15 radiation sessions = ✅

Radiation started on Wednesday, July 15th and ended 15 sessions later on August 6th. Like chemo, it was a routine that was once foreign, but became very familiar over time.

This was my experience:

1. Since radiation was M-F with weekends off, it became a standard part of my work week. I would have back to back meetings until 12:45pm, then Uber to Prentice (Women’s Hospital at Northwestern Memorial) for radiation, then uber back to work for the remainder of the day. I quickly learned that driving and parking took too much time. #efficiency

1. Radiation is in the basement of Prentice. No windows and a bit dreary, but everyone that works in that department is so friendly and upbeat. Must seriously be a job requirement and/or awesome management and hiring. Upon arrival, I’d swipe in and my name would appear on the tv screen monitor in the waiting room. Once the words “checked-in” next to my name turned to “ready”, I’d walk into the dressing room, change into a robe and wait.
2. One of the nice Techs would then invite me back to the radiation room which is a huge room with a small table in the middle and a big machine.
3. Once in the room they’d ask for my name, birth date, and radiation area… every single time. Just another check to eliminate human error.
4. I’d hop up on the table and into my custom mold which kept my head and arms in the same position – on my back, arms behind my head. My right arm wasn’t able to lay flat because of my frozen shoulder, so by the end I had to force it in. Once in the mold, I’d remove my gown and put on glasses that look like Google glasses. BTW, whatever happened to those things?
5. Once situated, I had to lay perfectly still while they moved me inch by inch to match up my markers – small tattoos they put on me during the planning session prior to the start of radiation to ensure everything is perfectly aligned.
6. For the first 8 sessions, they draped a piece of copper (?) fabric on top of the radiated area (right chest). If I understood correctly, the purpose was to diffuse the radiation beams.
7. Given my radiated area was near my heart, I had to hold my breath to move my heart out of the way. To make this process easier, they create a little game. When you look into those glasses, you see a blue line at the bottom, and an orange column that begins at the line and rises and falls as you breathe. There is a green box at the top. During radiation, you have to take a deep breath and land that orange column in the middle of the green box. If you overshoot, you have to let out a teeny bit of air. Once perfectly in the box, you hold your breath for approx 15-30 seconds. I did this 3 times each session, and more when getting X-rays (once a week). Each session lasted about 15-30 min.
8. After the actual radiation session, I would reapply Aquaphor over the entire radiated area, get a Beatrix salad to go, and Uber back to work.

In terms of managing side effects, two different topical creams were prescribed: Mometasone (steroid) 2x/day and Miaderm (to prevent skin damage and burns) 3x/day. About 3 days into radiation, I broke out in massive hives all over my body. We realized it was from the Miaderm so I stopped using that immediately and have been using Aquaphor ever since. Dr Strauss (Radiation Oncologist) said the skin will be at its worst 2 weeks after radiation ends. Thankfully, I was only a little tender, swollen and red, and my skin did great overall. There is an area under my arm pit that must have missed the daily slathering of Aquaphor because it looks like a second degree burn and reminds me just how intense radiation is to your body, despite the pain-free way it is administered.

Foob (fake boob) updates:

Prior to radiation, my left expander had to be deflated to move it out of the way from the radiation beams and my right side had to be over-inflated since the skin may contract (shrink) post radiation. An hour after my last radiation session, I went to Dr Fine (plastic surgeon) to inflate my left expander so I could look/feel more even. Sometime in October/November, I’ll have phase 2 of my reconstruction where they will swap out the expanders for silicone implants.

Tamoxifen:

Because my breast cancer is ER (estrogen receptor)/PR (progesterone receptor) positive, I will need to start taking the drug Tamoxifen via pill once a day for the next 5+ years.

What is it? Tamoxifen is the oldest and most-prescribed selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). It is prescribed to treat women and men diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive, early-stage breast cancer after surgery/chemo/radiation to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back (recurring).

How does it work? Hormone receptor-positive breast cancers need estrogen and/or progesterone (female hormones produced in the body) to grow. Tamoxifen attaches to the hormone receptor in the cancer cell, blocking estrogen from attaching to the receptor. This slows or stops the growth of the tumor by preventing the cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow.

What are the side effects? Common side effects include bone and joint pain, hot flashes, nausea, fatigue, depression, headaches, mood swings, hair loss, trouble sleeping, loss of libido. Don’t be jealous. Some people experience such bad side effects that they have to stop. Others only experience very mild side effects and are completely fine. Everyone’s different.

To be honest, of all the different things I’ve had to tackle in this adventure, I’m most nervous about this little pill, Tamoxifen. I’ve never had to regularly take any type of medicine aside from birth control pills, which ironically may be part of the reason why I’m writing this blog in the first place! My oncologist said to take a few weeks off after radiation to give my body a break and then pick a date and start. I am planning to start Tamoxifen sometime after Labor Day. Wish me luck!

Aside from all of that, my eyelashes all fell out! It was so annoying. I thought I’d be more self conscious, but as Dillon so gently reminded me: “No one is noticing your eyelashes. You’re bald… they’re noticing your head.” Good point. Gotta love the directness of a 15 year old boy. Speaking of being bald, the hair on my head has just started growing back in and it’s a cool mix of black and grey. It’s as soft as a duckling and I can’t stop touching it.

Will post another update soon. Until then, we’re enjoying the last few days of summer and hope you are, too.

👩🏼‍🦲❤️

Banging the gong after my last radiation treatment

4th and final chemo = ✅

Mountain getaway before radiation = ✅

Feeling ready to tackle this next phase of my adventure = 💪🏼

. . .

My last chemo was 6/18 and went off without a hitch. They tried to use the same vein they used for infusion #2 but knew immediately that vein was not going to cooperate. Thankfully, I had a few more good ones they could use. Bittersweet ringing the bell as we were leaving… hoping it was the last time we saw those smiling faces, but grateful for their expertise, care and kindness. This may sound completely crazy, but going through chemo felt like I was an athlete gearing up for some huge, important competition. I prepped every aspect of my life for 12 weeks, established routines, back-ups, prayed/meditated, and had lots of people cheering for me. And then I (literally) rang the bell and it was over. People kept asking me if I was “so happy that it’s over” but to be honest, I still had to deal with the after effects (the worst part) and a lifetime of wondering IF I will ever have to have chemo again. But, since I don’t typically dwell on stuff I can’t control, I choose to simply look forward to the next phase this crazy adventure!

