New year…new adventure…new boobs

Happy 2022 everyone! I hope everyone had a safe and happy new year celebration ☺️

I have been trying to reflect back on this year and honestly it is a little hazy because of everything going on. Even with the cancer diagnosis, 2021 has been an amazing year: lots of family time, the birth of our baby boy, and seeing Charleigh as a big sister…just a few of the many happy highlights. Moving into 2022, one of my resolutions is to be open, raw, and honest with my emotions on this journey. I am not typically open with my emotions on social media, however I want this blog to be honest and open. No sugar coating.

This past week after Christmas was busy. I had more scans, more bloodwork, and my first chemo infusion.

Monday the 27th, I had my pre-chemo bloodwork, met with the genetics counselor, had my breast MRI (with IV contrast-to help enhance the tissues in the pictures), then had more bloodwork done for genetics testing. Phew! It was a lot and I definitely felt like a pin cushion (3 different “pokes”). I discovered that I have an adverse reaction to the MRI contrast, which led to nausea and vomiting 😳. Luckily they got enough pictures, before I regurgitated my breakfast, that we did not have to continue the contrast. But now we know for next time I need to take anti-nausea medicine before! Whatever it takes though to understand more about this cancer and why I was the chosen one…if you haven’t pick up on it yet, I like Harry Potter a little bit 🙃 and will be continuing HP references through this journey.

The genetics counselor meeting was very interesting with A LOT of information about how cancers can be passed down and which cancers can be “related” to breast cancer but not directly breast cancer. We are looking at if I have any gene mutations that may lead to another cancer down the road.

Wednesday: My first chemo infusion. I had my pearls and pink on, ready to show this shit to the door, and will be keeping up with #pearlsandpink on all my chemo days. I want to thank everyone who wore pink in my honor and tagged #alysasarmy on social media. I cannot even begin to describe how much it meant to me to see support from near and far. It gave me *HOPE* and that hope will get me through this.

For all you medical nerds out there, and those just interested, here are the order of chemotherapy meds and details[if you aren’t interested in those details, skip the next few paragraphs 🙃]. I was given steroids and anti-nausea meds to pre-medicate against any reactions. The monoclonal antibody drugs, Herceptin and Perjeta, are infused first back to back. They are run before the “big chemo” drugs to help activate the body and get my fighting 💪🏼💪🏼 system going. Herceptin ran for 90 minutes for this first dose but the infusion time will decrease over time to 60 min then to 30 min then stay at 30min for the remaining infusions. The Perjeta runs for 60 min with an hour waiting period after to monitor after for side effects. The waiting period after Perjeta will decrease to 30min after this first round. I will remain on Perjeta and Herceptin through Dec 2022.

After the Perjeta wait time came the Taxotere, which ran for 60min. During the Taxotere I am trying cryotherapy on my hands and feet to help prevent neuropathy. The (cold) socks I was able to handle with no problem. The ice gloves on the other hand (…get it..😂🤦🏻‍♀️-horrible joke I know) were ROUGH! I had to take them off after 5 min to let my hands warm up and used intermittently through the remainder of the infusion. I will work on my dad/chemo/pun jokes for the next few blog posts. Or just ask my Uncle David and Blake for some jokes 😂 The Carboplatin came last and ran for 30 min, which will stay at a 30 min run time. Overall, it was just a LONG day of catching up on shows–thank you for the recommendations! On Thursday I had to go back into the infusion center to get the Neulasta shot, which will help with white blood cell growth. As much as I have loved the time spent with my oncology nurses 🙃, It truly is a pain to have to go back in the next day for just one shot. So, My oncologist is going to work with my insurance (as everyone knows insurance can be a pain) about getting an auto injection patch so I do not have to travel back to the treatment center and hospital the following day.

At my infusion on Wednesday, I learned that the full side effects from chemo don’t start showing until 7-14 days after the treatment. Everyone is different, however, and New Year’s Eve played a different tune this year. I started experiencing more of the side effects, including major nausea, headache, body aches (from the Neulasta-“bone growing” shot), and hot flashes. Honestly, its felt like a bad hangover that won’t go away. I really was not expecting to see some of these till next week or so but all I can do is fight and manage these side effects the best I can with the meds we have! Some of my #breasties have mentioned that over time, I will be able to gauge when I’ll start feeling the side effects and when I’ll start feeling better. That will help with when to take certain meds!

The real side effects that come about 7–14 days after the infusion include hair loss. Truthfully, this is one of the things I have some what struggled with the most thinking about. BUT hiding behind my hair is is not who I am. My hair doesn’t define me. It will grow back. I am not sure what color it will come back as, thanks to my terddler,🤨. It’s fine. Everything is fine–insert dumpster fire.

Oh! Friends who are good with make up: if you have any recommendations for easy application of eyelashes and eyebrows (so they are natural looking), I’m all ears!! I will be losing all my hair…including eyelashes and eyebrows…and would love any suggestions. I will be saving money on shaving cream and razors though. Lucky Blake 🙃

Thank you again to our friends Casey and Colin Bunn for raffling off time at their OBX home. My grandmother, Lynea Manners, was the lucky winner! We have some other plans to show thanks and another raffle prize for anyone who has donated. We will be sharing these details in the next few weeks. Thank you again to each and everyone of you for your generosity and support.

Prayers for this next week: 1) insurance covers the Nuelesta auto injection patch so I do not have to travel back to the hospital for extra visits 2)side effects from chemo stay minimal 3)I start to learn my new body and when to take medications to prevent severe side effects of chemo

Love,

Alysa & Blake

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

https://www.gofundme.com/f/alysas-breast-cancer-treatments

https://mealtrain.com/07e2mz