My Journey with Cancer

On 10-23-09 I was diagnosed with breast cancer stage iv. I went into total shock and wanted to hide under the covers where it was safe. My husband had cancer in 1987 and lived through it and told me if I took chemo or radiation it would kill me that is how he survived. Well I was afraid to take any of their medicine and I was not ready to die. I prayed every day and had my church family praying for me. I am thankful I survived. I started out weighing 250 pounds and I am down to 180 now. I lost a lot of weight through this.

I went to spend Christmas with my daughter and her family but on 12-24-09 with 14 inches of snow on the ground my children had to call 911.
I was in the country and they had to come and get me with a four-wheel drive ambulance it took close to an hour to get me to Edmond Hospital.

I don't remember anything on the last day before Christmas. My family called 911 and it took an hour to get me to Edmond Hospital. I remember
waking up on a breathing machine I had been intubated. This was not a fun feeling. I was there for 3 days and could not sleep. My son stayed with me the whole time. On the third afternoon they run my family out mainly my son and give me medicine to rest with the next day was a big day they wanted to take me off the ventilator (breathing machine) Well I was so happy I got off that and was put on oxygen. I was still in ICU for about twelve days before I got moved up to the top of the mountain, room 408.

I had to go to a nursing home in Edmond Oklahoma which was really pretty nice. It was called Bradford village. I checked in on January 13,2010.
I had a real nice private room with a private restroom. It was a nice facility. I could not go home yet because I could not take care of myself. I had to have three meals a day plus take my medicines on time and I was so weak. I could not get up with out help. I really had to push myself to get in my wheel chair and move myself to the bathroom. I feel like I was really blessed to get in this facility, They had a six month waiting list and over night they called and took me. I know it was a God thing. I looked at the wall and asked God how long do I have to be here and he said two months in my Spirit. My children all three of them came to see me almost every day. one son Jeffery at 6:30 Am we had bible study till 7:30, Alicia, my daughter came for about an hour at approximately 2:30 till 4:00 till she had to pick them up at the bus stop and my oldest son every night after about 5:30 pm till late around 9:00pm. They are what encourage me to fight. It was there love. Well I worked hard every day to get my strength back and not to just lay in the bed and I come home on March 21, 2010 this was a happy day for me on a Sunday.

well never give up and trust God. Jesus Christ is who I am talking about. The one true living God. I came home in two months and one week. My oldest son David moved in with me to take care of me and help me. He took a weeks vacation and we or he and the family got me organized. Then my friend Tracie came and helped me with all the finishing touches. I had not had the water bags around my lungs drained for 2 months, where I was having it done once a month and at the beginning more than that.
My husband had a heart attack and passed away on 2-17-2010. I was in no condition to have a funeral for him and so we cremated him and decided to have a memorial service when I felt a little better.
On April 21, I had to have my right lung drained again which is three months from the time I come home. I was getting a little stronger. but still felt bad. by June 21, 2010 it was time to get it drained again I was going to a doctor. I wanted a permanent drain put in so I go into Southwest hospital on June 21,2010

I entered in early in the morning on June 21, 2010 to get this procedure done and stay a few days. well I was checked in and nothing really happened the first day. Dr come in a bought 2:30 in the afternoon with a group of nurses and proceeded to put the tube in. In fact he let one of the nurses help him. I was a show and tell. I had a cancer doctor come in and talk to me about why I had not took any treatment. Well I told him I was scared of it. I did not want chemo or radiation He ask me if he could start me on a little bitty pill for a hormonal blockage. I finally agreed to do this because yesterday when I came in they put me in with another patient that had a lady come in and she started talking to me and she told me she was taking a little pill for eight years. That was the key. Eight was the new beginning and my prayer partner Tracie told me get out of fear it could be as little as taking a little bitty pill. That Little bitty pill is Femara. It has been helping me get my strength back.
My Cancer Dr. come in and said I needed a port put in my arteria and so I went to surgery to put the port in and to drain water with a chest tube around my heart on June 23,2010. On July 1, 2010 I had to go in for lung surgery to scrape out my lung and try to fix the hole in my lung.
I moved to room 317 for a few days and then to the cancer floor room 706 for special food and my Dr. wants all his cancer patients on one floor. I come home on July 13,2010 again Yeah Thank you Jesus.

I got sick most of the time. I could not eat anything. I lost 80 Pounds when I finally got to come home. I am eatting a lot better now. I can hold things down and I am enjoying my food. I go up and down about 5 pounds. Most of this is water weight.

My next lung Appointment was August 25, 2010 don't have to go back for 2 months October 13,2010 I could ween myself off the oxygen. I am going without it most of the day and I use it at night to help heal my body. Caner Dr. said the same thing. His appointment in October 12, 2010.
The second appointment he told me a totally change I went from 755 markers to 129. and normal is 30.so I am doing much better.

Went today at 12:00 noon for a pet scan. I did not eat since last night and then I was injected sugar in a main artery in arm to see where the sugar was going this helped to see if there was any new cancer any where. The report was good and they said no new and none in my shoulders were hurting and left arm was swollen a little. I am thankful for the good report and I am expecting a clean bill of health. My sugar today was 81 before the injection of the sugar water

Just keep looking better and felling better. Went to heart doctor and he released me from having to come back any time soon said I was okay going to Cancer doctor on Monday December 6th,2010 expecting a good report

I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to the Lord for blessing me with extended life. I went and had a pet scan in November and on Dec appointment was told keep up taking the Fermara and to come back in 2 months and my lung doctor said come back in 4 months. I am getting stronger and I really feel a lot better. I plan on going on a women's retreat in April. 2011. I will tell you how it goes