Battling Cancer... Sunny "Side up"

My friend Sunny…My dear, sweet, compassionate , kind , giving, loving friend.  Sunny Fievez to some- maybe most, but to me her name is Sunny BAKER.  Sunny Fievez is her married name,  but we have been friends since  grade school.  More years have gone by then I would like to admit but as they say..Crazy how time flies!  The name Sunny is perfection for her.  She is an amazing mother, wife, employee and of course friend.  A "Ray" of sunshine to all those around her .. Ray is also her son's name.. 😊One year ago, January 4th 2019 Sunny was officially diagnosed  with breast cancer. January  14th 2019... A morning I remember so well.   Sunny had  texted me, apologizing  that she would  need to cancel our walk, something we enjoy doing together often.  She  elaborated .. she had “some medical things pop up”.  When I replied that I hoped everything was okay.. she commented back “there’s not an easy way to say it but I just found out I have breast cancer , I have some more tests to determine treatment that day, but will be available other days that week!  ”This is soooo Sunny’s style.  She gathers information, gets things done, never wants to inconvenience anyone….She went on to have 3 biopsies before a surgical plan was all set.  Stressful days and  sleepless nights for her, one can assume.. she was thankful that the lymph nodes were negative -meaning that a full mastectomy, chemo and radiation were not needed.  February  28th 2019 she went to battle .  Sunny underwent lumpectomy surgery. A little over two months after this, feeling healed from the surgery, she then went on to radiation treatments. Consuming 5 days a week for almost a month straight , she was more then happy to have this phase of her treatment  complete. Recovery can last 6 months to a year following this.  My friend  felt fatigued  and  skin irritation but I could never tell my looking at her ...As always,  she was extremely happy, always up to go for a walk, chat , coffee even attending local events. She is a warrior! After having the lymphnodes removed, she now needs to be ultra careful of her right arm area. Lymphedema can occur if cut, bruised , burned or other trauma. She continues physical and massage therapy, practices good nutrition and exercise which all plays into her quick, steady recovery. The key “players” she is so grateful for are : Providence Regional Cancer System , Making Strides Against Breast Cancer,and TRA. Most important of course, Sunny is blessed and very grateful for all the love and support from family and friends! Breast Cancer effected over 200,000 cases per year! As I get older it seems the more I look around this disease is everywhere! My Grandmother Jennewein died from this horrific cancer. I have had multiple friends battle against , some times winning sometimes not…  The signs of breast cancer are : Change to the skin’s texture, nipple discharge, dimpling, lymph node changes, breast or nipple pain, nipple retraction or inversion, redness , swelling. After skin, breast cancer is the most  common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. Breast Cancer survival rates have increased!! Woo Hoo! Largely due to factors such as earlier detection, new personalized approach to treatment and a better understanding of the disease. Risk factors are: being female ( sometimes being female just isn’t fun…) , increasing age ( getting older sometimes isn’t fun either! ), history of breast cancer in your family , personal history with breast cancer, radiation exposure, obesity, having your first child at an older age and drinking alcohol are to name some of the “biggies”I am so extremely happy that Sunny is facing a New Year…  PHEW!!! 2019 is behind her! I was honored that I was apart of her 1 year anniversary which she elected to cut off her long gorgeous hair to donate to Locks of Love.  A charity which helps children suffering from hair lose due to cancer treatment.  https://locksoflove.orgBefore:   After:  Sunny dodged the bullet of losing her hair in treatment but then selflessly cut it  off for others… She is such an inspiration to me! I am so proud to call her my great friend and learn so much from her every time we are together. Please take the time to self examine and do NOT delay in calling your doctor if something just doesn’t feel or look right!  Everyone  are such gifts to this world and I want to see everyone pro sper for years to come.. with good health!Much Love... Dawn xoxo