Getting Stronger April 19
I’m sorry it’s been a while since I’ve written but I’ve had my plate pretty full.
Since my fathers stroke I have now spent even more time in the doctors offices.
Between my appointments and my dads, I see doctors more than I see my friends! I tweeted that I was going to start taking a bottle of wine to my doctors appointments since they now seem to be the people I mostly hang out with now ha ha. What’s been going on…..
On April 2
This morning I did an interview with my hometown paper regarding my cancer journey. It always feels good to talk to my hometown paper! Ed Wright wrote the article and you if you want to read it you can go to
I spend a lot of time online doing research on breast cancers, blogs and other information. I figure the more I can talk about my journey to news papers or news outlets the better. I have received so many messages from woman who finally went and got the mammograms who either kept putting it off or have never had one. It really helps me to know that in some way I can help encourage woman to get their tests done or to help educate. I also have learned some things from woman who have written to me as well.
I came across a breast cancer blog the other day that really upset me. This blogger stated that she sometimes felt that when celebrities announce they have breast cancer that they do it to give their career a boost. After what I have gone through I can not imagine anyone using any kind of illness like this to benefit their career. When a doctor tells you you have an illness that could take your life you learn a lot. Not just about the disease but also how you start to look at life different. You appreciate every moment you get, you don’t let little things bother you any more, you love deeper and broader. You want to help heal everyone that has the same disease. I was really upset after reading that blog from that person.
The whole reason for me to write this blog is to help others going through this. For all the merch I’ve created on my website for sale I have added my cancer logo on it to help spread breast cancer awareness. My goal with that is to hopefully join forces with a cancer organization of some sort and eventually be able to give some of the proceeds back to cancer research if I can make that happen.
I’ve never been one to use my career platform for politics or anything to try to sway people to think like me. This is the first time I have ever used my career platform to promote anything other than my career because I WANT to help others with this illness or educate loved ones on what a cancer patient goes through so they are aware of how to help. I hope this blogger changes her mind on how she feels about celebrities trying to help.
After the interview with my hometown paper I went to see my plastic surgeon to have my expanders filled again. Though I hate these appointments, for everyone I go to that means another count down to my final surgery! I will be so happy when all of the surgery’s are over! Things are going pretty well with the reconstructive part so far. I am still dealing with side effects from chemo and will continue to for a while. I have intestinal problems that are on going along with neuropathy, bone pain and muscle pain. Since my double mastectomy, my upper half remains sore and will continue to sore until after my final surgery. Every time you have your expanders filled it causes your chest muscles and other areas to hurt because it stretches them out again. I have mine filled a little every week or every other week depending on how sore I am from the last fill. If all goes well I should be done with my final surgery and chemo in October. I pray everything goes well so that happens. I really miss my life! I miss playing shows, traveling and playing instruments especially my guitar. For the first time in my life I don’t have calluses on the ends of my fingers from playing instruments. It hurts me to play guitar right now not just because of the finger issue but because the strap goes across my pec muscle and my port if I stand up to play and that hurts. If I sit down to play it’s only natural that as a woman the guitar would sit underneath my breasts and that hurts because that’s where my incisions are. It feels so strange for this amount of time to go by with me not really playing the guitar daily. I can sing as long as I sing lightly. I can’t sing full voice because it hurts my pec muscles.
I really won’t be able to get back on the road until next spring probably. See….people who book you to come perform at their events are called buyers or promoters. They book the artists they want to perform at their event many months before their event happens. So at this time of the year most of them have already booked their entertainment throughout the rest of the year. By the time I’m through with surgery and healed, it will be too late to book anything for the rest of the year. Come spring time, it will be almost two years of not working. That my friends sucks for many reasons! There are many bills to pay. When you get diagnosed with an illness that has a long term treatment plan such as cancer…that doesn’t mean your bills stop just because you stop working. They actually get worse because you have doctor bills that are now added. And …even if you have health insurance you still have to pay your part.
