12 Days diffrence

Take a look at this collage. The left side of the pic is from May 30 and the right side is from today June 11. 

That's a lot of hair growth! 

Just wanted to give you a quick update! 

Cha- Cha- Chia!  :)

<3

Brandi

2nd Fill and a message from my <3

PT started today. Hopefully I will get back to putting my arms up and over my head.  I knew it would feel tight as I was having to do it. But after my 2nd fill today, I am not feeling to well. Bummer.. I don't like feeling under the weather. I am pretty tight this time. I went ahead and took a muscle relaxer and rubbed some EO by YL:Panaway on my back. I hope it helps with the discomfort I am having. I go again next week for another fill and see my Plastic Surgeon. From there we will see how things are going. Nurse B says the "girls" look great. I will take her word. She sees way more of them then I do. 

On to other updates. My hair is still coming in and it's so soft. We can not tell the color of it yet. My scalp looks dark but when you get up close it looks so light. I was blonde when I was younger and it got darker the older I got. So maybe we should take a poll and see what everyone thinks it will be. 

Blonde VS Brown? Cast your thoughts . 

Eyelashes and brows are still coming in . Shaving legs and armpits isn't any fun! I didn't miss shaving. That was a perk from the chemo. See found a blessing in it. :)

Well, on a serious note I want to share something with you. The recovery process is still hard as the journey of chemo and fighting to rid myself of cancer. Recovery is just as tough. I still am limited on things and hurt in other ways now. But I keep my eyes focused on Jesus. I remember this too shall pass. I must endure this season like I did the last. I still need your prayers. I really feel them and was so encouraged! I pray that  I am a light for those that need to see this journey that I am on. I pray this is beneficial to all that read this blog. I pray it makes that one lady go get checked, That one lady feel her breasts for the first time and understand what to be on the look out for. The one lady entering this journey to put their trust in Jesus and hold tight to His every promise. Because there will be ups and downs! Mountains and Valleys. But our God IS faithful!

From my heart:

Spence was in the room with me as I was leaving the PT appointment and he told her that I really haven't complained during this. It made my heart so happy. Because I feel somewhat as a BIG burden right now. Really for the last 8 months. Tons and tons of Doctor appointments, 2 biopsy surgeries, 2 hospital surgeries and just being limited to taking care of him and my kiddos. As a Mom we do so much for our families. So having to step back and get help and relying on others to help out is tough. So I am a glad I wasn't such a slacker in Spencer's eyes. You know we think we are Wonder Woman or something! :) 

Have a blessed week! Smile as you pass by that person. You never know what battle they are facing! 

I leave us with this verse today:

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. (Proverbs 12:25 NLT)

Brandi

Fill'er Up

Well today was the first expander fill! It was weird watching your Breast being inflated like a tire. I must say never thought I'd type these words. Ha! The things you never think of. Anyways I am posting this pic that Spence took today. I wanted my die hard bloggers to see what  I was talking about when I describe what went down today. Or should I say up! :)

They take this tool that has a magnet on it and it finds the magnet inside my expander which is under my skin. It stands up straight when it locates it. They press the tool down on my chest and it makes a X (marks the spot). That shows them where to insert the needle. As shown in the picture above. Yes it hurt! Going in and coming out. After the needle is in they push the saline through and you see your chest grow before your eyes. They did this for both sides. 50cc is what went in each Breast. I am still lope-sided for some reason. The right side is smaller than the left. I go again next week and the nurse mentioned they could possible just put some in the right side and even it out. 

Pretty cool they can do the things they do. It blows my mind. 

I am so blessed to have great quality care here in Nashville. 

I want to leave us with this quote I found today! It's a reminder as I look at myself each one is a part of something that happened in my life and I healed from it.

 Battle wounds. 

Brandi

Hair. Hair!

That's right I am getting Hair! Which is
growing everywhere on my body. I had to shave my legs and armpits! Which feels really weird by the way. My skin feels so rough. It's been smooth as can be these last 7 months. All the tiny peach fuzz on my body is coming back. As you can see in the pic I took today(5.30.15) I am getting eyelashes and brows too! I am so excited to have my lashes back so should I say growing again. I would be SUPER stoked of they would come back so full and super long! I did get my eyebrows waxed the other day. Yep! I sure did. They are growing crazy in all the places I don't want the to grow. But at least now it's easier to pencil them in instead of drawing them on blindly. 

Well I leave us with a quote today! I so agree with this. I will never view this side of Heaven the same again!  #foreverchanged #iamaSurvivor

Brandi

Post Op Week #3 Update

This picture shows the part that was inside of me. Spencer said it was like a French Drain. The picture above you can see the little channels the fluid moved through. Pretty cool! Not so cool when they are yanked out of you at the count of 3! Man I could of slapped somebody! No Joke! 

Hallelujah! I had the last and final drain removed on Tuesday. I am no longer Octo-Girl! Think about that... I had 4 drains and 2 arms and legs! Haha! Now I feel better. No measuring and milking. The fluid level was finally down enough to take the last one out. So I still have been taking sponge baths! Sponge baths since May 4th. I need a huge scrubing! Oh and tonight is the night! I can't wait. I wish I had one of those water heaters that NEVER run out of water! I feel like I might be in there awhile! I promise I will splurge and use all the hot water tonight only. 

