Hi Everyone - I just wanted to let you know that today is Herceptin #2 and I hope that it is going to be better than the first one. For those of you who don't know Herceptin #1 was terrible. This is a drug that they told me was not going to have any side affects. Well, I wanted to prove them wrong. It is suppossed to take approx. 1 1/2-2 hours to infuse and I finally got home after 5 1/2. LONG DAY and many little side affects. Just think I only need 16 more treatments. I have also found out that I start radiation on Mon. at 1:48pm (the schedule every 12 min. - I don't think that I should be late) and that goes for 6 1/2 weeks. Well, I'm off to the dr.s so I have to keep this short. I will try to be better about the updates. Love, Julie Keep praying!!

I AM CANCER FREE!!! I haven't written in awhile because I've been an emotional basket case. Can you say cry!!!! - I'm very good at it!! It was so bad that Grace before bed one night said to me, "Mommy tomorrow will be better, maybe you won't cry" Guess what - that made me CRY!!! Unfortunately, the next day I called the insurance co. about some bills and it wasn't good news - Guess what - I cried!! Grace then said to me, "I know that cancer is hard mom, but we love you and will get through it as a family" Isn't that sweet - Grace and sweet don't usually go together in the same sentence. Well - the insurance things worked out and I cried for nothing. Praise God for insurance!! I'm sure most of you know that I had a masectomy Fri., Dec. 28th because they still found cancer after the lumpectomy. Physically, I am healing and finally emotionally I am coming to grips with everything. Yesterday, I had to have an echo cardiogram to check my heart because the Herceptin that I have to have sometimes affects the heart so they will keep close tabs on it. During the test, the technician told me that the separation between the right and left sides of my heart was flappy instead of firm. I guess this can sometimes mean that there is a hole in it - they did a bubble test to check for the hole and thankfully there is not one. Guess what, I thought about crying when she told me this but guess what - I DIDN'T!! After this appt. I went to the surgeons and she removed my drain (YEAH) and then gave me the good news - I AM CANCER FREE!!!! What a relief and I couldn't get through this without YOU!!! I still have a long journey in front of me with radiation, Herceptin every 3 weeks for a year and then finally reconstruction but I can do it. (Hopefully without so many tears) Thanks again for all the meals, prayers, and words of encouragment. We will get through this!! Love, Julie