Thurs., Dec. 13, 2018

Hello beloved humans!!

Here’s the plan:

Surgery on Tuesday morning. If all goes well, I’ll be home the same day without cancer in my boob and with a port ready for the next phase of shenanigans.  

I have an email list ready to roll, so when I am home and settled in (no doubt watching Forensic Files or Live PD), I promise to let you know.

Right now, all our family needs is good vibes and encouragement. Phase 2 will require some back up, so I’ll raise my hand, call, text, email, send smoke signals, shout from the rooftops, fly a pigeon or fax someone if I have to (although I don’t know how to do this on my own and it will require Girlilla help in itself).

If you want to do something that will make my heart sing, please donate to St. Jude or Music Health Alliance. This experience reaffirms I am damn lucky to have caught this cancer early, even luckier to have access to great health insurance and the luckiest for every single ounce of support you are giving me.

Love,
Jennie
‍
‍

Sat., Jan. 5, 2019

Hello beautiful humans,

Received some great news over the break… nothing cancerous was found in my lymph nodes. This is a huge relief. However, the margins on the cancer they removed did not come back clean. So on Jan. 21 I’ll undergo another surgery to remove more tissue so we can move on to next steps (chemo, radiation, etc.). I’ll continue to keep you posted when I have details to share.

In the meantime, I’m doing great, have very little pain and will be back to work next week. I believe I am officially out of #FragileCupcake mode so please feel free to treat/speak to me as you normally would. 😉 I assure you the kids show no mercy. I am most looking forward to working out the next two weeks before my procedure (words I never thought I’d type) and am still enjoying copious amounts of Live PD.

I continue to ask for good vibes and HUGE THANK YOUs for your prayers and check-ins.

Love,
Jennie


‍Jan. 21, 2019

Hello,

Just an update to let you know that surgery went very well early this morning and we are home.  My surgeon, his team and every human at Vandy are amazing. I am tired and sore but pain is minimal comparative to surgery 1.

The last weeks recovering from surgery no. 1 and returning to regular life was exactly what I needed. Driving to the office and working, having a chance to exercise, getting aggro in the Whole Foods parking lot, carrying my son during a tantrum and getting knots out of my daughter’s hair made me feel as good as anything. While I know breast cancer is just part of life right now, pushing it and #FragileCupcake mode where it belongs… behind the important stuff, needed to happen.  

Last Tuesday, I broke my new port in with a fun filled day of Herceptin treatment. Besides feeling cruddy the next day at work, I tolerated it well. I will continue to receive that every three weeks for about a year. On a funny note, on the way to treatment, “Eye Of The Tiger” was on the radio. Coincidence? I think not.

I have a date with my new best chemo friend, Taxol, on Feb 7. As if breast cancer isn’t romantic enough, you’ll find Shannon and I celebrating Valentine’s Day in the chair and once a week for 12 weeks. Radiation and more hormone treatment after that, none of which I am thinking about right now. This could all change based on 100 factors, so right now that’s what I have to share.  

Off to bed and Live PD… although I feel like I should confess there’s been a lot of Below Deck happening. Not sure what this says about me as a person. I am overwhelmed by the concern and care from the best support system a gal could ask for. Thank you endlessly for the good vibes and prayers. Please keep them coming… I know the hard part is on the horizon.

Love,
Jennie


Feb. 14, 2019

Beautiful humans, hello.

The last few weeks since surgery no. 2 have been chalk full of medical adventures! We received the results of surgery no. 2 and unfortunately, the margins are still not clean. There will be a third procedure, most likely a total mastectomy/reconstruction. My case has gone in front of the Vanderbilt Oncology board for review. Based on our decision, the aftercare protocol (radiation, etc.) will follow. For now, all of that sits on the back-shelf with other stuff I don’t want to think about, like cleaning out my drawers, until we get through chemotherapy.

Oh chemo… how do I explain this process eloquently, IT FUCKING SUCKS. I am fasting before/after to help subside some of the side effects. I am cold capping my hair (alongside my new friend/angel Lacey who has to sit with me for 8 hours) and also trying to prevent neuropathy by icing my hands and feet while receiving treatment. So, imagine a very hangry, ridiculously cold person who can’t read her emails sitting there for hours with basic hospital cable? Well, that’s chemo. In terms of side effects, I’ve been managing OK. I have been braced for cumulative effects, so for now, I can tell you I am hanging in there and dealing with the symptoms as they come, which although annoying, are gratefully tolerable. Fatigue is the biggest asshole, but to date I’ve been able to work with the exception of chemo day and tap out for a nap when it really seems to get asshole-y. I am trying to stay focused on four things: Treatment, family, work and keeping my immune system exposed to the least amount of factors as possible.  

