tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66747276323701899462023-11-15T23:08:46.412-08:00 My Battles with Cancer and My Life After!!!I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in June of 2007. I did 6 months of chemotherapy and 2 1/2 weeks of radiation. At which point I was cancer free!!!!
In November of 2010 I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. After several months of blood transfusions and extreme chemotherapy sessions I was placed on a list to recieve a Bone Marrow Transplant. March 31st, 2011, I received the gift of life from a wonderful anonymous woman that I hope to meet one day!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-74300626367459707462015-10-17T00:04:00.001-07:002015-10-17T00:04:33.182-07:00Idaho comes to Cali<p dir="ltr">So my mom and dad arrived last Friday morning and left this morning. One week was really good. They kept me so busy, I felt like I couldn't stop moving. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Friday night, we went to Taylor's Choir Concert at Stan State. My babies first college performance 🎶🎤🎹 I also got to meet her 'big' Allison. Tay joined a sorority for music and of course I can't remember the name of it. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Hailey's had no school the week my parents were here but she did have volleyball games and practices. On Tuesday they beat Central Catholic but lost against Oakdale on Thursday. It's been up and down for the girls this season. I believe their record is 4-5, Varsity is 0-9, and I'm not sure about freshman. </p>
<p dir="ltr">We are super excited to see them and our Idaho family in December. Hoping for some snow, I'd like to check out skiing or sledding with the girls. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Well I'm still waiting for a response from the disability board about their decision. He said it would be within a week and its over a week. I'm super nervous. I just don't know what I will do if they deny my appeal. I'll have to pay back 3 months of income plus any and all medical that was covered at the time. Both my cataracts were done, medical appointments, prescriptions, lab work and my new glasses. Haha don't know how that will work if they take me off disability because I won't be able to find a job. Uugghh life is so messed up sometimes. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Gonna try not and stress too much because I need sleep. 😴💤 Ambien needs to kick in!!! </p>
<p dir="ltr">Xoxo</p>
<p dir="ltr"><u>Jane</u></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-30335291190973812772015-10-05T23:09:00.001-07:002015-10-05T23:09:44.176-07:00Over / Under<p dir="ltr">I've been on the new meds for about a week now. Not exactly sure what to be expecting, I mean I have an overactive thyroid. Are the trying to make me underactive? I don't want that because people with underactive gain weight.... And I should be looking weight if I'm overactive. This whole thing is messed up. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm so tired of being fat and having no motivation or will power to move forward. I know I need to eat better and exercise but I never do. I get so tired and sore that lasts for days after exercing. I'm suppose to get 10,000 steps in a day but I'm lucky to get a quarter of that in before I feel my feet starting to ache. I loose my breath by doing minimal things. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm glad that the fall season is here but where's the cooler weather? I'm ready for my hoodie, yoga pants and my New Balances shoes. I'm gonna get my walk on. :) </p>
<p dir="ltr">Xoxo<br>
<u>Jane</u></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-4124452723000289092015-09-29T21:57:00.001-07:002015-09-29T21:57:49.786-07:00Happy birthday Grandpa! <p dir="ltr">Grandpa, </p>
<p dir="ltr">Today I'm sending birthday wishes to you in heaven.  I wish you were still here. I love and miss you so much! </p>
<p dir="ltr">Xoxo, <br>
<u>Janie</u></p>
<p dir="ltr">(Picture is from 2011)</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50uQM6OiXUKrWhZQSTGx8_9RxKmHq4Ew08LIKUBlj2wzs3AVZOEzP-bdst77pkMix1vhQV9k-rrVRT45vcmUO4jwgjg7nonEuju45aYbkh5enVa6PSBzYY9JMcLqvYrh-SPh-Kk-HGKs/s1600/FB_IMG_1443588285929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50uQM6OiXUKrWhZQSTGx8_9RxKmHq4Ew08LIKUBlj2wzs3AVZOEzP-bdst77pkMix1vhQV9k-rrVRT45vcmUO4jwgjg7nonEuju45aYbkh5enVa6PSBzYY9JMcLqvYrh-SPh-Kk-HGKs/s400/FB_IMG_1443588285929.jpg"> </a> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-79997586631075551222015-09-25T21:49:00.001-07:002015-09-25T22:34:50.452-07:00Not Quite What I Was Expecting<p dir="ltr"><i>Got the results back for the thyroid test I took earlier this week.   Looks like I have an overactive thyroid aka hyperthyroidism.  </i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>I got online and tried to do some research.  I recognize many symptoms but one that is losted makes me laugh. Weight loss...uh no my problem is weight gain. A person with hypothyroidism usually has weight gain.  My bodies just all screwed up.  </i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>Below I copied some info to share,  just in case you have questions like I did. I do below is from the following site. </i><i><a href="http://www.endocrineweb.com">EndocrineWeb </a></i><i> </i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i><b>Hyperthyroidism</b></i><i> is a condition in which the thyroid gland is overactive and makes excessive amounts of thyroid hormone. The thyroid gland is an organ located in the front of your neck and releases hormones that control your metabolism (the way your body uses energy), breathing, heart rate, nervous system, weight, body temperature, and many other functions in the body. When the thyroid gland is overactive (hyperthyroidism) the body’s processes speed up and you may experience nervousness, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, hand tremor, excessive sweating, weight loss, and sleep problems, among other symptoms.</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i><b>Causes of Hyperthyroidism</b></i><br>
