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F*$k cancer, we've got you, Jen!

  • Chemo....again :(

      20 August 2024
    Posted by: Jen Germano

    A bit of an update, I received the results of my surgery a couple weeks ago and its taken me awhile to get my head around the change in treatment plan. I had been looking forward to being at the tail end of all of this with only a month of radiation left to go, but unfortunately, my results from surgery weren't as good as I had hoped. Though the chemo killed a lot of the cancer, 30% still remained in my breast and lymph nodes (which they removed during surgery but it's been there this whole time so some risk that it could be elsewhere). And so as of today, I'm starting an oral chemo regime that will last for the next six months. It will be two doses a day for 2 weeks on, one week off for six months in total. Then a short break and on to a month of radiation which the boys and I will travel to Christchurch for. To say I was gutted would be an understatement.... 😭

    But the chemo did kill heaps of the tumors and the doctors are still talking about a cure. And a little bit of silver lining, my hair has started to grow back and shouldn't fall out with this drug. Slowly recovering from surgery and past the worst of that, though still more physio to get my range of motion back. Fingers crossed, if I get some good days and mini breaks from chemo this summer that I can be back on my paddleboard and out with the kids.

    As always, huge thanks to my friends and family- couldn't fight this without you.

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  • Surviving surgery 😊

      24 July 2024
    Posted by: Jen Germano
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    Another milestone passed. Its now been 2 weeks since I had surgery- a single mastectomy plus the removal of most of my lymph nodes under my right arm.

    The week of surgery was extremely rough- I was nervous to begin with and then a good friend who also had breast cancer, another a single mum, passed away just days before my surgery. We had gone away for the weekend just a week before. Our kids are good friends. The impact was huge- both in sadness for my friend, her kids and family and the horrible reality of cancer. It definitely makes every cuddle with my boys feel all the more precious.

    Surgery went well. One night in hospital on morphine and sent home the next day with two surgical drains and lots of pain meds. My friend Ruth was with me the first few days and then Cayenne, one of my best friends from the states, came out to help for two weeks. It's been painful and hard- so grateful for good friends helping out. Overall though, so much easier and more bearable than chemo. I've had two trips to the ER to fix issues with the surgical drains which finally came out a couple days ago (see attached photo). Friends have kept me well fed, out walking my dog most days, and on time with pain meds. My body feels a bit battered and my chest looks a bit Frankenstein-ish.... But another significant cancer hurdle checked off.

    Now just waiting on the surgical results to see if I'm heading back to chemo again for another 4.5 months or moving on to radiation.... 🤞🤞🤞

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    • 25/07/2024 by susan

      Go Jen you are doing such an incredible navigation of this journey. Each trip is epic and you are sounding brave and present to all that is happening good and bad. So very hoping you get to dodge more chemo. fingers crossed and thinking of you.

      Arohanui Susan

  • 6 months of chemo done and dusted....on to surgery!

      2 July 2024
    Posted by: Jen Germano
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    Apologies for the radio silence, it's been a crazy six months of chemo. Probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. I've never felt so sick in my life and trying to take care of two little people when I was feeling at my worst has been quite the challenge. Three months ago I felt like I was dying and it felt like the end of chemo would never come.... But here I am. Three weeks ago I had my last dose of chemo and it was my turn to ring the bell in the chemo clinic - signalling the end of this first part of my cancer treatment. It felt a bit bittersweet, so proud of myself to get this far and so sad for the amazing women I've met along the way who will never get to ring the bell. It was a day of mixed emotions.

    And now I'm feeling the best I have in months- which is still a lifetime away from my pre cancer life. But trying to make the most of this short window of reprieve. Dog walks outside with friends, birthday celebrations for Noah, and a weekend at an eco resort/spa with my girlfriends... But time is running out and next Thursday I'm heading in for a mastectomy and removal of my lymph nodes and then back into recovery mode again.

    Once again I just wanted to say thank you to all you amazing people and for all your support and to all the friends here in Nelson who have helped me in the kids- there is no way I could have done this without you all!!! Cancer is not something you can fight alone so thank you, from the bottom of my heart ❤️💕❤️

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    • 03/07/2024 by Randy

      You are doing so well! You are strong, even on the days (or weeks) when you feel the opposite.

