April 9, 2026

Hello,

I apologize that it's been awhile since my last update. There's been a lot going on and I also wanted to wait for the results of some scans. 

Let me start by saying thank you to everyone for their donations. It is such a relief to know that I can keep my house for another year. The weight that has been lifted is significant and I believe it will help me and my health in the long run. As we all know, stress is counter-productive.

Right now, I need all the strength I can gather. My most recent scan results showed the chemotherapy has not been working. There are several new lesions on my liver and the older ones have grown in size. Additionally, there are enlarged lymph nodes that indicate the cancer has spread. As far as we know, it's not in my bones or my brain. Surely there are going to be additional tests to confirm that. 

I'm still processing the recent findings. I'm disappointed the chemo didn't help. I've also been battling an upper respiratory infection, so I feel weaker than usual. That always affects my emotions. I've also been dealing with undiagnosed back pain that is making it harder to get around. 

I was given the options of participating in a clinical trial or starting a new chemotherapy drug called Enhertu. After talking with members of an advanced cancer support group and considering my current circumstances, I decided to go with chemo. The biggest factor in my decision has been the logistics of everything. I also have a fellow metastatic breast cancer friend who will be doing the same chemotherapy. We will start treatment within a week of each other. It will be nice for both of us to have somebody to talk to about treatment and how it's affecting our bodies.

I begin the new chemotherapy on Tuesday, April 14th. The side effects are pretty typical with the exception of potential lung issues. Any treatment has the potential for some very serious side effects. At some point, I might decide it's affecting my quality of life too much. That is for future Lucy to deal with. Right now, I just want to get on with things and try to enjoy life as much as I can. 

As I reread this update, I realize it sounds a little down. I am down. I am so disappointed. All I want to do is spend time with my daughters. As much as I would like to be able to put up a good front right now, it would be a lie. 

In other news, I have reapplied for disability. I'm fairly confident that I will qualify and start receiving those benefits. I have no intention of quitting my job, because it's nice to feel useful.

I will post another update after I start the new treatment and let y'all know how it is going in terms of side effects. There will be more diagnostic scans in 3 months. At that time we'll see if treatment is helping, and go from there 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this rather depressing update. I hope to have better news in a couple weeks. I hope that I will tolerate the new treatment, so that I can enjoy life.

My love to you all,

Lucy

Hello.

I don't know If I have the words to express my gratitude for the financial and emotional support people are giving me. Your support is having an impact. As of Friday, March 6th, 2026, I have two more months of mortgage payments at the ready. The stress alleviated frees me up to be able to take care of my physical body, so that I can function in ways that are otherwise difficult. 

I completed my 10th round of Trudelvy on Tuesday, March 3.  It's hard to believe I've been on this one medication that long. When I look back to day one of chemo on July 5th,  2024, I realize something that terrified me so much in the beginning is now just a part of my life. It will be until I decide to stop treatment. 

This is the fourth chemo medicine they've pumped into my port. I’ve lost track of how many total rounds I've completed. I also can't count the number of people I've met who've been doing chemo far longer than I have. Every time I talk to somebody and hear them say they've been in treatment for x number of years, I feel like I lose my right to complain or moan and groan about it.  I'll also have days I'm grateful that it's pushing back against the spread of this disease, if it is. I'm going to continue to have days like today where I'm struggling with bone pain, fatigue, headaches, and the physical and emotional discomfort that causes me to wonder if it's all worth it 

Then, I get a call from one of my daughters. I engaged in a long text thread about life and philosophy with my best friend. I get messages from some of my daughters’ friends wishing me well. I see posts made by people I love, admire, and respect sharing my fundraiser with their communities.

These are my primary methods of communication these days. I don't get out as much as I used to, because I fear getting another infection and ending up in the hospital….because I'm uncomfortable with my appearance and how people may or may not react …..because I don't have the strength or the energy. However, I'm realizing that being in my protective shell is not going to give my life meaning. Living in the confines of this house or the clinic or the doctor's office or the hospital isn't going to help me make an impact on the world. 

I want to live in a way that my girls can be proud of. I want my daughters and my friends to be able to laugh when they think of me. I hope to be remembered with fondness. I want them to know that they are loved and valued. Yes. I can do that from the confines of these walls, but hugs, holding hands, being able to put my arms around the people I love is worth it. It's worth the risk.

It won't be long before I have another full body scan to see if the cancer has spread. I only just realized how much I'm dreading the appointment. I'm not sure if I want to know how things are going unless it's getting better. Of course, I need to know if it's getting worse,  but ignorance is bliss. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this update and for contributing to the fundraiser. 

Love,

Lucy

Hello,

First,  I want to thank you for taking the time to look at this fundraising campaign and my story. 

A few things have happened since I began working on this campaign that I wanted to share with all of you. I've been working on finding financial grant, applying for Disability Insurance, and spent a few nights in the hospital. 

Lisa Reed, the hospital social worker, and I have been submitting applications for a variety of grants that are specifically set up for cancer patients in need. Sadly, the pool of organizations having available funds has decreased since years past. Those organizations that have available monies are seeing a significant increase in the number of applications being submitted, while also seeing a decrease in donations. 

The Social Security Administration denied my disability insurance application, but I am going to figure it out and reapply. Thankfully, my bosses and the Human Resource Department have been incredibly supportive and helpful, providing documentation and filling out forms quickly and thoroughly. For this, I am very grateful.

I ended up in the hospital last week due to a suspected infection. The emergency room doctors decided that I had sepsis. I don't know if that's the exact way to say it, but they decided I had a serious infection and I ended up staying in the hospital for three days. 

They ran blood cultures, they did MRIs, they did CT scans of all different parts of my body and found nothing. However, after being on IV antibiotics for a few days, I no longer had kidney pain or a productive cough. I felt better overall. 

So, while there was no actual diagnosis or a clearly diagnosable infection, I came out of the hospital having fewer symptoms than what I was experiencing when I went to the ER.

I also learned that I am allergic to vancomycin, which is a broad spectrum antibiotic frequently given to stage 4 cancer patients. I also learned the phrase, "Is there an alternative antihistamine you can give me that will not make my blood pressure plummet?" It sounds like such an easy sentence to come up with. When you're in your third allergic reaction from the same antibiotic and the doctors are wanting to give you the same antihistamine that makes your blood pressure plummet, it makes it difficult to come up with the right words. 

One thing about having cancer and seeing so many doctors is the importance of learning to advocate for oneself. And we have to do ot despite the inner voice that tells us to sit down, shut up, listen to the doctors, and behave. 

I'm learning that personal empowerment around my healthcare is vital to my quality of life. While hospitals and medical organizations may have a slew of test results and information in my chart, I am the keeper of the entire truth, the entire reality, and my own spirit. Some days it's easier to speak up than others, but I'm getting better at being consistent.

That's all for now. Thank you for taking the time to read this update. There are more to come.

Thank you,

Lucy the former redhead