Giving Thanks

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving I don't think I have ever been more thankful. I'm thankful for all the love and support from family, friends, and acquaintances. Thank you to those who added me to a prayer chain. The fact that people are praying for me who only know me as "a woman named Ann with breast cancer" is just amazing. Every night my first prayer is "please watch over and bless everyone who is lifting me up in prayer".

I'm doing well. I'm done with chemo. I completed radiation on October 15th and rang that bell like I just had the best roast beef sandwich at Arby's! I was so glad to be done with radiation. I'm continuing with my immunotherapy which consists of going to the cancer center every 3 weeks to receive 2 drugs through my port. The drugs don't make me sick at all which is nice. My blood work has been good - they would like a couple of my numbers to be a little higher but overall I'm doing fine. I still have issues with neuropathy in my feet - it feels like I have cotton balls at the base of my toes. Chemo did a number on my nails but I can see healthy nail beds coming in.

I'm having quite a bit of discomfort in my joints - I feel like I'm 80 first thing in the morning. I just started a new medicine called Femara (Letrozole) which is an aromatase inhibitor (AI). AIs are prescribed to lower estrogen levels and help prevent cancer recurrence. There is a high percentage of women who experience joint pain and stiffness called arthralgia caused by the drug. I hope I don't experience additional pain but if I do there is promising evidence which supports using exercise and acupuncture to manage it. Speaking of acupuncture, I've been to see an acupuncturist twice. I had never tried acupuncture but it seems to be helping. Of course I still love my Jazzercise and get to class as often as possible.

I'm attaching our picture from last year's Thanksgiving. That poor blond in that picture had no idea what was coming her way in 2018! I've learned a lot about myself through this journey and would like to think I'm a better person for it. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

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1 Chronicles 16:34 - Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

xo