365 days later...

Tomorrow will mark exactly 365 days since my first scans and diagnosis. In the cancer community we call this our cancerversary. Some claim it should be a day of mourning. Some say it should be a day of celebration. I think I see it as a little of both.

I am mourning the things cancer took from me, but I am also celebrating the fact that 1-year ago it was discovered. Without this day, my cancer would have only grown and taken more of me - both mentally and physically.

In the past 12 months I have learned so much about myself and was forced to grow in more ways than I could have imagined. Cancer strengthened my relationships with loved ones and gave me the opportunity to see my family more frequently throughout the year.

The journey hasn't been all sunshine and daisies though. Most of this past year was brutal and terrifying. But there is no way I could have gotten through it all without the support, love, encouragement, and generosity of ALL of you. Thank you doesn't even begin to express how grateful I am to have you all in my corner 💛

Medical update:

I am healing from radiation skin wise. However, after I completed radiation (about 5 weeks ago) I developed a sinus/ lung/ cough issue. We have ruled out covid, a cold, and even radiation pneumonitis. It might be a stubborn sinus infection but I took an antibiotic for 2 weeks and it didn't get that much better so it's possible it's not a sinus infection either.

Additionally, my latest echocardiogram showed that my heart function is lower than where it was after chemo. I just got that back on Tuesday so I haven't had a chance to connect with my cardiologist or oncologist to figure out if that means more delayed infusions. We shall see!

I went a little MIA on this site because I didn't have very many positive things to share and couldn't bring myself to share that I was sick (still) even though I was technically supposed to be healing and getting stronger.

It just goes to show that healing is not linear! I'll continue to take it day by day.

Sending lots of hugs,

-Amy

30/30 Radiation Treatments Done

And just like that… I finished radiation!

Completing this cancer treatment milestone feels a lot like coming across the finish line of a grueling race - I’m weak, I’m exhausted, I’m blistering, I’m in tears for how hard that was but also crying tears of relief because I’ve completed something unbelievably tough.

Cancer is hard. But I finally feel like I’m starting to win this battle. The toughest treatments are behind me. And while it’s not completely over, today I woke up and felt for the first time in 11 months that I can truly start moving towards healing.

Sending you all lots of love in the New Year,

-Amy

What a year...

I am two-thirds of the way done with radiation (20/30)! And that will put a wrap on my appointments for 2021.

While I still have radiation sessions left and countless doctor’s appointments in the New Year, I can’t help but reflect on the past 10 months.

It’s been a year.

Navigating a cancer diagnosis in the middle of a pandemic is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Fighting cancer is brutal. It is not for the weak hearted (quite literally… my heart did get weak back in August and I had to postpone treatments).

I can sit here and write something sappy about what I’ve learned from my cancer diagnosis but instead I would rather take this moment on your Instagram feed to shed light on the absolutely INCREDIBLE care I have received from 100’s of healthcare workers.

To my nurses, my doctors, and even the janitors at Kaiser they have always treated me with such compassionate care. They’ve provided me with much needed laughs and endless tissues for when I couldn’t hold back the tears.

These people work some of the hardest jobs and I am forever grateful that they continue to show up and provide flawless care for every single patient. They make it feel like I’m coming home instead of walking into another traumatic appointment.

February 18th, 2021 my whole life changed.

I have had 179 appointments in the last 315 days. Almost 60% of my days were in a medical facility. Because of these incredible people, those days haven’t been as hard as they could have been - my care team treated me like family when my own couldn’t be by my side because of the pandemic.

As we head into 2022 please continue to put your health (both physical and mental) as a top priority. And in the process don’t forget to thank your nurses, doctors and medical staff for continuing to show up and be present to support and care for all of us.

Ending 2021 with a grateful heart for my medical team, my family, my friends and every single one of you who have helped me get through each day this past year. Thank you 💛💛

Cheers to the New Year! Wishing every one a safe, healthy and happy 2022!

Love,

-Amy

First week of Radiation complete!

As of today I have 6/30 radiation sessions done. I am starting to feel some of the fatigue set in as well as tender skin. I am trying my best to keep my exercise up and move throughout the day (although, my movement looks very different then it did a year ago). Some days are harder than others.

My goal is to get at least 15-minutes of exercise a day. They say exercise (and diet) is the best way to manage fatigue while undergoing radiation. You're welcome to join me in this challenge! It can be anything from walking to biking to dancing to stretching. I'm calling it #AmysFearlessFifteen 💪

Share with me your health successes by texting me or tagging me on social - your wins, big or small, motivate and uplift me more than you know! ☺️

Shout out to my step dad, Lynn, who is 73-years old and kicking butt at Orange Theory 2-3 times a week. He sends me his workout summaries when he goes and it is SO inspiring.

Cheers to getting healthier one step at a time!

Love,

-Amy

Injections, Infusions, Radiation... oh my!

This week I have quite a few appointments and more "milestones" to cross off in my treatment journey. This includes FINALLY starting radiation!! I might be one of the few patients that shows this much excitement towards something that is literally meant to kill cells in my body haha. I'm just so happy to be one step further in my treatment!

I have my second injection for endocrine therapy today, followed by another infusion on Wednesday, and I'll wrap Thursday up with my first radiation session (1 of 30 over the next 6 weeks).

Quick glossary of treatment terms and why I'm using all these different forms of therapy:

Injections = I receive an injected drug called Lupron every 30-days for the next 10 years of my life. This shuts down my ovaries to stop them from producing estrogen (which feeds my cancer).

Infusions = I am given non-chemo infusions every three weeks for at least a year. Infusions are longer appointments and are administered through my port. This drug specifically targets my HER2+ cancer cells.

Radiation = Literally zaps a targeted area of the body and those cells to destroy the cancer's DNA. Radiation is administered every week day for 6 continuous weeks.

