Breast Cancer Walk and Pumpkin Patch

 

Olivia's school pictures

Junior Year 

 

How amazing are they?  Abigail was sick and missed picture day, but they should do retakes soon.  

Back to school

This year, Abigail is joining her big sister at Freedom Prep Academy.  So far, they've been in school over 3 weeks and it's going well.  Olivia has a sweet group of friends this year and Abigail has made a group of friends as well.  Praying for a wonderful year!

Olivia also recently celebrated her 17th birthday!! 

                        FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Getting back to normal

Thought I would post a quick update.  I finished radiation in January and for the most part, it was uneventful.  I have a monthly injection of Zoladex to put my body into menopause.  Then I take an aromatase inhibitor called anastrozole to block the effects of estrogen since my cancer was hormone receptor positive.  That means it needs estrogen and progesterone to grow.  So far, my side effects are minimal and I hope that continues.  I have to be on this regimen for 5 years.  Here are a few pics that we've taken recently. Enjoy!

 

Our family

 

More News

 The type of cancer I have is mixed invasive ductal and lobular carcinoma.  Two of the many different kinds of breast cancer are invasive ductal carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma. I somehow have features of both.  My tumor markers were positive, so I am ER+ and PR+, but HER2-.  This means that the tumor is fed by estrogen and progesterone.  Because of that, there are more treatment options for it which is good news. 

I see the breast specialist surgeon on Sept 28th and my MRI is scheduled for Oct 2nd.  The waiting has been the worst part.  Please say a prayer for me and my family.  

Bad News

This is hard news to share and I've shared a lot of things that have been very difficult on this blog.  I was recently diagnosed with grade 1/grade 2 breast cancer.  I don't have all the info back from the pathology yet.  

I went in September 8th for my annual mammogram and they found an area of concern.  I went back in on Sept 14th for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound.  It's never good when the radiologist comes in to talk to you afterwards.  He said the area was very suspicious and rated it a BIRADS 5 or a 95% chance or greater of malignancy.

On September 20th, I went in for a biopsy and it was unpleasant.  Some of the results came back yesterday and confirmed that it is breast cancer. The next steps are an MRI and an appt with a surgeon, but I don't know when they will be 

Please keep me and my family in your prayers. And get your mammograms. Thank you.

First Days Of School

Olivia started 10th grade at her new school and Abigail started 5th grade at a new school as well.  She's no longer in elementary school and is now at the intermediate school. . .with a locker!  Both take some getting used to, but I think they will have a wonderful year!  

 

Back to. . .A New School

 Well, this year we are sending Olivia to a private Christian school.  So many reasons went into our decision.  She had a really rough freshman year at her public school.  Her friends have really dwindled down over the years ( you learn who is truly a friend and who is not.)  Her best friend is Miriam whom she met in 5th grade.  It was so hard to decide to switch to a private school and leave Miriam.  But, they live close by and are determined to still remain close even if they no longer go to the same school.  Her other close friend is Charlie who she met in 2nd grade.  Last year, he switched over to this private school named Freedom Preparatory Academy and really wanted Olivia to come with him.  But, we were really hesitant to switch.  After seeing Charlie's amazing transformation, we felt that this might be the best place for Olivia as well.  Charlie has dyslexia and ADHD and has thrived at Freedom Prep.  

This past year, Olivia has struggled with anxiety and depression.  The kids at school made some not so nice comments.  Her teachers would have the odd number of students get into partners, leaving Olivia without a partner.  Her self esteem lowered even more.  She is not even the same person anymore.  She has really clammed up and doesn't even talk around people she doesn't know.  When she does talk, it's so quiet people can barely hear her.  Olivia used to be quite the jabber jaw.  

I've always heard private schools don't follow IEPs.  Well, this particular private school has a director that was a former special Ed teacher.  Charlie has an IEP and he has thrived.  It does worry me, however to be honest, because Olivia took her core classes in the special Ed classrooms and they don't have those at Freedom Prep.  But we had to make a decision about whether to worry more about her academics or her mental health.  And we couldn't watch her mental health worsen and worsen.  I am pretty confident that this will also be what is best academically as well.  At least that is my prayer.

Please please pray about this and that this will be a place where Olivia can grow and thrive!!  I don't want her to just get by, I want her to be her happy and joyful self again!  Change is really hard for Olivia so you know she must have been hurting pretty badly for us to make this big change.  Please keep my sweet girl in your prayers!!   

First day of pic schools coming up later this week! 

Four Years of Hard Work

 After 4 long years, Olivia finally got her braces off and her teeth look beautiful!  The picture doesn't even do her justice.  Just beautiful.  So, in the past year, she has been able to stop her growth hormones, stop wearing her back brace for scoliosis and now get her braces off.  And she gets new glasses next week! 

Olivia

Can I ask all of you to do something for me?  Olivia has been really struggling in high school.  Some kids aren't very nice to her and she's allowing that to make her feel very bad about herself.  She's been very down lately and we even had to start her in therapy because of it.   She seems to have forgotten about the hundreds of people who have prayed for her ever since she was born. So, could you, at this moment, say a prayer for her. . .that she would see the value that she has and know that God made her exactly the way she needs to be.  Please pray that she would know that deeply and completely.  I would also love it if you would comment about a way she has impacted your life or something that you love about her.  My hope is to put together a little notebook with all the notes that I get about her.  I know she would treasure this.  You can either comment below, message me on Facebook, text me at 316-619-8629 or email me at jsail63@hotmail.com.  Thank you so much.