I went to Dr. Proctor today and everything is OK now on my earlier issue. This means I'm in the clear for meds and docs for a while! I'll be happy to not have to lug around my "booty bag" for my meds as Dr. Proctor referred to it.
My hair is growing back quite well, however, i've noticed hair in places where I didn't before. We all have hair on our face, necks, etc, but I never used to be able to see mine. Now in certain light, I can see the hairs on my face. It's like little peach fuzz! UGH. The husband assures me you don't notice it unless you are up in my grill, but still.
I have to renew my driver's license this month, and i'm debating whether to wear the wig or just go with how my hair looks now.
I've started working out again and I'm happy. No endurance really yet, but my goal is to run the Big Ten 5k in March. It will really take me full circle, as I ran that right before I was diagnosed this year. I'm hoping working out again will help keep my weight in check. It was the highest it's ever been today at the doctor's office. I'm going to blame my winter boots. When I weighed myself at the gym the day before, the number was lower and what I was at before I got sick. Maybe the gym's scale is kinder. :P
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Officially leaving the Thunderdome
Today, I am officially in remission.
It's awesome.
My PET scan came back well and now I go forward with getting Mort out Dec. 23. I have my next CT scan in March.
It's weird. I am very relieved, but it is kind of scary to know now I just wait and hope nothing comes back. My goal is to just live in the moment and try not to worry much between scans. It's a good goal.
So, this means my posts to this will most likely become even more infrequent as I no longer have cancer!
Thank you everyone for your prayers, support, well wishes and anything else you did for us. It was with your help I was able to get through this. I am very grateful. What a wonderful Christmas present. I thought it was odd how I was diagnosed at Easter and got the all clear at Christmas. :)
Love you all!
It's awesome.
My PET scan came back well and now I go forward with getting Mort out Dec. 23. I have my next CT scan in March.
It's weird. I am very relieved, but it is kind of scary to know now I just wait and hope nothing comes back. My goal is to just live in the moment and try not to worry much between scans. It's a good goal.
So, this means my posts to this will most likely become even more infrequent as I no longer have cancer!
Thank you everyone for your prayers, support, well wishes and anything else you did for us. It was with your help I was able to get through this. I am very grateful. What a wonderful Christmas present. I thought it was odd how I was diagnosed at Easter and got the all clear at Christmas. :)
Love you all!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Support group established
Yesterday I went up to the Indy LLS headquarters for a new young adult blood cancer support group. There were 11 of us there and three other guys had/have HL. One guy had it twice and is in remission, one guy has been in remission for a year, and the other guy is on his fourth round of treatment.
I felt like crying a couple times hearing the guy talk about how hard it is to go through chemo and how much it sucks. It's so strange because while it's only been barely 2 months since I had chemo last, it feels like it was forever ago. I can't believe that this summer I had cancer. Now I think I understand what the people I spoke with said when I was first diagnosed - they couldn't remember a lot of details about their treatment/feelings and said it goes by so fast. It really kind of does.
I'm looking forward to this group because it's an interesting mix of people and I may actually be one of the older ones in it. The youngest is a 19-year-old with Luekemia.
Small world notes - the program manager for LLS is the daughter of an attorney and married to one. We talked briefly about it. And, the guy who has been in remission for a year - he and his wife live in Fountain Square.
I went to the gym tonight for the first time since the day I discovered the lump on my neck. It was weird being back there because again, it almost felt like I hadn't been gone 8 months. (It did once I got on the treadmill and felt tired walking after 30 minutes). Baby steps. I hope to get back into shape so I can run the 5k in bloomington in April. I ran the mini there in 07. I have no desire to do that right now, but I'd like to do the 5k. Plus, I believe it benefits scholarships for students who had cancer! Anyone want to join me? Send me an e-mail.
I missed the early signup deadline for the Indy mini 5k, so I'm debating whether to go ahead and sign up anyway.