Pill Therapy = I also take a pill everyday for additional endocrine therapy. These pills help shut down the production of hormones that my cancer also feeds on and I'll take them with for the next 10 years as well.

This week I am reminding myself once again that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Healing takes time.

Love you all so much!

-Amy

Surgery biopsy is back!

I received my biopsy results from my second surgery and the skin/ tissue they removed has no signs of active cancer! YAY!

I see my surgeon on Tuesday for a post-op follow-up. From there he will make a recommendation for how soon I can start radiation. Ultimately, it will be up to my radiation oncologist to decide when he feels my incision is ready for radiation though.

Grateful to be healing and even more thankful that my biopsy had no signs of active cancer!

Happy Thanksgiving week 🦃

-Amy

Surgery #2 went well!

My mastectomy incision revision/ skin removal surgery went as well as we could hope! My surgical team is amazing and made me feel so comforted and assured as I went into the operating room and afterwards in recovery.

Once this revision heals (about 5-6 weeks), I can begin radiation... FINALLY!

I also received clearance from my cardiologist to resume non-chemo infusions. My heart is slowly but surely recovering from chemo. It isn't where it was when I first started out, but I'll gladly take any improvements!

Wednesday I resumed infusions and will have another 8 rounds before I'm finished with that portion of treatment. Infusions will continue every 3 weeks, pending my heart strength. I have another echocardiogram scheduled for December to make sure my heart is still getting better (or at least not getting worse).

For now I'm just going to be resting and counting down the days/ weeks until I can get radiation started.

-Amy

I'm headed back to surgery...

My rash has slightly come down around the incision site. However, some of the skin around it has basically become too rough to re-suture in the clinic. In my own words I've been calling it dead skin. I am scheduled for surgery on Thursday, November 11.

There are lots of positives about going into the operating room even though it does mean "surgery" again. It's completely sterile environment and allows my surgeon to perfect the area again - he will have the tools to make the scar look as good as can be!

They will put me under light anesthesia and the whole procedure should take about 60-minutes In the operating room. The skin that is removed will be sent to the lab and biopsied as well.

From there it will take about 6 weeks to heal up again before I can start radiation.

I'll be taking it easy again for the next 6-weeks. But recovery from this operation will be far better and faster!

Thank you for your continued well-wishes and prayers.

Hugs,

-Amy

Radiation Delayed, Incision Issues, and Treatment Updates

Last Thursday, October 28, I was scheduled for my first day of radiation. Unfortunately (and also, fortunately) as I was on the table ready for the radiation to be administered they did one more look at my scar and noticed that my incision was still open in one small area.

Radiation cannot be administered on an open wound. It would be at extreme risk for infection and can cause a slew of other issues. I was extremely disappointed to be told radiation couldn't happen today.

Right then and there my radiation was put on hold indefinitely. It is very uncommon for a wound to still be open and producing fluid this far past my surgery.

My phenomenal surgeon squeezed me in immediately to take a look and was perplexed by the open area. Since last Thursday we have tried a number of things to help encourage the skin to close in that spot. Alas, nothing has worked and unfortunately things have gotten worse.

We have discovered that I am allergic to surgical glue. So on top of my open area of the wound I have a rash that has spread over most of my chest resulting in weak skin and inflammation.

Our intention was to re-suture the area today but because of the dermatitis I have to wait until next week. Fingers crossed we can get It to calm down by then. But the skin that has reacted poorly is unsalvageable.

We will removed that tissue, biopsy it, and re-close the scar with "fresh" skin in hopes it will close the proper way this time.

SO... what does this mean?

It's most likely a seroma (collection of fluid that builds up under the surface of your skin) that found a way to push through. But we're doing a biopsy to be sure that the cancer isn't back and to rule that out as a possibility for why the area won't close.

Luckily, I have the greatest team of doctor's and they are being so proactive and safe to ensure that my cancer is treated and done so the right way.

However, the last form of defense (a non-chemo infusion) I had against my cancer was back in early September. If you remember I was put on hold since my heart was too weak for continued infusions. This has triggered my team start administering my endocrine therapy months earlier than expected.

Endocrine Therapy = Hormone Therapy

The endocrine therapy was supposed to start in April. It consists of an injection once a month and a pill everyday. Moving this part of the treatment earlier is helping keep the cancer at bay, but it does come with it's own set of side effects - I'll take those over cancer any day though!

I will be receiving endocrine therapy for the next 5-10 years. They are pushing for me to take it for 10 full years since my cancer is aggressive and I'm so young.

Some positive news though - I'm back at work part-time as of last week!! Grateful to return to my UW family and to be doing what I love. It's been a welcome distraction for me these past two weeks.

Shout out to the UW women's soccer team who hosted me as their honorary captain for breast cancer awareness night back in October. I was humbled to be part of the evening and just beyond thankful for the outpouring of love and support!

That same day, my staff organized a breast cancer awareness run/ walk at UW for staff to part take in. It was amazing to see everyone out there at lunch time getting after it!

THANK YOU! The Husky family is incredible and so special 💜

I'll keep you all informed as I learn more.

Love,

-Amy

Chest CT, Radiation Simulation, and Tattoos

Last week was a long week full of scans! I had my chest CT to check on the nodules they saw before I began chemotherapy. Good news - they haven't grown and they haven't shrunk either. Basically that means they are likely not cancerous and nothing to be concerned with.

The not so good news was they saw a couple lymph nodes that looked abnormal on the CT. This halted the rest of my scans that were needed prior to radiation (spoiler alert: the cancer is NOT back! - I didn't want to make you wait while you read this update like I had to wait haha).

My particular surgery was supposed to remove ALL my lymph nodes. However, it's very common for some to get missed as they are so little and surgeons have to navigate tiny tendons to remove the lymph nodes. But the reason why I wanted them all removed was because I didn't want to have to go through this panic and scare.

