It has been one year that I have been in remission from breast cancer. One year ago, I had a double mastectomy. What a crazy 18 months it has been between cancer and COVID.
What does remission look like now? I check in with my oncologist every 3 months. I continue to get a Zolodex shot monthly and take Tamoxifen daily to help with ovarian suppression. These help limit my estrogen to help prevent my estrogen driven tumor from coming back. My scars are healing (although like I said before, I have strong scar tissue). I am able to do pretty much everything I did pre-cancer, although slower and cardio is still much harder. I think that is a fun side effect of some of the drugs. My body is going through forced menopause so sometimes I get hot flashes and my brain gets a little foggy (unsure if chemo brain is holding out or menopause brain is kicking). Overall, I am doing well.
To celebrate, I am doing a cross country road trip again (ok…really I am ready to get out of the house and my niece’s first birthday convinced me to start the road trip). I love the idea of making it a celebration though. Cancer is in the rearview mirror (and hopefully stays there) and I am fully vaccinated so COVID isn’t quite as scary. I need to focus on the future and what is to come.
Enjoy some photos of my last 18 months….yes…my hair is coming back in and it is dark! Also I am completely over my hatred of hats…they have been a lifesaver for the last 18 months. And I cannot wait to have a ponytail again!
Pre-treatments (Nov 2019) 
Christmas 2019 
Completely bald (March 2020) 
Peach fuzz (June 2020) 
Peach fuzz 2.0 (July 2020) 
Pre-reconstruction (August 2020) 
Celebrating (Oct 2020) 
Running a virtual half marathon for ACS (Nov 2020) 
With my niece in Antigua (April 2021)