Treatment #4-Rosy outlook!
First of all, to borrow from an episode of Seinfeld, WE HAVE SHRINKAGE! My MRI has revealed that although its not a huge amount, my tumor has shrunk by a centimeter. When you are starting with the behemoth lump that I had, you can understand why there is dancing in the streets. I got the news right before my fourth treatment so it was exactly what I needed to put a pep in my step and suck it up for three more.
For the morning of number four, I decided to go all out blush. When I was diagnosed I started to see really quickly that if you’re going to have breast cancer, you better like pink. It’s everywhere and it’s your job to wear it and wear it proudly. I’ve never been a fan of baby pinks or rosy hues so I decided bold and bright was the way to go! It all started with my new favorite lipstick: NYX brand in Shocking Pink. That has a nice ring to it!
As KISS-met would have it, I got a package in the mail a few days earlier from Fighting Pretty, an organization who makes it a point to make women feel beautiful while fighting cancer. You’re speaking my language ladies! They sent me a gorgeous care package with nail polishes, lipsticks, scarves, a hat and the most amazing pink boxing gloves! “Never never never give up” it said on the inside. This parade of pink spurred me on for my next round like no other. I painted my nails to avoid the pain that the chemo can cause them and did up my head with a pink polka dot scarf from Michael’s ($1.99 people! Buy em up!)
To top off my pretty in pink theme, I donned some dreamy white glasses and one of my favorite sweatshirts from Mink Pink (the name is a total coincidence). I love this sweater. The enthusiastic YAY is perfect for when you need a little pep talk, but the sassy period at the end is a cheeky little reminder to chill a bit. It’s chemo after all, let’s not get too excited. An optimist for the future but a realist in the moment. We can’t celebrate just yet. Those centimeters aren’t going to shrink themselves!
Side Effects
Good thing I was feeling good in pink because Holy Mother of GOD here come the hot flashes! Ladies, your mom’s have talked about them. You’ve heard lore of them your whole life. You have NO IDEA! These things are brutal. It’s like there are little elves in your body operating a thermostat that you can’t even comprehend. Thank the lord I have no hair. You sweat, you steam, you heat up with the fire of a thousand suns, and then it’s over. It’s so consuming you want to ask everyone, “Did you feel that?!” as if it were an earthquake you were all experiencing at once. Nope, it’s just you. Just the crazy combo of steroids and menopause they’ve got you on. Breathe through it. Another one is on the way.
I wanted a fashionable way to combat these raging fires so I went to my trusty eBay and ordered up a beautiful fan to carry with me at all times. It’s lightweight, fits easily in my bag and gives me an appropriately exotic flair when I feel like I’m in the Burmese Jungle while in the dead of winter. I whipped this out at the doctor’s office last week and about three other women pulled theirs out too. Looks like I’m not the only one who wants to accentuate the HOT in the flashes. This fan’s for you, my beautiful cancer kicking ladies!
Stay strong Krysta, you are so loved by many and you are being lifted in prayer.
you are an inspiration to women Everwhere! You inspire me everyday to be the strong and powerful woman I am!
Great news about the “shrinkage”…….Keep fighting and kicking Cancer’s ass!!!!!!!!! God Bless You!
Today was round #4 for me, too, and I’ve already had a zillion hot flashes since I left the infusion room at 1:00 pm. And the fun part is, I feel like I must be 107 degrees, and I’m sure I’ve got sweat dripping. But, no. My head is a cold, clammy 98.1. Not even as hot as an average human. At 31, you’re just not supposed to get hot flashes. You’re supposed to be like, “Gosh, it’s so drafty in here. I hope my sweater is in the car.”
On a completely alternate topic, I work for a company that puts on dance intensives in the summer, and because of my current pink battle, we’re theming our programs “The Year of Hope.” If you’re up for it, I would love to talk to you about doing a dance workshop at any of our L.A. or NYC intensives (held in July and August). Contact me at MaxAndMarley@gmail.com if you might be interested, and if not this time, maybe some other. 🙂
Good news about shrinkage
Hot flashes- yuck been thru those and they just plain SUCK
You are so strong and will kick this beasts ass.
Prayers daily for your journey
Love the idea of ‘Fighting Pretty’, but I’m ovarian cancer and love everything TEAL. I do need to get one of those fans though very HOT, but in teal, of course. Sorry you have to go through this, but it will pass. Stay strong and beautiful!
Centimeters are the Cancer equivalent of miles. You cannot eliminate the last one without first getting rid of the first one, so way to go kid!
Congratulations on the shrinkage! It’s nice to know that the chemo is working. My tumor shrunk down to almost nothing after 2 treatments, and that gave me the extra boost I needed to get through the rest. I had 8 total, and they were brutal.
Hot flashes are no joke. I think most of us in our early 30’s think that we have plenty of time before we’ll have to worry about something like that. I guess cancer gives us a lot of experiences we didn’t think we’d have to deal with.
Great news about your tumor!!! 🙂
Good news on the shrinking. 🙂 Your ingenuity and determination are truly inspiring.
I’m not sure if these help with chemo related hot flashes, mostly because I don’t know if the chemo makes one’s skin too sensitive, but I use “cool off” wipes that help with lupus hot flashes. (I’ve seen them at drug stores, but I usually order everything on Amazon.)
YEA. for the shrinkage!!! Lovin the hot pink & you. Susan (JJ’s Nana)
You look so amazing, and the hot flashes do suck. The ones I have been having now go from the thermostat out of control to a prickly stinging feeling up my back. Praying that your tumor continues to shrink, prayers and hugs.
Congrats on the shrinkage. I was never a fan of the pink either but breast cancer changed that! Love the lipstick and scarf!!!!
Be BOLD! Be BRIGHT! Be BRILLIANT! PINK is YOUR color!
You are so amazing at singing, acting, dressing, and now fighting cancer! You are an inspiration to ALL women! Cancer’s got nothing on you! 🙂
I read this in an old interview about Hoda Kotb and her breast cancer story, she said that a stranger said to her: “Breast cancer is part of you; it’s like working at NBC and getting married and going to college. Don’t hog your journey; it’s not just for you; think of how many people you could have helped on the way home.” and it is so true, reading about breast cancer and personal stories helps everyone, it really does and I wanted to say thanks again for writing this blog.