Are you a Pink Princess?

   It has become more and more apparent to me that I have a responsibility to make something good out of the last years heartache and trials. Having said that I have wondered which way God would take me, how He would use me, where I would go and what I would do. I have been dabbling in this and that. I have been approached by some to write forwards on their book, others to speak at events, and as late as this morning to work on a short story for a book collaboration by two other AMAZING survivors. I have been trying to decide on going back to work full time or continue doing the ventures I am pursuing at this time. I have started the process of launching my own website, WOW, what a job that is, it should be up by the first of November. The website and my mission is to unite other survivors, offer support and encouragement as well as have FUN! I love all things girl as many of you know, though this journey strips from you of many things that are PRINCESS! Things I once considered part of my womanhood. I struggled as many of you know with losing my hair, my breasts and my ability to have another child after diagnosis., as well as the thoughts of losing the battle. Cancer isn't for cowards people!!!

 God, fashion, food, antiques, gardening, hunting, food, volunteering, working out, being a mom, food, all of these are things and much much more define who I am, NOT cancer! Did I mention good food? LOL! I want women to come together on my site and network with other young women that are facing the same issues, but choose to THRIVE! I have struggled with pursuing anything that had breast cancer in the name as a career because I wanted cancer to stay in my rear view. It is still in my rear view and some days I embrace it because nothing short of that would have brought about the changes in me. On other days I wish I could wake up and it all have been a BAD DREAM! Well, one thing I can do is continue to keep living, keep busy raising my kids, volunteering and helping others, eating well, exercising and enjoying my life. Everyday is a gift, none of us are guaranteed a tomorrow, with or without cancer. I have been blessed beyond measure despite the obstacles and trials I have been through in the last year. God has supplied every need for me and I want for nothing! I long to serve and edify him every day from here on out.

  Team Pink Princess is my way of moving past cancer, helping and serving others, giving those struggling hope that they too shall get though this!!!! Please continue to follow me and The Team PINK PRINCESS on Facebook and coming soon teampinkprincess.com. I pray with God's help it explodes into a great ministry for those walking this path. Remember with God ALL things are possible!!!!!

   

Team "Pink Princess"

                                                                                  
Why I'm Making Strides

My breast cancer story began July 13, 2010 @ 1:30 in the afternoon. I was at my doctor for my annual check up and had promised my self I would ask her to look at the "dent" I has in my left breast. I had noticed it right before Colt was to be born and thought it was just due to my milk coming in...boy was I wrong. At the appt brought the "dent" to my nurse practitioner's attention, she said I don't think it's anything. She pretty much dismissed it even after she had done my breast exam. It must have not FELT like cancer. I pushed again before she left  for her to look with my arm raised, because it looked different or worse when my arm was up. She again said "Well, there is a "dent" but I don't think it's anything, BUT we will send you for a mammogram just to be sure." WOW....was this happening to me?

    So, got to the imaging center same day, had the mammogram and then they took me to another room to have an ultrasound. I knew it was not good at that point. As the radiologist does the ultrasound he looks at me and says" You have a mass Heather, and I believe it is breast cancer". I was BLOWN away. No family history of breast cancer, in fact I met none of the criteria for having this diagnosis. WOW...what next? 

     Meet Dr. Lehr, surgeon...." Heather, you don't have family history, your young, I believe this is going to be nothing, but let's do the biopsy to be sure".......3 days later "Heather, it's Dr. Lehr......are you sitting down?" ....No, do I need to be? "Yes, you do have breast cancer".....yada yada yada....my world was spinning. Ductal Carcinoma, what is that? WOW...again...how can this be happening? I went to his office the next day with my mom and grams, my "support" team. We discussed the cancer, what it meant and how to treat it? Would I live? Am I going to die? ....I wanted the cancer OUT- gone, I wanted him to take both of my breast that I would NEVER have to deal with this again. He said let's go slow, we can go forward but never back and if we do the double mastectomy you can't go backwards.

    So, I had a lumpectomy, margins clear, no node involvement, but it was invasive. The tumor was 3.2 cm, it was estrogen and progesterone driven or positive and it did not have the her protein that is present in aggressive forms of breast cancer. After the initial path report revealed no node involvement the final one said 2 positive nodes...wow that means CHEMO. Could this get any better? I may lose my boobs which I LOVE and now my hair!!!!! This cannot be happening!!!!! But it was,  I was then given the BRCA test to see if I am at a greater genetic risk for recurrence. If so, recommendations were to have a double mastectomy to reduce the risk. The BRCA test results came back MAYBE...wow...1 of 10 people in the WORLD to have this particular mutation, still trying to find out the significance of it. Still recommendations from 2 oncologists and my surgeon, double mastectomy to reduce risk, as each year it would climb 0.5% plus my 10 to 20% chance of recurrence just having been DX previously. So, decided to have the double mastectomy to ensure a better survival rate and less chance of recurrence. WOW is this hard!!!!!!