Honestly, I was pretty numb for 48 hours while I waited to go in for my ultrasound. Luckily they got me in first thing and I got immediate results from the radiologist as she did my ultrasound. Everything looked healthy and there was no need for a biopsy (huge sigh of relief).

With that very good news I am back on track to get radiation going! I had my CT simulation for radiation last week. This is where they test getting you all perfectly aligned for how the radiation will be administered. It's a very fascinating process.

I will have to hold my breath for 30 seconds at a time during radiation. My simulation verified that this is the best way to protect my heart and lungs. I practiced inhaling several times to hit the 'mark' just right. Then they gave me 4 very tiny tattoos to ensure the radiation "beams" are hitting me perfectly.

For some reason I feel like these tattoos give me a whole new edge to go along with my scars haha.

Now I am just patiently, or not so patiently, waiting for the call from the radiation oncology team to get booked for my first radiation session. It takes about two weeks from the CT simulation to get booked.

Thank you again for all the love and support!

-Amy

Preparing for Radiation

Around 3-weeks post-op I developed a localized rash from my internal stitches around my surgical scar. My amazing nursing team helped find a solution to clear it up and it's starting to finally look better! One small part of the wound area hasn't fully closed. It will need to close fully before Radiation can begin.

Physical therapy has picked up and I have been cleared to do more activity (yay!). I am BEYOND out of shape 😅 but I'm excited to get moving again.

I have been working with my cardiologist to look at other ways to strengthen my heart. She has put me on some medication indefinitely that should help in the long run and in early studies shows fewer hospitalizations over a patient's lifetime.

Radiation will be conducted on my left side putting my heart in a more vulnerable position, which is why it's imperative that I try and find ways to keep it strong and healthy. My cardiologist is extremely confident that my heart will rebound quickly after my break from infusions.

I met with my Oncology Radiologist this week and he gave me the run down of what to expect next. Radiation seems pretty straight forward. I will receive radiation 5 days a week for 6 weeks.

Most of the side effects are severe skin irritation (think of your worst sunburn and multiple that by 100!) and fatigue. These side effects will compound over the course of 6-weeks so I can expect it to get harder as I get further along. Both of those sound super manageable to me though!

Before I can get started with radiation I have to get a repeat CT scan as there were some teeny tiny nodules on my lungs that they want to relook at. The nodules showed prior to my chemotherapy and they were so small they couldn't be biopsied. No one seems alarmed by the "spots" but just wants to be extra cautious as we move forward with radiation.

Other notable accomplishments these past few weeks - I received my Covid booster shot and my flu shot! So I'm feeling pretty good about playing defense this winter to potential bugs.

I can't say definitively when radiation will start as I have to get the CT next week and wait for my scar to fully close. However, we are still aiming to start by the end of the month!

Lastly, it's breast cancer awareness month 💕 I'd be remiss if I didn't say anything. Please listen to your bodies! Take the time to do a self breast exam (not just this month but EVERY month).

Most importantly I want to encourage everyone in my support team to take this month to do something for your health. Make that appointment you've been putting off, get outside for a walk each week, check-in with yourself and your loved ones. Prioritize your health. It matters 🤗

I love you all!

Two Weeks Post-Op

I have finally made it past the toughest part of surgery recovery! I got my drains out last week and can say I will not miss them. Goodbye Luna and bye-bye Roberta 👋 I was also able to start physical therapy today!

PT mostly consists of tiny movements for the next two weeks to try and get my shoulder and arm mobility back. I am still numb all around my chest, shoulder, and armpit area. I may never get feeling back in these areas, but over time I am hopeful that the nerves start to come back.

Numbness is completely normal and something most mastectomy patients have post-op. My surgeon says that I am healing extremely well and I have officially "graduated" from the surgical floor this week! 🎓

I also met with my oncologist and she was very excited about my pathology report! A complete pathological response happens to about 50% of cancer patients.

One of the non-chemo drugs I'm on can weaken my heart so I get routine echocardiogram's every 3 months to check-in. That being said, I had an echo earlier this week and I've had a significant decline in heart function since my last echo in June.

My oncologist has cancelled my next two non-chemo infusions. I will get a new echo the first week of November with the hope that the time off is enough to get my heart stronger again (which she seemed confident that I would be back to normal by then).

Based on my pathology report I will be doing non-chemo infusions through April 2022 - versus what could have been September 2022.

She also strongly agrees that I still need radiation. I meet with my radiation oncologist in October and he will decide how many weeks and when I can start (usually radiation lasts for 6-8 weeks and can begin 8 weeks after surgery).

My big question this week to my oncologist was - "what's the likelihood my cancer returns" and she said I have about a 15% chance of my cancer coming back. I feel like that's all around good news! I really thought that percentage was going to be higher so I feel relieved!

The best way to ward off my cancer outside of treatment is exercise! So please know that I LOVE anytime I'm invited out for a walk or any exercise because it helps me fight this cancer.

Next up is getting fitted for my lymphedema sleeve, meeting with my reconstruction surgeon, and continued physical therapy!

Thank you to everyone who has reached out about last week's awesome news! I can't say it enough, but I feel so grateful! I am the luckiest person in the world to have such a great support team with me throughout this.

You make me stronger! 💪

Pathology Reports says - NO SIGNS OF ACTIVE CANCER!!!

I received the best news so far in my cancer journey from my surgeon who called and said: "huge congratulations are in order because you had a complete pathological response to your chemo."

I had NO signs of any active cancer on all my lymph nodes and breast tissue that was removed from surgery.

This is AMAZING because it means:

1) the chemo worked big time!

2) all that hard work paid off (including losing my hair and some pieces of my body).

However, I still have a tough road ahead as radiation is definitely still needed to capture (and kill) any microscopic cancer cells that may have been left behind. AND because I'm so young with an aggressive type of cancer.

