Tired

This is a long post, but I've been gone for about 6 months and want to explain...

I have been tired. Like hard to get out of bed, brain fog, making stupid mistakes, zoning in front of the t.v. even when the t.v. is off, kind of tired.

My husband tells me it is because we have never been this old. I struggled to get up in the morning and make it to work close to on-time, I wasn't doing my share of the work around the house. I have never been an overly energetic person. Anyone who knows me I am in bed by 8:30-9:00 every night, but I used to open my eyes at 5:00 am, be rested and bounce out of bed and be cheerful and ready for the day. Not now.

So, I was looking for something to help me. I had noticed that I was getting a lot of stomach aches and heartburn. I cut out milk, I cut out eggs, I cut out wheat - BINGO! That really helped so I cut out all grains for three months and would add them back to see if I reacted to them. I also came across the Ketogenic diet and decided to try that for 6 weeks to see how I felt. I did start to feel more energetic so I purchased a couple cook books and made the switch. (Now, I am not advocating this for everyone, we all have our own opinions on what is healthy, what works for us, and our bodies are all different. This is just working for me right now. And, I still bake for my family and my across the street neighbors so no hating when you see a variety of things coming out of my kitchen).

I was feeling a bit better, I was up in the morning and ready to head back to 5:00 bootcamp (I never went back consistently after my hip surgery in 2015 and I miss it). So, it's spring time and after travel season is when I take care of things like my yearly dr. appt., the dentist, the eye doctor. Well, my dr. asked when I had my last mammogram.

"I had one about 3 years ago, I think." I replied
"Really, because there is nothing in your chart." she said. "Did you go someplace else for it?"
"No, I always go here and I always do a monthly self check everything is good."

So, she ordered one and the center called to schedule and it was in my mind to do it, so I called back for my appointment.

When I went in, I noticed on my paperwork it had been 8 years and 9 months since my last mammogram! Oops. Good thing I was there now.  I had my girls squished and I figured I was done for another year...and yes, I would be better about getting in more consistently, like every other year or so.

Well, I got a call back. Something just didn't look right. So I went in for a second mammogram and an ultrasound. No biggie. Breast cancer doesn't run in my family, I have no lumps or bumps, I'm very healthy, nothing to worry about.

But there was.

There was an " 2 cm area of suspicion" that needed to be biopsied. We did the biopsy. Again, I really didn't think much of it. I have dense, fibrous tissue (I know TMI) and lots of friends have had biopsies that were nothing. Better be safe than sorry, nothing to worry about.

But there was.

I had ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS. I had an early stage but fast growing kind. The treatment was laid out for me; lumpectomy and radiation, perhaps an estrogen reducing medication. I met with the radiologist (is that what the doctor that gives radiation is called?), I met with the oncologist, I met with the surgeon. She wanted a better look and ordered an MRI and we scheduled the lumpectomy. I had an MRI, I got a call back, I had another biopsy, I had more cancer a 6.7 X 5 cm area. Now we were talking mastectomy - maybe, chemo - maybe, lymph nodes involved? I had the second biopsy we got the results on a Monday afternoon - more cancer. Wednesday morning I had a mastectomy. Pathology came back and I did NOT have invasive cancer and my lymph nodes were not impacted - so no chemo, and the cancer was impacted so little by estrogen I didn't have to take that medication. So I am cancer free now and other than being lopsided - which will get fixed soon - I am in great health!

Now, keep in mind this all happened in the span of 6 weeks, it was kind of a whirlwind. Someone will tell me I am a cancer survivor but it doesn't feel that way because it all happened to fast that I never fully grasped that I had cancer, and now it is gone and I don't have any further treatments, it doesn't seem real. Don't get me wrong, I have been a hot mess the last 3 months (feel very sorry for my dear husband) and facing the mirror with one breast removed has been harder than I can even put into words, but today I stand here a healthy, cancer free, slightly lopsided woman.  YAHOO!

So, why all this info? Because...
It happened to me and I have a compulsion to share way too much on my blog.
I want every woman out there to do their monthly self checks and mammograms on the regular, as suggested by your doctor.
I don't want to hear any haters when my food choices are very different than your choices.  If you don't like the recipes I post, don't read my blog or just skip that recipe.  You get to choose (I love choices don't you?)

So there you have it.  I've been gone for a while but I'm back.

Some of the flowers I received while recovering from surgery.

1 year ago:     Introducing Grayson Zachary
3 years ago:    Blackberry Cheesecake
5 years ago:    Salmon Cakes

August 17, 2017  Sunrise 5:45 am Sunset 10:01 pm  Temp. H 59/ L 42°F