<i>The thyroid gland makes the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) that play an important role in the way your whole body functions. If your thyroid gland makes too much T4 and T3, this is defined as hyperthyroidism. </i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is the autoimmune disorder Graves’ disease. In this disorder, the body makes an antibody (a protein produced by the body to protect against a virus or bacteria) called thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) that causes the thyroid gland to make too much thyroid hormone. Graves’ disease runs in families and is more commonly found in women.</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>Hyperthyroidism also may be caused by a toxic nodular or multinodular goiter, which are lumps or nodules in the thyroid gland that cause the thyroid to produce excessive amounts of thyroid hormones. In addition, inflammation of the thyroid gland—called thyroiditis—resulting from a virus or a problem with the immune system may temporarily cause symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Furthermore, some people who consume too much iodine (either from foods or supplements) or who take medications containing iodine (such as amiodarone) may cause the thyroid gland to overproduce thyroid hormones.</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>My Dr has prescribed me</i><br>
<i><b><u><u>LEVOTHYROXINE</u></u></b></i><i> (lee voe thye ROX een) is a thyroid hormone. This medicine can improve symptoms of thyroid deficiency such as slow speech, lack of energy, weight gain, hair loss, dry skin, and feeling cold. It also helps to treat goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland). It is also used to treat some kinds of thyroid cancer along with surgery and other medicines.</i> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><i><b>Less common</b></i> (side effects) <br>
*Chest pain or discomfort<br>
*decreased urine output<br>
*difficult or labored breathing<br>
*difficulty with swallowing<br>
*dilated neck veins<br>
*extreme fatigue<br>
*fainting<br>
*fast, slow, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse<br>
*fever<br>
*heat intolerance<br>
*hives or welts<br>
*increased blood pressure<br>
*increased pulse<br>
*irregular breathing<br>
*irritability<br>
*menstrual changes<br>
*nausea<br>
*pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck<br>
*shortness of breath<br>
*skin itching, rash, or redness<br>
*sweating<br>
*swelling of the eyes, face, lips, throat, or tongue<br>
*tightness in the chest<br>
*tremors<br>
*troubled breathing</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Rare</b> (side effects) <br>
*Blurred or double vision<br>
*dizziness<br>
*eye pain<br>
*lack or slowing of normal *growth in children<br>
*limp or walk favoring one leg<br>
*pain in the hip or knee<br>
*seizures<br>
*severe headache</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm a little nervous about the side effects.  I already deal with some of those due to the other medications I take. But hey what can I do?  </p>
<p dir="ltr">I need to get my butt to bed so I can get up early with Hailey for the volleyball tournament. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Night! Night! </p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-14165330214608254752015-09-24T22:53:00.001-07:002015-09-24T22:53:20.620-07:00Win! <p dir="ltr">Well it's been a little over a week since my last post. It's been a crazy couple days. I saw Dr. R last week and Kristen this week. Looks like my future includes a referral for a neurologist, a referral and evaluation for physical therapy, and increase my zoloft. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I also got notice of my Disability Hearing, so I'm working on collecting letters from both Dr. R and Kristen stating they aren't clearing me for work yet. I can request a copy of my medical records and they will be available 30 minutes before my hearing. I want to know what reports they have that convinced them to deny my disability. This appeal process is so tough at times.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Dr R has voted against me getting a bariatric surgery due to all that my body's been through up to this point. I went to the lab on Tuesday to get a thyroid test done. Probably have results Monday. I wish I could afford to go to a weight-loss camp of sorts. </p>
