Happy Holidays from the Olsen Elves :)

Happy Chanakuh!  Merry Christmas!

Rest in peace, Elizabeth Edwards

It's always sad when someone dies, even those we don't know personally - celebrities, public figures, anyone that we have admired for one reason or another.  But there is a different kind of sadness when someone dies from the disease you yourself have had and fought and fear a recurrence of.  I can't explain it except to say it is deeply sad and extremely terrifying.

It makes me so angry that this disease still doesn't have a cure. So much money and effort is put to it and yet cancer is taking over 1500 Americans every day (that's a Titanic ship every day).

Philippians 4:6 (NIV) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Dear Lord, I beg of you, please bring us the cure. Amen.

The Pink Wig Dance is Here!

The Pink Wig Dance was produced to celebrate our love for life on the battlefield of breast cancer as young survivors. Armed in pink wigs and hopeful hearts we aim to raise awareness that breast cancer affects women (and men) of all ages. Prancing cancer out of our lives one dance at a time!
Click here to view the Pink Wig Dance!

Please view the video and email the link to your friends and family. Thank you!

Love and blessings,
Julie

Faith - an evolution

Most people that know me well, especially those who knew me before I was diagnosed with cancer, know that my view on faith and religion has changed significantly since I was diagnosed.  I grew up as a non-practicing Christian. As a little kid, mom took me and my brother to church here and there, and we attended Sunday school sometimes but not consistently.  When I was in fifth grade and was getting too social for my parents' liking and my brother was threatened with violence on the little league field my parents decided to enroll us in a private Catholic school. Since we aren't Catholic we were exempt from participating in religion class (though we had to sit there and read quietly) and certain activities, we still learned many of the foundations of Catholicism, including the many memorized prayers said in mass.  Unfortunately, all the rules and judgment and guilt associated with Catholicism really turned me off and once out of Catholic school I rarely attended church. 


I didn't have a good relationship with God, going as far back as when I was a little kid when some really crappy stuff happened to me at the hands of someone that claimed to love me.  I couldn't understand how God, if He existed, could let such a horrible thing happen to me or any other child. So, not surprisingly, I became an agnostic young adult.  I went back and forth, wanting and needing God to exist and to be on my side but seeing so much pain, struggle made it difficult to trust Him and so I withdrew and became more and more skeptical.  I didn't stop praying completely, but I stopped believing it was helping so the prayers become fewer and fewer until finally I found myself one day watching Bill Maher's "Religulous" movie and actually agreeing with most of it just a few years ago when it came out.  Wow.


Things began to change after I got married. Poor Bob, bless his heart, thought we were on the same page with this religion stuff. Anyway, we wanted to start a family and I was sure that our advanced age (him being over 50 and me being over 35 at the time) that we may find ourselves unable to do so. I decided to pray. Three weeks later I was pregnant.  I figured it was a coincidence since I used a high-tech ovulation predictor to help time things.  But at 16 weeks into the pregnancy I was rushed to surgery when it was discovered my cervix was "incompetent" and I nearly lost the baby. Again, I prayed and prayed and prayed, thinking it was a long shot but I didn't want to take the chance because I really wanted and loved this baby. And, even though it was still a long haul after that, including 19 weeks of strict bed rest and nightly prayers asking God to protect my baby from harm, our precious Cooper was born healthy (except for reflux).  Hmmm...maybe it was the prayers. Maybe it was just that I followed doc's orders. 


Eleven months later I was diagnosed with stage 3c triple negative breast cancer.  Found it accidentally after having a highly emotional reaction to my friend and colleague's news that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer just a week before. I had been checked by my doctor every couple months through my pregnancy and every few months after Cooper was born and no suspicious lumps were ever found. You may recall that I went to get a mammogram after feeling a small bump that turned out to be nothing (on the non-cancer side) and that while there for the mammogram the cancer was detected on the other side.  A total fluke? Or, was a higher power leading me to make this discovery? Or something else?  I know that I sure was lucky to discover it when we did, giving me a more time here on earth to be a mother to my precious young son.


