Better than she was before… Better, Stronger, Happier. A Breast Cancer Journal
I’m just back from my first post-treatment mammogram and ultrasound.
And all is well. Woooohooooo!!
I learned a lot today:
- That I have two staples in my right breast (!).
- That my enlarged right breast may be a delayed reaction of radiation (?).
- That the constant snapping of photos during the ultrasound is not necessarily a bad sign.
- That no matter how unbelievably terrified I am during the tests, all the terror can be wiped away in an instant by a happy, happy result.
Happy, happy day!
Thank you to everyone whose good wishes got me through this week and to this happy, happy result.
Woooooohooooooo!!!
Andrea Ross was diagnosed with breast cancer October 6, 2009 and intends to survive and thrive. You can read more from Andrea here.
Posted by Andrea September 7, 2010 at 4:57 pm.
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We had the honour of escorting two beautiful young ladies to school today.
There was lots of excitement on the playground — happy reunions and fresh starts.
Hoping this school year brings good health and much happiness for your family and ours.
Andrea Ross was diagnosed with breast cancer October 6, 2009 and intends to survive and thrive. You can read more from Andrea here.
Posted by Andrea September 7, 2010 at 9:28 am.
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| In December 2008, we created our first family vision boards: cruising through magazines, cutting and pasting our wishes and dreams, creating colourful collages to help keep us focused on what really counted.
My wishes at that time centred mostly on good health, happiness, peace, podcasting, prosperity, recreation, renewal and exercise. On many a beautiful day, glances at that board reminded me to choose x-country skiing or cycling with Lucy and Bayla, over vegging or chores. |
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| We didn’t create vision boards in 2009. |
| When we pulled out our magazines this weekend to create our September 2010 Vision Boards, I was stunned to see the clippings that hadn’t made that 2008 cut: a huge, red “Be Brave”; an innocent-looking “Ready for Anything”.
Little did I know. |
Our collages are dependent, of course, on what we can find and clip. Images of affection, creativity and peace were tougher to find this year. And the colours this round are decidedly cooler.
But glancing at the two versions, I can’t help noticing: where the last one whispered, this year’s screams.
Health, healing, harmony, life, love, ease, peace, prosperity, exercise and joy.
Envisioning lots of it for all of us. For many years to come.
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Andrea Ross was diagnosed with breast cancer October 6, 2009 and intends to survive and thrive. You can read more from Andrea here.
Posted by Andrea September 6, 2010 at 4:59 pm.
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This summer we have read:
- If You’re Reading this it’s too Late
- Manolito Four Eyes #1
- Manolito Four Eyes #2
- Manolito Four Eyes #3
- Leo and the Lesser Lion
- Holes
- The Unearthly Asylum
- Sara Book #1
- Sara Book #2
- Elijah of Buxton
- Zombiekins
- Kenny and the Dragon
- The Higher Power of Lucky
- After Hamelin
I really liked all of them but I have to say that After Hamelin was one of my top favourites. I think you should read them.
Bayla (Now 9!) is the youngest member of the Clan Ross-Blevis. You can read more from Bayla here.
Posted by Bayla September 4, 2010 at 3:43 pm.
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This time last year, my right breast was huge.
I didn’t think much of it, as the imbalance first occurred during my five years of constant breast-feeding (including 8 months of breastfeeding both of our little ones).
As this CT scan image makes obvious, my right breast became the smaller of the two following my surgeries last fall.
I was told that radiation would make it even smaller — and I’m pretty sure it did.
In the past few of weeks, though, that right breast has ballooned right up to its pre-surgery size. Despite my chemo-induced menopause and my estrogen-gobbling tamoxifen.
And I’m scared. Scared enough to have cancer-dreams (of which I’d had almost none). Scared enough to bump my mammogram and ultrasound up to Tuesday and beg my oncologist for speedy viewing and reporting of my results.
Tuesday, September 7, will be Luba’s first day back to school and I’m certainly hoping to enjoy these last few free-range days.
Still, Tuesday (and the day I get my happy, happy results!) can’t get here fast enough.
Andrea Ross was diagnosed with breast cancer October 6, 2009 and intends to survive and thrive. You can read more from Andrea here.
Posted by Andrea September 3, 2010 at 7:24 am.
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Two days ago, Paul and Sheri topped up Andrea’s Run for the Cure fundraising efforts, pushing her to $4000 — her goal at the time. That’s when we discovered Andrea was the third highest fundraiser in Ottawa.
We announced the milestone on this blog, Twitter and Facebook, asking for help to put Andrea in the pole position for fundraising in Ottawa.
At this moment, Andrea is second overall in the city with sponsorship of $5,148!!! That’s incredible. And yet, there’s still opportunity to be part of fundraising history by making Andrea the number one fundraiser for the first time in her life.
If your name isn’t on this list, sponsor Andrea and help make history. You have 29 days left.
Huge, huge thank yous to:
Mark is primary support, cheerleader and project manager of Andrea's recovery. You can read more from Mark here and on Mark's real blog, MarkBlevis.com.