<p dir="ltr">On a different note, Sierra played Lathrop tonight. JV won in 3 but unfortunately, Freshman and Varsity did not. I don't remember all 3 teams standings but I do know JV is 1-2 for Conference Games. Hailey did really well with her serving tonight. I don't have the stats with me but I know for sure she had 5 serves in a row with 4 being Aces in one set. </p>
<p dir="ltr">This weekend we have the Stockton Classic Tournament. Looking forward to spending some time with Hailey and supporting her team! Go T-Wolves!!! </p>
<p dir="ltr">Check back in soon! <br>
<u>Xoxoxo</u></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-84627168520230143592015-09-15T00:23:00.001-07:002015-09-15T00:24:41.678-07:006 month follow-up <p dir="ltr">This is my first 6 month follow-up.  I was stuck at 3 months for what seemed like forever.  And of course we can't forget starting out with 2-3 days a week and then down to once a week, then every two weeks,  followed up by the monthly and then 3 months.  So 6 months is a milestone for me and I've got so many emotions going through me. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Just like any other of my numerous follow-up appointments. I tend to get constipated prior to the appointment. I stress myself out. I feel nauseous, nervous, excited and anxious. Being a 2 time Cancer survivor is huge to me. I'm so proud of myself and all my support to get me better. But I won't lie, I know that there is the possibility of getting Cancer again. The amount of chemo I've had puts me at a higher risk. Anyway, this is how I feel before all follow-up appointments. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The appointments are a breeze to get through. I first must go to the lab and let them take a few viles of blood.  I remember times that they would have 7-8 viles out but now it's usually 3-4. I still can't watch her put the needle in.  Lol I'm a big baby. </p>
<p dir="ltr">By the time I go upstairs and check in,  my wait is usually 30-45 minutes at the most. Gotta get weighed and blood pressure,  oxygen and my tempature taken.  Then I wait for one of my favorite people.... Dr Richman.  She and her team at UC Davis saved my life.  I'm friends on Facebook with a few of the nurses I had.  Nurses are amazing people and I just can't thank them enough for all that they do. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Anyway,  back to my appointment.  It never fails I get all worked up a few days before! Am I going to be clean still?  Is something going to show up in my blood work? </p>
<p dir="ltr">And then I have to pull out all my questions I've been saving up for this appointment.   What will she think about me getting a bariatric surgery?  Can my body hold up to it?  The pain in my hands and legs, especially at night.  It also interferes with writing,  holding a book to read, driving, cooking, crafts. I have to continually stop what I'm doing to give my hands a rest. My forgetfulness and lack of concentration. I can't sleep through the night. If I don't take an ambien before going to bed I will literally toss and turn every 1 to 2 hours. My leg or one of my hands fell asleep so I have to wake up to adjust it so it's not numb anymore. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I got the cataracts surgeries done in June and July. Now I'm just waiting for an approval from Medicare to cover 80% of the cost of my frames and prescription. They said it could take up to 3 weeks. So I still can't see, walking around with a pair of reading glasses or I wouldn't even be able to see my phone. Lol </p>
<p dir="ltr">So I just flipped through my writing and feel like I got out what I needed to say. Thus blog is meant to be a release for me and it really seems to be working out. Just not sure if I want to make it private. Gotta find out if I can still invite friends when my status /posts are private? </p>
<p dir="ltr">Night, night! </p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-14695073208094398462015-09-09T22:28:00.001-07:002015-09-09T22:28:30.606-07:0038th Birthday<p dir="ltr">Happy birthday to me! Today I turned 38. I want to thank everyone for the birthday wishes. Today was a pretty good day. Ran errands with Josh and then went to Dennys for breakfast. After breakfast, we headed home so he could study and I could work on the Team Scot website. Once Taylor got home from school we headed up to Stockton to watch Hailey play volleyball. After volleyball we went to 'The Habbit' for dinner and stopped by Krispy Kremes for dessert. I've definitely ate too much crap today but what the hell, it's my birthday lol! </p>
<p dir="ltr">The only bad thing about today is that my stupid check engine light came on again. I just spent $325 on the 1st to fix a coil. I'm really hoping this time it's a cheap fix. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Oh yeah, I have to show off the hoodie Tay got me. GO Stan State!! </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82mTgBGEaJaczjVgd8ezG9FGBh0iO4pTI6cgLbBWT-XHINBaE3wEMyypSTGPpQ7qIrs6rHLhngGmWQkrapOCR89gPk7SDdpBRQ9KEbO8PSYvZefjcryP_7DcZB0pjyKBnNgVar52LG3U/s1600/edited_1441860721184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82mTgBGEaJaczjVgd8ezG9FGBh0iO4pTI6cgLbBWT-XHINBaE3wEMyypSTGPpQ7qIrs6rHLhngGmWQkrapOCR89gPk7SDdpBRQ9KEbO8PSYvZefjcryP_7DcZB0pjyKBnNgVar52LG3U/s400/edited_1441860721184.jpg"> </a> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-65600086662994150482015-09-06T14:46:00.001-07:002015-09-07T21:38:20.274-07:00Long Time (Sept 2015)<p dir="ltr">Its been over 2 years since my last post and life's just been hitting me pretty hard lately.  Actually,  it's been for a while now but I think I need an outlet. Hopefully blogging will be that outlet.  </p>