There will be more challenging days ahead, but we are celebrating this week because this was just the kind of good news I needed as I continue to fight 💕

Your prayers, positive thoughts and encouragement fuel me. Thank you to so many for being part of my support team!!!

Blessed beyond words 💛

Surgery is complete!

I want to start by saying that my surgery was a success yesterday! I had a unilateral mastectomy and a complete axillary lymph node dissection - in normal words they removed my left breast and all of my lymph nodes under my left arm.

The actual procedure went much longer than it was supposed to, but for good reasons! What should have been a 3 hour operation turned into 5+ hours.

Back in the spring during my biopsy they placed tiny markers where the cancer was - one on my breast tumor and one in my lymph node tumor. During surgery yesterday, my surgeon encountered more blood vessels than anticipated and that made the road to my lymph nodes more precarious including finding the lymph node marker. And he wasn't going to leave the operating room until all my formerly cancerous nodes were gone.

My poor family was waiting anxiously by the minute for updates and to get the call from the doctor that I was out of surgery. By the 4th hour they finally called to learn I was still In surgery and why it was taking so long. Can't imagine the stress my parents were feeling during that time!

My surgeon did a phenomenal job and the scar looks great! It's so much prettier than I imagined it was going to look like. He's a perfectionist and it really shows ☺️

I have two drains on my left side that I will be sporting for roughly 2 weeks. They are obnoxious but a lot better than I thought they would be. I've named them Luna and Roberta (bobbie for short) hahaha.

I was able to go home from the hospital the day of surgery because I have such a great support system and we're so close by. It was nice to be able to sleep in my own bed after a very long day.

My anesthesia slowly wore off as did my nerve blocker for the pain to my left side. The pain Is certainly manageable and I have more movement than we thought I would - still can't pick up things on my left side but can shrug shoulders and move my arm a bit.

I have a wrap/ compression corset thing that I'll wear for about a week to help with the swelling. It helps a TON with pain too.

The bruising is starting to come in nicely. In college we would compare our bruises as If they were a badge of honor from our sports and I'd say I have a gold medal in bruising from this surgery 💪 haha!

All in all I feel like I am doing better than we could have dreamed! Granted it's been less than 24 hours since I came out of surgery 😅 so we will see how I continue to do the rest of the week.

Thank you so much for your prayers, well wishes, and constant love!

Xoxox,

Amy 💛

Surgical Team Meetings

Earlier this week I met with both my general surgeon and plastic surgeon in preparation for my next steps of treatment. Let me start by saying there is A LOT of information below - my head is still spinning a bit but I am so grateful to finally have some answers on what to expect next!

My plan forward is as follows:

1. Non-Chemo Infusions - ongoing for 6-12 months every 3 weeks

2. Unilateral Mastectomy Surgery - late August/ early September

3. Radiation 5 days a week for 6 weeks - starts mid to late October

4. Reconstruction surgery at the earliest - December 2022

My general surgeon who will be doing my mastectomy is looking at a potential surgery date of Tuesday, August 31st. This date will hopefully be confirmed in the next week or so once my blood work can prove I am strong enough to fight off infection and I'm not neutropenic from my last round of chemo.

Surgery will consist of a full left side mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection (all my lymph nodes on my left side are going bye-bye).

One of the tougher decisions that I had to make was choosing between all my lymph nodes being removed - leaving me with a 30% chance of developing lymphedema - or only removing some lymph nodes - a 10% chance of lymphedema, but a potential risk of not getting all the cancer. I'd like to ensure I get ALL the cancer so I'm going with the axillary dissection.

I can expect to spend one night at the hospital for monitoring after surgery. After that I will be released to go home and begin recovery there.

My mastectomy will require me to have drains for about two weeks. This is probably the part of surgery that I am dreading the most!

The road to being back moving around fully looks different for everyone but I can guesstimate roughly 6 weeks from surgery. And when I say moving, I mean I won't be doing full on burpees at 6 weeks, but I can get back into the swing of more things. This includes when I can likely start radiation!

Since radiation will be part of my treatment plan, the surgical team has ruled out any sort of implant reconstruction as there is a 100% chance of failure. That being said, my body needs at least a year to recover from radiation for flap reconstruction.

Flap reconstruction surgery is a much more complex process and will require me to donate my own tissue. I will meet later this year with a different surgery team to learn more on this as my plastic surgeon does not perform this microsurgical tissue transfer.

Whew!!! That was a ton of info 😅

First Non-Chemo Infusion Complete

On Wednesday I had my first non-chemo infusion. These infusions will occur every 3 weeks for the next 6-12 months depending on what comes back from my pathology report after my mastectomy.

Currently I am receiving two types of drugs that help keep my HER2+ cells from forming cancer (at least that's the way the team explained it to me in basic terms haha). This isn't quite immunotherapy but close to that if you or a loved one has ever undergone immunotherapy.

There are far fewer and less severe side effects than those associated with chemotherapy! However, I was pretty tired and fatigued yesterday after it was over but no nausea AND my hair should grow back even while I'm doing these infusions.

The fatigue could also be associated with the fact that I was pretty restless the last three weeks waiting to meet with my surgical team to decide everything and that my body is still trying to recover from chemo #6.

Extremely eager to get surgery over with so that I can continue on my path forward!

I hope you all are staying healthy and well!

-Amy

Post-Chemo MRI Results

I am beyond grateful to be done with chemo and even more excited to share the news of my post-chemo MRI. My scans reinforced that I took really well to the chemotherapy - it worked so well that my tumors aren't even measurable on the MRI!

My MRI in March showed a breast tumor measuring 8.5cm and at least 2 lymph-nodes with cancerous cells. After 6 rounds of chemo, my body has successfully killed almost all of the cancer! Basically all that's left behind is what we can amount to small debris of cancer.

