Tag: Breast Cancer

Medicine

Medicine

by bridewitt ♥ 3 Comments

On Thursday morning, I had my “chemo teach” with the oncology APRN. Basically, this is just education on the nitty gritty details of the chemo regimen I’ll be going through.

Since I saw my oncologist on May 5, she changed her mind regarding the best course of treatment, and is now recommending that I start with the more “aggressive” chemo medications first. This combo of adriamycin and cytoxan, a.k.a. the “red devil” (because of the color of the infusion), will be given every other week for 4 rounds (8 weeks). I won’t bore you with the major side effects, but this medication will lower my immune system significantly so the infusion is followed up with a shot of udenyca (formerly known as neulasta) which will stimulate my bone marrow to increase white blood cell production.

This was a hard pill to swallow for me since I’d thought we’d be doing the “less intense” chemo first and that I’d maybe get to skip the other if my scans all came back clear. This actually is the typical protocol so it shouldn’t have come as so much of a surprise, but I’d been preparing mentally for the taxol treatment so I got a bit rattled. It’s simply a reminder for me that triple negative breast cancer is aggressive and although I am stage I, it doesn’t mean I get to skip any steps.

While I’m ready to get the ball rolling and begin treatment, I am feeling a bit of resentment at the whole COVID situation at this point since I won’t be able to have anyone sit with me during my infusions, and Justin will only be able to drop me off and pick me up from my port surgery on Friday.

I’m also unsure how I’ll respond to the treatment and that anxiety comes in waves. I’ve been very aware of my mindset around treatment and there are definitely times when I have to remind myself that chemo is just medicine and that I’m fortunate that there is something that can heal me even if it could have some nasty side effects.

In other news, I started my hormone injections for the egg retrieval and it’s going well. I should be able to have that procedure done next week between Monday and Wednesday.

I’ve been trying to get outside and enjoy the sun and the beach as much as I can. I made one of my favorite vegetarian/vegan meals this week (here‘s the recipe!), and Justin’s been making sourdough bread which makes me very happy! I was able to go for a short hike after work yesterday with my old coworker, Erin, and I was really thankful to have time out in nature with once of my most supportive friends.

Tonight, we had dinner for our friend Jimmy’s birthday – it’s nice to be able to get together to celebrate something. I felt very touched that everyone offered to pray over me and we had a really great dinner. If any of you need some really delicious spices, check out our friend Kai’s spices here. ❤

I hope everyone’s having a nice Memorial Day weekend and that you’re all staying safe & healthy!

xo

Weekend Update

Weekend Update

by bridewitt ♥ 1 Comment

I know it’s not the weekend yet, but I’m off tomorrow so I can do about 8 million scans (jk, kinda), so it’s my weekend!

This week has been rather uneventful, thank goodness! I did have a consultation with a genetic counselor on Monday and just received my “spit test” in the mail today. I should get that back in about three-ish weeks. This tiny little saliva sample may seem small in the scheme of things, but in reality, the results will have a significant impact on my treatment course so if everyone could just take a quick sec and pray that I’m BRCA negative, that would be much appreciated!

I also just received two HUGE boxes full of hormones and needles. I’m actually pretty sure my security guard was pissed that the boxes were taking up so much space in his tiny office…but he better just be glad he doesn’t have to get all emotional and hormonal next week!

The hormones are actually part of the egg retrieval process that should begin next week sometime. The process is 10 days of injections, and then egg retrieval two days later after my ovaries have produced approximately 20 beautiful future hapa baby eggs. I sincerely apologize in advance to everyone in case I can’t stop crying for no reason next week…

Tomorrow, I’ll have a CT scan and bone scan to make sure the cancer is only in my left boob and a baseline EKG/ECG to check my heart function before I start treatment.

I’ll have a chemo consultation next week to learn about what I may experience during my next 12 weeks of infusions. Tentatively, I’ll have my chemo port placed on May 29, unless bumped by my egg retrieval which depends completely on my (usually undependable) menstrual cycle.

As I said before, my life does not only revolve around cancer….
I’m still going to work every day, but for the past several months I’ve been relocated from our PT office to a “manpower” job that has me calling back patients with negative COVID results. I feel like this has been a cool role to play in this pandemic in that I get to give a lot of good news! I also get to work with some really fun nurses and fellow PTs.

Today, the Hawaii Air National Guard did a fly over for most of the major hospitals on the islands. Truly, the doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, PT/OT/SLPs, housekeepers (and the list goes on…) who have been tasked with caring for these patients on the front lines deserve all the praise in the world and this was an awesome way to pay respect to them!

#MahaloHealthHeroes

Today, I also taught a Zoom Pilates session with a friend/coworker from my previous job. I enrolled in a Pilates teacher training in February and being able to complete that and do all of the mat work at home during these “quarantine” times has been a real life-saver!

