This is a blog intended to keep family and friends posted about my progress as I undergo a stem cell transplant to fight my relapse of Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

SUCCESS!!!!!

I am SO happy to report that my scans (PET and CT) show that I am in REMISSION!!!!!!!!!! This is one of those moments that I don't think the extent of my emotions can be felt through written word. But--trust me--I am freakin' ECSTATIC!!!!! I really believed the transplant had not done the trick, so I didn't even believe my onc when he told me that my scans were "squeaky clean".

The plan is for me to return to the doctor in three months (middle of May) for follow-up, but no scans until my one year SCT anniversary in September. My onc likes to keep radiation exposure to a minimum, so he does not plan on doing any scans beyond that point unless I request it. I think I would feel more comfortable with a set of scans every 6 months to a year.

No definite plans for my grand return to work, but I am trying to figure it out. I still get extremely tired by afternoon, and my husband tells me he doesn't want me pushing myself too hard. So, I'll probably do part time for awhile, assuming my job allows me.

Okay, sorry to cut it so short for now--I realize it's pretty lame when I can go on and on when I'm ranting--but I've got supper to finish and some plans for a trip to Boston to make! Look out New England family, Scott and I will be looking for houses to to crash at at the end of June/beginning of July!!!

Hope everyone is doing extremely well! Thank you all for your support throughout the last two years, but I am surely hoping that I won't be needing any more prayers sent my way for a long time! I'll keep the blog going for as long as my life seems interesting enough to write about, and will let you all know when I plan on shutting it down.

Love to all!!!!!

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

The anxiety begins...

My scans are next week--the 12th--to be exact. I'm trying to not let it get to me, but it does. The fear and doubt that this transplant did its job, creeps into my head when I least expect it. Of course there is night time, when there is too much quiet and not enough to keep my brain busy. Luckily, a good dose of Lunesta, and sometimes a Xanax kicker, help me get through those times.

It's when I feel completely taken off guard with my pessimistic thoughts that really frustrate me. We have to re-do our kitchen due to a malfunction in our dishwasher that flooded the entire kitchen. I will spare you the drama of getting home owner's insurance to cover it and the panic attack I experience when Scott took out the circular saw to make getting our beautiful hardwood floor out easier. (The floor Scott and my dad put in while I was going through tx. the first time as a way of cheering me up and getting me through the last 2 1/2 rounds). Anyway, I digress from the story...I was picking out counter top color the other day, and a random thought popped into my head..."make sure you pick out something that will be easy for Scott to keep clean if you're not around much longer." Damn brain.

Or this trip I want to take out East. I really want to go--time away from every responsibility, get to meet quite a few of my hodge buddies I've grown so close to over the last couple of years, visit relatives (and I have a LOT of them out there!)--time away. Scott has put in his vacation time and has instructed me to find flights. But I just can't get myself to do it. I look them up, compare them, decide which would work best with our timeframe--but then when it comes to "select this flight"--I freeze. I can't buy the tickets. I find myself thinking, "I don't want to waste the money if we find out my scans aren't clean." I've told myself that, after I find out my scan results, I will buy the tickets. I guess we'll see next week.

All the bad news on the hodge forum has definitely taken its toll on me. Some of the closest friendships on this board are with those who have now died. Sarah's death was a complete shock to me and many others. We knew her time was limited, but I never had a clue she would go so soon. And then there's the relapses. Several members of the board who went through tx last year are relapsing this year. Whoever the idiot was that nicknamed this the "good cancer" needs a good kick in the head. I'm failing to see what is so good about all of this.

I know my fear of relapsing will never go away. But for now, I sure would like to hear the word "remission."