Two Days After HomecomingGeorge contemplates the preparation for his colonoscopy while Susan (sporting pixie cut) describes the big one that got away.
Photo courtesy of Skye Moorhead
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March 2008 - Sometimes I feel like a wig.
Sometimes I don't.
Up a tree and feeling on top of the world
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What does a writer do when she finds out she has stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma? She blogs. Because, as everyone knows, cancer sucks, but blogging rocks.
On January 26, 2007, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma (blastic variety), a rare, aggressive and treatment-resistant form of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.
My team at the City of Hope decided to bring out the big guns - six rounds of Hyper CVAD followed by an autologous stem cell transplant. I bounced back after each round of chemo, but my blood counts didn't.
After four rounds we called chemo quits and started collecting stem cells for the auto stem cell transplant. The harvesting took three tries, two drugs and eight weeks, but I finally eked out the minimum two million stem cells.
After megadoses of chemo, I received my stem cells on November 14 and 15, 2007. I bounced back almost immediately. Best of all, I achieved complete remission from the Mantle Cell Lymphoma.
In January 2008, I was hospitalized for 11 days for chemo-induced pneumonia. I bounced back.
In the summer of 2008, my eosinophils (a component of the white blood cells) rose to dangerous levels and infiltrated my lungs and GI tract. My weight dropped to 105 pounds, and I was incapacitated for nearly three months. Once again, I bounced back.
I continue to make monthly visits to the City of Hope for blood tests and check ups, quarterly visits for maintenance Rituxan and semi-annual visits for scans.
I'm still in remission and have more energy than ever. And about that perfect purse? I keep looking.
Here are a few other things keeping me busy:
My food blog, Open Mouth, Insert Fork
My consulting business, A New Leaf Communications
The Orange Cat, a site for family fun in the San Gabriel Valley
A3M - Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches
YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley
IWOSC - Independent Writers of Southern California
On January 26, 2007, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma (blastic variety), a rare, aggressive and treatment-resistant form of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.
My team at the City of Hope decided to bring out the big guns - six rounds of Hyper CVAD followed by an autologous stem cell transplant. I bounced back after each round of chemo, but my blood counts didn't.
After four rounds we called chemo quits and started collecting stem cells for the auto stem cell transplant. The harvesting took three tries, two drugs and eight weeks, but I finally eked out the minimum two million stem cells.
After megadoses of chemo, I received my stem cells on November 14 and 15, 2007. I bounced back almost immediately. Best of all, I achieved complete remission from the Mantle Cell Lymphoma.
In January 2008, I was hospitalized for 11 days for chemo-induced pneumonia. I bounced back.
In the summer of 2008, my eosinophils (a component of the white blood cells) rose to dangerous levels and infiltrated my lungs and GI tract. My weight dropped to 105 pounds, and I was incapacitated for nearly three months. Once again, I bounced back.
I continue to make monthly visits to the City of Hope for blood tests and check ups, quarterly visits for maintenance Rituxan and semi-annual visits for scans.
I'm still in remission and have more energy than ever. And about that perfect purse? I keep looking.
Here are a few other things keeping me busy:
My food blog, Open Mouth, Insert Fork
My consulting business, A New Leaf Communications
The Orange Cat, a site for family fun in the San Gabriel Valley
A3M - Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches
YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley
IWOSC - Independent Writers of Southern California
March 2008 - Sometimes I feel like a wig.
Sometimes I don't.
January 2009
Up a tree and feeling on top of the world
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2007
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April
(31)
- Coming to You from the City of Hope
- I Have Chemo Brain. What's Your Excuse?
- I'll have a side of fatigue with that chemo.
- A Spoonful of Atavan Helps the Medicine Go Down
- Transfusion Confusion
- Minimize, Maximize, Equalize
- Bald is Beautiful?
- More Slumber
- ZZZZZZZZZ
- Dancing with the Stars
- Pole Dancing
- Walking the Walk and Riding the Ride
- Tick-Tock, Tick tock
- Shampoo
- Food, Prizes and Celebrations
- Round One Roundup
- The Cancer Card
- It's the 'roids, man!
- Life's Synchronicity
- Surprises at the City of Hope
- The Right Size Bag for the Right Size Job
- Cancer Thriver
- Comment Housekeeping
- A New Favorite Thing
- Homecoming
- Cover Girl
- Hospital Novelty Factor
- Best. News. Ever.
- Best. Pizza. Ever.
- True or False?
- Dreaming of Food
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April
(31)
Cancer Banter
I can't die. I still have to find the perfect purse.
8 comments:
Gee, all you need is Cindy's head popping in and you'd have your Christmas card photo done!
Oh, and....spicy shrimp tacos...yum
(Homer Simpson drool)
So that's a pixie cut. Cool, you look great.
I still have one nagging question, what's a chivas?
p.s. That's a very nice photo of a warm, sunny day in Altadena. Currently in WV, it's 26 degrees (wind chill at 19) and we had 1" of snow last night. When was the last time you had to scrape your car windshield? Love ya.
Chivas (Regal) is a blended SCOTTISH whisky.
Looks like you handled round one with finesse, intelligence, poise, charm and humor. I will get that Newsweek article today. You continue to amaze me with your wonderful attitude and ability to create friendships. You are my hero, love, Barbara R.
Susan, you look fabulous. George, I have never seen anyone look so excited about an upcoming colonoscopy.
BEAUTIFUL! wow and wowy zowy! You look so good and yes, attitude is everything! Mind over body! You are truly raising me to new heights of positiveness...Love,Suzy
This photo is perfect!
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