April 5
Off to receive my Herceptin Chemo and see my ecologist. For the second time since I started chemo, I forgot to put the numbing cream on my port until the last minute! It was only on for about 30 minutes or so before they had to hook it up. The nurse tried to be extra careful because she knew it would hurt. Yes, it hurt but I made it through it like a big girl ha ha. But……again, for the second time since I started chemo, she had to take it back out and redo it because it wasn’t right! Ugh! That’s two times in a row this has happened and on the only two times I forgot to put the numbing cream on! Really?? One time was bad enough. Now 2 in a row. Better get my thinking together and remember to put the cream on next time!! There is a person who is following me around taking pictures to do a story in the Tennessean paper so she got to witness the pain twice ha ha! It now only takes about 1.5 hours to get through chemo instead of 4-6 hours since it’s only one chemo and not four. I’m thankful for that!
April 9
Today we got to take my dad home from rehab! Incase you are new to the blog, he had a few strokes over the last couple weeks and has been in the hospital. He’s 89 and I’m happy to say he’s doing well. He’s still very weak in his legs and has a hard time walking but we have rehab coming to his house to help him get his strength back.
April 10
Back to the plastic surgeons office to have my expanders filled. He said so far things are still looking good and we are staying on track to our plan.
April 12
Up at 6:30am to go to my general practitioners office at 8am. I haven’t seen her in a while so it was time to have her check me out and see how I’m doing from the chemo and surgery. I told her of a pain I had been having in my hip so she send me down to have an X-ray done. She took my blood to check my thyroid levels because chemo can through your thyroid off. Good news, it seems that my thyroid is good. Bad news is, I have to see a physical therapist for my hip. Chemo side effect causing bone pain. UGH!! Just what I needed right?? Something else to deal with but hopefully physical therapy can help. Sometimes the pain in my hip catches and just stops me in my tracks from the pain. So I will now add therapy appointments to my schedule lol They weren’t kidding when they said fighting cancer is a full time job. Pretty soon I’ll be going to the doctors 5 days a week it seems. I pray not!!!
April 16
Up and out the door to a 9:30am appointment to have a heart echogram done. Perception Chemo can cause heart problems so I have to get my heart checked often now. The person doing the echogram said my heart was pumping strong but I was dehydrated and needed to drink a lot of fluids. Dehydration from the chemo so I’ve been trying to drink a lot more water. She told me that dehydration can affect your heart rhythm. I never knew that.
April 19
These last few days I’ve also been to the doctors with my father and have met with his rehab therapists. I have been getting stronger so I thought I would attempt to mow the lawn. Proud to say I managed to get it done but…it took a long time because I had to drive very slow and take breaks. Hitting any bumps hurts my chest. Though it took a lot longer than it normally does, I sure felt good to finally be able to do certain things again. Even if it does take longer!
I just finished watching Giuliana Rancic on a TV show. She was talking about how she’s been cancer free for over 5 years now. She had a double mastectomy as well because of breast cancer. She like me, admitted that she had no idea there were many different kinds of breast cancer until she was diagnosed. So, let’s all join in and start educating ourselves so if you get breast cancer you will be more informed right off the bat and not thrown into a world of unknown like She and I were. She recommends a website www.notonetype.com. I checked it out. It’s a good sight to download some questions to ask your doctor if you get diagnosed. Remember, 1 in every 8, help educate!
Meta says
Thank you for your updates on this journey Anita. Continued prayers for healing and strength everyday.🙏
Tony Mellichampe says
I think I had mentioned before that in the Spring of 2016 I had an operation for Stage 1 Lung Cancer, and almost exactly to the day a year later in 2017 had a Heart attack, but I have had nothing like You have gone through, and are going through…. I have always admired Your Musical Talents since the early Red Tele days, but now I respect You so much as a Person for what You are doing for others. May Your journey to complete healing get better each and every day…. God Bless You (and Your Dad ! )
John Lee Wu says
The bills pile up quickly and everybody wants to be paid – I advise those I know who are in what feels like financial quicksand to start liquidating and selling off the toys and excess real estate holdings and any other luxury asset – yes, a painful thought, but better to do it by choice rather than by court-ordered force.