This positive news likely won't change my treatment plan and next steps, but it is still fantastic news as I head into the next phase. I meet with both my general and plastic surgeon on August 10 to hear from them about my mastectomy and reconstruction schedule/ plan.

From what I've heard, they try and squeeze breast cancer patients in for surgery asap (about 2-3 weeks from meeting with them). I would love to have something in the books by the end of the month.

Currently the plan is to have my mastectomy, recover from that surgery for about 4 weeks, start radiation 5 days a week for 6-8 weeks, and then reconstruction surgery after radiation. I will continue to go into the infusion center for immunotherapy every 3 weeks for the next 6 months to a year. Immunotherapy is like the barbed wire that keeps your cancer out. There are no intense side effects such as hair loss, nausea or weakness.

A huge shout out to everyone in my support team that helped honor my final chemo infusion with me! It finally felt REAL when I rang that bell 🛎 🎉 I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support since completing my chemo milestone. Thank you to each and every single one of you who has helped me endure and bravely face the past 4 months of chemo.

I will update you all again when I know more about my surgical next steps!

With lots of love,

-Amy

THE LAST CHEMO INFUSION IS FINALLY HERE!

Tomorrow is a big day and a huge milestone in my treatment plan. My last infusion, the big #6 🎉, will mark the end of my chemotherapy. My labs and blood work passed by 0.1. I was seriously worried for awhile today that I wasn't going to get the green light for tomorrow's appointment.

I can't even begin to express how excited I am to get this infusion over with. I know there are some unpleasant side effects on the other side of this chemo, but it makes it a lot easier to push through those knowing I don't have to go in again for another chemo appointment.

Cheers to tomorrow!

-Amy

Final chemo infusion has been DELAYED

Well, we sort of knew I would be delayed a third time since my labs consistently came back too low these past two infusions. However, that didn't make it any less disappointing to have to reschedule my very last infusion once more!

I got my labs done this morning and it's my platelets that are holding me back (again!). For those of you keeping score at home I am at 62,000 when it needs to be at or above 100,000. Luckily they are able to reschedule me for next week on Wednesday, July 21.

I will get labs done on Tuesday, July 20 to make sure I have the green light for chemo, but based on how my body responds I should be well above where I need to be by then!

I love you all so much!

-Amy

Chemo #5 went well!

So glad to get #5 out of the way! I am definitely feeling the effects of chemo - each round gets a little bit tougher but it's a constant reminder that it's working. They think my tumors have shrunk to less than a centimeter and that's HUGE progress!!!

WIth Thursday's infusion behind me, I feel like I can finally see the finish line for chemo! One more to go. My 6th and final infusion is set for July 14th but it will likely be pushed back to July 21st since I've been delayed the past two infusions due to low stats.

Grateful for the progress I've been able to see throughout chemotherapy and for everyone's continued support!

Stay cool this weekend,

☀️Amy

Labs are good - Chemo is a go for June 24!

Had my blood work done today and the stats came back good enough for chemo tomorrow! I am so happy to (finally) get my #5 infusion. I am so ready to be done with chemotherapy and onto the next part of this journey.

Thank you for checking in, praying and positive thoughts.

Love,

Amy

Chemo Delayed... again.

My labs came back this morning and once again I am not ready for chemo this week as my body is too "weak" for infusion. We will delay a week and try again next Thursday, June 24th.

This time it wasn't just my platelets it was also my absolute neutrophils count (a type of white blood cells) that was too low. These are a key part of my immune system and when they are too low that means my body doesn't have the capacity to fight infection and puts me at high risk for other conditions.

How do I feel? Well, I was really convinced my body was ready for chemo this week - I don't feel as weak as I did when they delayed last time but I think I am also just more used to feeling sick, unfortunately. So I guess I am just frustrated that I have to push everything back a week again. However, I am also grateful that science and medicine knows how much our bodies can take and when we need to rest.

At least it's going to be sunny in Seattle this week! Thank you again for your prayers and positive vibes ☀️

-Amy

Between Infusions 4 + 5

I'm about 10 days out from my next infusion, #5, (pending that all my labs are good). I had an echocardiogram earlier this week to check and make sure my heart is healthy and ready for more chemo. It is standard operation to get an echo after 3 months in chemo. Can you believe it's been 3 months?!!

While I haven't gotten the offcial note from my cardiologist, I have gotten soft news that the echo looked pretty good to proceed and it's likely that I will be right on track to move forward with my final infusions.

Here's what my plan/ schedule looks like currently:

• June 17 - Chemo #5 (labs the day before)

• July 7 - Chemo #6 (labs the day before) this is my final infusion!

• July 16 - After chemo concludes, I have to wait roughly 2 weeks and then I can get a new MRI to see exactly how little is left of the cancer.

• August - Surgery and recovery

  • • Once I have my MRI scans, I can start meeting with my surgeons - plastics and general - to explore my options for reconstruction. This is where my timeline gets a little fuzzy as I won't know when I can get in for surgery or what surgery I want until I've met with my team. My hope is that I can get surgery in early August (fingers crossed) so that I can recover the rest of the month.

• September - Radiation

  • • I believe I can begin radiation 3 weeks after surgery. It's currently set for me to have radiation 5 days a week for 8-weeks. Radiation only takes about 30-minutes though so it will be much faster than chemo!

• November - Cancer free by my birthday?? ☺️

  • • My hope is that come my birthday in November that I will have my final scans completed and that I'll be able to celebrate officially being cancer free!

    • The treatment plan then turns into a prevention plan from here on out. I'll go in for an infusion once a month for the next year and then also add in some medications for the next 5+ years to keep the cancer away.

I saw that that today, June 6th, is National Cancer Survivor's Day. The National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation defines SURVIVOR as "anyone living with a history of cancer - from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life."

I wanted to send my love to all my support team members that have been through any part of this journey. You are a bunch of strong, resilient, and incredible individuals. To those of you who have shared part of your stories with me, thank you for inspiring me to stay positive and lean into the relationships around me.

