Lyssette's Cancer blog

06/12/2019

*Remission *

26/07/2019

Here’s what I get to do today!

And no it is not an comfortable as that white woman makes it look! 😅🤷🏾‍♀️

Oooh! SCIENCE!

www.emglaboratory.com EMG (Electromyography) Test Video is a medical educational video explaining the EMG test in details. EMG Laboratory is a state-of-the-a...

16/07/2019

Use sunscreen, limit direct sunlight, check your moles and skin and monitor for changes.
BUT See a dermatologist not just your regular P*P.

The sun isn’t the only cause of skin cancer.



Take care of yourselves out there and Hydrate!

29/05/2019

I’ve been trying to be more secure in my skin. I got diagnosed with skin cancer on my clavicle in 2014 and then underwent radiation treatment that left more than just radiation burns. My neck is just now starting to come around. In the next few slides you can see how bad my left clavicle was towards the end of treatment. Being out in the sun scares me. The heat reminds me of how I felt when I was just burning up from the inside. The radiation affected me in a lot of ways. I spent my whole treatment with a beat face. I wore my make up like war paint. All the nurses knew me as the patient that came in with a full face of makeup despite being exhausted and getting my makeup all over the mask they used in treatment. We all had this mask that pinned you to the table to make sure the radiation went to the exact same spot. After that I spent a lot of time indoors. Oh, and yes I know sunscreen exists, I use it. I also know that the type of cancer I had was not due to excessive sun exposure. Just a once in a million chance. No, really. It’s hella rare. So to go out without much make up at all was hard this day. Going out in the sun will be hard. It’s weird how we process trauma. A lot of the time people didn’t know what to say to me or if they could ask what was happening. I ended up stuffing down a lot of feelings trying to make others feel more comfortable, and I certainly didn’t want any pity. I worked the whole time I had treatment. There’s a whole lot more I can say but if you take anything away from this is: know that you’re body however it is in this very moment is doing it’s best. You’re doing your best. I’m going to try not to hide from the sun this summer and wear sunblock/ sunscreen all year. 🌟Maybe one day the warmth of the sun won’t feel like danger, burning me from the inside out. I hope I can just lay down on some grass and take in the light a little. Maybe then it’ll feel more of like a warm embrace. I could always use a little gentleness.

31/01/2019

This month I’m scheduled to have my last MRI to check on the status of the DFSP skin cancer lesion on my left clavicle. Because this cancer often reoccurs they monitored me for 4 years to make sure it was still shrinking and that I was in full blown remission. I should know about the DFSP by end of February.

Since leaving treatment I’ve had one cervical cancer scare that thankfully was removed once I had surgery 😖, and then the benign mass in my left breast that they found at the same time as my skin lesion had doubled in size over that time. It was about the size of a tangerine when it was removed. They found that the mass was “abnormal and due to the fact that my radiation treatment was on the same side of my chest that I am at very high risk for developing breast cancer. I can’t take any kind of estrogen hormones even though it helps my endometriosis and they suggested 5 years of a known carcinogen that is known to cause uterine cancer but decrease breast cancer. Tamoxifen is no joke y’all.

I’ve opted not to take the Tamoxifen for 5 years as the side effects are not worth it at all to me when considering it will seriously aggravate numerous chronic illnesses I already struggle with. However I will continue to monitor these things through mammograms, ultrasounds, doctors appointments and diet/ stress management.

I have an appointment with my breast surgeon in a week. I’m terrified, I won’t lie. Cancer is always terrifying and that’s ok, as long as you keep working on monitoring it, and keep in touch with your medical team. I’ve lost a lot of weight and that has helped in my general pain and energy but keeping my sugar intake low is important too.

Whatever happens will happen but I’m a part of my treatment. I’m active on my end, and I ask questions.

The ladies in the photos were techs and nurses dosing me with radiation 5x a week while I worked full time. They were the kindest and sweetest. I miss them. They know what that experience was like for me, navigating this treatment alone. So I’m thankful for them everyday.

18/10/2018

Hey folks!

Thanks for your support at our GoFundMe page. Please donate if you can, share, send us any resources or orgs that can help. It’s all appreciated 💜 link in the comments

26/09/2018

5 days left in September.

We’re pretty close to our goal but no one wants to rent to someone with bad credit. I’ve been on my own since I was 17. Battles homelessness, skin cancer, a cervical cancer scare, and getting further testing on my abnormal breast mass.

Please help with any referrals, donations shared etc.

It means the world

https://www.gofundme.com/healthy-home-for-gabe-amp-lyssette?sharetype=teams&member=757498&pc=ot_co_dashboard_a&rcid=4dc1b10fd1dd403eaf4efb89fc3c5025

L

We are a q***r disabled couple in love and looking to find some housing stability so we can tend to our health and our dreams as a family. This has been a difficult year. We have both had multiple surgeries and procedures that resulted in a loss of work hours for us, and we are rebounding from t...

16/09/2018

It’s been quite the year. I had a cervical cancer scare, and they found abnormal cells in my left breast, right near my skin cancer lesion.

When I had radiation treatment I still worked full time. I had to. But believe it or not my health issues this year has caused me to use all my savings and even miss several weeks of work.

I’ve been able to keep my housing thus far because my fiancé and I live together but as a disabled person himself it has been tight.

If you can help us or share this post please do. It would mean so much.

Sincerely,

GoFundMe ***r

We are a q***r disabled couple in love and looking to find some housing stability so we can tend to our health and our dreams as a family. This has been a difficult year. We have both had multiple surgeries and procedures that resulted in a loss of work hours for us, and we are rebounding from t...

12/05/2017

19/01/2017

So here goes: January 2017. This month is only halfway done but my medical tests are just beginning. Already my copay and cat scan is almost $300 and they won't perform it unless I pay upfront.

I have to have a fibroadenoma (non cancerous mass) removed from my breast. But before they can do that they have to make sure that the skin cancer hasn't spread to my lungs.

Lungs? I never even thought of that...

More news soon

😔😞