. Melissa Simon is the wig specialist there and she... read more 'Look Good Feel Better' cosmetics workshop October 11, 2013 Everything so far is going well with my breast cancer treatment. The very good piece of news that I received this week is that I have tested negative for both... read more Video: Hair loss, chemo treatment 2 October 15, 2013 It’s happening, my hair loss has begun. So it’s a good thing I have the appointment for my head shaving on Thursday. I have been wearing a cap when I... read more Video: My head shaved after 2nd chemo October 18, 2013 I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when my hair started coming out. I thought that maybe Mark and I could tackle it on our own with a... read more Breast cancer support group in Kenosha, WI: Circle of Hope October 27, 2013 It’s been a while since my last post. I didn’t have a lot going on this week so there really wasn’t too much to report. The side effects of my... read more Video: Chemo treatment 3 November 1, 2013 Well, I'm three-quarters of the way through the first phase of my chemo treatments. This was round 3 out of 4 with Adriamycin and Cytoxan. I have been told that these... read more Video: Pierogi making and Petrifying Springs November 11, 2013 The last treatment of chemo really affected my digestive tract and I think I finally got my system working the way it should. My next treatment is the last of... read more How to tie a head wrap: Video tutorials November 17, 2013 When I found out that I was going to have to undergo chemotherapy and that my hair was going to fall out, it didn’t really bother me. I never had... read more Video: Finishing A/C chemo, starting Taxol November 27, 2013 I can’t tell you how great I feel right now. I have the worst of the four treatments behind me and I got through the first treatment of Taxol without... read more Video: Mehndi (henna tattoo) on my head December 5, 2013 We had a very quiet Thanksgiving, Mark and I celebrated by ourselves at home. We went for an afternoon walk at Petrifying Springs in Kenosha. Then on Saturday my girlfriend... read more Holiday depression December 19, 2013 I finished the book Empty Mansions that I had downloaded from the library to my Kindle. That was pretty fascinating, to read about the wealthy Clark family and how much... read more Emily Helck: Fellow breast cancer blogger December 20, 2013 This morning, we saw Emily Helck on MSNBC, talking with Thomas Roberts about her breast cancer journey and how she chronicled in a weekly photo shoot the way her body... read more Chemo, Christmas & New Year's January 3, 2014 I have been in better spirits this past couple of weeks. I loved being together with family and friends during the holidays. I was so happy that everyone was feeling... read more Life during chemo: Taxol 7 & 8 January 16, 2014 We survived the Polar Vortex that came the first part of this month. Our car was prepared with extra blankets, mittens, hats etc. Luckily we were able to make it... read more Reconstruction options, MRI, neutrophils January 30, 2014 Two of my girlfriends from Circle of Hope, our breast cancer support group in Kenosha, happen to have had the same plastic surgeon that I have. They each underwent a... read more Last chemo treatments February 13, 2014 It feels good to know that I have completed my last chemo treatments. We are now moving forward to me having my double mastectomy in a month. For the most... read more After chemotherapy, before mastectomy March 10, 2014 It’s been four weeks since my last chemotherapy treatment and boy does it feel GREAT!!! For the most part, I am getting back to feeling normal. My taste buds seem... read more A week since my mastectomy March 19, 2014 I can’t believe it’s already a week since my double mastectomy. I feel so good to have it behind me and that I am on my way to recovery. Never... read more Three weeks since mastectomy April 3, 2014 It’s been three weeks since my bilateral mastectomy and things move along better each day. I still have problems reaching for things really high up in the cabinets or bending... read more Staph infection (or how I spent my weekend) April 8, 2014 I am writing this blog post from my hospital bed with a staph infection. When we went to bed on Thursday, I had just noticed a light pink blush color... read more Home again with PICC line, IV pump April 12, 2014 It’s great to be home again. Mark brought me back from the hospital on Tuesday, and as each day goes by I am doing better and better. We had a... read more Antibiotics for staph infection: Life with my PICC line April 20, 2014 It’s been two weeks since my emergency surgery and things seem to be going along okay. I have learned to live with this PICC line and IV pump attached to... read more Getting ready for radiation therapy May 18, 2014 We were fortunate to have great weather