As I began treatment, something in me was quickly evolving. I was seeing life through a new lens - a lens of faith and determination. I started seeing miracles occurring in my life every.single.day.  Little things and big things. I couldn't help but think that only God could be responsible for the grace I was experiencing. The more I noticed, the more I prayed. And while not every prayer is answered the way I may have hoped, I believe they have all been answered in some way.  And, when I was compelled to find a church where I could explore and develop my new relationship with God, I was led to the most wonderful church in my area, NorthPark Community Church.  There I have learned so much in such a short time. I became born again on January 24, 2010 when I was re-baptized, and my faith has been instrumental in my treatment, healing and recovery from stage 3 breast cancer.


I have an uber-long list of examples of the many miracles I've witnessed that have led me to this new place I am in with my faith in God, and someday I will document them and share details. But for now, I just wanted to share that faith really matters, even to this stubborn gal who previously lacked it.  And, if you are skeptical or are just the type of person that needs more "evidence", then read and consider the following article about a study revealing the impact of faith and liver transplant survival.  This is just one example of many that are out there.


http://www.medpagetoday.com/Transplantation/LiverTransplantation/22530

I believe in the power of prayer. I've seen it work to heal and protect many, including me and my son.

Close family and friends know that my life today barely resembles my life before cancer, largely because of my renewed faith. I never thought I'd say it or believe it to be true but life as a believer is so much richer and fulfilling than before.  I continue to learn and grow my relationship with Christ each day. It takes time, work, and most of all - it takes a leap of faith.  It would have been wonderful to have gotten to this place without the aid of a cancer diagnosis, but I am grateful nonetheless to have finally gotten here. It's never too late.  Praise God, it's never ever too late.

The first Bible verse handed to me to reflect upon after I was diagnosed the summer of '09 was Isaiah 41:13 "For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."  It's become one of my absolute favorites and has helped me through this journey.  My friend and neighbor, Cindy, gave it to me on an index card and it has been taped to a wall mirror near my bedside ever since.  Thank you, Cindy! I know God placed Cindy in my life to help bring me back to Christ. I'm so grateful for that.

Please vote for our video!

I joined up with two other breast cancer survivors and lifelong friends to create this entry in the Feel Your Boobies video contest. Please view it and vote for us.  We will be launching the Pink Wig Dance soon and we hope you find this as fun and entertaining as we did while we wait for the PWD launch.

PLEASE VOTE FOR US!!

http://youboob.feelyourboobies.com/contests/showentry/462878

Thank you!!!

Love and blessings,
Julie

Pink Wig Dance day was so much fun!

We had a blast!  A bunch of breast cancer survivors and friends gathered in downtown Los Angeles yesterday and had so much fun dancing and filming for our viral video.  Here's a shot of the group having some fun.

Top row: Laurel, Sierra, Nicole, Lisa, Isabelle, Mary Lou, Middle row: Allison, Julie (in polka dots), Mandy, Bottom row: Jessica (in stripes), and Tira (purple hair tie and pink top). 

We can't wait to see the final video - it is going to be so awesome. We got SO MUCH great footage to use!  I've been laughing for 24 hours just remembering all the fun and silly stuff we did. What an awesome, blessed day we had!  God truly graced us with His favor - gave us the most amazing set to shoot on, great (though hot) weather, the perfect group of dancers - the list goes on!  Stay tuned for fun out takes and clips from this great project. I can't wait to get my hands on some clips to share with you.

Oh yeah, at the end of the day, me, Jessica and Tira shot a fun breast exam public service announcement that we're entering into a contest. As soon as we have that ready to share we'll post it and ask you to please vote for our video :).  

Thank you, Lord, for such an amazing and blessed experience. No matter how the video turns out or how successful it is once we launch it, you have surely given me a most rewarding and wonderful experience bonding with these amazing women. 

Special thanks to Gerry (Jessica's awesome hubby) for directing and filming the group - you were awesome! :)  

Post-op Update - Feeling great! PTL!

Surgery went very well yesterday. The team at UCLA is always so professional and compassionate. I always manage to have a little fun with them too.  

I mentioned in a post recently that I'm working on a project called the Pink Wig Dance. We are three survivors producing a viral video of survivors and loved ones wearing pink wigs, dancing, and posting for photos that will be spliced together in a short video set to a great tune and posted to the internet to raise awareness that breast cancer affects women (and men) of all ages and walks of life. It's our way to unite and celebrate life in the process of raising awareness. We have a blog with our mission statement and instructions for how to participate: www.pinkwigdance.blogspot.com and you can email the team at pinkwigdance@gmail.com.  

