2025: The Journey Continues

At the end of 2024, I had Oral Surgery for an area affected by a bone-strengthening shot. In chemotherapy the intended area of treatment can also cause problems with other parts of the body and this was the case with me. Prior to surgery I was told one tooth would have to be removed with up to four needing removal. I had a lot of infection and a section of dead bone in my jaw. The surgery went well; he only needed to remove one tooth. He cleaned out the infected area and removed the bone. As a precaution he sent the bone and tissue to Chapel Hill to be sure there was no sign of cancer. I went home that day in excruciating pain, liquids for a couple of days plus antibiotics. I had a mouth full of stitches that went from my back tooth on the affected side all around to the front at my chin. I would see him again in two weeks for the results and to follow up on how well I was healing. I had labs and chemotherapy on January 2nd and the monthly hip injections. I still say these are the needles used by veterinarians. My labs were good, blood count good, kidneys good. Labs are taken every time I have an appointment, and they check for a large variety of things. Once this appointment was finished, I left for home to endure the side effects of the next couple of days. Thank God nausea normally is not a problem, but explosive diarrhea is. Too much information, I know.

January 7th rolled around and I was a little nervous going to this appointment. What do I do if Chapel Hill found something? What will I do? Either way I'm going to keep on going. I am reminded of God's grace and mercy and how far he has brought me. I was also reminded of the great NC State basketball coach, as he was battling cancer and also coaching his guys, "Don't Ever Give Up". As I sat in the dental chair the surgeon entered the room and examined my mouth. He commented that everything looked great, healing nicely. All the stitches had dissolved. The report from Chapel Hill indicated no malignancy in the tissue or the bone. Praise God for such wonderful news! This was certainly an answer to prayer. Aside from the monthly appointments, the next scans will take place in February.

Thank you all for the prayers, cards, and texts as I continue on this journey. Thank you, Lord, for keeping me and blessing me. He has a purpose for all of this, I don't know what, but he knows.

As I reflect on this journey and all the ups and downs I am reminded that the God on the mountain is still God in the valley. He is with me always and for that I am so grateful.

February came and this began the period of strange, unexpected things. One Sunday evening I went to sleep on the sofa and during the night I awoke to make a trip to the bathroom. I found that I could not stand nor speak. I slid off the sofa onto the floor and tried to make noise to wake up William. When he came down the hall I was on the floor and mumbling, I was going in and out of consciousness. He immediately dialed 911 and at some point I remember EMS coming to our home. They transported me to the nearest hospital JMH and they began a series of tests to determine the cause of this. My speech returned but my body was terribly weak. I have to be honest, all I could think of is a stroke. I remained in the ER all day as they checked my labs, heart, lungs, etc. Late afternoon, the physician came and told us he wanted to admit me but JMH was full - would I be ok being transported to Clayton. EMS came, loaded me into the ambulance and here we go to Clayton. Once I was situated the physician came to talk to us. All the tests were clear thus far and he wanted to do a scan of my brain and a MRI. I asked when this could be done, he said right away they have all the equipment. The staff came soon thereafter and rolled me to the appropriate areas of the hospital. I had both tests and returned to my room. JMH had given me fluids during the day so I needed nothing else. No more IV meds or anything. The Doctor came to inform us the brain was fine, the tests showed nothing abnormal from my cancer diagnosis. He suggested I stay for two days so they could monitor me. If all the tests are normal and all the IV fluids are done, I saw no reason to stay. I told him I would rest at home. So, I signed myself out and came home.

The next week I spent resting and trying to get back on my feet. William and I both wondered what happened the previous week. It wasn't until I shared this with a friend of mine, a seasoned nurse, that this all became clearer. Her husband experienced a similar situation several years ago, she referenced TIA. I searched TIA and found that this is a temporary disruption of blood flow to the brain, often called a "mini stroke". They resolve within minutes to hours and don't cause permanent damage. This is exactly what happened to me. Her insight helped me understand what may have happened.