In perfect timing, one of my college BFFs and her daughter came to Chicago just as my last chemo after effects subsided. Spending time with my college girlfriends provided more relief than any other drug or acupuncture session 😉

I had my radiation planning session on 7/1 which essentially consisted of an hour on a CT scan table (taking measurements) and a handful of small tattoos to mark the spots. Thankfully, I had enough mobility from my frozen shoulder for them to work with and while I still don’t have full range of motion, I will be just fine for my 3 weeks of radiation. I will have 15 radiation sessions starting on Wednesday, 7/17 and ending Tuesday, 8/6.

As luck would have it, our family trip to Colorado was scheduled after my last chemo, so we were able to enjoy some time in the mountains with Kraft/Sager family. We spent 5 days in Beaver Creek hiking, biking, eating, and hanging out at the pool. We celebrated my MIL’s 70th birthday and the 4th of July – and I even experienced my first country concert, thanks to #poorchris. On our last day, one of my HS BFFs met us for breakfast which was such a nice treat, and reminded me how lucky I am to have so many amazing people from all different times in my life surrounding me… even on vacation.

Overall, I’m feeling pretty damn good. The only things I can complain about right now are mostly cosmetic:

Fatigue

Eyelashes and eyebrows continuing to fall out

Lop-sided boobs (they had to over-inflate one side and deflate the other in preparation for radiation)

Nails turned black near the cuticle so I am wearing dark pink nail polish and hoping none of them fall off

#whatevs

Can’t believe it’s been 6 months since I started this little adventure. Here’s a summary of my plan, assuming nothing changes:

1. Surgery: double mastectomy and 1st phase of reconstruction = 2/25 ✅
2. Chemo: 4 rounds TC = 4/12-6/18 ✅
3. Radiation: 3 weeks starting 7/17 and ending 8/6
4. 2nd phase of reconstruction (swapping out expanders for implants): Sept/Oct
5. Hormone therapy: 5-10 years 😬

On one hand, the past 6 months have flown by. On the other hand, there is still a lot more left to tackle. Thanks for sticking by my side, whether you are running with me, or cheering from the sidelines – I appreciate all the love, light and laughs you’ve intentionally shared with me, Chris Dillon, Mia, and OF COURSE Buddy.

xo,

👩🏼‍🦲❤️💪🏼

4th of July in Beaver Creek with Kraft/Sager cousins ☀️🏔

Chemo #3 on 5/28 is in the books! I wasn’t able to get acupuncture during the infusion, but we did enjoy some leftover home cooked Japanese food from my mom which was equally calming and good for the body 😉

The after effects were a little different this time around. The bone pain was only bad for a few days, but I’ve had bad indigestion, bloating, and overall stomach issues + some nausea throw into the mix. The nausea meds seem to work really well, so that part has been manageable. I’ve ben doing acupuncture once a week which might be helping to ease some of the side effects as well.

The most noticeable change has been fatigue. By 3pm, I notice myself getting exhausted, so I’ve been trying pace myself that first week back to work. I’ve also noticed that I start to lose my breath after even a few flights of stairs! I used to be super productive all day, starting at 6am and ending at midnight. Those 18 hours were filled with a full day of work, errands, carpools, working out, calls, emails, planning… and maybe a few minutes here and there to eat and go to the bathroom – but I was usually multitasking during both LOL. For all you working parents (especially the moms), you know the drill. Now, I have to squeeze in way more sleep (mostly because I get up a lot at night with hot flashes) and I’ve had to de-prioritize and reduce just about everything else I’m doing. I will say, it’s been nice to have way less going on to manage and worry about – makes taking care of myself a lot easier.

One of the craziest side effects from chemo is the impact it has on your tastebuds. Stuff tastes either bland, weird, or totally disgusting. And it’s hard to predict which foods will taste like what. To give you some examples:

• Bland: anything salty, anything processed
• Weird: juice, pasta
• Disgusting: plain water, any kind of grilled fresh fish, strawberries

I’ve been craving weird stuff like bagels and cream cheese, tuna fish, and peanut butter and jelly. Nectarines/peaches and blueberries are some of the only fruits I can still fully taste and enjoy. I have not been eating as healthy as before I started chemo, but I’ve been told to just focus on eating (as healthy as I can manage) because my body needs fuel to repair itself.

My biggest priority now is to get rid of my frozen shoulder so I have as close to full range of motion for the radiation CT planning appointment on 7/1. For those who have known me for a while, you know I have dislocated both shoulders 2-3x each. Some of you have witnessed these crazy moments (gymnastics practice, night swimming, the Villas, spring break in Key West, surfing in Hawaii, etc). I had frozen shoulder a few years ago, so it wasn’t a surprise that it happened again post surgery. Thank you to my PT and PT friends who have been helping me along the way!

Aside from the occasional brain fog (usually when trying to recall someone’s name), I’m feeling pretty good and looking forward to another week of recovery so I’m as strong as possible heading into my 4th and last chemo on 6/18. This adventure has continued to provide so much perspective around what really matters in life, and has allowed me to slow down a bit to smell the roses as they say. Thanks for your continued love and support over the past 5 months – that’s a long time to keep me on your mind given everything else you have going on in your busy lives. I appreciate it so much!

xo

😘💪🏼❤️

Chemo #2 infusion was both familiar and uneventful – two good things to feel while tackling this type of adventure. I was in the shared space instead of a private room which was good and bad. Bad because you had to hear a million other convos and it was less private, but good since you felt like you were in the express lane because they knew you could power through it. I decided to do acupuncture during the infusion which was wonderful – though my neighbor opted to pull the curtain so she didn’t have to see the needles (I don’t blame her). After acupuncture, I tried using these frozen mits on my hands to help with neuropathy, but aborted a few minutes in. Envision feeling totally calm and peaceful from a 30 min acupuncture treatment, then slapping on mittens made of ice and feeling extreme cold pain. Terrible. It was then when I felt grateful I had accepted (and sorta loved) being bald because there was no way I would have wanted to deal with cold cap therapy before/during/after each chemo session. For all those who have endured, I applaud you!

I was feeling a lot better by day 7 this round than I was at day 7 after the first infusion. Bone pain wasn’t as intense, perhaps because I started taking the Claritin a few days before chemo or perhaps because I was able to get 2 acupuncture sessions in that week. It’s hard to know what helped and what didn’t, so choosing to believe both these things contributed 🙂 This time, however, the hot flashes at night are much more intense (chemo throws you into menopause), and days 4-5 still felt like I was hit by a Mack truck. Or maybe a better description is something out of a Tom & Jerry cartoon… my brother and I watched a lot of Tom & Jerry when we were little (no judging). Imagine I am Tom. I was captured by Jerry and thrown into a knapsack, hit by a bunch of 2x4s and left in the alley. That’s kinda how you feel after chemo is pulsing through your system in full effect. I remember crawling out of bed feeling like I could barely open my eyes, stand up or talk above a whisper. Chris would ask WHAT feels bad and my response would simply be “everything”.

