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Happy New Year!

 First post of 2026! Happy New Year! 

My new chemo has started. The name is "TAXOL".... short for "paclitaxel" for those of you who want to look it up. I have the second of 12 cycles tomorrow! As of right now they are going to be every Friday at 9:30 am. Last week I did the first cycle and it knocked me out during the treatment time (they give Benadryl through my port and it acted fast!) BUT I had more energy after and felt more coherent the entire weekend! It wasn't until Monday I started feeling the achy effects. They say this chemo's side effects are normally bone pain and neuropathy in the hands and feet. Let's pray against that one specifically because I would love to get back to work sooner rather than later and I need my hands to be working for that to happen!! 

For a solid two days my body couldn't regulate its temperature and I was so itchy! I felt extremely cold to the bone and couldn't warm up without my heated blanket. Other times I would be extremely hot and break out in a sweat! I imagine that is what hot flashes feel like. If you didn't know the drugs I will be on after chemo will put me into early menopause so I guess I can get used to the hot flashes as part of my normal life now! Yay for being a woman.. am I right? ha! Anyway, I have to admit I will gladly take these symptoms everyday over how I felt getting the red devil chemo. That one took me out. SO, I am counting my blessings because I have been able to do so much more after this chemo than I was the last! Simply being able to keep up with the house is a big win. 

Let's talk about the hairs on my head. They are few and far between but there are some there and let me tell you, I am as attached to these few hairs as a prepubescent boy is attached to his amateur mustache coming in. In fact I feel so comfortable at home without a scarf on my head that I have accidentally left the house without one as well. It's not until someone gives me a double take that I remember I look the way that I do... I have wondered if people can tell I have cancer or if I just look like a girl who lost her marbles & shaved it completely off... a Brittany Spears moment if you will. Who knows what the people think! I guess it doesn't really matter. I would like to say that my sweet guy, Paul, hasn't looked at me any differently without hair than he did before. He's so encouraging! It is such a  blessing to have him in my life. In fact before this chemo started I had almost two weeks off from treatment and I was able to make a quick trip to the ocean with him. He encouraged me to take the cap off and swim in the ocean freely! How empowering! Don't worry he also brought sunblock for my head. The point is, it was a very freeing moment for me. The ocean has always been healing for me so that trip entirely was quite magical. I did try on the wig for the first time there which made me look a little more 'normal' but honestly...taking the wig or the cap off feels even better than taking a bra off !!! Ladies, if you know you know! Hopefully if you're reading this blog you're comfortable with talk of boobies and bras! It is a breast cancer blog after all.... 

Speaking of breast cancer. Let this be the year you start checking your chest! Don't wait and rely on mammograms PLEASE. At home self breast exams are the most effective way to find any abnormalities. And you need to be checking EVERY month!! 




Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 


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