Two treatments down, 10 to go.

… Oh and keepin’ the REAL in real life, we’re potty training Chess. 😉

Sappy second, this process is very trying on many levels… but not on love and support. My family + Holly, my medical team, my co-workers, my friends and my clients are more than any human can ask for. Having my sister here this week is a massive help and my kids now know what those things in my kitchen are used for. I thank you all endlessly for caring and saying so! That’s all I need!

Happy Valentines, my love to you all.
Jennie


March 7, 2019

Hello, beautiful humans!

I in no way meant to have weeks between updates… however I learned a very valuable lesson Valentine’s Day week… things change quickly. What started off as what I thought was sinus pain/pressure quickly escalated to a severe viral infection that required a few days in the hospital to get under control. I am unable to hear out of my left ear, but I am told that will work itself out. I had to skip a week of chemo and the last two weeks have been a learning experience in in-home IV care. I have hunkered down, worked from home and besides having cabin fever, feeling much better. I am really hoping to be able to go to the office and work out next week. The little things make all the difference! As patience isn’t my specialty, I guess there’s also a lesson in here for that (thank you, next).

So, with last week’s chemo plus this week’s chemo, we are officially back on track with four treatments down, eight to go. Things are moving in the right direction today… and that’s truly all I can ask for.

Tomorrow, on my 42^nd birthday (thanks to my sister who confirmed as I was convinced I was turning 41), it’s very surreal sitting here typing this knowing I lost my Dad on the exact same day twelve years ago to pancreatic cancer. I am abundantly aware and grateful for the options and care I have.  

Thank you for the check-ins, the gifts, the cards, the food (the edibles!!) and most of all your good vibes + prayers. I am absolutely covered for the next little bit, but there are many who are not. If you are so inclined to help those who need it now and/or want to give me the best birthday present ever please consider donating to MUSIC HEALTH ALLIANCE or ST JUDE.  Absolutely nothing else would make me happier!

I don’t know how I got so lucky to have the kind of people I have in my life or the best job in the world… I certainly am happy to be celebrating another trip around the sun. Daphne and I are celebrating by attempting to make a homemade cake tomorrow night (you might want to send extra good vibes about that… hahahaha).

My love to you all,
Jennie


‍May 1, 2019

Hello!

Today I walked into the infusion clinic for my twelfth and final Taxol treatment. I also walked into the clinic with the boob shaped #FragileCupcakes as a slightly inappropriate gesture of appreciation for being the best caretakers, joke makers and port accessors a girl could hope for.

While I still have Herceptin infusions every few weeks for the rest of the year... the “chemo” is done. I shall forever equate the smells of Au Bon Pain with two of the scariest situations in my life: Cancer/Chemo and LaGuardia Airport. 👎

While there’s still a long road ahead with surgery, reconstruction, hormones etc., this is a big victory along the way and a chapter that I am very happy to be wrapping up.

I’m off to rest for the night and look forward to what I hope is a very uneventful May where I can get my immune system back where it needs to be and go into the next phase strong (and hopefully hear better!).

I’ll keep you posted on next steps and once again, thank you so very much for the good vibes, prayers, gifts, help, food, check-ins and support. I am grateful beyond measure for the most beautiful humans in my corner.

Love,
Jennie


‍Mar 28, 2019

Hello, beautiful humans.

Wednesday marked no. 7 of 12 chemo treatments. If all goes as planned (enter Universe laughing in the background), my final Taxol treatment will be on May 1. Herceptin infusions will continue every three weeks for the rest of the year. In general, I’ve tolerated these treatments very well. I am still hobbling through my ear issues, which unfortunately due to my immune system being generally weak and has not responded well to antibiotics. We’ve got a close watch on it, dealing with symptoms as much as we can and are just trying to get through chemo. If we need to take other measures, we will do so then. My ear-nose-throat team is so very helpful and like to distract me with stories about what they find in ears, which is so gross but very entertaining. In the meantime, besides the very annoying fact that hearing can be a struggle, my balance/nausea can also be an issue… so I am taking precautions on how much I leave the house and working from home as much as possible.

Cold cap therapy is working amazingly well on my hair. I am now aware of what my natural hair color is, which was a big mystery since 1990. Big props to Lacey who has to sit with me for 8 hour stretches and find things to keep me occupied while I am literally freezing myself (willingly). RIP to most of my eyelashes – and also, who cares.

What’s next:
April—treatment every Wednesday.

May—recovery month. After May 1 treatment, back to vegan and hopefully working out.

Early June—Bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. The upside of having this surgery is that I don’t have to undergo radiation. I’ll take it!

For a very long time after, my hormonal adventures begin with Tamoxifen.