Despite all of these after effects, I have maintained my appetite – in fact, I have felt more hungry than normal. So much so that one night I proceeded to eat 2 bowls of pasta with spicy red sauce + a bowl of Chris’ homemade chicken/kale/orzo soup + a bunch of peanut butter and jelly crackers… all after 6pm. I woke up with an upset stomach, puked 🤮, showered, then went back to bed. #efficiency

I was lucky to feel pretty good on Mother’s Day, and enjoyed a walk with Dillon and Buddy, some chill time on the recliner, and an awesome dinner at one of our favorite places, Nico Osteria. The next day, Chris left for the week and my mom came in to help hold down the fort.

This week I noticed some redness near where my IV had been placed. I didn’t really think much of it until it started to look a little “angry” as the nurse so accurately described. Turns out, a little bit of the taxotere (one of the chemo drugs) leaked and caused a little havoc – not uncommon for those getting chemo via IV. The good news is it’s healing and should be healed by the next infusion.

Stuff in/with my mouth feels a little jacked up, too. There’s the constant feeling of making too much saliva – sort of like the feeling right before you puke… but I don’t puke. My mouth/tongue feels a little numb and it tastes like someone zapped all the flavor out of everything I eat. Fortunately, this hasn’t impacted my appetite (yet).

But enough about the bad. There are also some upsides that are definitely worth highlighting:

1. Being bald rocks because it feels totally liberating AND makes the hot flashes a lot easier to handle LOL
2. Getting ready is a breeze because I have no hair to wash/shave in the shower and no hair to dry/style. I literally slap some coconut oil on my head and I’m ready to go.
3. I’ve kept most of my top eyelashes (thanks to Lattise) and about 70% of my eyebrows thus far. Hoping they last another 2 rounds!
4. Waking up every morning NOT feeling like Tom in a knap sack feels amazing 😉#perspective

Chemo #3 is just around the corner on Tuesday 5/28. Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and keeping perspective ❤️

THANK YOU for the continued gifts, food, texts, emails, etc. It makes it feel like you are all on this adventure with us, and for that we are eternally grateful.

XO

Mother’s Day walk around Horner Park with Dillon and Buddy

I finally started to feel better about a week after my first chemo and the past few weeks have been terrific. So while every chemo infusion could result in a different experience, if my next one is anything like the first one, it will go something like this:

Days 1-2: 🙂 feel great

Days 3-7: 😩 extreme bone pain

Day 8: 😏 starting to feel good again

Days 9-22: 😁 feel great

I’ve had a few massages which have helped and experienced my first acupuncture treatment. I don’t think I realized some of the needles might hurt – like, a lot. Overall, I felt great afterwards and will continue acupuncture and massage therapy next week in hopes of helping to lessen/ease my pain and discomfort throughout chemo. That, and lots more showers and walks around the hood.

Just as I knew it would happen, I started to lose my hair around day 14. A few days prior, I remember my hair looking lifeless and limp and realized the roots must have died! I texted Esther who has been cutting my hair for over 20 years and we scheduled “the big shave”. My sister-in-law Jessica came with (who ironically has also been going to Esther for over 20 years) so it felt like family affair 😉 For anyone who has shaved their head (or thinking about it), it was incredibly liberating in a weird sort of way. I actually love being bald, but the looks that people give can be a little uncomfortable. It’s not common to see a bald woman so I understand why people either feel 1) bad for me assuming I’m bald because of cancer or 2) confused with my choice to go bald if they assume I’m otherwise healthy. I’ve also noticed how many bald MEN there are walking around. Like a lot. And it’s totally acceptable and mainstream. As with everything in this adventure, I’ve fully embraced my bald head👩🏼‍🦲 and have been either wearing a little cotton cap since it’s still freaking cold in Chicago or wear nothing and just be bald. I have lots of tiny pieces of buzzed hair that are falling out and I can’t decide if it’s creepy or cool to be able to pull them out. I’ll be happy once all the little hairs fall out because it’s looking a little ratty right now LOL. I’ve also been using coconut oil in lieu of lotion and it’s great for the scalp, too. The only downside is that I end up smelling like a macaroon and Buddy can’t help but try to lick my head 😂.

Monday, 5/6 is chemo #2 and I’m ready. I’m hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and excited to get one step closer to having this part of my adventure behind me.

I thought I was pretty resilient for being able to tackle this, work and keep my life together, but I’ve been more impressed with the people in my support network who have been unwavering with their non-stop reach outs, gifts, meals, prayers, etc. For a solid 4 months you’ve been determined to ensure I’m feeling constant support and love and for that I’m eternally grateful.

Wish me luck next week and I’ll try to blog again during or after this next round.

xo

. . . . .

This is a peek at my little diary (AKA a note on my phone). The shower 🚿 symbol literally means I took a shower as it was often the only thing that could provide immediate distraction/relief from the pain. I took lots of showers during the later stages of my pregnancies when my back muscles were spazzing out, so it’s always a good go-to for me when nothing else works. Don’t ever underestimate the power of a warm shower!

With Esther after the big shave 🙂

Still have eyebrows and eye lashes for now – and praying I keep at least some of them throughout treatment!

Friday’s chemo infusion was a breeze and Saturday felt great, BUT the honeymoon is over and the chemo (or Neulasta) Mack truck hit me hard on Sunday! Extreme bone pain that starts in my head, down through my jaw and neck and radiates out through my extremities. My upper arms and legs are especially on fire. I tried cleaning my closet which helped keep my mind off the pain for a few hours but the intensity continued to increase so there was little relief. I’ve been switching between Advil and Tylenol (in addition to daily Claritin which for some reason helps) and trying to combine intervals of rest and being active (taking 20 min slow walks around the block). To help you visualize… picture me and Chris walking:

Chris: super fit and alert in his Lululemon casual wear, air pods in ears, talking on work calls and to me non-stop…

Me: no make up, grey hair (I shouldn’t complain because I still have hair rn), old glasses, unflattering sweats, hunched over, not talking, and walking super slowwww – like an elderly grandmother, just observing the homes and other, unimportant details of life… a leaky drain, fat robins, and too many potholes. Sometimes I take a ziplock bag of super thinly sliced honey crisp applies with me – because apples that are cut too think are incredibly irritating and too intense right now. And yes, that’s a good example of how irritated I have felt in this chemo fog – usually with Chris when he asks annoying questions or says stuff (like anything) #poorchris

In addition to the bone pain, my mouth feels like 50 cold sores are about to erupt. I’ve been gargling with salt/baking soda/water mixture (yum!) 5x/day to help keep the sores away. Every time I swish, I imagine being in the ocean… otherwise I might throw up.