Unfortunately, Justin and I had to cancel our 2nd anniversary trip to Yosemite and Sonoma in September which is a huge, huge bummer. My chemo won’t end until sometime around October so we figured we better just reschedule. So much for getting off the rock this year….
I guess I will just have to Pinterest plan my dream vacation in the meantime!

Yosemite Dreamin’

Hope you are all having a great week – take care of yourselves!

xo

Yosemite photo credit: https://www.sunset.com/travel/california/yosemite-national-park

Your Monday Motivation

Your Monday Motivation

by bridewitt ♥ 2 Comments

One of the things I hear the most from people when I tell them that I have cancer is “I’m sorry.” I’ve been reflecting on that statement a lot, and I had a really great conversation about this with my priest, Fr. Russell, a few weeks ago.

I get that cancer isn’t exactly the type of diagnosis that anyone wants in their whole lifetime, let alone just after they turned 30. While it is very scary news, and while many things about my diagnosis are uncertain, I’ve decided to take Fr. Russell’s (always excellent) advice and “struggle well.”

He told me that in Russia, instead of saying I’m sorry, people will tell someone with a new cancer diagnosis “thank you.” Thank you for struggling well. Thank you for fighting so that we can have more days with you. More experiences. More life.

Now, I’m not Russian, and I’ve never been to Russia, so I can’t verify that this is true, but I am certain that I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me. Up to this point, I’ve had a really excellent life and still do! I can only see one way through this, and that’s to be alive & well at the end of it!

I plan to wake up each day and choose to be optimistic and proactive. I plan to learn as much as I can so that in the end, I’ll be a better wife, daughter, friend, and practitioner. I plan to let myself feel crappy when I feel crappy, but to go out and enjoy the sun or good food when I feel good. I plan to nurture my relationships with others and my relationship with myself.

My goal is to motivate anyone reading this post to take a moment to look at your life in perspective. To nourish those things that are truly important to you whether that be your relationships, your career, your spirituality, whatever.

I hope that you’ll prioritize your health above many things. If we don’t have our health, then all the rest suffers too. Be proactive, not reactive! Eat delicious, whole foods. Move your body daily – go for a walk, lift weights, dance! De-stress with journaling, meditating, going out in nature, getting a massage. Get some sun. Practice gratitude. There’s always, always something to be grateful for.

If you have concerns about your health, don’t be afraid to speak up! Talk to your doctors, nurses, physical therapists (we are great listeners!) and ask them about anything that may seem off or that makes you worry. You know your body best and shouldn’t wait around for answers to come to you!

I wanted to thank everyone for such kind words, cards, gifts, and love sent my way! I am truly honored to walk this Earth with all of you ❤

xo

How to do a Breast Self-Exam

How to do a Breast Self-Exam

by bridewitt ♥ 5 Comments

Since I have your attention, I want to let you know that doing a monthly breast self-exam is really important. This is how I found my cancer and how you might find yours too. Imagine if I hadn’t done my self-exam and just didn’t see my doctor until December again! I would not be in the same boat as I’m in now. Early detection is KEY!

To do your self-exam at home, follow these 5 steps:

  1. Look at your breasts in the mirror. Check for:
    1. Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
    2. Change or inversion of the nipple
    3. Redness, soreness, rash or swelling
  2. Raise your arms overhead and check for the same things.
  3. Look for any fluid leaking from the nipple.
  4. Lie down and feel for lumps. Apply gentle, but firm pressure from your collar bone to your abdomen and from your breastbone to your armpit. Try moving your hand in small circles or up and down.
  5. Now stand up and check for lumps in the same way as #4.1

If you’re not afraid of boobs – watch this video…

Ideally, you should do your self-exam at the same time during your menstrual cycle each month. If you’re not cycling you can pick a day each month that you do your check!

The better you know your body, the more you’ll be able to detect a change. It could save your life. Have the “breast” day, friends! ❤

xo

  1. https://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam

Angel Cards

Angel Cards

by bridewitt ♥ 1 Comment

Last week, I asked my sister-in-law, Marisa, to do an angel card reading for me. For those of you who don’t know, angel cards are like tarot cards & she pulls cards intuitively from a deck that are representative of my life at the moment. She interprets them in the way she feels it is relative to your current situations.

She ended up pulling four cards for me….

#1 – Eight of Fire
Events moving at a fast pace. Delays are over. Many things happening at once.

If this card doesn’t resonate with my current situation, I’m not sure what would. Marisa told me that she feels that although all parts of my life are shifting quickly, this period will be a breakthrough or catalyst to level up. Because I was attracted to the red color on the card, she related it to my root chakra. The root chakra is your center of safety and grounding which explains why I’ve been craving so much time outdoors walking or with my feet in the sand/water/grass. With everything up in the air, I need to stay balanced.

