Chemo won't cramp my life.

Dec. 16th 
After my Egg Retrieval, my life was pretty whirlwind. We drove later that day down to VA Beach to see my uncle get promoted to Commander of a brand new ship in the Navy. I call him my "Brunkle" - he is my technical uncle, but also younger than my brother and under 40 so I call him my brunkle. Hey every family has its quarks. But yes, kind of a big deal he gets promoted to Commander and he is under 40. The Change of Command ceremony was supposed to be in Jacksonville, FL and my mom was trying to figure out how the crap she and or I were going to make it down there for it. Our whole family was going to go and be able to spend time with my real brother and niece who lives in Jacksonville. But with the current situation changed to freezing eggs and starting chemo, we didn't know how we were going to make it. But knew my mom at least needed to be the face of the family. Ironically, the ship had some mechanical issues...yes it is a huge deal that a brand new Navy ship had to be towed to shore on it's way from Milwaukee to Jacksonville and ironically landed right at the Naval Base, Little Creek in Virginia Beach. His ship is a new LCS (the 5th) and they tried out a new system on it which caused some issues, but now literally all hands on deck trying to fix it!  This ship is the USS Milwaulkee LCS 5 and he commands LSC Crew 104 Juggernauts.

My mom called me up right after we found this out a few days before, and was like wow, you think Grandma Tunnie had something to do with the ship breaking down?! Universe seemed to help us out with this little number too. Sorry U.S. Government, but we needed that Change of Command in Virginia. And that Virginia Bred Boy (who lives and is stationed in San Diego) got to have more of his family there and his highest point of his career happen right here in Virginia. 

Okay good, things are back on our side.

Wrong. Someone breaks into my parents Tahoe during the night before this ceremony while we are down in VA Beach. They steal her work computer and our pretty christmas cards from Page Stationery. (I mean thanks to Heather for us even able to get Christmas cards printed during this insanity period). So my parents have to go get a rental car, do a police report, deal with insurance, tow trucks, etc. so we can make it to the ceremony in time. Meanwhile, I'm high on Oxy, cramping with pretty swollen ovaries.

My poor mother. She really doesn't need this right now.

Ceremony was great and he really appreciated all the family there. Oh yeah, and I had designed his crew crest earlier this year while he was Executive Officer, fully knowing that it would stick with him as he became commander of this crew. So it was extra special that I was able to be there to see it.  

Dec. 17th
I had to make it back to Cville on Thursday for a few work appointments. So in the craziness of the car situation we had to make it back to Cville and then for my parents to make it back to Hopewell, so they could drive up to New Jersey, for my cousin's wedding. His wedding got pushed up, because he now is being deployed in January. So their pretty Spring planned wedding got pushed up to a pretty December wedding and planned out in 7 weeks. He is an Osprey Pilot in the Marine Corp. 

Dec 18th
I go into medical menopause. It was a pretty large freakin' needle. My nurse was like, do you want me to ice it or anything. I'm like I've been shooting myself up for 2 weeks with needles - that thing - although large - still don't scare me - just do it! And they did it and I barely flinched. 

So Medical Induced Menopause - I'm going into this because the side effects of one of the chemo drugs I take - Cytoxan - actually is Ovary failure. So they give me this medicine that hibernates my ovaries. I take the shot every 4 weeks to keep them in hibernation mode so the chances that the chemo will damage my ovaries is a lot smaller. I should come out of the menopause pretty fine, but there are still small chances that I either won't come out of menopause OR it could still damage my ovaries or kill some eggs. Which is why freezing my eggs happened. It is kind of a back up option, if my ovaries and eggs don't come out of this looking all fresh I can use those 30 year old eggs.

And yes so while I'm undergoing all the Chemo side effects, I am so lucky to have some menopausal side effects on top of it....hot flashes, highly emotional, etc....at age 30! So LUCKY!

Positive note - THEY GIVE FREE MASSAGES IN ONCOLOGY! So right before my shot, I got an amazing chair massage. Which I needed SOOOO BAD! If you don't know that about me, I get a massage every month and haven't been able to get one because of the surgery and not lying on my back. (don't worry, I'm getting one soon and probably prenatal style massage). #cancerperks

Okay so back to my timeline. I literally go into medical menopause and head straight to my hair stylist. I really wanted to "clean slate" it and cut off all my hair before chemo. I know I won't loose it (even if I do) for another 3 weeks, but I wanted to able to donate it and rock a crazy new do for a few weeks. I blogged a separate one on this little number ;) 

Dec. 19th
So because of menopause appointment and things, I couldn't go up to New Jersey on Friday night, so I had to catch a ride with a family friend on Saturday am. Which we made it exactly right on time for the wedding. I was kind of nervous, because no one had seen my hair yet and my whole extended family was there. Since we were kind of late, it was kind of like the pews were looking down the middle waiting on the bride and the bridesmaids, but then I come in through the right side door with my new short do with my entire family chillin' in there...turning heads to the right. And good looks and comments, I can totally tell if they were lying through their teeth. (Sorry Jena (bride) didn't mean to steal that 2 seconds, you were stunning and beautiful and everything about the wedding was absolutely perfect. And I'm so excited I got to see it, Hell I wouldn't have missed it! xo)

It was a great night and a great "last supper" before Chemo surrounded by all my amazing family. I got a little dizzie and nausea a few times during the reception and didn't drink, which must have been side effects from the menopause. I was still shooting myself up at this point. (Keeps levels and ovaries in tact first week of Medical Menopause) so I had to sneak out in the middle of the reception and give myself a 'shot' in my parents car. So classy. I came back and my cousin was like, where were you. I said I just took a shot. They were like whaaaat gettin' crazy, thought you weren't really drinking....NO a SHOT of medicine in my stomach NOT a shot of whiskey!!! I wish it was a shot of whiskey. And you know what I noticed, the MC of the reception was wearing a pink ribbon pin. 

Dec. 20th
Caught a ride back home to relax for Chemo Cycle 1, Day 1 on Monday. Basically, I'm sharing the insanity of the week before my Chemo, because it was crazy. And yes, I could have said no and stayed home and relaxed all week. But in all honesty, I hadn't let this Cancer "cramp my life" so far. I mean in a grander scale. Yes, I've been out of work and haven't been up for much lately, but I have still been able to make it some important life events to support friends and family. So it was really important to me to be able to make it to my brunkle's Change of Command and my cousin's wedding. And I'm really glad I did. 

xoxo
Dani and the menopausal girls