On the bright side, I haven’t had much nausea (yet). I still have magnets on my wrists and I’m trying to eat a mix of bland food (pastas, rice, bread) and healthy stuff when I’m up for it.

My next chemo is scheduled for Monday, 5/6. I am definitely going to try acupuncture to help with the symptoms. If I can make it through chemo without taking narcotics, I will be happy. Might not be possible — but I’m going to try.

Thanks for sending your healing thoughts my way. I didn’t want to post until I had turned a corner and today felt like that day. Here’s hoping the next two weeks are good to me and I can rebuild before chemo #2 💪🏼❤️

One of our many walks around the neighborhood this week ❤️

Soaking in as much vitamin D as possible with this guy ☀️

The next phase of my adventure includes 4 treatments of TC (Taxotere and Cytoxan) chemo every 3 weeks. Today was treatment #1 and it went great. The side effects will likely happen over the course of the next few days, but as far as the actual infusion – everything went well.

Here’s how the day went:

• 9:00am – breakfast at Beatrix and a visit from a friend who works at the hospital (so fun catching up, thanks for stopping by, J!)
• 10:20am – bloodwork
• 11:00am – met with Dr Flaum’s (my oncologist’s) PA Gina who explained the process, answered questions, and checked me out to be sure everything looked good.
• 12:00pm – IV started in my arm (no port), added anti-nausea meds. Nurse Debbie was awesome – super thorough, nice, funny, and just made the entire day run smoothly.
• Chris passed out on the couch (he flew in from SF around 1am this morning)
• My sister in law Jessica came to visit and brought magazines and other stuff she knows I like 🙂
• Acupuncturist came to explain all the cool stuff she can do (for free!) during my treatments. Today, she simply put magnets on my wrists and ears for any anticipated nausea, anxiety or stress.
• 1:15pm – started Taxotere. I’ve been reading stories about women who had major allergic reactions and just hoping that wouldn’t be me. The nurse stayed in the room for the first 15-20 min to be sure my body didn’t have a serious reaction which also gave me some peace of mind.
• 2:30pm: had our fav chicken kale soup from Beatrix for lunch
• 2:45pm – started Cytoxan
• 2:50pm – Nurse Debbie applied an on-body Neulasta injector to my arm which automatically inserts a tiny tube so it can inject the medicine in 27 hours. Reminds me of the local anesthesia I had auto-dispensing inside of me after my surgery which was amazing. Before this device, you would have to go back to the hospital to get the Neulasta shot so this just makes for a better patient experience.
• 3:30pm – Chemo #1 DONE ✅

After much research, I’ve decided not to try the cold cap therapy and going to embrace going bald 👩‍🦲👍🏼. I’ll probably start to lose my hair over the next 2-3 weeks. Once that starts, I’ll shave it and start wearing some cute and maybe not-so-cute caps/hats. Will definitely post pics once that happens!

We’re planning to spend the weekend relaxing, but really bummed we are missing Dillon’s soccer tournament in St Louis. Thank you to our soccer family for looking after him and cheering extra loud to make up for Chris’ obnoxious voice.

Thanks to everyone who has cooked and dropped off such delicious food, sent cards, gifts, and so many thoughtful (and funny) emails and texts. I know I sound like a broken record, but we are so grateful for all the love and support.

❤️💪🏼😘

Beautiful view of Lake Michigan from the room.

I was nervous to have an IV vs. a port based on the horror stories (e.g. blowing veins), but everything went well today. Hoping my veins cooperate for 3 more times!

We’ll try to take this same selfie after each chemo treatment 😉

Post surgery recovery and return to work

It’s been a little over 4 weeks since my surgery and I’m feeling really good. Literally better every day. Still working on getting back to my full mobility via daily exercises and physical therapy, but walking on the treadmill and outside whenever possible (my sister in law and I did a 4-miler this past weekend 💪🏼). I also started back to work on Monday and it felt awesome to 1) be active all day engaging with people and 2) use my brain on stuff that I actually know about as opposed to cancer! It was an amazing feeling to be welcomed back to such a supportive company and team – felt like a warm, familiar hug 🙂

Go forward treatment plan

Last week we met Dr Jonathan Strauss (NM radiation oncologist). He knew my situation well since Dr Hansen (surgeon) presented my case to the team so they could discuss. He spent a lot of time talking with us which was really helpful. In short, the unclear posterior margin appears to be the result of my small frame/breast size vs. an aggressively growing cancer. Given the margins and micromet in my sentinel node, he recommends 3 weeks of radiation.

On Monday, we met with Dr Gini Fleming, medical oncologist from UChicago for a second opinion. About 5 minutes before our scheduled appointment, my oncotype results came back which could not have been better timing. Our incredible Internist saw the results and immediately sent them over so we could discuss during our appointment. For those unfamiliar, the Oncotype DX tests specific genes in the breast tumor tissue to help predict the chance of recurrence and response to chemotherapy. The test generates a score between 1-100. Mine was 25 which is unfortunately not low, but rather on the high end of the intermediate range. Studies show that women under 50 years old with oncotype scores between 16-25 receive a small benefit from adding chemotherapy to endocrine therapy. This, combined with my unclear margin and micromet in my 1 sentinel node means that I will be going through 4 rounds (12 weeks in total) of TC chemo prior to radiation. Both medical oncologists from NM and UChicago had the same recommendation. My assessment: I’m NOT thrilled I need to do chemo, BUT thankful it’s the lighter of the 2 types of chemo AND happy I received the same recommendation from both doctors. I’m also feeling great about staying with NM, under the care of Dr Lisa Flaum and Dr Jonathan Strauss. My call with Dr Flaum today was informative, supportive and reassuring. As one friend told me early on, your medical oncologist is like your quarterback, so be sure you feel 100% confident with the person you choose – and I definitely do!

In terms of timing, I hope to start chemo on April 12th, and will lock everything down by end of week.

Cancermoon and chemo-prep

We spontaneously decided on a last minute trip to sunny AZ before my treatment begins. I’m calling it my Cancermoon – like honeymoon (after the wedding) and babymoon (before the baby)… for me this is after surgery and before treatment. Looking forward to some sun and relaxation before heading into the next phase of my BC Adventure!

