Let's get to know each other, shall we?

Happy 4th of July!  I thought I would start my new blog on Independence Day - my first blog or journal was on Caringbridge which I will still continue to update, though not as frequently.  


For those of you who don't know me, my name is Rachel Midgett and I have metastatic breast cancer that has spread to my liver. Some of you may not know this, but metastatic breast cancer is deemed "uncurable" or "terminal".  I was diagnosed in August of 2009 and have been living in CancerLand ever since.  Please do not confuse CancerLand with CandyLand - two complete different places!  CancerLand has way more highs and lows than CandyLand.  I guess it's more like Chutes & Ladders?  All kidding aside, I have been in some pretty dark places in the last two years, but have also had so many bright, sunny days that I probably wouldn't have even experienced without my diagnosis.  Yes, I'm one of those goofy people that don't wish cancer on their worst enemy, but think that cancer has made their life so much better.  Not that I enjoy cancer, I guess I just needed a big time wake up call to show me what life is really about.  I'm still learning of course, I'm no Obi Wan of Cancer...yet.  


So let me give you a quick run down of the last two/two and a half years of my life:


1.  Started IVF (in-vitro fertilization) - January 2009
2.  Got pregnant - February 2009
3.  Miscarriage - April 2009 (weekend of my birthday - that sucked!)
4.  Noticed a lump on my left breast days before my 2nd round of IVF was to start - August 2009
5.  Diagnosed with breast cancer and had a unilateral mastectomy on left breast - August 2009
6.  Self referred to MD Anderson Cancer Center - September 2009
7.  CT scans showed metastasis in liver.  Staged at Stage IV - September 2009
8.  Taxol chemotherapy weekly for 3 months, lost hair for first time (went well, cancer regressed) - September - November 2009
9.  FAC chemotherapy combination every 3 weeks for 3 months (went well, cancer regressed) - December - March 2010
10.  Liver lesion still there, moved on to oral Tamoxifen for 3 months (didn't work) - April - June 2010
11.  Abraxane chemotherapy every 3 weeks for 2 months, lost hair 2nd time (mixed results and had to change treatments) - July to September 2010
12.  Xeloda chemotherapy, daily oral therapy for 4 months (worked, but not for long) - September to January 2011
13.  Two months of being on nothing to washout for clinical trial and 1st Reconstruction surgery - January - March 2011
14.  Phase I Clinical trial of Arimidex and Affinitor, both oral drugs taken daily (working amazingly well with minimal side effects) March 2011 - present
15.  Scheduled for 2nd Reconstruction surgery - August 8, 2011 (Yay, Dr. Schusterman!)


Whew!  That's a lot of surgeries, treatments, etc!  As I said earlier, lots of highs and lows.  But through it all I've lived a pretty exciting life.  I still work full time, hang out with my friends, run half marathons, ride in 60 mile bike rides, travel to exciting places like Hawaii, Paris and the BVI, and just plain love my life!!!!


How do I do it?  I couldn't have done it one minute without my faith in God, my husband, my family, my friends, my oncologists at MD Anderson, and my stubbornness to not let cancer take my life away without a fight. 


So join me in my journey.  I hope to post here maybe twice a week.  I won't always talk about cancer.  What I will talk about is my life WITH cancer and how it is in my world of CancerLand.  You may be surprised how good it can be!