for Easter. I loved being with both our families on that day. It’s always fun to watch the kids find the Easter eggs... read more Radiation therapy, First Fridays, Marc Maron June 20, 2014 I have 17 of my 30 radiation therapy treatments done. So far things haven’t been too bad. I have just the slightest little bit of pinkness starting on my skin.... read more Radiation therapy home stretch July 7, 2014 It’s just about 11 months since my breast cancer diagnosis (8/14/13 3:45 p.m.), and I’m coming into the home stretch on my treatments. I feel fortunate that I haven’t had... read more Breast expanders vs. radiation burns: 3rd surgery August 6, 2014 I had been told by so many people how easy the radiation portion of treatment would be. I have to say, yes — the immediate side effects are not too... read more Breast cancer: 12 months in 12 minutes August 14, 2014 Today marks one year since being diagnosed with breast cancer. I remember it was a very nice day much like today. It was kind of hard to enjoy because we... read more Cancer treatments done, now what? September 16, 2014 I didn’t know what to expect when I got done with the chemo, surgery, and radiation. I was hoping to get back to normal. For the most part, I guess... read more More activities as cancer treatments drift into past October 28, 2014 While putting the video together for this blog post, I was really surprised to see just how much we have been doing lately. A year ago we were just starting... read more December update December 24, 2014 It's been a while since I have checked in. I always think that I don't have much to report on. Now that my cancer treatments are finished, things naturally have... read more January update: Lymph node biopsy came back benign January 27, 2015 Christmas was great with both families. I am just glad to be back to a normal routine. All the holiday eating had put me into a tailspin. I'm sure I'm...
read more I have breast cancer September 26, 2013 It’s been a while since I have added a new blog entry. Really the site was not up for the past year or so. I have decided to bring it... read more First chemotherapy treatment September 28, 2013 I got one round of chemotherapy down and it didn't go that badly, as you can see in the video above. When I got home, I decided to take the... read more Neulasta after first chemotherapy treatment September 29, 2013 Today I am feeling great. Yesterday was not too bad. I woke a little nauseous, but that went away. We had to go back to the hospital for my shot... read more Chemotherapy-friendly food from a cancer cookbook October 1, 2013 I took yesterday to make some staples to have on hand for the upcoming weeks. Mark and I are trying to figure out what I should and shouldn’t be eating.... read more First week of chemotherapy: Wig selection October 6, 2013 Last week, besides beginning chemotherapy, I had my appointment for my wig fitting at Lucia's Wigs with The Salon in Kenosha. Melissa Simon is the wig specialist there and she... read more 'Look Good Feel Better' cosmetics workshop October 11, 2013 Everything so far is going well with my breast cancer treatment. The very good piece of news that I received this week is that I have tested negative for both... read more Video: Hair loss, chemo treatment 2 October 15, 2013 It’s happening, my hair loss has begun. So it’s a good thing I have the appointment for my head shaving on Thursday. I have been wearing a cap when I... read more Video: My head shaved after 2nd chemo October 18, 2013 I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when my hair started coming out. I thought that maybe Mark and I could tackle it on our own with a... read more Breast cancer support group in Kenosha, WI: Circle of Hope October 27, 2013 It’s been a while since my last post. I didn’t have a lot going on this week so there really wasn’t too much to report. The side effects of my... read more Video: Chemo treatment 3 November 1, 2013 Well, I'm three-quarters of the way through the first phase of my chemo treatments. This was round 3 out of 4 with Adriamycin and Cytoxan. I have been told that these... read more Video: Pierogi making and Petrifying Springs November 11, 2013 The last treatment of chemo really affected my digestive tract and I think I finally got my system working the way it should. My next treatment is the last of... read more How to tie a head wrap: Video tutorials November 17, 2013 When I found out that I was going to have to undergo chemotherapy and that my hair was going to fall out, it didn’t really bother me. I never had... read more Video: Finishing A/C chemo, starting Taxol November 27, 2013 I can’t tell you how great I feel right now. I have the worst of the four treatments behind me and I got through the first treatment of Taxol without... read more Video: Mehndi (henna tattoo) on my head December 5, 2013 