It's a delicate balance.

Yesterday was a “hair & makeup” kind of day. I had a doctor appointment so I took a shower, got dressed (in REAL clothes…not just jammies *smile*) and put my hair and makeup on. I have to admit it felt pretty good! It’s amazing how just feeling “put together” can give you confidence and a little spring in your step. J It was great to actually get out of the house, even if it was only to see the doctor, have chemo and hit Target on my way home.

There is this delicate balance between wanting to stay home in warm, cozy jammies, away from germs and close to the comforts of home, and feeling energized by getting out into the fresh air, and just intermingling with other people. It was good to get out, but I have to admit I felt like a nap when I got home. J I think if you have too much of one thing, you always want the other. For instance…I stayed home most of the week, resting and staying warm, so when it was time to get out of the house, I was excited to do something different. However, being out most of the morning made me want to go home and just relax on the couch! It’s all about finding that right balance…something that is constantly changing when you are going through chemo.

We met with a Geneticist before I had my Herceptin chemo treatment on Friday. We drew a family tree of sorts and she asked me all kinds of questions about family members and their health history….parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents; who had what health issues, when they got said health issues, and what ages people were when they passed away. Oh boy…I felt like I was taking a test that I hadn’t studied for! I knew some of the answers, but ages and exact onset I had to totally guess on. I think it was ok that I guesstimated some things, but I think I need to complete some sort of summary of this information just have on hand for future reference. Add that to my list of things to do when I have time. J Ha!

After going through my family history, we talked about the BRCA gene. This is a gene that is passed down from family members that puts you in the higher risk category for contracting breast and ovarian cancer. I think the doctor said if you have this gene it’s not “if” you get cancer; it’s more like “when”.

There is one company in the United States that actually conducts the test to see if you have this BRCA gene and the test costs a whopping $4,000. Holy cats! Fortunately, if you are at high risk for having this gene (such as a strong family history and being diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 40…check. check.), you meet the criteria for insurance to cover the cost of the test. She didn’t think I would have any problem with getting it covered….let’s hope she’s right and the insurance company doesn’t make me jump through any hoops to make them cover it. J

So what does this mean? Well….they took blood and packaged it up to be sent out to Utah to have the test completed. It should take about 2.5 weeks to get the results (assuming all goes through insurance). If the test is positive (which is pretty likely), then my chances for getting ovarian cancer will be high and they would like me to have my ovaries removed laproscopically. It also means that my 3 kids will need to be tested for the gene when they are in their 20’s. L If the test comes back negative, then that means I am NOT at a higher risk for ovarian cancer and my kids will not get the gene either! As with anything, I am just anxious to know the results so we can move forward with treating things if need be. Will keep you posted when I know more.

How am I feeling otherwise? I have felt a little “off” this week, but that is to be expected. I am experiencing a small amount of hives on my hands, but I am hoping that Benadryl will do the trick so I don’t have to take steroids again.

Other rays of sunshine in my week…playing in a tournament tomorrow (if I feel up to it) and receiving sweet notes on my pillow at night from my kids! Notice the 6 little hairs on the top of my head. (the note says: Dear Mom I Love You just the way you are.) Love my kids!

 

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Love to all,

Nae