Today 5/28 I went and had a 1 month check up with my Oncologist. All good news! Blood counts are looking good! She said I had more RBC than I have had in almost 6 months! I have enough fighters to fight now if I got an infection. Heart was good. BP was 98/62  They said see you in 3 months. That's kinda exciting since I have been there so much in the last 6 months. I am so grateful for them though! They had a right plan of action to rid me of Cancer. I will be forever thankful for them and God's healing powers. I do believe God gives them the tools to heal us. Chemotherapy was what fixed me and with all your prayers and God's mercy! So onto chatting with you all about Reconstruction of my breasts! Sorry if this offends anyone. This is all medical mumbo-jumbo! The implants are in. They were filled slightly during surgery. I do believe 180cc. I will be going on Tuesday to have my first fill. They will do 50cc at a time here on out until I get to the desired look I am going for. I will post a pic of that  on Tuesday. It will be to show you the progression. PLEASE don't freak out . It's all for the knowledge of the aftermath of Breast cancer! I wish there was a blog for me to follow to get great tips and pics of what's to come. I sure hope this blog helps someone. I feel God has given me this to help others be brave and to show that leaning on Him instead of our own ways is best! See here is an example of what I didn't know. Most women have radical mastectomies. I had nipple sparing. The Physicians Assistant said WOW. Those look great. You got to keep your nipples. I don't normal see a lot of ladies with nipples. Let's end on that note! Let's talk Summer Time. :)

Well my kids are out of school and we aren't staying home. We have lot of fun time to make up! We are ready for the pool, the beach, river, boat rides, late nights, movies, games,trips, cook outs, and family/friends! 

Have a wonderful Summer! Take nothing for granted and find the beauty in EVERYTHING! 

YOLO :) 

I leave is with this verse:

I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 

(Genesis 12:2 NLT)

Brandi

2 Weeks Post-Op

Hello! I hope everyone is having a great week! I just felt I need to catch you up about surgery and recovery! NO RADATION! Node was clear!! They only ended up needing to take 1 of them. That's super duper news! I am 100% pathological and clinically Cancer Free! Thank Jesus for your healing powers! 

Now for recovery:

I am better than I was a week ago! Pain has gone down. Pain pill about 6-8 hours. None needed through the night. 

My chest area has looked like a rainbow these past 2 weeks. Drains are changing to a more clear color. Which is great news. I hope this Thursday I will get 2 out. Or even all of them. The right side I still has 2 drains and the left just 1. The right side has more work done so it's healing slower. Over all the Dr's are pleased with recovery. That makes me so happy. I still have minimum movement. I say I have T-Rex arms. I can't reach very far at all or lift my arm. Being dependent on someone else to help you pull up/down your pants and bath you is frustrating. It is reminding me to "Be Still". God has shown me so many things this part of the journey from the Chemo part. 

I feel like this part of the journey is the renewing part! Pressing forward from the old to the new. The reminder that we  have to suffer sometimes to see the beauty on the other side. That through pain comes joy. Everything is not easy. But it's worth it! And with that comes a different view of the world on so many levels. That what I thought was important  in something doesn't seem that way now! Also the unknown is scary but if you keep your eyes on Jesus and surrender the issue to Him and trust Him to get you throught it. 

Oh let's talk updates! 

Hair....Its growing! Everywhere is starting to get peach fuzz! Looking at myself in the mirror I can see a faint shadow of hair  on my head. Eyebrow hairs are coming in. But go figure they are where I usually PLUCK. Really? Come on hair work with me! :) 

Have a great week! Thanks for your prayers! And please continue to pray recovery keeps on going as planned. I leave us with this verse:

O LORD, if you heal me, I will be truly healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone! (Jeremiah 17:14 NLT)

Brandi

Surgery and Recovery Update

Well as you know surgery was May 4. Everything went fine. The lymnodes looked clear. They still sent them off for a full pathological report. Should know more about that on Wednesday(May 13). I came home and have been recovering. I've done well. Gaining strength more everyday. I try to get out and walk around daily. This surgery is pretty painful. Thank the good Lord for pain pills. I have been weaning myself from taking them about every 6 hours now, after a week since surgery. And none through the night. I have felt weird not being able to do anything for myself. It's just weird! I am little Miss Independent. So it's a struggle! 

I've had my Inlaws here last week and this week I have my Mom in town. They have done an amazing job helping us out. We are thankful for all our lovely family and friends that have been so supportive through all of this. 

Oh I told you thinks have been going well in the recover part until yesterday. I had a drain get clogged with what looked like chicken fat or part of a tendon(sorry it was gross) it was causing my drain to back up and hurt. I could not take a deep breath yesterday cause of the sharp pain. It was causing me to be very gassy. Which I had to take gas-x and sip on a coke for the carbonation to burp. It was the only way to get relief. Thankfully my super hero of a Hubby got it unclogged after milking my tube several times. I started to feel better as evening went on. I slept good last night and feel better today. I hope to get 2 tubes taken out tomorrow. It would be amazing if all 4 could come out. 

I am WARNING you I will be posting a pick of those drains. It make not be for the weak stomachs. I have taken pics of my chest but not sure how I feel about posting on the Internet. I don't want to offend anyone. But I wanted a timeline of pics for myself to reflect on. 

We'll have a blessed day and keep praying those nodes were clear so I can shout from the mountain tops CANCER FREE. If those nodes are clear that means I had a 100% Patological response. God is faithful and hears our prayers!!!

I leave us with this sweet nugget:

I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.

 (Psalms 62:1-2 NLT)

Brandi