March/April: A few weeks later, I developed a rash on my torso. I called my Oncologist's office due to the spreading, and I saw them later that day. The diagnosis was Shingles. I had this when I was in my 20's and was under the impression that this was a onetime occurrence. Well, that is not the case. A person can contract shingles multiple times in their life. This is one of the most painful conditions a person can have. It takes weeks for this to begin drying and until then it's miserable - pain and irritation. It's only March, what will happen next? A good ole Upper Respiratory Infection crept up on me, pollen and the Spring bloomers didn't help. A course of antibiotics was prescribed. I started taking them immediately and I did feel better in a few days. The dreaded cough stayed around for a week or so.

Time for my regular PET Scan and Brain scan. This is always a high-anxiety time for me even though I have had these every quarter for the past six years. The date of both came and went. On results days my heart beats a little faster and my pulse rate becomes a little higher. Praise the Lord, my results yielded no new areas and no progression. I could remain on my current treatment plan for at least the next three months. Chemo every 21 days, chemo pills (3 a day and hip injections once a month. The only news that would be greater than this is one day receiving the news that the cancer is gone and I have been healed.

The month of May was uneventful, and I moved forward with the daily regimen of drugs, chemo every 21 days and hip injections. This year has been difficult, but now my mind can relax and take a break. Years of chemo takes a toll on the body; The level of fatigue weighs heavy on the body and although some energy does return, it's a far cry from feeling normal again.

Since things were at a good point, we decided to take a long weekend to the beach. Anyone that knows me, knows I'm a seafood lover. So many good places to eat at the coast and I take full advantage of any type of seafood restaurant. Our favorite breakfast place is Four Corners Diner, seafood restaurants such as Southern Salt, The Full Moon Oyster Bar, and Big Oak are some of our favorites to name a few. My husband drives on most days so I'm free to look at the beautiful scenery. We went out when I was up to it and rested at the hotel the remainder of the time. Sometimes it's nice to have a change of scenery. The flowers and trees are blooming along the highway; the smell of grass is wonderful and it's nice to see the green everywhere. It is so important to focus on the positive and the little things that bring a smile to your face.

June means it's time for a MRI of the brain and a PET Scan. The MRI was early in the month, and the Scan was the middle of the month. It's always amazing to me that during the 24-hour low carb diet that I don't think I'll make it without my Coca-Cola. I want to drink more water, but I can't bring myself to do it. During the testing all I can drink is water, so I push through it. Both testing days came and went these particular tests were a longer wait than normal. I already looked at the PET Scan, so I knew there were areas of concern.

The day arrived for my follow-up visit. Results were somewhat alarming: increased activity in the left femur (left leg), activity in the L3 vertebrae, a small mass in one kidney and activity in the liver. Dr. R stopped the current treatment plan on the spot. She needed to gather some additional information before proceeding forward. The first thing I did was meet with the Radiology Oncologist in Smithfield, radiation was definitely in my future. I met with Dr. Hahn and the form was created to place my leg in. Radiation would start on the following Monday; the leg and back would be treated at each visit. The leg first and the back second. I had ten treatments of radiation. After I finished the radiation, I was scheduled for a liver biopsy at Rex Hospital in Raleigh. Dr. R was almost certain this was also breast cancer but she needed verification. William drove me to the hospital for the procedure and four hours later we were headed home. I also did a specialized blood test that will result in how well my treatments had worked, it's a test to gauge other things as well.

It had almost been a month since I last had any type of treatment. William and I were getting anxious to move forward with the next plan. We met with Dr. R to get all the results, and she was right I have Metastatic Breast Cancer in my liver. The kidney is at the bottom of the list in terms of importance. She formulated a plan and on July 31st, 2025 I have my first treatment. The protocol called for pre-meds followed by chemo every three weeks. The side effects were minimal but it did zap my energy for several days. I had had to return each week to get my labs checked and get fluid if needed. My potassium and magnesium tend to run low so fluids always help. Its almost time for my next treatment, August 21st is the date. I'm experiencing some lower back pain and pain in my spine so an MRI will be scheduled in the near future.

I thank God for holding my hand and getting me through this difficult year. I am also appreciative of the many friends and family that keep me in their prayers. Our church family has been supportive from day one and I'm so thankful for them.