    • 04/07/2024 by susan

      Wow Jen, congratulations on getting yourself to the bell ringing. You are an incredibly strong person and I truly admire you for your courage. You are not alone and sending you much love for the next part of your journey with your surgery and healing. You may have cancer but cancer doesn't have you!!!

  • Getting a bit of a boost....

      27 March 2024
    Posted by: Jen Germano
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    I won't lie, the last week or so has been pretty tough. The main tumor has continued to shrink (yay!!!) but my body is being to struggle after nearly three months of intense weekly chemo treatments. Last week I was getting light headed, struggling to breathe and to walk a couple hundred metres to pick up my kids, freezing cold, etc etc. My good friend Ruth took me to hospital on Thursday and other amazing friends pitched in on the kid front. My blood counts were starting to drop. I went in for chemo on Monday and they checked again but everything was continuing to decline so they sent me home without chemo as my haemoglobin, platelets and neutrophils were all low and not on a good trajectory. Yesterday I was back at the hospital for the day for a blood transfusion. Feeling better today- but better is a relative term ☺️ just a week and a half ago before I crashed, I had gone for an easy river paddle with my kids. Not feeling up to paddling at the moment but the fact that I can go to the grocery store and do jobs around the house feels amazing. Hopefully the mini break from chemo and the transfusion will also mean I can enjoy the Easter holidays with my boys as well. And thanks to all you amazing people, I came home from the hospital yesterday to a clean house, beds with fresh sheets and laundry folded- having a cleaner has been a luxury and a godsend. ☺️

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  • Chemo is continuing to work!!

      21 February 2024
    Posted by: Jen Germano
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    Good news from my oncology appointment today- tumors are continuing to shrink! The main one which was almost 9 cm at the start and 4 cm three weeks ago is now 2 x 2.5 cm! Yay! Still a long way to go as far as my treatment plan, but it's continuing to work 😊 🤞😊

    Thank you to everyone who has helped - with meals, with kids, stuff around the house and at the hospital, messages, and give a little donations. I'm am so very grateful for you all! I could never manage this alone. 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻. You guys are amazing!

    Photo is Poppy enjoying the fact that I've let the no dog on my bed rule slide since starting chemo 🤣🐶🐕 convenient that she's stayed teddy bear sized ☺️

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    • 21/02/2024 by Roy

      Hi, Jen. We're glad to hear that the chemo is working. I hope you're weathering it relatively OK. Lots of love from Ecuador! Roy & Laurie

  • Keep it up, Jen!

      17 February 2024
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    This woman. Honestly.

    You don't often get medals for being stoic, but Holy hecka - Jen deserve a big ol crown for her incredible attitude.

    On Tuesday, Jen got a port in so she can revieve treatments with less trauma and so she can be hands free! Jen is still deciding if it was a good idea - but hey it means hands free mode is enabled!

    Jens life at the moment revolves around hospital visits, procedures, and her boys - and that's rough for someone who loves her job and her outdoor things, and is getting knocked around by chemo.

    I just wanted to say your generosity has been so appreciated - helping with the financial burden is something tangible that we can all share, when we are so helpless to help in other ways. If you are able to donate, please do.

    Aroha mai, aroha atu - love recieved, love returned

    Emma (page admin)

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  • Chemo is working!!!

      3 February 2024
    Posted by: Jen Germano
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    🤣 so this is what chemo looks like- thank god we had our buzz cut party last week! I'd have to call a plumber if I still had long hair! Logan has been pointing out the emerging bald spots throughout the day, so I'll go from the GI Jane look to bald fairly soon I think...

    But on a positive note...lost hair means the chemo is working and my nearly 9 cm tumor has now shrunk to 4.5 cm after the first cycle of 3 once-a-week treatments 💕💕💕🫶🏻👏🏻 the oncologist couldn't even feel the tumors in my lymph nodes this week. Still have at least 5 more months of chemo, multiple surgeries and radiation to go (none of that changes as there is a chance the cancer cells have spread elsewhere in my body and I need the best chance of killing everything to lower my risk of reoccurrence in the future)... But off to a good start!