We had a very quiet Thanksgiving, Mark and I celebrated by ourselves at home. We went for an afternoon walk at Petrifying Springs in Kenosha. Then on Saturday my girlfriend... read more Holiday depression December 19, 2013 I finished the book Empty Mansions that I had downloaded from the library to my Kindle. That was pretty fascinating, to read about the wealthy Clark family and how much... read more Emily Helck: Fellow breast cancer blogger December 20, 2013 This morning, we saw Emily Helck on MSNBC, talking with Thomas Roberts about her breast cancer journey and how she chronicled in a weekly photo shoot the way her body... read more Chemo, Christmas & New Year's January 3, 2014 I have been in better spirits this past couple of weeks. I loved being together with family and friends during the holidays. I was so happy that everyone was feeling... read more Life during chemo: Taxol 7 & 8 January 16, 2014 We survived the Polar Vortex that came the first part of this month. Our car was prepared with extra blankets, mittens, hats etc. Luckily we were able to make it... read more Reconstruction options, MRI, neutrophils January 30, 2014 Two of my girlfriends from Circle of Hope, our breast cancer support group in Kenosha, happen to have had the same plastic surgeon that I have. They each underwent a... read more Last chemo treatments February 13, 2014 It feels good to know that I have completed my last chemo treatments. We are now moving forward to me having my double mastectomy in a month. For the most... read more After chemotherapy, before mastectomy March 10, 2014 It’s been four weeks since my last chemotherapy treatment and boy does it feel GREAT!!! For the most part, I am getting back to feeling normal. My taste buds seem... read more A week since my mastectomy March 19, 2014 I can’t believe it’s already a week since my double mastectomy. I feel so good to have it behind me and that I am on my way to recovery. Never... read more Three weeks since mastectomy April 3, 2014 It’s been three weeks since my bilateral mastectomy and things move along better each day. I still have problems reaching for things really high up in the cabinets or bending... read more Staph infection (or how I spent my weekend) April 8, 2014 I am writing this blog post from my hospital bed with a staph infection. When we went to bed on Thursday, I had just noticed a light pink blush color... read more Home again with PICC line, IV pump April 12, 2014 It’s great to be home again. Mark brought me back from the hospital on Tuesday, and as each day goes by I am doing better and better. We had a... read more Antibiotics for staph infection: Life with my PICC line April 20, 2014 It’s been two weeks since my emergency surgery and things seem to be going along okay. I have learned to live with this PICC line and IV pump attached to... read more Getting ready for radiation therapy May 18, 2014 We were fortunate to have great weather for Easter. I loved being with both our families on that day. It’s always fun to watch the kids find the Easter eggs... read more Radiation therapy, First Fridays, Marc Maron June 20, 2014 I have 17 of my 30 radiation therapy treatments done. So far things haven’t been too bad. I have just the slightest little bit of pinkness starting on my skin.... read more Radiation therapy home stretch July 7, 2014 It’s just about 11 months since my breast cancer diagnosis (8/14/13 3:45 p.m.), and I’m coming into the home stretch on my treatments. I feel fortunate that I haven’t had... read more Breast expanders vs. radiation burns: 3rd surgery August 6, 2014 I had been told by so many people how easy the radiation portion of treatment would be. I have to say, yes — the immediate side effects are not too... read more Breast cancer: 12 months in 12 minutes August 14, 2014 Today marks one year since being diagnosed with breast cancer. I remember it was a very nice day much like today. It was kind of hard to enjoy because we... read more Cancer treatments done, now what? September 16, 2014 I didn’t know what to expect when I got done with the chemo, surgery, and radiation. I was hoping to get back to normal. For the most part, I guess... read more More activities as cancer treatments drift into past October 28, 2014 While putting the video together for this blog post, I was really surprised to see just how much we have been doing lately. A year ago we were just starting... read more December update December 24, 2014 It's been a while since I have checked in. I always think that I don't have much to report on. Now that my cancer treatments are finished, things naturally have... read more January update: Lymph node biopsy came back benign January 27, 2015 Christmas was great with both families. I am just glad to be back to a normal routine. All the holiday eating had put me into a tailspin. I'm sure I'm...