Advice and support

I plan to do some research over the next week and would love any and all pre-chemo recommendations/advice. The one thing I am most interested in learning more about is cold cap therapy – a technique that can potentially help prevent/reduce hair loss during chemo. That being said, Mia told me that “I could totally rock a bald head” so I’m feeling pretty good about whatever happens to my hair ❤️

Thank you to those who have contributed to the meal train, offered to go on walks, meet at Midtown, grab a meal, etc. It’s been great to catch up and NOT talk about me or my adventure – so let’s keep that going through my treatment!

I am feeling really confident about my plan and realistic about the next few months ahead. Similar to my approach with surgery, I’m taking it one step at a time while keeping perspective.

XO 😘

Just a random picture of Buddy because he’s so dang cute ❤️

Now that surgery is over, we finally met with a medical oncologist from Northwestern (NM) – Dr. Lisa Flaum. There were two medical oncologists who were referred by lots of people (current and former patients, fellow doctors or those in the industry) and Lisa was one of them. We first met with her resident who was super thorough and spent a lot of time with us. He opened up by telling us that he’s reviewed everything and wanted to play it back to be sure he got it right. And that he did – every last detail without looking at the computer or his notes. Pretty impressive. Dr. Flaum came in after and shared a cliff note style summary of her recommendations and next steps. Everything they shared seemed to align with our early expectations along with what I’ve been reading/hearing from others. Here’s the summary:

• Type: Invasive lobular, HR+ (hormone receptor positive), HER2 negative
• How fast it’s growing: grade 2 (medium) and Ki-67 proliferation marker was low (less than 5% cells dividing)
• Stage: combo of size (mine was 2.5 cm at greatest diameter) and status in lymph nodes (micromet detected in that one sentinel node) = 2A
• Treatment – local: this refers to the double mastectomy surgery that I just had as well as targeted radiation. No more surgery being contemplated, but definitely radiation. I have an appt scheduled with Dr Jonathan Strauss (radiology oncologist from NM) on 3/18 who will share his radiation recommendation.
• Treatment – systemic: this refers to both chemotherapy and anti-estrogen therapy. In my case, that pesky micromet in my sentinel node makes it tricky. They said 5+ years ago, any and all lymph node involvement meant chemo. But after studying recurrence rates in patients with certain types of cancers, they have found that it does not always benefit the patient and result in lower recurrence rates. So, they are running a more specific genetic test called the Oncotype DX. This will give more insight into whether I would benefit from chemotherapy. Results should be back in ~2 weeks. Regardless of chemo and because I’m pre-menopausal, I will need to take the anti-estrogen therapy drug Tamoxifen for at least 5 years.
• Overall components of my treatment: surgery (done), chemo if needed, radiation, then the anti-estrogen therapy drug (5 yrs)

I have already scheduled a second opinion with a medical oncologist (Dr. Gini Fleming) that was highly referred from the University of Chicago on 3/25. Ideally, my oncotype test results will be back before that appointment.

The good news is that for my situation, we’re on track from a timing perspective as they want me to heal prior to starting treatment and no earlier than 4-6 weeks post surgery. Given my scheduled appointments, I expect to be back to work on 3/25 which was what I initially planned, and then starting treatment sometime in April.

The other good news is that I seem to be recovering well from surgery. End of last week I was worried I had an infection on my left side since it became red/swollen after the drains came out. I even started to feel achy/chills. But, after drinking a crap-ton of water and sleeping 9 hours, I felt WAY better the next day and while still a little red, it seems to be getting a little better every day. This was a good reminder that I still need to REST and focus on recovery even though resting is reallllllyyyy hard for someone like me!

One random story that I’ll leave you with. Over the weekend I found the series Drug Lords on Netflix. Basically documentaries about all sorts of infamous drug kingpins. I like watching shows that are real, but so crazy that they could also be totally made up. I must have consumed a lot because last night I woke up in the middle of the night (thanks to Chris’ snoring), decided to get some water then proceeded to tell Chris I was having dreams about drug lords. He responded half-asleep, “ha, that’s funny… jugglers… from the circus.” Then we both cracked up laughing and I nearly choked on my water. Drug lords, jugglers – one in the same 😂

Anyway, your gifts, cards and meals continue to pour in daily. Thank you so much for the endless supply of generosity and love! ❤️

Fresh manju all the way from Sakuraya in Gardenia, CA – courtesy of Uncle Ken and Auntie Peg

Random gifts from random friends ❤️🐀

More beautiful flowers… these daffodils remind me that Spring should be just around the corner?!

My girlfriends sent these roses from Venus et Fleur that are supposed to last for a year without any watering or upkeep?!

A typical view from my recliner downstairs = Dillon on his phone, Mia in the kitchen making something, and Buddy chillaxing ❤️

When I really need to rest, I head to my room to relax in bed or in the crazy comfortable Lazyboy. Mia keeps me company while we watch the Great British Baking Show

My most favorite spot is on the couch with my Buddy ❤️

Now that the big surgery is behind me, I’ve been focusing on both recovery and my go-forward treatment plan.

Recovery update:

All 4 drains came out on Tuesday, 8 days post surgery. The experience of pulling out the drains was not fun, but I can’t complain. It was fast and I felt a million times better without having 4 drains hanging out of me! Still numb, sore and uncomfortable, but Tylenol and Advil continue to be my best friends. Next week they will start to inflate the expanders.

Pathology:

Pathology report came back and it looks like the posterior margin was not clear and the anterior margin was very close. Also, the 1 sentinel node they removed was positive for micrometastatic carcinoma (tiny amount – 0.15 cm in greatest dimension). They will be reviewing my case this week, but it sounded like radiation is likely +\- chemo and then for sure hormone therapy given I am ER/PR+. Could have been better but also could have been worse, so we’ll take it!

I am scheduled to meet with Dr Lisa Flaum (medical oncologist) on 3/11 and Dr Jonathan Strauss (radiology oncologist) on 3/18. Both are in the same practice as Dr Hansen and come highly recommended.  Optimally, I would love to get at least 1-2 other opinions outside of NM re: treatment. I am also very interested in finding an oncologist who has extensive experience in treating lobular breast cancer as I know it is less common and less researched than ductal. If you have any recommendations, please send to me directly: Kraft.stacey@gmail.com

Other random updates:

• I started watching Finding Neverland and it is so disturbing, I’m not sure I can – or want to finish it. If you plan to watch it just be prepared! I’m going to stick with the Great British Baking Show.
• Given my recent diagnosis, I’ve been thinking a lot about the environmental factors, including the air we breathe from our home that was a rehab we purchased 5 years ago. Please share any info or recommendations for any local (Chicagoland) companies that do air quality/mold/asbestos/VOC testing. Happy to share info with those who are interested.
• I have one ask… please try not to over emphasize how “sorry” you are for me/us. It’s a perfectly acceptable thing to say, just remember that we are hearing it x20 and it gets quite exhausting telling (and in some cases convincing) people that I/we are OK. If you know us well, you can be sure we are tackling this adventure like anything else – with positivity, humility, humor – and a very practical and intentional mindset.

