10-31-2015(Late Posting)

Today marks 1 year since my first Oncology appointment. I learned what Triple Negative Breast meant. I learned I wouldn't just take 4 or 6 rounds of chemotherapy it would be 16 rounds. 12 of them would be weekly ones and then 4 of them would be every other week. 20 long weeks! I learned I would be put in a trial study through Sarah Cannon Research Institute. I would either take a study drug or a placebo pill. For 12 weeks 2 times a day. I grew to love  some amazing nurses and I met some amazing Cancer patients and their families. We've become friends. Sometimes in life some of the hardest things you must do become such blessings. If you told me a year ago I'd be going to dinner with my Nurse and her family. I don't think I would believe you. I am so blessed I got to experience all of this. I am not the same person I was. I've grown on so many levels this past year. 

I leave us with this verse:

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16 NIV

Brandi

 

October: Susan G Koman Race for the Cure 2015

Hello, It's been a busy 2 months since I posted last. I just wanted to give you a overview of whats been going  on. Surgery went well. I am all healed up. I was able to start running. That has been nice. I got to run my first official timed race on October 24, 2015. I had a team that came and ran and some that walked. This was the Susan G Koman Race for the Cure run. We had a fun time wearing our pink and getting to see all the Survivors in their special shirts. It was such a blessing to get to run with Braxton. He skipped going to a RA campout. He said he didn't want to miss my run! That boy melted my heart when he told me that. I was surprised when we went to see the official time. I came in 3rd place in the Survivor Catagory for 30-39. I metaled my first run. 38 minutes for my 5K. Not very impressive for most runners. But for me its great. I have lots of room to improve. I can not wait to run another one. Two ladies on my team came in 1st and the other in 3rd in their age category. They were awesome 7 minute miles. I did that in High School but well 1997 was a long time ago. Haha! I guess

Just curious if anyone was been keeping up with my hair? WOW... I have an Afro now. Or so Izzy says! Its super thick, dark and Um, very curly. I might even call it kinky! I call it a Hot Mess. I've been wearing my wig a lot more lately. One reason being its been cooler out and the other reason I just can't stand my hair stage right now. I won't cut it, I am just letting it grow and its wild and untamed. Most people love it. I say thanks but I cringe at the thought they are even looking at my hair. I tend to change the subject really quick. I know this is just a phase and another step during this journey but man it really stinks the things one most go through. I never really thought about the awkward phases I would encounter. I am trying to embrace it all. Some part are harder than others.

Here are a few pictures of the HOT Mess! 

Update that never posted! Sept Post 3 week post surgery!

I can't tell you how excited I am that I reached that finish line! The last surgery.The last part of this journey. It took 10 months to complete it. 10 long scary, dreaded months. As I reflect on all that's happened All I can say is God. God Thank You! Thank you for carrying me when I could not walk this journey. So many days when I just needed you, you were Faithfully there. You were there through friends and family. I am so honored and blessed to have the wonderful people you placed in my life. I have seen the hands and feet of Jesus in the last 10 months that I pray I will be able repay each and everyone one of them. 

As I heal physically it also has mental challenges too. So many things to process. Trying to get into a "New Normal" sure doesn't feel so normal. :) 

Oh..... Let's talk beauty or the lack there of. My hair is coming in but it looks like a Hot Mess! Curly hair might be my new look. Not to mention the light color it's coming back in. I get asked often if it colored or highlighted. To the inquiring minds sorry it's not colored or frosted. 

8/12/15 Dear Cancer,

Dear Cancer, 

I have always heard of you and hated you! You cause so many loved ones to leave us. You aren't prejudice. Young, Old, Rich or Poor you come in and invade our body. Some it happens with no warning until it's too late! I can't believe as I type this I can even think this way but I do! You picked me and I am glad you did. You've made me into such a different person. One that I have become to love. My eyes don't see the world as I did. My outlook on life is so more precious. My family and friends mean even more to me than they did before! Most of all My relationship with God has grown so much more deeper than I ever thought it could. Trusting God and Depending on God on a whole new level. I trusted but not like I do now. My faith has always been strong. But now it's stronger. Through all the test, waiting for results, treatments, surgeries and recovery time I knew I to surrender to God. I knew everything I was facing was OVERWHELMING. It was like if I took every part of you in at one time I would be consumed. I might give up. I might not try. God's word promises He's with us and we must trust. But to trust we must surrender. Surrendering isn't easy. I had to do this daily. Sometimes more than once a day. As a person I am not perfect, I sin daily. So when I gave you over to God I didn't want you back! Most times when we pray we ask God to handle XYZ in our lives but they are all sticky hands we lay it down at the alter and then when we get up it all comes right back. We never surrendered it. We think we got it and you God can't handle it. 

You weren't going to be my sticky note! You were going down and stay at the feet of Jesus. So thank you Cancer you helped me. You saved me from the inside out. 

The part I want you to know Cancer is that you didn't win! I did! 

Brandi

16 weeks. Wow!

Hard to believe it been 16 weeks since that last Chemo Day! Time Flies! Well here's the latest update on the girls. They have had their final fill. These things will be coming out on August 12. Yay! These Hard Bricks will be out. It will be a quick surgery. It will be outpatient and sent home with meds. Hopefully this will be a breeze. No tubes coming out my sides and no milking the tubes. I sure hope I can bath and dress myself. That was tough having people to do that for me.

<3 

Well, I am in the Mts. this weekend enjoying a much need quiet family time. We plan to eat sweet potato pancakes at Joey's Pancake House! Then play in the river on tubes in Cherokee! Go to my favorite thrift store and General Store in Waynesville. Going to visit with my Aunt and cousin too! Hopefully have a visit from my Aimee and her kiddos. Sing songs around the ol' campfire. Soak in those last few summer days before my next surgery and kids go back to school! I will snap a pic and post for you a few highlights from our trip next week! 

Love Ya! Be a light in this dark and broken world! 

Brandi

I leave us with this: 

 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Romans 10:9-10 NIV

http://bible.com/111/rom.10.9-10.niv

13 Weeks Post Chemo

Hello! Hope you've been loving summer as much as I have! It's so great to spend time with my family and not be on a crazy schedule! We have been doing VBS, went with Spence to Panama City for work and a vacation. Then continue our trip with him in Alabama for the weekend as he played in a Casino. We took a little drive on July 4 to see the battleship. Today we are on our way home to reality! 7 Full Day away from my bed has been long enough! We are somewhere in Alabama headed North on 65 and it is stop and go! So I decided to snap a pic to show my hair progress and blog a bit! 

It's might not look much different to you it its longer on the sides and I can run my fingers through my hair and see lines in it. 

Well here is the latest info on the "girls".

Went to the Doctor and they wanted me to wait a week. I told them I would be on Vacation so it would have to wait another week! July 16 I should either get a final fill or set a surgery date for a few weeks out! 

Either say it's a win win! I am ready to close this chapter. I am ready to put this in the past and focus on the future! I will never take a day for granted again! Life is too short and priceless!

Blessings to you! 

Brandi

Psalm 118:24

"this is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it".

10 Weeks Post Chemo

Here is a pic of week 10 of my hair growth! It's coming right along. :)

It's already thicker than the picture I took last week. 

I leave us with this beautiful verse:

"This is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalms 118:24

Brandi