<p dir="ltr">But first let's start with a little catch up. Let's see, I'll start with the kids. Taylor just finished her 2nd week of college.  She's down at CSU Stanislaus or Stan State, whatever you prefer.  She's taken on full time status.  Monday,  Wednesday, Friday she's in Turlock and home the other days.  She's living at home and working at McDonald's while going to school.  Her and Noelle are still together.  I believe they just celebrated their 2nd anniversary. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Hailey is now a freshman at Sierra High.  Home of the Timberwolves.  As a freshman,  she made her JV Volleyball team. She's making a lot of friends that play at local volleyball clubs so I thinking we will be staying in our general area.  After 3 years of driving to Galt and then to Rancho Cordova,  I really think it's time to try and have a social life and get to know more of our community.  Hailey is also involved with Freshman Leadership... She is Freshman VP for 2nd term!  This term she's playing volleyball,  taking algebra, Spanish, life management and piano. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Both girls are doing very good.  I'm looking forward to Concerts and games.  Taylor will have a schedule out soon.  Attached is Hailey's. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I remember much happier times for Josh and I. The last couple years have been tough. I'll get into this in a different post. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Catching up with Josh... He's still working at Red Robin while working on getting his teaching degree online at home. I believe the end of September is 2 years in. He should be teaching English about the time Hailey graduates. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Me on the other hand has not worked since November 2010. I volunteer at Sunset VBC when Hailey started having an interest in volleyball. I'm thinking the summer of 2012. It took almost 2 years to get myself up and moving around. In the last 3 years I've tried to get myself out there more often but I had many days of rest because being up and about on one day would put me down for three. It's been really hard because of the Neuropathy in my hands and the cataracts in my eyes. Two surgeries, still can't see right. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So that's my catch up for now. I will be back, I've enjoyed being able to let the words flow. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Xoxo 🐾🐺</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFHWZ0kwiLsjSsiY1zdRL7uTBCAKtQE9d7D2Nly3Xs9V5nkc8eppuEuKt3h07EuMbXvSvogKDh52G3eOgEaOqPVHplJfwIZkbY4IecPuXzRmLZNUA3stere09yIRrE5Zvp7U5C4eUSbc/s1600/1441581848006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFHWZ0kwiLsjSsiY1zdRL7uTBCAKtQE9d7D2Nly3Xs9V5nkc8eppuEuKt3h07EuMbXvSvogKDh52G3eOgEaOqPVHplJfwIZkbY4IecPuXzRmLZNUA3stere09yIRrE5Zvp7U5C4eUSbc/s640/1441581848006.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzdEcgZrvSigMWgOispNLXPgpKA1hDv4mWKe5xLdhp5kUmbEG43p5J6Sux7ftu6cJ0D-HtcbX1llkj8UQxaDy3pHAmI5qxOOmiWFD_NWFZ9BvNTTxJdPjZj7RdztSYn0geIlviS483F4/s1600/IMG_4446.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzdEcgZrvSigMWgOispNLXPgpKA1hDv4mWKe5xLdhp5kUmbEG43p5J6Sux7ftu6cJ0D-HtcbX1llkj8UQxaDy3pHAmI5qxOOmiWFD_NWFZ9BvNTTxJdPjZj7RdztSYn0geIlviS483F4/s640/IMG_4446.JPG.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8CewdmirBbTT0tf_dBgBmp6cmUrPzLiqzXZIaMD_rfM9bW9oa5heXmxZZWti3NmNMERo78zzJRcQ_jSixBYXDdwECNuuzRdaFf0_EwpIZUToPedcgZ6HiZT5j-1JgJ3zCiL7VJgKTCA/s1600/FB_IMG_1440427943015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8CewdmirBbTT0tf_dBgBmp6cmUrPzLiqzXZIaMD_rfM9bW9oa5heXmxZZWti3NmNMERo78zzJRcQ_jSixBYXDdwECNuuzRdaFf0_EwpIZUToPedcgZ6HiZT5j-1JgJ3zCiL7VJgKTCA/s640/FB_IMG_1440427943015.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdJ4ZeunrbpMsXPoaXGwAFz8wWhhc10wLJGJU-f3NKYJB8KBIDnE3ZCqnEwvcyFLvDHctk7eMXpblhMNInoxhpLBdPz3R5o8dRX5zugJuHjQIwQJzzoIU62e4Xo53bQ4-P-MzabJxfj4/s1600/IMG959366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdJ4ZeunrbpMsXPoaXGwAFz8wWhhc10wLJGJU-f3NKYJB8KBIDnE3ZCqnEwvcyFLvDHctk7eMXpblhMNInoxhpLBdPz3R5o8dRX5zugJuHjQIwQJzzoIU62e4Xo53bQ4-P-MzabJxfj4/s640/IMG959366.jpg"> </a> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-11029360078284308772013-05-16T12:11:00.001-07:002015-03-28T05:31:32.111-07:00May 2013 UpdateOkay, I know its been a long time since my last post. I'm thinking again that I might start posting more often. I've been doing really well lately. Dr. Richman is working on getting me off more of my pills. I started at roughly 20 pills a day and I am down to 6. I'm still not back to work but I am helping out a lot at my daughters volleyball club. The club is actually owned by my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Shannon and Irv. It has been an amazing experience for Hailey and one that I know she is going to continue. I also was "team mom" for this season....talk about a lot of fun. I still have my days that I "over do it". But they are getting farther apart which is nice. It means I am getting stronger!!
