Today marks the first of the three year anniversaries. Three years ago today, I went for a lunchtime run with my friend, Amy. I could only go half a mile, before feeling like I was going to collapse. Little did I know that I had just stepped into the journey of a lifetime. It is... Continue Reading →
Day +765: Try, try, try
When I listen to P!NK, I feel like I can conquer the world. Her music was with me through every one of the 26.2 miles of my first marathon, back in 2009. And when I close my eyes, I can still feel it... feel my feet rhythmically hit the pavement... feel the even cadence of... Continue Reading →
Day +421: Here we go again . . .
I have mentioned before that I love roller-coasters, but I am not a fan of the recovery roller-coaster that I am on. I am now, as of last night, on my third inpatient tour of the hospital this year. May: Blood clot in my femoral vein July: Fever, weakness, chills, sinus congestion (never found root... Continue Reading →
Day +371: Back in the Hospital
I really did not plan to be writing my next post from a hospital bed, especially so soon after my one year re-birthday! As I have learned, life often has other plans... and they don't often go according to my schedule. 🙂 On Sunday, my friends and family held a BBQ celebration for my one... Continue Reading →
Day +365: One Year Down
Feeling strangely down in the dumps today, on a day that I have literally been waiting for... building up to, for a year. I have a whiteboard at work, and a co-worker/friend started counting towards day 100 last fall. I came in one morning to "Congratulations on Day __" and it was regularly updated for... Continue Reading →
Day +364: Selflessness
One year ago today, a 34-year-old woman had bone marrow removed from her body for no other reason than to help save the life of a stranger. At some point in her life, she heard about signing up as a potential bone marrow donor, and thought it was a good idea for her to do... Continue Reading →
Day +360: The Power of Letting Go
The last three and a half months have been a roller coaster of events, emotions, health challenges, and breakthroughs. Early on in my diagnosis, someone told me that my cancer journey would be more mental than physical. Truer words were never spoken. April: Going Up The beginning of April found me in a very good... Continue Reading →
Day +180: The (wo)Man in the Mirror
I heard the Michael Jackson song, "Man in the Mirror" this morning as I drove to work. Nothing really struck me about the song at the time, just a nod to my 80's teen years. However, when I went to the ladies' room around lunchtime, I caught a glimpse of myself in the full-length mirror, and... Continue Reading →
Day +2 and +3: Oy, Such a Migraine!
After my itching debacle on day +1 and overnight, I finally got to sleep around 3:30 am. I forget just how many medications my nurse gave me to try and give me relief and sleep, but I was just grateful that the last batch got me a few hours. I woke up Friday morning (Day... Continue Reading →
Day +1: The Itching
The itching is driving me insane. My hands, my abdomen, my chest. Alternating with burning up like I'm on fire, yet I have no fever. I can't take much more of this. I'm assuming that this is graft vs host disease, and not sure what more they can do beyond the current standing meds. Here... Continue Reading →
Day Zero: July 18, 2012 – Transplant Day
I woke up on Transplant Day full of energy, and in great spirits. I got up and decided to go for a ride on my bike (I have my road bike on a trainer in my hospital room), and rode for 30 minutes. After riding, I washed up in the bathroom and got dressed in... Continue Reading →
Day minus 1 (D-1): Mashed Potatoes, the Remote Control, and my last night as “me”
So I've been sitting with my laptop in front of me all day - one window open to this post. The blank page. I have a dozen things I of which I could write spanning the last week in the hospital. Btw, can you believe it has been a full week? I mean - really... Continue Reading →
Day 80: WOOO HOOO!!!!
Okay, this might be the shortest blog update I've ever written, and I don't care a bit. Chemo has definitely been tough this go-round. The burns on my hands/rashes are worse than the previous two rounds they are burning and quite painful, and I've had IV trouble. It took 3 nurses and 6 sticks to... Continue Reading →
Days 39 – 46: Wow, What a Ride
For as long as I can remember, I have been a fan of roller coasters. There is something insanely scary and simultaneously thrilling about the rush one gets when propelled at speeds up to 130 MPH, while pulling multiple negative g's that just...well...makes me smile. 🙂 This past September, I had an opportunity to crew... Continue Reading →
The Road Less Traveled 