Posted by Mark September 2, 2010 at 8:17 pm.
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Summer’s almost over now
It’s been eaten up, just like a cow
Now I have to go to school
I wish I could go to the pool
so it’s time to buy new stuff
I hope I don’t leave in a huff.
Bayla (Now 9!) is the youngest member of the Clan Ross-Blevis. You can read more from Bayla here.
Posted by Bayla September 2, 2010 at 6:57 pm.
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Related Posts:
Andrea Ross was diagnosed with breast cancer October 6, 2009 and intends to survive and thrive. You can read more from Andrea here.
Posted by Andrea September 1, 2010 at 9:18 pm.
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“What do you want?” Sarah asks me.
What do I want?
I want more. I want to crash out of this invisible armor I’m trapped in – to tear away the shackles and freefall, delirious and wild. I want to plummet naked into a velvet ocean at midnight and roll in the ecstasy of the waves. I want to peel back my layers and hold my raw wounds up to the sun for healing.
I want to slice through these suffocating wrappings and grab onto CORE ME – whoever that is – and never let her go; make her into the real me, the only me, for some to love and some not to love .. . and I want to not so painfully care who does and who doesn’t.
I want to feel, taste, devour it all – no filters, no censors, no gatekeeper telling me what is rightfully mine to take and what isn’t. I want rapture at the top of a mountain under a full moon. I want to absorb me, embrace me, the light and the dark, the glorious and the hideous, and cherish it all and laugh at it all forever.
Sarah’s back. “So what do you want?” she asks.
What do I want? “Caprese salad and a cup of pasta fagioul.”
We close our menus and clink our chiantis…
– Juicy Joy – 7 Simple Steps to Your Glorious, Gutsy Self. Lisa McCourt. (This book is not yet published. You can snag a sneak peek by signing up for Lisa’s newsletter, here.)
More Borrowed Words here.
Posted by Andrea August 31, 2010 at 9:15 am.
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Last month, I invited you to join me in my effort to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation by sponsoring me here.
In the 6 weeks since, you’ve raised $4000!
(….and made me the 3rd highest fundraiser for the Ottawa-Gatineau run, so far!!)
Huge, huge thank yous to:
WOooHooo!!
What generosity will the remaining 34 days of sponsorship bring?
Andrea Ross was diagnosed with breast cancer October 6, 2009 and intends to survive and thrive. You can read more from Andrea here.
Posted by Andrea August 30, 2010 at 5:36 pm.
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We’d been waiting for last night for a long time. It was our opportunity to thank our amazing support network and collectively celebrate great health. We invited 140 people who were instrumental in getting us through the last year. Of course, this is a time of year when people are squeezing the last few hours of summer into their lives. About 50 were able to join us.
It was an incredible evening of hugs, smiles, laughing and lots of food and wine. And after the party wound up, a few hardy friends came back to our house and kept the celebrations going till nearly 3am.
Thank you to everyone who was able to come and be a part of the fun. And… a MASSIVE THANK YOU to our dear friends Athina, Tracy and Jessica (the amazing staff of the First Avenue Day Care) for sharing their space and for being the best hosts ever!
Photos of the party are now online.
Mark is primary support, cheerleader and project manager of Andrea's recovery. You can read more from Mark here and on Mark's real blog, MarkBlevis.com.
Posted by Mark August 29, 2010 at 10:07 pm.
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Celebrating life with good, good friends.
(to enlarge, click image twice — or view details here)
More Happiness here.
Posted by Andrea August 29, 2010 at 9:46 pm.
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By the time you reach 101, you will have learned many lessons. For instance, you will have learned that almost nothing turns out according to plan. And you will know that when we get what we wish for, it is often because we have followed a twisty path.
– After Hamelin, Bill Richardson. Annick Press. 2000.
More Borrowed Words here.
Posted by Andrea August 27, 2010 at 8:42 pm.
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Summer schedules are busy. And the last week before school may be the craziest time to book a celebration.
But celebrate we must.
We will miss saying huge in-person thank yous to our absent friends.
We hope our gratitude beams reach you wherever you are.
Andrea Ross was diagnosed with breast cancer October 6, 2009 and intends to survive and thrive. You can read more from Andrea here.
Posted by Andrea August 27, 2010 at 12:28 am.
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A Successful Shopping Spree.
I had dreamed last year, while planning our Quebec City getaway, of discovering some funky new hand-made winter clothes.
My diagnosis hit just days before our trip.
As I wandered that gorgeous city, barely daring to notice its inspiring art and creatively concocted clothing, I was pretty sure my shopping days were done.
But they weren’t!
I’m happy to report that, yesterday, Lucy and I spent the entire day in the Byward Market — and boy did we have fun.
We shopped like there was no a tomorrow.
And even though I’ll never look like this gorgeous gal, I decided it was now or never for those funky arm thingies I adore.
More Happiness here.
Posted by Andrea August 26, 2010 at 5:10 pm.
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Andrea
Lucy* (10)
Bayla* (8)