Thank you for the steady stream of flowers, food, gifts, books/magazines, texts, etc. Every time the doorbell rings or my phone dings, I am reminded by the outpouring of love streaming into our lives right now. Please keep it coming – we love you guys!

XO

What a difference a good night of sleep makes! We’ve finally aligned to a 9am/4pm/11pm cycle so we don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to take meds (Advil, Tylenol, antibiotic). Last week, Chris and I had a standing date in the middle of the night (usually around 2am), half asleep, eating multigrain tortilla chips in bed while I swallowed my pills. This is the romantic side of 18 years of marriage.

One big mistake I made last night was taking all the pills then immediately laying down. MASSIVE HEARTBURN. Chris picked up some antacid pills from Whole Foods which helped, along with time.

Every day is getting a little easier. My voice is stronger (I can yell again!) and I’m able to move around quicker. That being said, every once in a while I move and feel sharp pain which reminds me to slow down. A few people have asked what it feels like. It feels like someone put a birdcage under my skin, left some drains hanging out of my body, then duct taped it really tight around my chest. So it’s always tight and uncomfortable, and sometimes painful when I move certain ways.

Speaking of drains, I wish I could share pics/videos, but I won’t because it might make people uncomfortable or grossed out. I thought the kids might think it’s cool, but they can barely hear me talk about them. It’s actually quite fascinating to have 4 drains coming out of you and watching the fluid start as thick, dark red blood and eventually turn lighter both in substance and color. It’s been encouraging to see more yellowish/clear fluid coming out over the past day or so. The whole emptying the drain process is like a science experiment:

Carefully but thoroughly clear the drain cords to pull through any clotty stuff (that’s a technical term). Be careful not to rip them out of your body. If you accidentally pull too hard, the patient will scream at you.

Open the top of each numbered drain bulb and carefully pour the blood/fluid into its corresponding container (read: pee cup that has numbers written in Sharpie).

Record the time, color and how many mL collected into journal.

Repeat 2-3 times per day.

I have been wearing a special robe to carry my drains that I love called the Brobe robe. You can also safety pin them to the inside of your shirt, but the robe is way easier. If you know anyone going through this, buy them one of these robes! When showering, I simply safety pin the drains to a latex lanyard (read: a bunch of blood pressure straps tied together, camp-style, that forms a long necklace). It’s a little clumsy of a process, but it works.

Current recommendations:

• The Great British Bake Off
• Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown
• Energy bars from Space 519
• Anything from Barefoot Dreams
• Animal slipper socks

Post op appointments with Dr. Hansen (breast surgeon) and Dr. Fine (plastic surgeon) are tomorrow. I’m also awaiting the full pathology report in preparation for my oncologist appointment on 3/11. Keep those prayers and positive thoughts coming!

XO

Drain collection thanks to nurse Chris

Snacks courtesy of Chef Mia

Unconditional love provided by Buddy ❤️

My last post was 7 hours after surgery and I was so surprised and happy I wasn’t in a lot of pain. I had no idea what recovery from major surgery was going to be like so I was expecting to feel the type of pain I have felt with all of my shoulder dislocations (many of you have experienced these with me!), partially dislocated joint in my lower back, and a few years ago when I fell down the stairs and fractured my sacrum (s5). But it was a lot less painful, so I was super relieved.

Monday night in the hospital was pretty exhausting. People coming in to check vitals, take blood, help me to the bathroom = no sleep. At some point I remember dry heaving in the bathroom with my sweet nurse Jessica holding my hair back and tasting the most disgusting gas – likely anesthesia. Also, here’s something no one tells you which is no biggie but just super random – you are basically walking around with the gown open in the back and your bare ass exposed. Nurses see it all.

We came home Tuesday afternoon and I spent most of the day resting in the LazyBoy recliner we bought on clearance last Sunday. Despite the comfy chair, I decided to sleep in our bed and Chris and I got a little more sleep. I reminded him this was what it was like when we had a newborn, but I don’t think he remembers.

Today (Wednesday) was pretty good. Took a shower which was pretty involved, but not too bad. Even (slowly) blew dry my hair (well, not the back), so feeling pretty good moving my arms. Watched Michael Cohen, Marie Kondo, and fell asleep to Guy’s Grocery Games. One thing I wasn’t anticipating was how sore my throat would be and how hard it would be to talk normally after having been intubated. Dillon thinks it’s hilarious how sloooowlyyyy I’m talking and moving – reminds him of himself.

In terms of pain it’s been pretty well managed with Tylenol, Advil + this miraculous numbing medicine called bupivacaine that auto-dispenses locally every hour, directly into my chest. It’s in this amazing little contraption that’s attached to me by fanny pack that sends a dose every hour until it’s out – usually 48-72 hours after surgery. Sadly, it’s out of juice (explains the pain I felt today) so we had to pull the thin lines out of my body. Ok, Chris actually did it because I was too chicken! It didn’t hurt but was super creepy. Thankfully, we got the Tramadol filled in case I need it tonight or this week!

I’ve received so many wonderful care packages of food, juice, sweets, thoughtful cards, generous gift cards, and flowers that are filling our home – thank you. Speaking of flowers, shout out to Stella Grey Blooms which is run by a friend whose flowers have been gorgeous! #shoplocal

My mom made her traditional Japanese sukiyaki dinner today and it was delicious.

Going to bed and hoping for a little more rest and a little less discomfort tonight.

😴❤️💪🏼

Hi all –

I’m feeling pretty damn good so thought it would be worth a quick post!

