Linda's Lessons

Check out this post from Linda Guenther, a rock-star who is keeping positive and battling cancer all with a smile on her face!

It's July 13, and this round of chemo (#3 out of 4) seems to be kicking my butt - sooo tired, but halfway there!! But here's a little bit about me, and some things that I've learned on my journey. Here goes:

I am a wife (2nd time is a charm!) and mother of 2 grown children living in Alexandria, Virginia originally a transplant from San Francisco, California. I had kept putting off having a mammogram because I "thought" I was too busy and quite frankly I didn't enjoy having my boobs pulled and squashed! Big mistake.
At about the same time my pcm ordered a mammogram appointment for me, I noticed a lump in my left breast. What followed was 2 mammograms, an ultrasound then a biopsy. On April 8th, 2013 I tested positive for cancer. More specifically, IDC, DCIS and ER+ PR+ HER2-. I felt as if someone just punched me in my gut. With no prior history of cancer in my family, I never thought I would hear those dreaded words, "You have cancer." On April 30th, I underwent a lumpectomy, a sentinel node removal and bilateral breast reconstruction. Good news is that my surgeon was successful in removing the cancerous tumor and was able to get clear margins on it; not so good news is that the node had micro cancer cells in it, which meant adding chemotherapy to my treatment plan.

I'm still recovering from the surgery but feeling better each day. I cannot believe how perky my boobs are now! Hey, you gotta find a silver lining in all of this, right? Now, if only I could get a tummy tuck...then that would be like hitting the lotto! ;-)

So what have I learned from all of this? Well...let me tell you:
Q: Most days I find myself...
A: Enjoying my time with my husband, playing with my 10 year old Westie and giving advice to my 2 grown children. They keep me laughing and can at times,  make me want to drink! LOL

Q: Given what I know now, what would I recommend to other women?
A: Go and get your mammogram and if you find a lump - don't ignore it, get it checked! Maintain a healthy weight, eat more greens and watch your diet. I now try to get my veggies in my daily diet by making green smoothies mixed with fruit. It's so much easier to "drink" your veggies than try to eat them all.

Q: How has my life changed?
A: I definitely have a new "normal" now. With this disease, you have to throw away your vanity, get over being shy about your boobs and losing your hair and just accept and love the person you are. I cherish my family even more...I'm also learning to minimize the "stressors" in my life, mainly toxic or negative people - in my case, it would be extended family.  Life is too short and too precious to waste time on people like that.
I'm finding that with so many doctor's appointments, you start to feel like your second home is the hospital!

Q: When I'm having a bad day, what do I do?
A: I like to lay my head on my husband's shoulders. He's my best friend and my biggest supporter; he gives me strength when I feel like I have none. There are some days that you just have to have a good ole fashion cry and let it all out. However, I do try to remember there is always someone else who has it rougher than me. To clear my mind, I like to go for walks with my pup, Riley...being outside in the sunshine and fresh air does wonders for the body and mind.

So next, I will go through 4 courses of TC chemotherapy - 3 weeks apart, 6 weeks of radiation and then hormone therapy. I am scared to death of chemo with all the short and long term side effects but I keep thinking about my kids and my future grandchildren and that gives me the strength and courage to stay strong and fight this disease!

Here's to Linda! She is amazing and certainly Fighting Pretty!!!