With so much love,

Amy 💛

Chemo #4 is Happening!

I am so happy to report that my one additional week of rest really paid off and my lab work came back with all my stats above where they needed to be to have chemo today!

My one additional week off left me feeling the the most energized and having the least amount of brain fog since I started chemo 2 months ago. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't perfect but it was eye opening to see and feel so much stronger in week 4 post infusion.

It makes me eager for when I can get the 6th and final infusion behind me so that I can get back to being me again as soon as possible.

My oncologist did say that it's possible I will have my final two infusions 4 weeks apart since my platelets don't seem to recover very well in the 3 weeks we've been doing in between chemo. I am hopeful and optimistic that I can at least get the next infusion in 3 weeks though!

It's truly fascinating to learn how resilient our bodies are and I have been intrigued by the way they recover from something so intense such as chemotherapy. Once I finish my 6th and final chemo infusion (sometime in July), it will likely take my body at least 3 months to get back to 80% of the shape I was in before I started chemo.

The final 20% is usually earned through exercise and healthy lifestyle choices in the 6 months that follow. My doctor used to be a big Orange Theory Fitness go-er before the pandemic (just like me!) and she laughed and smiled and said that Orange Theory will be one of the best medicines for my recovery and in earning my final 20%. Trust me when I say that's music to my ears!!!

Grateful for all of you and can't even begin to express how much this support team means to me.

XOXOXO,

Amy :)

Chemo #4 Delayed

I am so sad to report that my chemo was delayed this morning as my labs came back and my body isn't strong enough for my next round. I was short by about 20,000 platelets - need 100,000 platelets in order to be ready for chemo. We will try again next Thursday, May 27th, for infusion #4. I should be ready to go then. In all honesty, I am frustrated to be set back even if it's just a week.

When I asked my oncologist how often this happens in patients in my treatment plan she said 10% or less. My body just loves to be in the top rare percent I guess hahaha. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do to boost my platelets except give it more time for my bone marrow to produce more. I was really hoping I could boost it with exercise or diet!

The good news is that my tumors shrunk even more and I am down to nothing that can be felt in my lymph-nodes and my breast tumor is roughly 2 centimeters now (down from 8.5 centimeters!). I still need to have a mastectomy regardless but the more it shrinks the better it is for surgery and my radiation. So we love to hear it's shrinking!

Every week I look forward to my walks with friends or getting mail from the mailman! Thank you so much to my whole support team for continuing to brighten my day with postcards and letters.

Here's to being stronger next week and continuing to kick cancer!

Love,

Amy :)

Post infusion #2 updates and hello from Infusion #3!

Wowza! It's been a minute since I updated you all. Let me give you a quick run down of what it was like post infusion #2. I had a lot more nausea, a ton more fatigue, I often feel out of breath, and I developed a few more foods to add to my do not eat list (bye, bye black pepper - that was the saddest one to see me not like). But I will eventually enjoy that list again, I just need to get through treatment.

Ohhhhh we're half way there! Ohhh OH living on a prayer!

Before every infusion I have to get blood work 1-2 days ahead of time to check to see if my body is ready to handle my next dose of chemotherapy. My stats were a lot lower this time around but I managed to be okay by 0.08 - talk about a buzzer beater kind of stat!

Had I been too low then they postpone chemo for a week to allow for more recovery time. I appreciate all the positive thoughts and prayers that went out while I waited (impatiently) for word that I was good to go.

There isn't much I can do to change or help support healthy stats. She did recommend yoga or gentle stretching on days where I feel really fatigued to keep up my movement/ exercise in between treatments - more and more studies are showing that exercise has proven to help chemo patients recover better. My walking buddies each week are really helping me - I appreciate you all so much!

I am actually in infusion #3 right now updating you all (it's almost noon) because I was too eager to share the awesome news from my oncologist this morning!

Honey, I shrunk the tumor...

She feels my tumors have shrunk by at least 50% so far which is HUGE! I'm halfway through chemo after today and shrinking it by 50% means that it's halfway gone! It really makes sitting here for chemo that much better. All of this is working and I couldn't be more grateful for good medicine, doctors, and nurses.

Good Genes!

I had a great conversation with my doctor about my negative genetic test results. She reiterated that it's just bad luck that I got this cancer. While there is a very high chance that I have a genetic mutation that has yet to be discovered, it does mean that since I'm negative for what they do have information on that I have a lot of things I can celebrate.

Ovarian cancer isn't as high of a likelihood for me since I do not have the BRCA genes. My doctor is also recommending preservation of my right breast when I head into surgery later this summer. Originally they were leaning towards a bi-lateral mastectomy.

I do have just as high of a chance of my cancer returning further down the road despite my genetic results, but that's what preventative measures are for after I beat this thing. I feel really good and confident about my path forward and am so happy to know that treatment is working!

My support team which includes ALL of you have been such a source of strength and joy everyday! You fuel my positive energy and I can't thank you enough for each and every prayer or positive thought you send my way. I'll be sure to update this more before I get to infusion #4.

With all my love,

-Amy

Infusion #2 was a success! (update from Amy)

Today marks my second infusion of six and it went seamlessly! Each chemo treatment lasts about 6.5 hours now that I have my first one behind me. Prior to chemo, I met with my oncologist, and she delivered the BEST news of the day - my tumor has definitely shrunk in my breast and she could barely feel anything in my lymph nodes! This news made heading into chemo feel so much more rewarding.

This past week I lost about two thirds of my hair and so I made the decision to shave my head today too. I won't sugar coat it... I cried in the chair as I watched the hair that I had left come out and then continued to cry all the way home. There's no hiding it now! I definitely look like I am undergoing cancer treatment.

