When I was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma, the first thing I said to Cindy was, "Stay on track and get your diploma!"We did it!
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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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- About Stem Cell Transplants
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- City of Hope: Donating Blood or Platelets
- Daily Survival Guide for Serious Illness (Gilda's Club and the Tom McDermitt Fund)
- Histopathology of MCL
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
- Lymphoma Information Network
- Lymphoma Research Foundation
- Mantle Cell Lymphoma Consortium
- National Cancer Institute
- Your Brain After Chemo
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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May
(20)
- No Admittance
- Plenty to Smile About
- One True Thing
- Headlines from the Home Front
- Stick to Pralines, Not Pity
- Under worked and overjoyed
- Updates on the Updates
- "A" is for Appetite
- Desperate Housewife?
- Updates from Home
- Running Nowhere
- A Tale of Two Lymphomas
- Better, smarter, stronger
- Too Green for Words
- Pre-Prom Memories at the City of Hope
- Different Moments Than I Imagined
- Back at Hotel Hope for Round Three
- Loved Ones Recall Local Man's Cowardly Battle With...
- Oh, no! Here she comes.
- Flora-Cani Yoga
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May
(20)
Cancer Banter
I can't die. I still have to find the perfect purse.
16 comments:
Yo, Suze! You are ROCKING your spare hair! And the jacket is crucial, fo’ sheazy. All you needs is some bling, Miss Thing. Oh, and props to your girl, Cindy. For reals.
(Why yes, I have been listening to gangsta rap, why do you ask?)
Well said, Paula! I second that (to the extent that I know what it means!)
Awwww! I'm so glad:) Congratulations!!
Lisa C.
Congrats to Cindy! And, you too Susan and George. That makes 2 graduates. We just got home today from Rick's graduation. Couldn't have been better. On to our next journeys.
Congrats to Cindy! BTW your new hat should arrive end of next week. Love, Lisa
Special Note to Cindy: We are all SO PROUD of you, Beautful Girl! Keep following your dreams! Susan and George, We are so happy for you and share in your joy! Love, Suzy and Patrick and Krista, Joseph and Kira
ps: Gorgeous picture! too
CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations Cindy! Way to go! We just got confirmation that Beth passed the GED (with great scores!). It's graduation season. Pats on the back for everybody!
Congratulations to Cynthia. Best wishes from Uncle Bob.
Hey Paula, need some help:
sheazy
bling
props
Like Robert, I too do not know what "sheazy" or "props" mean. Paula, please clue us in!
Congratulations Cindy! Wish we could've been there to celebrate with you guys. Hope to see you soon.
emily
Hey, I'm just a Valley Girl who moved to Pasadena and now likes to read dictionaries.
For sheazy: Means "for sure." I could have used "fo' shizzle," but I think that's a bit played out now that Snoop Dogg is doing TV commercials.
Bling: Jewelry
Props: A contraction, of sorts, for "proper respect" for a job well done.
Interesting. Thanks, Paula. Just so you know, I've compiled a West Virginia to English dictionary. Rappers and hillbillies have some similarities.....people listen and say, "What'd he say?"
So much love to you and George and Cindy !!! What a beautiful pic. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Good job Cindy! Susan I hope you are doing well!
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