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-63442299785980454242011-03-26T09:04:00.000-07:002015-09-06T13:32:03.793-07:00ChemotherapyI have one more dose of Busulfan left and then I'm moving onto Cyclophosphamide, Mesna, Thymoglobulin and Tacrolimus for the next three days. (Days -3, -2 and -1) Cyclophosphamide is another chemotherapy to kill off all my cells before the transplant (day 0). The Mesna is used so I don't get any harmful effects in my bladder due to the chemo. Thymoglobulin and Tacrolimus are medicines to help prevent rejection after the transplant. I will also be taking Methotrexate on day +1, +3, +6 and day +11, this drug is used to help prevent Graft vs. Hose Disease. <br />
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This whole experience is really taking a toll on me emotionally. I can't see my kids which is very hard for me. The girls text me a lot especially Hailey. I am missing out on Hailey's birthday party today because we didn't think it would be a good idea to have me around a bunch of kids right before my transplant. It will be nice because Taylor is going to help Josh with the party. Taylor promised to take tons of pictures for me. I can't wait to see them.<br />
<br />
I'm actually going to see about meeting with Doctor about getting my anti-depression and anti-anxiety meds increased. I'm tired of crying all the time. I know that this is not an easy process and there is a lot of fighting that I need to do but I need a little more help to keep it under control. I miss my family and home so much. This is great being in such a big hospital room but its hard at the same time. <br />
<br />
I'm gonna go for now and see if I can catch the kids and Josh on Skype. We bought a webcam for my laptop so we can see each other. I love you all very much!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-14484795601495588022011-03-23T10:58:00.000-07:002015-09-06T13:33:08.176-07:00Back at the hospitalWell I'm back in the hospital for my transplant. I was was checked in yesterday after I was finished with getting a PICC line put in. It was not the best experience because I have weird blood vanes. My regular chest port is on my left side so they wanted to use my right arm for my PICC line. Well since I have weird vanes they were not able to thread the cord to the correct part of my body so it only went into the mid part of my chest. So we will use the PICC line for just the stem cells and we are using my chest port access for everything else.<br />
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I'm on day 2 of chemo and have 6 days left. Then on March 29th, I will do the actual transplant. I was fortunate to find out my donor is a 10 out of 10 match, 50 year old female. Thats all they will tell me about her for up to a year. My hospital room is amazing, it is huge. I have a closet and a dresser for my clothes. I also have table and three chairs, plus a recliner bed for visitors. Not that they really want me having too many overnight visitors but once in a while is okay.<br />
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Monday the 21st was Hailey's birthday so it was really nice I didn't have to go into the hospital until after her birthday. Dad is letting her have a slumber party this weekend which I'm bummed I'm going to miss. We couldn't take the chance of me getting sick before I came in. Taylor is in charge of taking pictures so I will get some uploaded after the party.<br />
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Well I'm gonna go and relax for a while, take a shower and wait for Josh to get here. I am going to do my best at updating my blog on a more daily basis, so please feel free to leave comments and I will comment back.<br />
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xoxoUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-26946304704701513422011-02-27T17:50:00.000-08:002011-02-27T17:51:41.690-08:0010 out of 10 MatchWe got GREAT news this last Thursday...They have found me a bone marrow donor. The donor is a 10 out of 10 match!!! We don't know much more than that right now but we will find out more on Tuesday when we meet with the transplant doctor. My Oncologist did say that it could be within the next few weeks, so I shouldn't need to do another consolidation treatment. I will need to do one more bone marrow biopsy before the transplant to be 100% certain the cancer is still gone!!!<br />
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I have to admit I wasn't really sure how to react when my oncologist told me the good news. Don't get me wrong, I am so happy but at the same time I am pretty scared. I actually just requested some more learning material from NMDP or National Marrow Donor Program. The NMDP has support resources for patients, caregivers and families. <br />
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One of the guidelines of the transplant is that I can't know who my donor is for one year. Also my donor will not know who I am. At the one year mark either party can request to get the others information. I am so greatful that there are people who are willing to be donors. Thank you so much to the man or woman who is a perfect match to me, you are truly a lifesaver.<br />
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I will post more on Tuesday after I meet with the transplant doctor.<br />
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xoxoxoUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-27892767416107834812011-02-06T09:08:00.000-08:002011-02-06T09:08:53.736-08:00Going homeJust finished up my first five day consolidation treatment. It actually hasn't been too bad. The nausea still comes and goes but nothing I can't deal with! I will be back in about 30 days for another consolidation treatment and as long as my blood work stays in line I won't need to get another bone marrow biopsy. <br />
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I'm still waiting to be matched up with a bone marrow donor, so hopefully I hear something soon. If a donor is found we will move straight to a transplant and no more consolidation treatments. I'm really nervous about the transplant but I know it needs to be done. I could be in the hospital for a minimum of 30 days which I don't look forward too. It's really hard being away from the family that long. <br />
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Well enough about that for now. I'm gonna go home and enjoy my family!!!!<br />