Here's a house update: The upstairs is really close to finished!! We have dry wall, carpets, paint, and tile on the bathroom floor. Our next step is to stain the doors and trim and get those in, get a bar in the bedroom closet, and we can move upstairs! Hopefully before the end of the year, but our motivation seems to be lacking right now...haha. Who wants to stain in a cold garage? I don't! But I must and thank goodness for space heaters.
All in all, I'm doing well. I'm need to take some pictures of myself right now so I can remember how I looked. My hair is growing, but not fast or thick enough for me, and my eyebrows are back. But they came back lighter. It's very strange. No one but me thinks they look weird. I need to shape them now as they look like two fuzzy blondish catepillars are sitting on my face. I've worked one shift at my seasonal job and have another tomorrow. It's so tempting to be surrounded by all those clothes. I need to be strong and save money as we've got an upstairs to pay for now! :)
I felt like crying a couple times hearing the guy talk about how hard it is to go through chemo and how much it sucks. It's so strange because while it's only been barely 2 months since I had chemo last, it feels like it was forever ago. I can't believe that this summer I had cancer. Now I think I understand what the people I spoke with said when I was first diagnosed - they couldn't remember a lot of details about their treatment/feelings and said it goes by so fast. It really kind of does.
I'm looking forward to this group because it's an interesting mix of people and I may actually be one of the older ones in it. The youngest is a 19-year-old with Luekemia.
Small world notes - the program manager for LLS is the daughter of an attorney and married to one. We talked briefly about it. And, the guy who has been in remission for a year - he and his wife live in Fountain Square.
I went to the gym tonight for the first time since the day I discovered the lump on my neck. It was weird being back there because again, it almost felt like I hadn't been gone 8 months. (It did once I got on the treadmill and felt tired walking after 30 minutes). Baby steps. I hope to get back into shape so I can run the 5k in bloomington in April. I ran the mini there in 07. I have no desire to do that right now, but I'd like to do the 5k. Plus, I believe it benefits scholarships for students who had cancer! Anyone want to join me? Send me an e-mail.
I missed the early signup deadline for the Indy mini 5k, so I'm debating whether to go ahead and sign up anyway.
Here's a house update: The upstairs is really close to finished!! We have dry wall, carpets, paint, and tile on the bathroom floor. Our next step is to stain the doors and trim and get those in, get a bar in the bedroom closet, and we can move upstairs! Hopefully before the end of the year, but our motivation seems to be lacking right now...haha. Who wants to stain in a cold garage? I don't! But I must and thank goodness for space heaters.
All in all, I'm doing well. I'm need to take some pictures of myself right now so I can remember how I looked. My hair is growing, but not fast or thick enough for me, and my eyebrows are back. But they came back lighter. It's very strange. No one but me thinks they look weird. I need to shape them now as they look like two fuzzy blondish catepillars are sitting on my face. I've worked one shift at my seasonal job and have another tomorrow. It's so tempting to be surrounded by all those clothes. I need to be strong and save money as we've got an upstairs to pay for now! :)
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Quick update
Hello to anyone out there still checking this blog. Sorry for the long time between posts, but I simply forget to post right now. The hubby and I have been busy renovating the house, the holiday season is upon us, as is IU basketball, and now I've taken a seasonal job.
My hair is growing! My eyebrows look pretty funny but they are starting to come in well. The hair on my head is good too. I've actually gone out without a hat or wig a couple of times now. It's almost to the point where it looks like I just cut my hair REALLY short. I'm going to have to get back into a routine of shaving my legs...or maybe not. It's winter now, right? :P
Saw Dr. Proctor. Have a minor issue that hopefully some medicine will treat. I'll see her again next month and if the medicine didn't work, then I get to try something else.
Overall, I'm doing OK. I hope to continue to do so and then my PET scan comes back clean so Mort and I can part ways!
