Alright. So I have this idea. I'm starting a blog. And here's why...
On Monday December 20th I had a biopsy done on a suspicious looking lymph node that showed up on a scan I had done over Thanksgiving break. I had the scan done because I thought I felt something above my clavicle (collarbone) and in general I just didn't feel... right. So I went into Medical City in Dallas Monday morning at 6am, got all prepped and set up, took a few fantastic breaths of laughing gas... and next thing I know I'm waking up in the recovery room with a scar where the node was and my med-a-port (for chemotherapy) back in on the left side of my chest. Turns out I have Recurring Hodgkin's Lymphoma (as some of you may know, I had Hodgkin's my senior year of high school). So that's why I'm starting this blog. For all my Texas State friends, I won't be back next semester, but if you are wondering how I'm doing just check this blog. I'll update as often as possible. For all my Plano friends off at school, I have enjoyed seeing several of you and cannot wait to see more of you over the break! For all my Plano friends in... well, Plano... what a fantastic opportunty for us to reunite and spend tons of time together. Time we've been deprived of over the last year or so.
Well, I've started chemotherapy. I started today at 12:30pm. My doctors seem opptimistic, but they are going to be far more aggresive this time since it's Recurring Hodgkin's. They don't want to simply treat it and have it come back in another year and a half. They want to get rid of it for at least 50 or 60 year. I've been here at the hospital since the surgery on Monday, and I will be done with this round of chemo Monday morning and can go home then! Then it's 16 days at home for some lovely home cooked meals and recoup, and then back to the hospital January 7th for the second round of chemo. Each round (hopefully there will only be two total if things go as planned) consists of 5 days of chemo in the hospital. My drugs of choice this time round are ifosfamide and vineralbine (I hope I spelled those right). So for the first 4 days I start with a syringe of the vineralbine on a push for 10 minutes, and then it's on to 4 drips of the ifosfamide over 4 days (24 hours per drip). On the 5th day I'll do one more dosage of the vineralbine, and then after some rest and a lovely visit down to the 4th floor clinic I can leave! So two rounds of this chemo, and then I'll have a PET scan and we will see how much of this cancer we've conquered. If it's a good amount, then we'll move onto... the stem cell transplant. Wow. I know, that sounds creepy sci-fi, right? No worries though, essentially what they will do is run my blood through a machine similar to how you would during dialysis. This little machine is super clever and will pick out the stem cells from my blood. This may take a couple of days. Once they have the stem cells, they will freeze them in some wicked sweet nitrogen and call it a day. THEN, I will be given a super high dosage of chemo for 4-5 days that's going to knock me on my ass (awesome... can't wait...). After the evil round of chemo when I am left weak and near death (no probably not... just kidding), they will insert my stem cells back into my body, and they will start to grow. And before you know it I'll be put all back together and cancer free again!
So, I know that was long and many of you probably don't care about the details of my treatment, but I know that there are some people who do. So there it is! Please keep me in your prayers (I can use as many as I can get right now). If you would care to come visit, I'm in building D room 611 of Medical City in Dallas. Call before you come please as I may be asleep. Chemo makes me sleeeeeepy. Also, if you're sick... I would be beyond delighted to talk to you on the phone... however, you probably shouldn't come see me. And if you DO come, NO FLOWERS. I love flowers and it pains me to say this, but the nurses on my floor do not. Apparently there is something to do with mold... and the allergens... or something. I don't know, but I've had to send a few bouquets to my house already and it's killing me.
I'll try to update as frequently as possible, especially when things change, but other than that... Happy ALMOST Christmas!!! :)