• Felt great from the time I arrived at 8:15. Our Internist stopped by to check in on us while Chris ate breakfast and I starved.
• As per my prior experience at NM, everyone has been super nice, informative and thorough. At one point, Chandler (on Hansen’s team) even mentioned he was going to “get some water and eat some nuts” prior to my surgery which (like 4th graders) made Chris and I crack up after he left the room 😂
• I was wheeled into the OR right before 12pm, and I remember seeing lots of people in the room — and then the next thing I remember hearing were people asking me to take deep breaths as they wheeled me into recovery. I remember not realizing I was done with surgery – like my brain was suuuuuuuper slow and I could barely talk. I think the clock said 4 something and that’s when I realized it was over.
• I remember not feeling great so when the nurse asked what my pain felt like on a scale of 1-10, I said 7-8… and she immediately gave me something. I also remembering feeling like I could cry but not sure why, and thought it might hurt so I took a few deeps breaths and felt better. I think it was the pain. Soon, the pain dropped to a 3-4 level and she gave me more. I then realized the goal was no pain, NOT just to tolerate it.

Chris came in and I remember not being able to talk a lot and I could only whisper. Super weird. Prob from breathing tube in surgery. One of my pet peeves is that Chris CANNOT whisper, but now I know he CAN! Besides that good news LOL he also told me Dr Hansen confirmed she only took 1 sentinel node and it looked/felt clean but is sending it along with everything else for full pathology report. Dr Fine (plastics) said everything went great, too.

• Waited for a while to get the “transport” to my room – sounded like they were pretty backed up. My parents were already in the room and I was able to get out of one bed and into the other on my own which was good. No pain, but Chris was giving me the numbing stuff every 15 min and it must have been too much because I was getting super out of it, dizzy/nauseous. So we stopped those extra boosts and let it administer every hour and I feel way better.
• Been in room since 7pm JUST in time to watch the Bachelor. Like literally perfect timing. We ate some not-so-great pizza and multigrain chips while Caelynn went home heartbroken and Cassie continued to not commit.
• I have been taking Tylenol every 6 hours and feeling no pain when in bed. Hurts a little when I move around (obvi), but honestly my throat is more sore than my chest. Went pee 2x, had to replace a bandage for something that was leaking (nasty but fine), and now just chillaxing and watching some bad pawn shop show on the History channel.
• Chris seems relived and less stressed 😉

Going to try to get some sleep as there will be a few wake ups throughout the night. Thank you for all of your texts, emails and FB posts – it has been incredible to see/read/hear all of your love and support.

XO

Note that if I need additional pain meds they are going with Tramadol (circled in red) which reminds me of our puppy Trooper who we had to put down a few years ago. He was on that stuff all the time for his hemophilia before it was diagnosed 😦 Maybe he is here with us in spirit ❤️

This week I had a crazy dream. You know the kind when you try to play it back, but it makes no sense? Here’s what I remember… I was finishing a school tour of some sort, came back to wherever I was staying and realized I needed to either put on a shirt or change my existing one. I grab the shirt, press it against my chest (covering my boobs) and run topless across the street to a different house. I knock on the door and the daughter of someone I know answers and tells me I can change in their guest bathroom. On the way, I see their cat. I like animals, so I remember saying “hi” as it follows me into the bathroom. As I begin to put on the shirt, the cat starts to attack me! Picture a crazy, mean cat lunging and jumping from all different angles, trying to claw and bite the crap out of me. I try grabbing the skin behind it’s neck while trying not to get bit until the girl hears the commotion, opens the door and removes the crazy cat. I look down at my hands and body to assess the damage and realize I’m actually in pretty good shape. I leave the house with my shirt on… and then I wake up!

I told the kids about it and in typical form, Dillon simply thought it was weird, but Mia immediately thought the same thing I did — the cat must represent cancer or my upcoming surgery. Comes out of nowhere and is trying to attack me, but I end up OK after the whole ordeal 😉

Aside from random cat dreams, I’ve been busy transiting things at work (will be taking 4 weeks off after surgery) and getting the kids’ schedule locked down for the upcoming week(s). I’ve received a ton of terrific advice/tips heading into surgery on Monday, along with more gifts, cards, emails, and texts. An old friend from HS shipped a huge bin of clothes (including robes made to hold drains) and pillows that have been compiled and passed down from recent BC survivors. Another friend is literally shipping her (nice) recliner to me so I have a more comfortable chair during recovery. I’m so grateful for all the love that continues to pour into our lives right now.

A few other things…

• Email or text me any good tips before/after surgery. I have heard about and am prepared for a pretty rough ride, so I’m not necessarily looking to hear about your horror stories… mainly looking for simple tips (e.g. steal a gown from the hospital so you have a soft one at home)
• Keep the cards, emails, texts coming!
• For those of you in Chicago, I highly recommend the spicy tuna sandwich and Greenshield juice (kale, broccoli, cucumber, spinach, apple) at JOE AND THE JUICE.

Surgery scheduled for Monday! For all those who have asked (or thinking about asking), I am feeling REALLY GOOD and ready to get this show on the road!

XO

It was a great day and not just because it was Dillon’s 15th birthday!

The radiologist called and confirmed NO CANCER from the biopsy in my left breast! This means, they won’t test the sentinel nodes on my left side during surgery which is a great thing.

Speaking of surgery – it has been confirmed for Monday, February 25th. Sooner than I expected, but I am anxious to get this show on the road, so happy it’s finally booked!

Thank you for sending all of your prayers and positive vibes – they have certainly helped! XO

Hi all –

I’ve been busy doing, thinking and deciding on things since my last post. Some highlights:

1. Met with and selected a plastic surgeon – Dr. Neil Fine. He was referred by so many people and after meeting with him and others in his practice, I understand why. He stressed priority #1 was to get rid of the cancer and helped me to think about reconstruction as something I may want either now or in the future – even if if feels like getting new boobs is the FARTHEST thing from my mind right now. It was a little surreal – talking about implants and reconstruction, flipping through pictures and talking about nipple saving techniques vs nipple tattoos. Sorry if that last part made any of you uncomfortable, it made us uncomfortable, too!
2. Spoke with my surgeon, Dr. Hansen, and confirmed the plan for my surgery. It sort of sounds like a fast food order, “I’ll have a double mastectomy with a sentinel node biopsy on the right side, potentially on the left (see #3), and step 1 of reconstruction (tissue expanders under the muscle).” The surgery itself will be about 4 hours – 2 with Dr. Hansen for the mastectomies and 2 with Dr. Fine for step 1 of reconstruction. I don’t have a date as of yet – waiting on the schedulers to book. Waiting being the key word here… part of me is so anxious to get this thing scheduled and the other part is loving the time in between when I’m feeling great before the REAL adventure starts.
3. Had MRI-guided biopsy on left breast on Friday. Based on the last biopsy which hurt WAY more than I ever expected (I almost passed out!) and some insight from people who had this type of MRI-biopsy, I was expecting the worst. Envision mammogram, face-down breast MRI and biopsy procedure all at the same time. I’ll spare you the details, only that the numbing shots (especially the 2nd one that went in DEEP) was pretty bad. However, 30 seconds later I was super thankful it did its job because I didn’t feel any pain during the actual biopsy. The best part of this little adventure were the amazing nurses, technicians, doctors and residents that made me feel super comfortable during every step of the process. I’ll find out the results Monday or Tuesday. If it comes back as cancer, Dr. Hansen will do a sentinel node biopsy on the left side (in addition to the right as planned) during surgery. If it’s not cancer, I won’t need the sentinel node biopsy on the left side.

