At CVHO now. The CT Scan was clean! Everything looked normal. Hooray, one hurdle cleared.[...]

More already?

Today I find myself needing to read the research paper done on my treatment protocol. I figured it was a good time to share it. I don't think I did that before, as there are small bits of potentially bad news in it. Mostly, it is good stuff. Many patients started off worse than I did and the survival rates are TREMENDOUS.[...]

I'm sitting in the waiting room at Fanny Allen half way through the Barium drinking challenge. Twenty oz. down and 20 to go. My CT Scan should happen around 11:00. Tomorrow morning I head into the doctor's office to get results.[...]

Are you still getting my post notices (if you once were)?

A dear friend just informed me that she stopped getting notices of my posts weeks ago. The poor thing thought that I might have taken a turn for the worst! If you have a moment to comment to let me know you've received this please let me know OR drop an e-mail to my personal account. Thanks![...]

So, it is time for me to do something for the cause. I've decided to participate in the "Light the Night" fundraiser that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society holds in Burlington on Sept. 26th. It is not a race, but a leisurely walk that recognizes survivors and remembers those who lost their battles as well.[...]

Funny, when I log in to create the posts the previous photo surprises me. That is how fast the hair is coming back. 

We had a great couple of weeks with Levi on vacation. Sadly he had to return to work today, but we are going to try to keep living like we are on vacation even though he is busy from 7:30 to 5:30. My philosophy through the vacation was to just do stuff. Every day I wake up feeling like I've run a marathon the day before. My muscles and joints are sore and tight and stiff. I also noticed that my knuckles (which are also sore) are swollen. I had to take off all of my rings. I'll get the scoop on that next week at my appointment. I thought that I'd be ready to start really working out by now, but I feel like what I need is a few days of rest! This is disappointing to me. I think sometimes that I just need to push harder and that will make things better, but I do feel a certain kind of sick if I push too hard. Yesterday I trimmed all of the hedges and bushes in the front yard. In my brain that shouldn't be a workout. My body argues that it is.[...]

Walking, hiking, biking... we've been after it all week. When I get out of bed my whole body aches. Today we hiked at Niquette Bay again. We had lots of fun. The weather was nicer than expected. Updated hair growth photos are below. Sorry I can't figure out how to make them smaller! Click on it to see the actual proportions.  I already look less like "Powder" than I did in the last photos.[...]

Today I created a new garden. Campbell and I dug sod, turned soil, hacked trees and planted perennials. It felt great. 

My fingernails are really weird. I think the term used to describe them is "clubbed", but that doesn't seem to capture what is going on. Ick. The doctor told me it takes 9 months for your nail to fully grow out. Double ick. I definitely have some hair activity going on. Levi said tonight at dinner that for the first time he could see the hair on my head without trying to look for it. My legs need to be shaved. My eyebrows look a little stubbly but only near the inside. I basically have two dirty looking dots on my brow. I'm hoping the tails show up soon! My lashes are maybe a quarter of an inch long.[...]

Life is actually returning to normal. It isn't so much my strength or energy, but little things like Levi and I joking around like we used to. Maybe part of it is him getting over this too. I even played kick ball with Cam this week while Levi sat in a lawn chair feeling beat. That is a welcome change in roles![...]

I'm working on my 3rd week post chemo. I'm still bald as could be, but there is evidence of eyelashes sprouting, so that must be a good sign. I had Levi take this photo of me so that I would remember the face that startles me when I see it in the mirror. Looking good for a cancer patient is way different than looking good. People look weird without eyebrows![...]