Your check-ins, prayers and good vibes continue to be the cornerstone of support that I am so very grateful for. Now that we are in the homerun on chemo and my immune system is so compromised, I have to be really cautious of germs and overextending myself, so I appreciate the patience as I live in my bubble. I look forward to being CANCER FREE, eating tacos, drinking wine and having a new rack by the end of the summer.

My love to you all,
Jennie


May 27, 2019

‍Hello, beautiful humans,

What an amazing few weeks of ‘routine’ after wrapping up chemo. My ear has stabilized (but still an issue), the fatigue fades more each day. Acupuncture and some TLC from my amazing ENT team truly is a huge help.

What a gift to be given an intermission!

The next phase is here.

Surgery is set for bright and early on June 3. While there are many factors at play for what happens for reconstruction and recovery, none of them will be decided on until game time based on the two surgical teams and how my body looks/responds in those hours. For a type A person, not having a solid plan is hard to accept…and scary. However, I’ve realized during this whole process that nothing is really in my control and ultimately, whatever the outcome of my surgery/reconstruction is… it’s really just about making sure the cancer is gone, the rest is secondary.

So, here I am asking for good vibes and prayers again. Truly, it’s all we need. Anything beyond that, I either don’t have answers for yet or don’t have a need for right now. Trying to keep things as simple and focused as possible concentrating only on a safe surgery and getting home as fast as I can.

On June 3, if you are interested in a surgery update, please let me know and I’ll make sure you’ve got it.

My love and endless gratitude for all the support you give me,
Jennie


June 14, 2019

‍Hello beautiful humans.

The last (almost) two weeks have been incredible, filled with equal parts of anxiety, fear, relief and comfort.

The scare of a bi-lateral mastectomy was more than I anticipated but the reality was better than I expected. My last thoughts as they wheeled me away from the holding room, alone with no reason to hold it together, was much less about what I was losing and more about what I was getting rid of. While the previous two procedures brought less permanence and were gentler even for my own mind (and eyes) to accept, I was resolute on what was coming. It was with great admiration for these two surgical teams, who spent countless moments before that day and that day again explaining to us what was going to happen, that I shimmied myself from the stretcher to the operating table. I knew I was in the right place with the right people when “Eye Of The Tiger” was playing, coming full circle connecting my own accidental Rocky moment on the way to my first chemo appointment. Was I already that high from my pre-anesthesia cocktail or was this really happening?! It was indeed happening and I laughed as they counted me down to sleep.

I am happy to report, the third surgery was successful and the pathology came back reading what we needed it to.

With this great news and being done with chemo, we are now focused on healing and then full reconstruction. Next week, I begin a decade-long protocol of Tamoxifen (or as Shannon says, taking the first of 3,650 pills… plus a couple more for leap years) and continued Herceptin infusions every three weeks thru the end of December. While there’s still quite a bit in front of us, for the first time, I feel like we’ve made a big leap and I can, in theory (because currently it feels like someone is sitting on my chest), take a breath today.  

I can’t allow myself to look too far in the future as there are just too many variables to contend with. However, I am hopeful as the next days, weeks and months go by, I can naturally transition to my “new” normal life where “updates” happen in person, I wear something other than sweat pants and we can talk about anything other than this (read: FUCK Cancer, enough attention already).

Your thoughts, prayers and good vibes have been precious to me over the last 8+ months. I hold the support, counsel and faith you’ve given me tighter than you’ll ever know. I intend to carry all of that with me for the months to come as I continue down this road.  

Love,
Jennie

Feel good, give here:
Music Health Alliance
St Jude


September 26, 2019

‍Good morning!

I am on my way to reconstruction and port removal (my treatments through the end of the year will be administered via Sub Q or IV).

The procedures are outpatient, so I’m looking forward to being home and in my own bed tonight. I’ve had a nice big stretch of “normal” life. Not one minute of it has been taken for granted… especially being able to exercise and “kinda” lay on my side. It seems impossible to think I am nearing the one-year mark on this journey. Some days it feels like the longest year ever and others the blink of an eye.  

I am so lucky to have friends who want to help… and sometimes there’s just nothing to be done outside prayers and good vibes (which I appreciate SO much and am asking for them!!).

But today, there is…

Over the past year, Phran Galante was a constant source of understanding, humor and encouragement through the midst of her own intense brave battle. Please consider giving in her honor and know that you are contributing to me, as well as the countless others who came into contact with this strong, sharp, beautiful, funny, warm, fireball drinking force-of-nature: https://www.petcommunitycenter.org/phrannies-phriends

It is in her honor that I walk confidently into Vandy this morning as she would definitely not want me in #FragileCupcake mode. #PhuckCancer!

Thank you for your continued love and support. Please compliment my new rack when you see me next. 😉
Jennie