Tears behind me and I am ready to rock my new look :) wait till you see the inaugural earrings I picked out to own my bald and beautiful head! Although it is very cold up here with no hair haha. I was able to pick up my wig yesterday so I'm excited to test that out here soon too.

Cancer is hard. Some days are better than others. Each day is like a science experiment where I learn a little bit more about how chemotherapy affects me. No day has been the same so far! Grateful for my support team for keeping me in high spirits each day - from flowers, care packages, cards, text messages, to friends encouraging me to get out and walk with them - THANK YOU! Your kindness and genuine care means the absolute world to me.

They say that each infusion gets a little bit tougher, but I have a feeling I'm just going to get tougher with each one :) cheers to #2! Only 4 more to go! LET'S GO TEAM!

Love always,

-Amy

An update from Amy - Genetic Results and Wigs

My genetic results came back and I tested negative (no mutation was found) for 31 different genes related to hereditary cancer, including the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. This is great news for our family as we were worried about how this may impact both Brittany and my mom. This also means that if the chemo does what it's supposed to do that I will only have to have a single mastectomy.

However, it also means that we still have no idea what caused my cancer. Being 28 with breast cancer almost every doctor prepared me and thought it was likely that I would have one of the BRCA genes. On my trip to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance I asked the oncologist on my case what caused my cancer and she said, " bad luck." That there was nothing I could have done to prevent this. And while that feels affirming in some ways, I also wish I had more answers.

Interestingly enough, the genetic team recommends that I come back every 3-5 years to determine if any new testing for genes is available as technology and research continues to advance. They do think it's highly probable based on my age and family history that I have a mutation in one of these genes that hasn't been discovered yet.

If there is anything I have learned in the last month, it's that science is really cool :) and it's rapidly evolving. And I love being in one of the best cities for research and innovation around cancer!

Wig Shopping!

Last Friday I lost my first small clump of hair. It was more emotional than I realized it was going to be (shout out to my UW team who I was Zooming with right after it happened - you made me feel so much better!). I haven't lost anymore hair since then, which is good! But I do expect to lose more over the next couple weeks.

My sister and I went to my first ever wig appointment and I could not have asked for a better place to make the experience incredibly fun! I tried on a lot of wigs - some that take me back to my long hair days at PLU during volleyball season to ones that were closer to my current length. The gal who was helping me even had me try on a grey wig at the end so that I can see what I will look like in 40 years living a healthy, cancer free life!

Once I lose more clumps of hair, I will go get my head shaved. I won't wait for all of it to fall out naturally. I'll be sure to send photos rocking my bald warrior head when that time comes!

One of my sister's best friends, Katy Weaver, is a professional photographer and she came up to Seattle this last weekend to do a photoshoot celebrating my hair and capturing me before I have to shave it. It was truly such a gift to be able to do this and I am so grateful that I was able to work with Katy who made me feel so beautiful in a time where I haven't been feeling even close to my best.

Thank you to each and every single person who has reached out. You all are truly part of my support team and I can't tell you how much your notes of love, support and prayers mean! You really help fuel me on even the toughest days. I love you all so much!

XOXOXO, Amy :)

One-week post infusion

It's been almost a week since Amy's first chemo infusion and she has taken each day like a champ! For the most part, Amy has been pretty fatigued with some occasional nausea, lots of body aches, and an altered sense of taste (you should see her try food - it's so interesting to see what things taste like to her!).

She wasn't able to sleep the first few nights as her body didn't react well to the steroids she's required to take after each chemo infusion. Amy also had an allergic reaction to one of the anti-nausea drugs (a skin reaction), which was no fun but we now know for next time!

We're learning a lot in this first go around to help make the second infusion smoother. And all in all, Amy was reassured by her oncologist that she's actually managing her symptoms better than most - that felt like a big win!

Today has been Amy's strongest day so far! She is headed outside to walk some hills with a friend and get her body moving and grooving. It looks like we're through the post-chemo slump and she is ready to gear-up and get strong again for her next infusion on April 8th.

Chemo Infusion #1 of 6

Today, Amy started a very long day of chemo at 7am (well... 4am if you count the phone call from Amy to her mom panicking haha) and ended at 3:45 p.m. The nursing team greeted her at the appointment with "we dont call it chemo, we refer to it as a spa day of peace and tranquility."

Each session begins with a blood draw, then a dose of anti-nausea pills then we start the real part! Her infusion consists of 5 different drugs (4 through her port, and 1 shot in her stomach). Each drug has different side effects and is administered for varying amounts of times - it made for a fun game throughout the day and a way to set mini goals.

Thank you for the inspiring messages and videos that came in throughout the day. Amy could feel the support and it helped pass the time. Amy was blessed with a great Husky nurse who made her first chemo "spa day" (an almost) anxiety free day. She had a shared room with one other wonderful Cancer Warrior who shared much needed advice and positivity.

As the nurse started Amy's last drug, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky. Hope, love, and promise always reigns.

And yes, Amy's mom snuck in again and the nurses never said a word :)

We're getting a lot of questions on how Amy's feeling? She's exhausted, but relieved to have #1 done!! The full effects of chemo will likely hit this weekend. Next up: wig shopping! She will start to lose hair in the next 2-3 weeks.

Tomorrow is the first day she hasn't had a doctor's appointment in 4 weeks (including weekends for the fertility treatments).

PEANUT UPDATE:

Peanut is staying with Amy! After blood tests, Peanut's infection is not currently active and can stay with his mom (Amy) as long as she doesn't clean his litter box. Cheers to the friends and family who are coming by each day to keep Peanut and Amy healthy!

Thank you to all of those who reached out and offered to house Peanut or care for him during Amy's treatment. We are so blessed with such a great community!

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance - Second Opinion

Liz and Amy spent 5 hours at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance to talk to their doctors and tumor board for a second opinion. Great news is that the SCCA came back with the exact same treatment plan as Kaiser.

