Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving weekend. I'm excited to share some good news with you!

Long story short, I met with an oncological dermatologist who finally helped diagnose the "infection" in my reconstructed breast. Turns out, it IS radiation related fat necrosis, which is what I originally thought. I love my plastic surgeon, but I guess he has a habit of overlooking complications that present differently than the norm. Hi, it's me.

Anyway, they did another biopsy because some people have an inflammatory response to liposuction revisions and they determined my body is treating the implanted tissue like a foreign object. Since any further procedures would likely fail, I don’t need to do anything if the inflammation stays at bay. That said, the biopsy also showed some B-cell receptors, which can be an indication of lymphoma (and a common side effect of my chemo regimen). Which meant more testing, more waiting, more terrifying anxiety.

But PRAISE BE, today I got word that the clonality was negative and my mammogram and ultrasound were also clear too!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I try so hard not to panic but the scanxiety is always lurking in the background so I'm beyond grateful and relieved to have some concrete answers as to what's been going on with my body.

I'm also happy to share that I was approved for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which is excellent for tissue healing (not to mention, the pneumonitis and all my broken ribs). I've already had the consultation and am waiting for a spot to open up. At 2 hours / day, 5 days / week, for at least 8 weeks, it's a significant time commitment so while I've still been looking for work, it's convenient nothing panned out yet. In the meantime, I've increased my dog walking clientele and the Etsy sales have picked up a little, which is helpful too. 

I'm also stoked to tell you that I'm on my last bottle of Verzenio and I'll finish my 2-year regimen in 6 weeks! This medication helps prevent distant relapse and the side effects are brutal and also exacerbate the estrogen blockers too. IYKYK I'm very much looking forward to having more energy, less joint pain, and a happier gut. As of now, I still see my oncologist every month so she can monitor my blood work on this medication but once I finish the prescription, I may start doing my monthly injections on my own so I don't have to go into the clinic as often.

Last month, I also got to celebrate my upcoming Victory trip at their annual fundraising gala. Unfortunately Brandon was sick but it was still a special evening to reflect on how far I’ve come since I was diagnosed. T minus 5 months until Kauai and I can’t wait!

It may not seem like much to you, but your support has meant more than I’ll ever be able to put into words. Thank you for caring, thank you for donating, thank you for all of it. 🙏🏼

Happy holidays,

Linz