Overall, good progress was made and I’m still feeling good! Will leave you with my highlights of the past week:

• Warm gowns – might seem like such a small thing to highlight, but it felt like a warm hug after a rough day and for that, I was grateful!
• The Beatrix salad bar on the 2nd floor of Prentice – best chicken/kale soup and salad with all the right type of (read: healthy) fixings.
• Amazing nurses – smart, reassuring, funny/distracting, and so important to make a patient feel comfortable and supported.
• The outpouring of (more) love and support in the form of food, texts, laughs, gifts, and visits. I thank each and every one of you.

Will share another update once surgery is scheduled – XO

Yes, I am actually calling my recent cancer diagnosis an adventure. Why? Because the Google definitions felt spot on for what’s in store for me in 2019:

ad ven ture

noun: an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.

verb: engage in hazardous and exciting activity, especially the exploration of unknown territory.

Cancer is certainly hazardous, super unknown, and definitely exciting in a sort of “wait, is this really happening” sort of way. Here’s my story…

. . .

My breast cancer (BC) adventure started out with a routine, annual mammogram on November 26th. A few weeks later, I was called back for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound which took place on December 24th (Merry Christmas to me!) where I caught my first glimpse of the BC. The radiologist showed me two, small masses in my right breast and swiftly recommended a core needle biopsy. I mentioned we were taking a week-long family trip to Mexico in 4 days, and asked if I should cancel. Her answer was something about it “not being a medical emergency” and also indicated I might not even be able to schedule a biopsy in a matter of days. So off we went to Mexico to enjoy some fun and sun. While I didn’t quite forget about the looming biopsy, I was able to relax and enjoy lots of pool time, margaritas, card games, sunsets, and quality time with our friends and family.

I had the biopsy on January 11th which was a lot more painful than I expected. I just remember by the 4th or 5th sample, I felt a wave of nausea and a feeling like I might pass out. Thankfully, neither happened and I remember thinking – I hope I never have to experience that again!

On January 15th, my amazing Internist texted me to let me know she saw my results <invasive, lobular carcinoma that is ER/PR+ and HER-2 negative in my right breast> and wanted to talk me through everything. I texted Chris to tell him I was about to hear the news which was inevitably a cancer diagnosis, but he was on a plane that was literally pushing back from the gate en route to SF, so I headed to my doctors office and took in the news. To be honest, it was a little anti-climactic perhaps because I had been playing out this scenario in my head for the past few weeks and accepting this unfortunate, but possible outcome. I was feeling pretty calm, cool and collected although my blood pressure was over 150 so clearly, I was a lot more stressed than I thought! But, in true Buddhist form, I quickly accepted without anger the diagnosis and started to think about what I needed to do/plan for next.

My plan:

1. Communicate the news to the people who needed to know: family, close friends, key people at work, those close to the kids
2. Find and select the best breast surgeon
3. Schedule MRI and complete genetic testing
4. Have surgery
5. Determine treatment
6. Keep perspective

Update on #1: My life was going to change and I wanted to be honest, transparent, and positive about how I/we plan to tackle this next adventure in our lives. After sending a few emails and texts, I was flooded with so much love and support. I feel super lucky to have such an amazing support network which likely includes everyone reading this post and then some. Thank you for reaching out with your advice, prayers, referrals, jokes, gifts, and open-ended offers to help with just about anything we may need over the coming months ahead. Please keep ’em coming.

Update on #2: Because of all the amazing people in our lives, I quickly received at least two dozen referrals which pointed to two of the best breast surgeons in the city… and who both happen to have the same first name (weird?) but practice at different hospitals. Within 1 week of my diagnosis, I had already met both surgeons and confidently selected one: Dr. Nora Hansen at Northwestern.

Update on #3: Genetic testing came back negative, but my MRI showed non-mass areas of enhancement in both breasts. Could be nothing, but just in case, I’ll have an MRI-guided biopsy on my left breast next week.

Update on #4: To the extent I have a choice (and I may not, depending on if the cancer has spread to my lymph nodes), I was considering lumpectomy vs single mastectomy vs double mastectomy. I have talked with many people (including current patients, recent and long term survivors) and am likely going with the double mastectomy + reconstruction adventure. Will finalize that decision next week after meeting with my surgeon and plastic surgeon.

Update on #5: I’ve received a number of referrals for oncologists (thank you to all who have shared). Will meet/decide soon.

Update on #6: I have lots to be thankful for… an amazing husband, two incredible kids, and an 85-lb beast of a dog who all remind me what life is about. I have a job that I love with crazy-great benefits and co-workers who actively remind me to prioritize ME over work. While Chris is still traveling most weeks, he is doing his best to ensure I have what I need and has tapped into his passion for cooking. He makes sure I am eating homemade, healthy meals and was responsible for introducing me to Lucky Juice-iano from the Real Good Stuff company.

I intend to keep blogging to keep everyone updated about what’s happening and will also share some fun, random things that I learn along my adventure.

Top takeaways:

• Cutting out sugar, alcohol and most meat – and eating veggies and whole grains was easy to do, and something I should have done way sooner. Current food favorites: Tuscan Kale salad at the Warbler (Mia has a crush on Chef Ken) and Job’s Tears at Chromium, the restaurant at Midtown Athletic Club.
• There are way too many toxins and bad stuff in the products we use/consume. I just swapped out all of my make up, hair and skincare products for Beautycounter products. If you’re not familiar and want to check it out, I can connect you to the perfect person who can help.
• Who knew all those years of competitive gymnastics would be helpful to me right now? While I was face-down and unable to move or even breathe heavily while getting my 45-min MRI, I kept my eyes closed and repeated a bunch of routines in my mind over and over again. Going through those old routines was a great way to focus and calm my mind.
• Don’t ever underestimate the power of laughter and entertainment to help balance out all the serious shit. My current guilty pleasures: watching the Bachelor and Schitt’s Creek with the kids (no judging).

On the whole, I am doing just fine, taking it one day at at time, and feeling 110% ready to take on this crazy adventure 😉

Until next time!

xo