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XoxoxoUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-30903702214580158442011-02-02T16:49:00.000-08:002011-02-02T20:55:19.085-08:00Great news!!!!Sorry I didn't write yesterday. I do have great news, the cancer is still gone and I only need to do 5 days of treatment. Below is a breakdown of my treatment.<br />
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Tuesday night - 1 bag of chemo<br />
Wednesday morning - 1 bag of chemo<br />
Rest<br />
Thursday night - 1 bag of chemo<br />
Friday morning - 1 bag of chemo<br />
Rest<br />
Saturday night - 1 bag of chemo<br />
Sunday morning - 1 bag of chemo<br />
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On my rest days I get to go downstairs to the gift shop or the cafe, get a little fresh air. Much different from my last visit!!!<br />
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I get to leave Sunday after the chemo is done. Each bag takes about 3 hours to complete. I should be home in time for football, not that I'm a big football fan but it will still be nice.<br />
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The girls and Josh should be here any minute so I will write more later!<br />
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XoxoUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-66641191455678752022011-01-31T17:23:00.000-08:002011-01-31T17:23:48.280-08:00Back at UC DavisIt's been a while since my last post. I kind of lost my motivation for a while. I ended up being in the hospital from November 5th to January 4th! I got really depressed and didn't even want to get out of bed. I wasn't on Facebook much, didn't really have any interest in reading or writing. I pretty much slept my days away. That was until my mom flew down from Idaho to put her foot in my ass. Lol. <br />
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I think the hardest part was being confined to the same room for so long and not being able to do Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas morning. I didn't get to help with any cooking, shopping or any of the fun of the holidays. Josh was wonderful though, he made a homemade Thanksgiving dinner and brought it to me at the hospital. It was awesome! For Christmas the kids and Josh brought me up a mini decorated tree for my room, it was perfect! Then Christmas morning they all came up and we opened presents and hung out for the day. <br />
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On January 4th, when I was discharged Josh planned a great surprise for my arrival home. My mom drove me home from the hospital and every 20 minutes Josh would call her so I knew they were up to something. When we pulled into the driveway I had about 15 people in the driveway holding big poster boards that said "Welcome Home". It was such a great surprise and then <br />
Josh made me his homemade Chili! The family really pulled together and got the house super clean. It was great!<br />
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The last couple weeks have been family time at the Steele household. We've been to a couple movies, went out to lunches or dinners with friends, played on the wii. Since I got discharged with all my counts being up I was able to be out and about and not have to worry too much. While I was home Fox40 news and several other local companies organized a blood drive at the Modesto mall in my honor. I actually was on tv because I got interviewed by Fox40. It was a great day and such an awesome experience. The goal was to get 100 donors to attend the event, the actual count was 131. I can't thank everyone enough for their participation. <br />
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Today I was admitted back to UC Davis to get a bone marrow biopsy, which we just finished up <br />
doing. Thanks Dr. Sands you did an awesome job, I barely felt a thing. We are hoping to have the preliminary report tomorrow so we can start the next round of chemotherapy. As long as no cancer cells show in the biopsy then I am here for a 5 day consolidation treatment. Very <br />
worse case and they do see cancer cells then I will need to redo the induction process, which <br />
could keep me here for a month. So needless to say I am praying for no cancer cells!!!! <br />
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I am going to do my very best to keep my blog updated on a more regular basis. Thank you all so much for the love and support!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-31890753455360395522010-12-12T17:55:00.000-08:002015-09-06T13:34:10.699-07:00G.I. JaneOkay so I finally decided to shave my head. Between the amount I pulled out in the shower and how much I pulled out when I was trying to comb it I said enough is enough. <br />
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Sorry its been a while since I've updated my blog. I haven't been feeling to good the past week and I've been spending a lot of time in bed. The doctor actually gave me my own pain pump so I don't have to bug my nurses as much. lol <br />
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The great news is that my bone marrow biopsy came back clean. In terms of Leukemia I have hit remission so now I'm just waiting for my numbers to go back up so I can go home. I will still undergo more chemo treatments and I will still undergo the bone marrow transplant just not sure when. I will try better to keep my blog updated.<br />
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xoxoUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-90972178761757843662010-12-01T16:36:00.000-08:002015-09-06T13:35:27.920-07:00NauseaI am on my last day of chemo and I can't believe how badly the nausea has gotten to me this time. I know they have all these meds that are suppose to help but they make me sleepy and I sleep my whole day away. The docs say that I'll probably have a few more days of feeling like this before I feel better. Hopefully by the time the girls come up for a visit this weekend I will feel better. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-68954647427305068022010-11-26T14:37:00.000-08:002015-09-06T13:35:41.095-07:00Black FridayTo my extended family at JCPenney's, I really hope you guys have a great day today! I wish I was there to be with you through the craziness!! I remember opening last year and I had a blast. It was crazy but it was a ton of fun!!! Love you all very much!!<br />