Anyway, I brought a couple of pink wigs along to the hospital and explained what we are doing and managed to get my surgeon and a couple of residents to put the wig on and pose for pictures :).  Like I said, UCLA is awesome! :) I'm so grateful to them for the incredible care they have given me and for helping me through this journey by participating in other ways such as humoring me and supporting me emotionally as well as physically. I've posted the pics below :)

More about the surgery -- the anesthesiologist agreed to use my port one last time to push the first dose of medication to get me drowsy and then switch to an IV in my arm once I was asleep so I wouldn't have that icky IV placement feeling which I so hate.  I had put the numbing cream on the skin over the port when I got dressed in the morning so it was fully effective by the time they put the line in.  

With one push of a syringe, they began the process of making me sleepy - I was getting general anesthesia once sleepy since they were doing both nipple construction and port removal and incision revision.  I was awake as they wheeled me into the OR and was moved onto the operating table and then I was out like a light.  I love that. Even better is that my body handles anesthesia really really well. It works well and I handle it well. I've never become nauseated or felt sick from it any other way.  I woke up two hours later, opened my eyes and looked around as if I had woken from a nap. I could feel a little soreness on the port removal site but felt no discomfort at all on my breasts - probably because my breast skin is mostly still numb from the original bilateral mastectomy.  

Bob handed me my blackberry (he knows me well!) and then he headed down to the pharmacy to pick up my medication (antibiotics and pain medication). I read my email, responded to some work emails (I know, I'm nuts), texted some friends to let them know things went well and I'd be home soon, updated my Facebook status, etc.  I know, I know, I'm addicted haha.  When Bob returned we got my post-op instructions and a wheelchair escort who was kind enough to take me to the Simms/Mann Center for Integrative Oncology one floor down so that I could drop off a bag of standard stylish wigs donated by a wonderful and generous church member for the women in the breast cancer support group conducted there. That's the same support group I attended weekly throughout my treatment.  The facilitator was thrilled to receive the donation and promised to bring them to the group next week to offer them first dibs and any that don't get taken by the support group members will be given to Helen's Room where patients can get free donated wigs while in cancer treatment.  

Once that was done, I was wheeled down to the parking garage entrance where Bob had the car standing by and ready for me to get in and head home. We were home by 2pm. 

I've been taking it easy, taking my antibiotics as instructed, limited my activity (no lifting over 5 lbs, no reaching overhead, etc.) and have only taken two pain pills in 24 hours. I OK without it now which is great, especially since the side effects (digestive in nature) are not pleasant and I could do without THAT which I would find worse than the soreness from the surgery haha. Besides, I need to be able to drive tomorrow so no more pain pills for that fact alone.

I'm glad I took today and Monday off from work to recover so I can really rest and get some good sleep and make sure I'm not doing anything stressful.  Unfortunately, Bob has to go to work tomorrow morning so I have to be diligent and remember not to pick Cooper up which will be a challenge, especially when I need to go anywhere. So, I have a 2-step fold up stool that I'll need to have Cooper use to climb up into the car into his seat and take that along with us when we go anywhere. Tomorrow I have my friend watching Cooper when I head out for a couple hours while I get out of the house for a couple of hours so I won't have to worry about it then and she'll watch him again Sunday when I'm at church so at least it'll be a couple days before I really need to get him into the car so that's good. I know I can call several other neighbors to help though if I need help getting him lifted into the car in the event the stool option doesn't work out. I'm so blessed and grateful to have such wonderful neighbor friends.

Once I've fully healed from this step of the process, the next step will be to get the nipples tattooed. If you google nipple reconstruction you will be amazed by how natural these fake nipples turn out. I'm excited to finally look and feel "normal" again - before the end of the year, even. Yay!  Of course, those that know me well know that I would have been ok without reconstructed breasts too. I'm all about living - being alive - to me, that's all that matters and the rest is icing on the cake.

Now for the pre-op pink wig fun....

Me with Dr.Crisera

UCLA Resident physicians Mandeep Sehmbey and Victoria Vo with me

Bob Olsen - my husband :)

So there it is - I'm so blessed to have had another very successful surgery at UCLA. I can't say enough wonderful things about them. Thank you, UCLA!!!!  Praise the Lord for such a wonderful team of health care professionals, for my excellent health care coverage, and the support of family and friends. I will never take these things for granted or underestimate their immense value. xoxo

Love,

Julie