My hair is growing! My eyebrows look pretty funny but they are starting to come in well. The hair on my head is good too. I've actually gone out without a hat or wig a couple of times now. It's almost to the point where it looks like I just cut my hair REALLY short. I'm going to have to get back into a routine of shaving my legs...or maybe not. It's winter now, right? :P
Saw Dr. Proctor. Have a minor issue that hopefully some medicine will treat. I'll see her again next month and if the medicine didn't work, then I get to try something else.
Overall, I'm doing OK. I hope to continue to do so and then my PET scan comes back clean so Mort and I can part ways!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
After 12 rounds, the winner is...
ME! Got the good news today from Dr. Shorty that it appears I'm cancer free. Look at me, I'm so superstitious that I don't want to come out and say that I am cancer free, but all signs point in that direction. The CT came back AWESOME and now I need to get set up for a PET scan in about 6-8 weeks. Mort and I will part ways this year since I've already racked up mondo insurance. You've been a dear, Mort, making blood draws almost effortless.
But it's not all sunshines and rainbows - I have to see another doctor for my alleged hemroid/fissure. FUN. And, I have to be careful about infections - FOR LIFE. So kids, if you have a fever, STAY AWAY FROM ME. Over 101 degree temp and I got to call Dr. Shorty. She said it's a quirk of those with HL, that our immune systems are slightly different. The debate is whether we are born with this quirk and thus predisposed to HL or if HL causes this quirk. My doc thinks it's the born with it theory. But, what it means for me is I'll still have to be careful when I get sick and avoid you sickos out there. :)
Other than that, I am good to go. Now I've got to figure out when to schedule this port to come out.
I am officially out of the Thunderome. But that doesn't mean this blog is dead, per se. I'll still update it when necessary and maybe with random non-cancer items (like how much fun home renovations are).
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers. You've been awesome, but not as awesome as me, because I beat cancer. ;)
But it's not all sunshines and rainbows - I have to see another doctor for my alleged hemroid/fissure. FUN. And, I have to be careful about infections - FOR LIFE. So kids, if you have a fever, STAY AWAY FROM ME. Over 101 degree temp and I got to call Dr. Shorty. She said it's a quirk of those with HL, that our immune systems are slightly different. The debate is whether we are born with this quirk and thus predisposed to HL or if HL causes this quirk. My doc thinks it's the born with it theory. But, what it means for me is I'll still have to be careful when I get sick and avoid you sickos out there. :)
Other than that, I am good to go. Now I've got to figure out when to schedule this port to come out.
I am officially out of the Thunderome. But that doesn't mean this blog is dead, per se. I'll still update it when necessary and maybe with random non-cancer items (like how much fun home renovations are).
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers. You've been awesome, but not as awesome as me, because I beat cancer. ;)
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Cold
I'm not sure if chemo messes with your body temperature, but I am always cold now. Well, not always, but more than usual. The fact I lack hair doesn't help. I find myself wearing a winter hat around the house, and it's not even that chilly inside. I've actually turned on a space heater today while I work. I just thought of the idea, wish I had a few hours ago. I have on a sweater, hoodie, with the hood up and a scarf. And I'm inside a house that is 67 degress. It's going to be a long winter. :P
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Scantastic
I called the doc's office today for the results of my scan and she said they were good results. However, my appointment was pushed back until next Tuesday so I won't know for sure until then if I need any more chemo or what my next steps are. So for now, good news. :)
I'm going to give everyone a tip I hope they don't have to use: If you ever find yourself needing a port, ask the doc if you can get a power port. I don't know why they are called power port, but all I know is you can have dyes and other things injected into the port. I can't with my regular ol' port. If you have bad veins you'll find this handy. Had a little trouble getting a needle in me yesterday and it's those days I wish Mort had special powers.
I'm going to give everyone a tip I hope they don't have to use: If you ever find yourself needing a port, ask the doc if you can get a power port. I don't know why they are called power port, but all I know is you can have dyes and other things injected into the port. I can't with my regular ol' port. If you have bad veins you'll find this handy. Had a little trouble getting a needle in me yesterday and it's those days I wish Mort had special powers.
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