It's been a while

It's been a little while since I've updated you all on my life during chemotherapy. I'm still here, I promise.

This has been a crazy seven months for me. From finding a lump, to the biopsy, to the surgery, to chemo. It's been a journey to say the least. But, I am so happy to say that I am HALF WAY DONE with Round 2!!! I am so excited to say that. Six down. Six to go.

Round 2 has been so much easier than Round 1, at least with eating and the nausea. What really sucks about this round is that I have to go every week. And let me tell you, I have become a regular. The nurses (most of them) know me by name because I've been there 10 times (and I still have six left)! It's sad when I answer questions before I even answer them. And my hands/arms are taking a beating with the IVs. Some days it's easy, others (like this past Monday) it was a bit rough. Apparently my veins did not want to cooperate at all, so I have lovely bruises on both of my hands.

But on a different note, I wanted to share a little piece of my mind with you all. I have gotten so many comments from people that think I'm crazy to still be going to classes (for my MBA) and going through chemo. The only person who has understood why I'm still doing everything I can is my brother-in-law. I am trying to keep my life as normal as possible and not giving up on anything just because I have cancer. I don't want to be a saint or have everyone telling me, "I don't know how you do it." I HAVE to do it. I need to keep going because if I don't, I feel like my cancer is going to win and I can't let that happen.

Going through chemo has taught me so much, this entire journey really has. I have become a better version of myself. I've finally started to really take care of myself, both body and mind. I've started doing yoga, I try and go every Saturday and I think that has really helped me through this journey. And to be quite honest, I'm kind of addicted now! So thanks Seven Studios for that, your Groupon got me hooked! I even went outside of my comfort zone last night and took an acro yoga class. I surprised myself with how much strength I actually had. I mean this both in the literal and figurative sense. I let myself go and have fun and trust someone I have never met before to fly me around while holding myself up with just my core and legs. I didn't get a picture this time, but I'm hooked and I'll share a photo from next week with you! It was crazy and so much fun. In the figurative sense of strength, I never really knew how strong I was until this journey. I never used to be a very positive person, I was very skeptical and wouldn't have considered myself a pessimist, but definitely a realist. That mindset is very taxing. It's so much better to try and be positive, I really feel that a weight has been lifted during all of this because I'm always looking for the silver lining. This sucks. No one should have to deal with cancer at any age, but especially while you're young. But there is a silver lining to all of this for me. At least I found it early.

Everyday is a blessing for me. I get to spend my time with my husband and son, who drives me nuts but keeps me sane at the same time. I have taken the initiative to take care of myself and listen to my body and I guess sometimes my husband. I am lucky to be surrounded by friends, family, and co-workers who are rooting for me and supporting me along the way. I had a follow-up with my surgeon this past Friday and will taking a huge leap this summer by having a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. This decision wasn't exactly an easy one to make, but I think it's the right one. I'm scared and overwhelmed by both the surgery and the recovery, but also what it will be like living life without my breasts, which are a huge part of a woman's life. Letting go of the vanity is actually kind of hard, but thankfully they are just that, vanity. I guess I have something to look forward to as I get older, gravity shouldn't have any effect on me! And of course, my husband and mom both promised I would get one of these shirts...

Thank you all for sharing in this journey with me. And I promise, I'll keep you updated more often (sorry I had an exam last week)!

AD