I'm BACK!

If you scroll down this page, you'll see I haven't posted in quite some time!  So much has happened to me since October!  

I went for my routine mammogram, which turned into anything but routine.  I got an ultrasound and then a biopsy, which came back positive for Triple Negative Breast Cancer.  Most breast cancers react to hormones but mine does not.  So no hormone blocker to help me out!  

That same week I had my right shoulder replaced and had to keep it immobile for 6 weeks.  Wearing a brace on your right arm makes it just a weeee bit difficult to type, stamp or even hold a pencil!  

3 weeks later I had a lumpectomy (a very generous one).  I was prepared for a mastectomy but my surgeon thought it was unnecessary with the type of cancer it is.  Following the lumpectomy I also had a port installed in my chest in preparation for chemotherapy.  I had 4 treatments and boy, did it kick my butt!  The steroids they gave me raised my blood sugar to super high levels and I had all sorts of problems related to that.  Then the Covid vaccine shots I got 3 days after a chemo treatment.  

All at the same time I was doing Physical Therapy two days a week for my shoulder.  My poor husband spent most of his time carting me around to all sorts of doctor appointments!

Now I have just finished 6 of 21 radiation treatments.(M-F) every week.  I finish up May 19.  

Because of my breast cancer diagnosis and the fact that I had colon cancer 20 years ago, I asked for genetic testing.  I found out I have Lynch Syndrome which puts me at great risk for colon cancer, uterine and endometrial cancer (thank goodness I got a hysterectomy many years ago), breast cancer and squamous cell carcinoma (I've had two of those in the past year).  Lynch Syndrome is much more common than the BRACa gene.  And yet most people have never heard of it!  There are 5 different genes that make up this syndrome and I am fortunate to have the least destructive.

My advice to anyone who has a lot of cancer in their family is to get genetic testing (from a doctor, not a kit).  Two of my 3 children have this same mutation.  As a result of knowing this, they can get all the screenings they need to find any cancer before it spreads.

Now that I am feeling more like myself (although very tired), I plan to get to stamping this week!  YAY!  I really haven't stamped in over 18 months due to all my shoulder issues.

Please check back for some card tutorials very soon.

I mailed out catalogs to all who requested them and the new catalog goes live on May 4!