     I am a woman BECAUSE I have boobs rite? What does it mean if I don't have any?  Struggling but muddling through, all the while weaning our son in 3 days. It was very difficult for me and I thought would be devastating to the little man cause he was a boob guy for sure, but he transitioned beautifully. Still everything else was haywire, I was trying to be strong, praying and believing that God would change this outcome and move for me to get me out of this nightmare.  Then it happened God stepped in at my weakest moment and took my hand and said, "This is your testimony and you will tell a lot of women your story". WOW, it is starting to make sense now,  I hadn't revealed this to anyone but God had told me this last fall and I knew the second time I heard it what it really meant. I was going to live and beat breast cancer so that I might share my story with others. I CAN do this, no matter what I am going to come through this.

    August 23, 2010 I had a bilateral mastectomy clear margins and one more positive node, that means Stage2 B. WOW....I had not asked any Dr at that point what stage as when you hear the word cancer you assume stage 4 and death, or at least I did. Months of chemo, surgery and radiation would follow, before the sun would come out again. Today I am done with all treatment with the exception of my Femara to block any stray estrogen. I am doing beautifully, to GOD be the glory. Cancer is NOT a death sentence and for me was just the beginning of the rest of my beautiful life. 

    I AM THE FACE OF BREAST CANCER. October is breast cancer awareness month, I want to urge all women to ask your doctor to test your for the BRACA gene and see what your risk is...even if you have no family history, if you test positive your chance of developing breast cancer before the age of 60 is 80- 85%. Please be proactive with your health and press and push your doctors to do more tests if your body is telling you something different. My tumor based on size and grade had been growing 5-7 years, that means I was 27 -29 years old when it began . I would NOT, based on the current policies and recommendations, had a mammogram until 40 and by then it could have been too late.

Please Read my story from diagnosis through today at www.heathersknockingoutcancer.blogspot.com/

Why am I walking?

Because I know that I will make a difference. I know that by raising funds and walking in my Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event, I will help the American Cancer Society continue to save lives from breast cancer ? and create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays. How do they do it? Every day, the Society is helping people stay well by helping them take steps to reduce their risk of breast cancer or find it early, when it is easiest to treat; helping people get well with information, day-to-day help, and emotional support to guide them through every step of a breast cancer experience; by finding cures and promising new treatments through funding and conducting research; and by fighting back by working with lawmakers to help all women get access to screenings and care. 

I believe that one day, breast cancer will never steal another year from anyone's life ? and we will live in a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays. That's why I'm walking. Not only is this my opportunity to join my community to fight back against breast cancer, but it is also a way to inspire hope by raising funds and awareness to help those facing the disease.

And you can be a part of it, too. 

I have signed up to walk and raise funds to support the American Cancer Society's efforts to fight breast cancer. I hope you will join my team or make a donation in support of my participation. Together, we can make strides to end breast cancer!

To sponsor me and my team for the walk in Springfield, MO on October 15th @ Jordan Valley Park. Please follow the link below to donate.

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=23192531&pg=personal&fr_id=36159

Thanks again for all of your prayers and support. I am FOREVER grateful!!!!

I am FREE!!!!

   The Bible says that......Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. I am worth more than sparrows, Praise God! Some of you may say "Well, I hope you are worth more than a bird". But how many times do we wonder during a rough or difficult time if God hears our prayers or has time to deal with our problems. He does. The Bible says it and I believe it. I have been through the roughest three years of my life, starting with a divorce, cancer, the failure of another relationship. I have three beautiful children and a renewed faith in Christ to show for the trials I have endured. I am blessed. I don't feel sorry for my self, wish things were different, or even wish to change the past failures and mistakes. They have been lessons learned. I have been made NEW and STRONG, Praise God! 
    I continue to heal physically from the treatments and emotionally from the rest. I am a work in progress. I make mistakes, I fall on my face, followed by stints on my knees asking for forgiveness. I am so blessed with the direction my life is taking and I am so grateful for the people and opportunities I have been given. I am not only a survivor, I am a thriver. I am FREE. Cancer FREE, FREE to run, FREE to dance:) 
   My kids are all doing exceptional. Sierra and I are busy touring colleges for her after graduation. Dakota is one of the smartest kids in his class and his teacher feels that he maybe hold the highest score on the Map test this year. Colt continues to learn and grow so fast. He has expanded his vocabulary to include, kitty, owie, dog, and a host of other words. He is my busy bee. They are my life:) 
   I am blessed beyond measure and cannot ever thank you all for every cooked meal, prayer, conversation, hug that you have given me since diagnosis. You all are my angels and I love you all:) Thank you, thank you, thank you! Please continue to follow me and pray for me as I walk this road of survivorship. MUAH!!!!! 

Praise God....I am FREE to dance:)

http://youtu.be/ZWv-UOHzaIc