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Mom and dad left for Idaho today. Hopefully the weather doesn't slow them down too much. There are quite of few bad winter storms they are gonna have to drive through, so please keep them in your thoughts.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-63407808496444470122010-11-24T15:40:00.000-08:002015-09-06T13:35:56.007-07:00Bone Marrow Biopsy ResultsWell I made it through the biopsy with minimal pain. Thank goodness for pain meds. The doc just came in to let me know that there is still some Leukemia cells in my bone marrow. So it looks like my hospital stay just got extended :-( I will need to do a 7 day chemotherapy treatment, starting tonight. It will consist of two different kind of chemotherapy drugs. I will start both tonight and one of them will last for 3 days and the other will continue until day 7. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-54592306160645949222010-11-23T12:21:00.000-08:002015-09-06T13:36:21.170-07:00PetechiaeWoke up this morning with my legs feeling like they were on fire. I remember waking up last night because I was itching them. Well the doc came in to tell me that it is Petechiae, due to my low platelet count. From the sounds of it this is pretty normal when the platelet count is so low. The doctor is going to give me a steroid creme and I'm also going to get a platelet transfusion today.<br />
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Petechiae (pronounced puh-TEE-kee-ee) are pinpoint, round spots that appear on the skin as a result of bleeding under the skin. The bleeding causes the petechiae to appear red, brown or purple. Petechiae may look like a rash.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-49321773828561818012010-11-22T14:05:00.000-08:002015-09-06T14:05:10.431-07:00LeukemiaI've decided to start blogging again, so my first post is gonna be an update. <br />
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Over the last couple months I have been feeling really run down. I was having really bad headaches and this crazy pulsating in my right ear. So after meeting with my doctor, he had me get lab work done and a CT scan of my head on October 6th. After review of the lab work and scan, I was admitted to the hospital on October 7th. I was told that I had a sinus infection and that I was anemic and that I needed to get a blood transfusion. Over the next month or so, I had more lab work done and the doctor mentioned the chance that the cancer may be back. On November 3rd, I had a Bone Marrow Biopsy to confirm that I did have cancer. I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Acute Myeloid Leukemia. <br />
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On November 6th, I was admitted to UC Davis to begin my battle with Leukemia. The treatment plan for Leukemia is so much different than Lymphoma. The first part of the treatment is called an Induction, which will keep me in the hospital for about a month. After about a months time, I will get to go home for a couple weeks and then return for a process call Consolidation. Consolidation is a 5 day hospital stay of chemotherapy and then I go home to get my counts back up. From what I'm told I will do about 4 Consolidation treatments. I have been told that the doctors also want to do a Bone Marrow Transplant. Not all Leukemia patients get a transplant but considering I am a previous cancer patient it is a very good idea to do so. This will help reduce my chances of another relapse.<br />
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So has of today, Monday November 22nd, I am still in the hospital. The doctors are meeting with the transplant team today to decide a time frame for the transplant. The doctors I spoke with last week stated that if approved I could be getting a transplant within the next couple months depending if we can find a bone marrow donor match in that time. I'm hoping to hear an outcome of the doctors meeting sometime today or tomorrow. <br />
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The doctors tell me that I will be here for about another week and half to two weeks. My WBC or white blood count needs to get to a certain number before they will let me go home. During the Consolidation treatments I will go home to get my counts to go back up. The doctors tell me that the t<span style="background-color: white;">ransplant </span>will be another 30 day stay in the hospital. So I will definitely be sick of the hospitals by the time I'm done but it will be well worth it. <br />
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I've been using Facebook to keep my friends and family updated but the downfall of Facebook is I am limited to the amount of words I can type. I've decided that I put so much time into this blog when I was going through Lymphoma that I am going to take the same effort for Leukemia. So please feel free to leave comments on my post. I would love to hear from you all!!!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-28508836300945852142010-09-26T16:36:00.000-07:002010-09-26T16:36:19.837-07:00JUST STAND UP!<object style="background-image:url(http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/F2hPmcyJBDc/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/F2hPmcyJBDc?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/F2hPmcyJBDc?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="480" height="295" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-1916491298028510662010-09-24T14:13:00.000-07:002010-09-24T14:13:44.297-07:00September 2010I can't believe that I have let my blog go for so long. I've decided that I am going to start blogging again. I'll start with an update of the last 2 years or so.<br />
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Update:<br />
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I'm now 33 years old and still cancer free. My last check up was about 6 months ago. We are still living in Manteca. Taylor is now in the 8th grade and she is still involved in band. She is getting really excited about becoming a freshman next year. Hailey is in the 4th grade and she joined choir this year. Josh is now working at Red Robin as a bartender / server, and I am now working full time at JCPenney. I am the jcp.com/catalog supervisor. <br />
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Since I won my fight with cancer I have been fighting my battle with obesity. When I was going through my chemotherapy the doctor had me on steroids, so needless to say I put on a lot of weight. But the good news is I have taken off 60 pounds and I am working on the last 60 pounds. I was doing really well for a while and then after my promotion at work, I started working full time hours and not going to the gym or eating like I should. I think the fact that I just had another birthday has made me realize life is moving forward and its not waiting for me to loose weight. So I better loose weight so I can move forward with my life. I want to be there for my children and their children. (Which better be many many years from now, lol) Life is too short to just sit back and watch it fly by. <br />