Amy's current course of treatment is:

• 6 infusions of chemo every 3 weeks beginning Thursday, March 18th. Each infusion is 5-7 hours.

• After the 21 weeks of chemo, Amy will do a mastectomy surgery that requires about a 3-4 week recovery. Pending genetic results they may recommend a bi-lateral mastectomy.

• After surgery, Amy will undergo 6 weeks of radiation 5 days a week.

Our whole family is grateful for the wonderful care and confidence that the SCCA instilled in our path ahead!

Lastly, the fertility clinic called and Amy has 16 mature eggs that have been frozen. It was a true sweet 16 after all!

Amy is still recovering from retrieval surgery but eager to get chemo started so we can kick this thing.

Surgery went well for not just 16, but 25 eggs!

Amy's egg retrieval surgery this morning went seamlessly. They were able to extract 25 eggs - more than originally anticipated. We will find out how many of those are mature enough for freezing tomorrow afternoon. Lynn said that's enough to field a whole baseball team of grandchildren!

Amy is at home resting and trying to sleep off the grogginess. Tomorrow is another full day at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance for 5 hours of meeting with their team of doctors for a second opinion.

Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes! Keep them coming :)

The 'Sweet 16' are ready!

Amy's eggs - all 16 of them - are ready for retrieval. Surgery is scheduled for Monday, March 15.

Shout out to anyone who has done or is doing IVF. Those needles are intimidating. Amy will be happy to be done with her hormone shots.

Amy gets her port

And we're not talking about the wine...

A port-a-cath (port for short) is an implanted device that allows easy access to Amy's veins for her chemo treatments. Amy's surgery today to insert the port went well. She's a little groggy from the drugs, but other than that, we are on track for March 18th - her first treatment.

Home sweet, Seattle!

The family has found a small place in Seattle to call their home base while folks come up to care for Amy throughout treatment. No more living in hotels!

Amy will be staying in her apartment during the duration of her treatment. If you'd like to mail something to her, please email brittanywooten11@gmail.com and I will happily share her mailing address.

The longest and hardest week of my life... (an update from Amy)

My tumor board took all my tests, scans and have updated me with the following:

My tumor is larger than the mammogram showed (about 8.5cm, almost half my breast) and has spread significantly to the lymph nodes under my arm. I’ve officially been diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. They noticed some spots on my lungs but they’re so small that they don’t have concern for those yet or reason to believe they are cancer.

The board has decided my best path forward is 6 rounds of chemo every 3 weeks starting March 18th. Chemo will be about 5-6 hours and due to COVID no one can come with me.

After chemo I will take 4 weeks to recover and then I’ll have a mastectomy. The cancer is too large so a lumpectomy is no longer an option for me (and they’ll recommend a double mastectomy if I have the BRCA gene - I have my genetic consult next week).

Surgery recovery is at least two weeks. After I’ve recovered from surgery I’ll then do radiation 5 days a week for at least 6 weeks.

All of this is subject to change depending on how my cancer responds to chemo and what the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance says on March 16th during my half day consult with their team. I’m currently on a 12-month treatment plan and should expect for it to be adjusted as my body responds to everything.

Peanut, my cat, has an infectious disease that’s able to be transmitted to folks with a compromised immune system (which will be me on chemo). My vet is looking at options for what we can do so I don’t have to move him permanently to Oregon with my dad. That one was hard to hear this week because he’s like my emotional support pet in so many ways right now.

After a lot of thought and a ton of consults/ appointments, I have also decided that it’s in my best interest to freeze my eggs. Because I have breast cancer the fertility clinic is able to move me in right away. This requires me to give myself hormones via two shots (I wish this was an alcohol shot, not a needle!!) every night for 2 weeks. At the same time, I’ll start a pill to block the hormones from parts of my body to minimize the effects on my cancer.

From there, I’ll have a procedure by March 16th for egg retrieval. Pray that it’s successful!! For some women it can take three rounds before viable eggs are taken, but they’re confident I’ll have some since I’m still in the ideal age range. Retrieval has to happen at least two days before my chemo to allow my body to rest and heal a bit before my first infusion.

It’s a lot. And I’ve been on the phone or in an appointment/ office waiting room most days this week starting at 7am to 7pm sometimes. I’m exhausted, my brain is so full, and now I’m super emotional (thanks to my fertility drugs).

I’m beyond grateful for my “medical Uber driver”, Lynn (that’s what he keeps proudly saying to everyone haha), my mom for literally finding a way into every one of my appointments (despite COVID protocol saying I can’t have a support person unless it’s my significant other) so she can help me keep notes and ask all the questions, and extra grateful for each and every person who has texted me.

I read all of the messages, but find it hard to put words together for responses. So please keep sending and asking 💛 they mean the world to me!!

Finally. A call!

A RN from Kaiser finally called with a pathology report to officially say it’s breast cancer.

Amy has a highly aggressive cancer - invasive ductal carcinoma. It's a grade 3/3 in terms of how rapid it's spreading (it's the fastest spreading kind of cancer you can have). It's estrogen and progesterone receptive positive as well as HER2 positive. The cancer has spread to at least one of her lymph nodes under her arm as well.

They think it’s only been here for less than a year based on how fast it’s spreading.

Where do we go from here?

We will meet with a surgeon on Friday to hear options (mastectomy vs. lumpectomy). From there we will get a second opinion before deciding. We think they are jumping to surgery because she’s young and can recover quickly but also because it can cut the cancer out quickly as it’s spreading so fast.

Biopsy day!

Amy went in for a biopsy of her armpit and left breast. These will then be sent to the lab for a 3-5 business day turnaround to officially get results of the cancer and what type.

Time to go to Seattle. STAT.

Amy received tough news that her mammogram and ultrasound aren’t good. There is a 95% chance of cancer. Family members are en route for Seattle for the biopsy Friday.