    Thank you again to everyone who has donated here. I would love to thank you all personally at some point but my energy levels this last month have been pretty low since starting chemo- it's all I can do to keep up with kids and the necessities of life (even then, the dinner dishes are usually waiting for me in the morning now 🙂)...but just know that I've read all your messages and I'm so very grateful for all your support of me and my boys!!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!! Ngā mihi nui!!! 💕💕🫶🏻💕💕 -Jen

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    • 07/02/2024 by susan

      Again thinking of you and knowing you will get there with much Aroha

  • The amazing Jen and her shave party

      25 January 2024

    Enjoy the video from Jens amazing night

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    • 26/01/2024 by Michelle F

      Hi Jen, I'm your Dad's cousin Michelle Eabon (on FB as Michelle Northern Virginia.) I want to wish you the best in this cancer battle and tell you how much I admire you for how you are going about it. I'm so glad you have gathered such wonderful friends (plus Dad, Mom, sister and brother) around you to help. You are like your Aunt Donna that way in terms of giving to and then being able to receive from others.

    • 07/02/2024 by susan

      You are sooo wonderful and brave and this made me cry but with good feelings about how love is all around. Go Jen you are truly amazing.

  • Goodbye hair!

      25 January 2024
    Posted by: Jen Germano
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    It was a bit inevitable....2 1/2 weeks into chemo and my hair started falling out. So instead of waiting for it to clog up my drain, some amazing friends helped me turn it into a party with our kids. 8 shaved heads, some party food and a "f**k cancer" cake that Logan has been waiting all week to make 🙂. I really can't thank everyone enough... I truly am blessed to be surrounded by such awesome friends and family.

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    • 26/01/2024 by Michelle F

      Hi Jen, I'm your Dad's cousin Michelle Eabon (on FB as Michelle Northern Virginia.) I want to wish you the best in this cancer battle and tell you how much I admire you for how you are going about it. I'm so glad you have gathered such wonderful friends (plus Dad, Mom, sister and brother) around you to help. You are like your Aunt Donna that way in terms of giving to and then being able to receive from others.

  • This from Jen

      14 January 2024
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    Kia ora koutou, just a little update. Had my first round of chemotherapy on Friday. Despite the hiccups with Covid ruining my initial family support plans, amazing friends stepped in to help save the day and all went well. The combination of chemo and the pile of drugs to manage the side effects have left me tired and a bit exhausted the last three days. A few minor other dramas but overall doing well. Have even managed a little yoga at the beach, a dog walk with my mum along the Maitai (she's still covid negative but not staying at my house), and a tiny bit of gardening (which was not too overwhelming due to some amazing gardening working bees from friends). a cleaner [is coming] to come help me out a bit once a fortnight starting Tuesday thanks to the generosity of everyone who donated via Give A Little- will definitely make life a little bit easier this year. A few more weeks to hopefully enjoy having hair before it all falls out ☺️ but right now just so incredibly grateful for all the amazing people in my life. Ngā mihi nui koutou!!!

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  • Part of snippet from Jen

      9 January 2024
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    .."to my friends/family who sent countless messages and donated so generously (I definitely had some tears in my eyes when I opened it the other day), for help with my kids and the dog, and for those of you who came camping/tramping/backpacking/paddling to bring a little normality to life and get me thinking of other things, for all the friends that reached out with their own stories and words of encouragement, for all the planning chats, and to my parents who have flown out to NZ and will be here for my first couple chemo rounds..from the bottom of my heart thank you so much to all of you. 💕

    This is going to be a hard year, but knowing that I have such an amazing group of people and love for me and the boys makes an awful situation a bit less scary and I know I will get through it with such an amazing village around me. I know I'm not alone. Definitely going to be a marathon, not a sprint.

    I have stage 3 triple negative breast cancer. I'm looking at 6 months of chemo (weekly for the first half), surgery and potentially multiple ones (need to do genetic tests but likely that I have the gene for it hence possibly multiple surgeries), and radiation which I'll have to leave home for a month for (probably Wellington). The scans have shown that it hasn't spread past my breast and lymph nodes yet, so the prognosis for beating this is good....and hopefully new years eve 24 I'll be in a much better place than this past one.

    1st round of chemo starts on Friday, so here we go..

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