<<<<Positive Vibes>>>>>

So sorry to hear about your diagnosis.  Stay strong - it seems so treatable nowadays and they are always making new advancements.

And congratulations on the upcoming wedding.

Keep on going but always remember to do what's best for you, your health and your family first.

Best of luck and I'll keep you in my prayers.

I truly hope your journey continues but health is definitely the priority . . . especially with your upcoming wedding!  Congratulations to you!  Wishing you much love and happiness!

Thanks, everyone.  

I am a married woman!   The wedding was amazing and I was so thankful to have so many people there representing so many parts of our lives. 

I am scheduled for another biopsy, this time MRI guided.  And they are recommending excision if a new mass they hadn’t seen on the mammogram.  It’s all moving very fast.  They weren’t going to call me until after we got back from France and Germany in a couple weeks but they called a couple hours after the MRI on Monday and then called me yesterday to schedule the next biopsy.  Makes me worried on one hand and glad they are acting fast on the other.  

On a running note, love the advice in particular to see how it goes with treatment.  My procedure on 4/11 is set for 7a so I’ll have to get up super early to run before then have then wrap me tighter so I can run the following evening. I predict depending on what the lab comes back with that they will at minimum have me in for a lumpectomy shortly thereafter which may be more difficult or impossible to run through. But I have heard stories of people doing it.  So we’ll see. I’m working on coming to terms with the possibility of an ending it just in case. 

That’s all for now!  I’m going to head out for a run towards Luxembourg Gardens shortly (Paris Marathon in 5 days!!) and having dinner with some prior colleagues this evening. 

Tata from Paris!

Congratulations!

Better to get it done and sorted now. Save you the agony of waiting and the mental weight of that

Hello, all!  Hope everyone is well.

Some updates. 

Last I updated I had been scheduled for an MRI biopsy 4/11 to test a spot they found in the 3/27 MRI despite having been told back on 3/16 the MRI was to figure out how to biopsy the spot that needed it per the 2/14 notice from my 2/3 mammogram.  Grr. 

I had a “follow up” then on 4/19 and learned the new spot is benign. Great. EXCELLENT. And …. about that original spot??

They performed a THIRD biopsy on 4/24 (which was an absolutely agonizing 2 hrs in a completely unnatural position with 15 samples taken) for which the pathology is hoped to be back before 5/3 when I am scheduled for a lumpectomy/partial mastectomy with lymph node biopsy. 

Who knew it took this long to test and diagnose breast cancer.  I don’t know how long after the surgery I have to wait for the results to know exactly what we’re dealing with and treatment routes. Based on what’s transpired so far I’m guessing at least a week.

In running news, the Paris Marathon on 4/2 was a great success. With a hamstring problem the last couple of months before the event I was hoping to finish and not get pulled off the course as they advertise strongly a six hour cutoff. I did intervals after my continuous mile (I know it’s not “required” but it was when I started so I have continued to follow it as my rule), then did .26/.06 run/walk intervals and finished in 4:46. I was pretty happy with that!  And with the intervals I wasn’t totally wrecked so I enjoyed the rest of our vacation turned honeymoon. The next day we rode bikes around Versailles and I completed RSD 3018 in the gardens. 

For people who are curious, the stories of Paris being on fire and a hot mess with the protests were greatly exaggerated.  I was there over a week and the worst thing I saw were neatly stacked piles of garbage.  😂

I am signed up for a half on 5/21. It may or may not happen but I feel like it will. I’ve gotten a lot of encouragement that I may be able to safety continue my streak through this, including from my surgeon.  I’ll know the evening of 5/4 if it’s in the cards, and for the sake of my mental well being and frankly for overall recovery I am hopeful to continue. As a fellow streaker said in a podcast (check it out at https://podcasts.apple.com/jp/podcasts/outruncancer/id1610635467), I know that my streak will end sometime, but damnit, cancer is not how I saw this ending so I’m going to fight it in all the ways I need to.  

Please continue to send positive vibes.

teileen, I only rarely check in on this group, so only now am reading your news, good and not-so-good. Wonderful news on your wedding and honeymoon - congrats on that and congrats on your strong showing in the marathon. Your strength will make a big difference in the other challenges you are facing. All the best!

Hi All!!  

I got good news today!  My lymph nodes were negative so no spread, no additional cancer found in the removed tissue, and the margins were clear!  In short - the cancer is gone for now!   

I am so relieved and at the same time am aware that life is different.  I have an oncology and radiation consult on 5/22 and 6/7 respectively. The surgeon thinks I’ll just need suppression drug therapy, likely hormone blockers, and no radiation but we’ll see.

I’m looking forward to getting back to actual training and running the Marine corps historic half 5/21.  I have maintained my streak and suffered no ill effects. Tonight was run steak day 3055!  I’ve been thankful for my streak to have the mile, along with my ~700 day steak of 10k steps and 10 flights as it has helped immensely with giving me something to get out of bed and or off the couch for. 

Thank you for all the positive vibes and prayers.  Streak on!  <3