Can you BELIEVE IT?

I just thought these two photos of me on the same page would add a little lightheartedness to the day.  To be honest, I didn't think this day would ever arrive, and I certainly didn't think my life would be so good again.  Not so lighthearted.  I'm very very grateful.  Very...  

5 years ago today I was sitting on the bathroom floor talking on the phone with my dermatologist who told me that my CTscan came back and that I would need to go in for a needle biopsy. The huge spots in my chest were in the pattern of lymphoma.  They needed to find out what kind and then start treatment.  It was chaos for the next few weeks as I had a biopsy done inside my chest between my lungs down next to my heart.  Not long after, I began chemo once every two weeks - for SIX long months and then 5 weeks of radiation.

Well since then I have done a lot of recovering, physically and emotionally.  I still battle fatigue.  I had to have some organs removed because they were falling out of my body - that chemo is a doozy! And I had to have some tacked back up in place.  Now I recover slowly.  I get sick often.  I space things out.  I am no longer the go-getter I used to be.  My thyroid is dying but the recent meds have made life so much better. And I'm here! I have learned to sew.  I finally got published by Creating Keepsakes magazine.  I hug my kids every day as many times as they'll let me.  I kiss my husband as often as he'll let me :) We travelled the Oregon coast.  We've had big birthday parties for my children. I could go on and on. 

But to be honest, sometimes I get a little upset when I hear someone has just found out they have cancer and surgery worked to remove it.  But I know on the other hand there are wonderful people who pass away at a young age from cancer.  I guess I got to be in the middle of the bell curve.  

The doctors aren't through with me yet.  I have to stick with visits until mid-December when I reach the 5 year mark for completing cancer treatment. So here we are - I made it!

Details

I'm sure a few of you might be curious as to what kind of cancer I survived.  It was a huge tumor inside my chest.  Hodgkins Lymphoma to be exact.  I went from the base of my ribs to the middle of my neck and it was 3 inches wide.  At the time (I've been in remission for 3 years) I had a 4 year old daughter and a 4 week old son.  But here I am a few years down the road.  I have a whole bunch of firsts that I've been able to do since finishing the 6 months of chemo and 5 weeks of radiation.  I found out that I like my hair short. I taught my daughter to sew, we made aprons together.  I sewed my daughter's baptism dress.  I went hiking and trail running and LIKED it. I landscaped the west side of my house - FINALLY! I held a baby robin in my hands and took care of him 'til he could fly away.  I took my kids to the library. I photographed the Relay for Life one year and participated in it this year. I successfully grew garlic, jalapenos, tomatoes, and cabbage this year. I froze and also canned green beans I grew in my own garden.  I went shopping on the Magnificent Mile. I finally found a fresh salsa recipe that I LOVE. I went for my first ride on a ferris wheel.  I went to the Opera and liked it.  And I taught a photo retouching class online this summer and had a blast.  Don't worry it's coming again this fall. I love my 'extra life' and am so grateful for it even with all its ups and downs.

4th Cancerversary today!

Most people that see me today wouldn't have a clue what I've been through and overcome in the past 4 years.  When people find out  I often hear, "But you're such a picture of health." The more I progress the more I find out how far I've come.  We have a code of health in our church - most people know that we don't drink, smoke, or drink tea or coffee.  I'm grateful I was born into a family that followed that code of health.  

Back in February when I was hit in the pool, I received several CTscans.  After they determined there was no bleeding in the brain and no broken bones the radiologist was most concerned about all the scar tissue in my lungs. When I breath in I often hear a deep wheezing sounds from way down inside my lungs. Now I know why my oncologist said he wouldn't treat me if I smoked and drank.  My tumors were so large that I needed stronger treatment than most and a 'boost' in my radiation treatment too.  I found out that a large tumor is the size of a quarter.  My tumor mass was 3 inches wide and went from below my ribs (down near my stomach) all the way up into the middle of my neck. 

As you can see from this photo, I've come a long way baby! And I'm looking forward to a bright future. My migraines are under control with a preventer medication.  My food allergies are okay as long as I stay away from the foods that bother me and the grocery stores carry a lot of new foods that I can eat. Mentally I feel more up to carrying on the daily demands of life.  Physically I am much stronger than I was 4 years ago and I am improving a little bit at a time every day.

So now I have one more year left until they set me free.  The 5 year survival rate for Hodgkins Lymphoma is pretty good.  I'm so close to that benchmark I can hardly believe it. So thank you to all of you who prayed for me, brought meals, scrubbed my dishes, cleaned my bathrooms, took care of my children, mowed our lawn, scrapbooked with me, were kind and thoughtful, hugged me when I was bald, got Tyler out of the house, and weren't scared to be around a person with cancer. Thank you!