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I'm going to blog more. I don't promise that it will be everyday, but I will make more of an effort to keep up on it. Not every two years lol.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-13660112291223741682008-12-28T20:26:00.000-08:002008-12-28T21:13:28.781-08:00WHERE HAVE I BEEN????I can't believe it has been 6 months since I have written on my blog. My life has seemed non-stop the last several months. Where do I begin? <br /><br />Lets see! As you all know I just started my new job at Mervyns in July. My processing company was pretty much extinct. I had maybe three loans if I was lucky. I decided that I was going to sign up for the Medical Terminology class at our local adult school. Also, the girls went back to school in August. Hailey in the 2nd grade and Taylor in the 6th grade. <br /><br />In September, Josh bought me airplane ticket to go to Idaho for my birthday. It was great, only my brother and LeeAnn knew I was coming. My mom flew my grandpa out for his birthday the same weekend. So it was great to be able to surprise my mom and dad but also my grandpa. (pictures to follow - I have not been very good about keeping my pictures up to date, so I had to ask my mom to email me some) The last couple months have been pretty busy with work and school. <br /><br />Found out at the end of October that Mervyn's is going out of business. So starting November 1st, the liquidation company was in charge. November and December were crazy busy because I was finishing up first quarter for school and working almost full time hours. I ended up passing Terminology 1 with a 96%. I am so proud of myself. I start Terminology 2 on January 5th, I can't wait. Once I finish the class in March, I will receive a Certificate of Completion. I'm hoping it helps my resume enough to get me into something in the medical industry. <br /><br />I did end up getting a job at JC Penney's though. I will be working in the Window Coverings department. I will get paid hourly plus commission. A great possibility of full time, which means benefits, so hopefully I can get medical insurance again. <br />I really need to get insurance again because it's been over 6 months since my last PET Scan. I've been feeling good but I still have that worry inside of me. Every once in a while I get a tightness feeling in the area my tumor was. The only other problem is that I get crazy numbness in my hands, especially my right hand. I'm sure it has to do with my carpel tunnel, its just gotten so much worse since I went through chemo. <br /><br />Josh is still at the Elephant Bar. He also has been extremely busy. He has a few different job titles at the restaurant. Sometimes, he does "Maintenance", others days he is a "Server", occasionally a "Trainer, and about one to two times a week he is a "Shift Leader". His check actually have 4 different wages. He is loving it and really hoping to get more into a management position. <br /><br />We also moved right before Thanksgiving into the house Nana has been fixing up. (Right behind the house we were in) Since Nana owns both houses, she offered us to move into the bigger one and she is going to rent out the smaller one. It has been great. We had both Thanksgiving and Christmas at our house. <br /><br />I truly hope everyone has been doing well during my absence. I am going to do better about being in touch with more people. I hope you all had Happy Holidays and are looking forward to the New Year!!<br /><br />XOXO<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vdkTzoOX24M/SVhWvTdQC6I/AAAAAAAAAOw/5PwhK_p_QIU/s1600-h/Taylor+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vdkTzoOX24M/SVhWvTdQC6I/AAAAAAAAAOw/5PwhK_p_QIU/s200/Taylor+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285069533396077474" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vdkTzoOX24M/SVhWphcoUkI/AAAAAAAAAOo/cC4DiPthlfk/s1600-h/Hailey+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vdkTzoOX24M/SVhWphcoUkI/AAAAAAAAAOo/cC4DiPthlfk/s200/Hailey+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285069434072355394" /></a><br /><p style="visibility:visible;"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widget-db.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" height="320" width="426" style="width:426px;height:320px"><param name="movie" value="http://widget-db.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="l" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/> <param name="flashvars" value="cy=ms&il=1&channel=3170534137671294939&site=widget-db.slide.com"/></object><p style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=ms&at=un&id=3170534137671294939&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-db.slide.com/p1/3170534137671294939/ms_t043_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=ms&at=un&id=3170534137671294939&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-db.slide.com/p2/3170534137671294939/ms_t043_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=ms&at=un&id=3170534137671294939&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-db.slide.com/p4/3170534137671294939/ms_t043_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></p></p>\Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6674727632370189946.post-63516456655419787612008-07-17T14:04:00.000-07:002008-07-17T14:10:56.874-07:00ALL CLEANI got my PET Scan results back and everything is normal. I can't believe how stressed out I was waiting to hear back for the results. My doctor is going to have me go ahead and get a venogram done because of the collapsed blood vein in my right arm. It could be the cause of the pain and tingling I get. Who knows!!! I've had problems with carpal tunnel in the past, I wouldn't be surprised if it is just that. Anyway, the venogram is done a lot like a CT scan, so should be pretty painless. And the great news is that I don't have to drink the baruim mixture. They inject me with a special dye for the venogram. <br /><br />Well I finally got my schedule for my new job and I have to say I am a bit disappointed. I get a whole whoppin 8 hours. 2 - four hour shifts... I knew going into this that it was part-time but I really thought it would be closer to the 20 hours a week mark. I'm still looking for another job, so maybe one of my applications will come through for me.<br /><br />Well, I'm gonna run for now but I will try to post more often.<br /><br />xoxoUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1