Rhonda Barnes says
Anita,
Don’t let someone’s opinion take away from your intention and determination. This is YOUR journey to healing and you are doing something great by educating others along the way. I hope that you invited the “blogger” to read your story. Cancer sucks and is challenging ,no matter what we do for a living. Continue to share your story,, encourage and inspire. YOU are making a difference! The platform is yours!
🙏❤️
Norma Schiller says
Hey Anita! Read your blog and I know that you are a strong person, but sometimes just sit back and rest and think about what you will do when all this is over and done! Know that you are making a difference with your blogs ! As far as you being dehydrated, if you are drinking bottled water and like ice cold water like I do, put half full bottles in the freezer and when you take it out, fill it water and put that half full bottle in the freezer. That way you always have ice cold water to drink and you might drink a little more! Just know that I am thinking of you and sending big hugs and prayers! Love ya!
Misty Miller says
Thank you for sharing your journey. I recently saw you on Opry Encore singing with Steve Wariner. It took me back to my frequent concert going days and the joy your music brought to my life. Many life changes since that don’t allow my husband and I to get out much anymore as we are the only caregivers for my mother who lives with us and has Alzheimer’s. I feel for you caring for your father with serious health issues AND being in pain yourself. I’ll spare you details but this sounds VERY familiar. I grew up in and am still very involved in a Baptist church and will continue to pray for your complete healing. We are strong women, we will pass this ‘test’…and use our experience to help others. Just like you are already doing!
Barni says
Herbal/fruit tea bag dropped in your water jug! It doesnt get too strong usually, it will last several fill ups!!! Anything to break the monotony! That blog was an exhausting “week in the life” view! I think when you do it in that format – a couple paragraphs from various days – we really get it! Whew. Thank you for your positive impact and using your platform for the right reasons. I work weekends, but seeing videos of all my friends at Relays for Life this weekend kept reminding me of you and your fight.
Michael says
Never apologize for your illness,cancer can strike anyone….whether it be Jane Doe or Anita Cochran. Cancer doesn’t care who you are.
As for the numbing cream,you might make a little note in your calendar that you need to apply your cream. You aren’t alone in that happening. My Lori would sometimes be in such a rush and I would have to remind her that I need to numb her port area.
Hope your dad continues to come back strong. Looking forward to your continuing recovery.
Michael
Tom says
I’ve been a huge fan for so long. You’re beautiful inside and out, and your songwriting and playing really have touched me. I literally just read this week about your health challenge. Almost everyone I know has been touched in some way by cancer. My Mom had breast cancer when she was 74, but was caught in time, and she lived well for another ten years, and passed from something totally unrelated. I am a professional photographer and do much pro bono work for many cancer related charities. I also have played lead guitar in bands for 30 years, and still love it. God Bless you my talented friend. You have more work to do and many more to entertain and lift up with your music. In my prayers for a speedy and full recovery.
Amy says
Well wishes to you and your Dad stay strong keep positive mind set and stay hydrated! You are a extremely beautiful and talented woman.
God bless you!
Gloria Dennis says
I too am a cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgekins Lymphoma in 1997. I went through chemo every week for a solid year. I was hospitalized for infections ,pneumonia, blood clots etc. so many times I lost count. I still suffer from side effects all these years later but I am so grateful for every breathe I take and every day that I am alive. I understand the suffering you have endured and the wondering if you can even survive this, but you can. You are strong and smart. Keep educating yourself and sharing with others. You’re doing a wonderful thing with this blog. I will be praying for you and keep up with your blog. God bless you sweet lady warrior and keep on keepin on. XOXO