#2 – Renewal
Review and evaluate. A favorable assessment of the facts. Time to move in a new direction.

The angel pictured on this card is the angel of life review – someone to help you make appropriate changes for your life. Marisa felt that this time will be a time of major transition for me. A time to grow, learn, and take action. A time to recognize what works and what holds me back in my life.

#3 – Eight of Air
An illusion of being trapped. A lack of self-confidence. Afraid to take action.

Again, this is a time for inner work and letting go of old fears. She recommended that I journal and work with a therapist to break free of some of my old mentalities that are holding me back. She recommended I pray for guidance during this time, because my angels (who are all around me, by the way) will help guide me to what needs the most change.

#4 – Solutions
Success that comes from objective compromise. Self-control and patience. Forgiving and healing energy.

The angel pictured on this card is the angel of memory. I felt this card brought everything full circle and is another indicator for the need of a balance point of view during this time. I hope to dig deep on this journey and find self-forgiveness and forgive others for things that I’ve been holding onto for years and years.

I really felt that these cards were validating for me as I begin this cancer journey. I know that the diagnosis serves a greater purpose for myself, but also for those closest to me.

If you’d like to have an angel card reading for yourself, reach out to Marisa on instagram @shopmaninimoon or check out her website here.

xo

April 2020

April 2020

by bridewitt ♥ 10 Comments

In case COVID didn’t have us all freaked out already, I’d noticed a small lump in my left breast during a self-check sometime mid-March and so I made an appointment with my OB/GYN.

“You know, let’s just get a picture,” she said. So they scheduled me an ultrasound on April 8.

The ultrasound tech was so sweet. She said, “I’m just going to look at your armpit now.” Then, “I’m just going to take a look at the other side.”
OK. So I already know something’s suspicious. Then, my radiologist said, “I think we should do a mammogram, can you do it right now?”

Sure. From there, I was scheduled for a biopsy at the end of the day.

I was sitting on the couch on the following Sunday night (Easter for the rest of you, but Palm Sunday for us Orthodox Christians), and I asked Justin if I should open the results on MyChart. When I read the words “consistent with invasive ductal carcinoma,” all I could really think to say was “f*ck.”
Very eloquent, I know.

After that, April has been a bit of a whirlwind, but in all honesty, things may not have moved so quickly if it weren’t for COVID, so I’m thankful.

I met with my surgeon who was kind and straightforward, provided me with plenty of statistics, and educated me on the likely treatment options. She was also the one to let me know my pathology results…

I have triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The mass in my left breast is about 1.8cm and I have no lymph node involvement so we’re calling it Stage I for now.
Unfortunately, unlike other breast cancers which may be estrogen, progesterone, or HER2 positive, TNBC does not respond to hormonal treatment. It does, however, respond very well to chemo.

More than anything, the waiting is the hardest part. I only recently was able to speak with a reproductive endocrinologist about options to preserve my fertility during chemo. I’ll start the process to freeze some eggs ASAP and hope it’s okay to delay chemo for a few more weeks until that’s done.

I’ll meet with my oncologist for the first time this Tuesday, and I can’t express enough how relieved I will be to finally have a treatment plan ready to go.

Back in December, on my last night as a twenty-something, I remember it being really important for me to catch the sunset. Which we did, from my sister-in-law’s lanai, and it was beautiful. I still remember thinking that there would be a lot in store for me this year, and now I know that this year will mean radical transformation for me, both physically and emotionally.

Although, no one ever wants to say the words “I have cancer,” I do know that this is part of my journey on this earth for a reason. I can’t help but think that every decision I’ve made in the last year (changing jobs and working in our women’s health department) has made me more prepared than ever to take this all in stride. I’m grateful for the knowledge, resources and support I have. Keep me in your prayers.

xo

Welcome

Welcome

by bridewitt ♥ 1 Comment

Today, I’m out on my lanai drinking my favorite Yogi tea, and sitting down to write out some of what’s been going on in my life over the past month.

To give you a little background, I grew up in Butte, Montana, attended college at University of Montana and achieved my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Eastern Washington University. Since then, I moved with my husband to Honolulu, Hawaii. In the past 5 years, I’ve grown in my practice as a pelvic health physical therapist. I’ve also learned the true meaning of ALOHA which I hope to carry with me through all life’s adventures.

I wanted to start this blog for multiple reasons. Primarily, so my family and friends can stay updated on my medical journey, but also so I could share my knowledge with others.

As a pelvic health physical therapist, I’ve had the unique privilege of working with breast cancer patients to help them maintain independence and wellness during their treatments. I have more to give than to just tell my story and leave it at that, so this blog will contain updates on my personal journey as well as physical therapy tips for patients with breast cancer, pelvic floor concerns, and orthopedic conditions.

I hope that my perspective will be unique and helpful. Thanks for following along!