AMAZING NEWS!!!!!!!!!!

My PET/CT after only 4 treatments is completely clear!!!!!! Yesterday was the best day in months! I still have to go all 12 treatments and radiation is still being considered but I am soooooooo happy!!!! Thanks for all the amazing support and prayers-- I couldn't battle lymphoma this fast without all of you fighting so strong for me!!

I'll post more details about chemo #5 and the Dr. Marks appt later when I'm feeling more energized.  I just wanted to post the great news to all of my blog followers!!!!!!!!!! :)

Nasal hair is ESSENTIAL!!

Chemotherapy acts upon fast acting cells and hair growth is fast acting.. therefore, hair loss is a MAJOR side effect of most chemotherapies.  This is obviously most evident with the hair on your head, but I'm noticing hair loss in other places as well.. especially the hair in my nose!!  One may commonly take these little guys for granted, myself included before they went missing.  This is gross, but I can't look down, move my head too quickly, or stand up without something dripping out of the leaky faucet.  I like to call it "postural runny nose."  While the nasal hair's purpose is to keep debris out of my respiratory system, it seems that my mucus membranes are compensating for the loss and sending a river's worth of fluid out of my nose.  It's just a minor side effect of chemo that didn't cross my mind until it decided to show up a week or so ago.  Bring on the tissue boxes!!

Look Good...Feel Better!!!

Last Monday, I attended "Look Good...Feel Better" at the Hillman! It was amaaazing.  It's a program provided by the American Cancer Society, National Cosmetology Association, and Prersonal Care Products Council Foundation.  The program is a free, 2 hour, hands-on workshop focused on exactly what it claims.. looking good, and feeling better!! To attend the program, you must be a woman cancer patient, currently undergoing treatment/radiation (they provide similar programs for men and children too!).  If you meet these criteria and are interested, you are to call The American Cancer Society and register for the class.  They gather your information about what kind of cancer you have, who is your oncologist, etc. and then they ask you what skin color you are.. because at the program you get between 300-500 dollars worth of FREE COSMETICS that matches your skin color!  The program is provided nation-wide.. all you have to do is go to their website and find a session near you.  The Hillman Cancer Center holds the class every 2 months!

When I arrived at the Hillman Monday morning, I was greeted in the classroom by the instructors (who work daily at the Marriott Pittsburgh City Center Salon) and a wonderful breakfast display.  They had coffee, juice, bagels, muffins, fruit.. yumm, I was happy.  After arriving and finding a seat, I received my red tote bag filled with the cosmetic goodies!  Each tote bag varies because countless cosmetic brands donate and the bags are created to match your skin color.  My bag included everything from a Chanel palette with blush, eye, and lip color to Clinique eyeshadow and bronzer to Aveda lip color.... just to name a few of my favorites!!

                               Here's everything that I received in my tote!

There was 8 patients who attended this session total.  They were all very strong and inspirational women.  It was good to see other women going through similar situations as me with smiles on their faces! After we all got settled in, the program started.  The session followed a guide-book that was provided to each of us incase the instructors tips and tricks would slip our minds after returning home.  We followed the 12-step program of looking good, and feeling better.  (The 12 steps were very different from another "12-Step Program" that might sound familiar involving recovery from addiction.)  It was a great time spent with women going through a similar situation, getting waited on hand and foot, and feeling beautiful!  It sounds cheesy, but it was exactly what I needed between treatments! :)

Chemo 4!!

May 12th was chemo 4.. I am now 1/3 of the way done!! So once again, the routine began.  Access port, bloodwork, premeds, chemo, homeee.  My neutrophils went down from 1.4 to 0.9.  I am in the neutropenic range so I am still following neutropenic instructions and the wonderful neutropenic diet.

              Updated neutrophil count chart--
              click on the chart to make it larger!

I was sooo excited that my good friend Amanda came to visit during this chemo treatment.  And best of all, she brought a scrapbook from all of our years of Dancing at Darla's together.. from age 3 to senior year of high school-- oh the great memories!  Thanks for stopping by-- you sure helped me get my mind off of the treatment!  Love you tons and I'll see you in 2 weeks!

            AMANDA!! 

            of course, mom WOULD take a pic of me asleep from all the
            meds. Thanks. hah


The past two days I felt gross-- nauseous and tired, as usual.  I felt a bit better today, slowly getting my energy and appetite back.  :)

LLS Team in Training!!

The Pittsburgh Marathon took place on May 2nd.  Congrats to everyone who ran a great race in the pouring rain!!  The night before the race I was feeling well enough to attend the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team In Training Pasta Party!! It was so great so see everyone who was running for such a great cause and it felt good to get out for a nice dinner surrounded by great friends and family.  Hopefully this time next year, lymphoma will be behind me and I can train with the TEAM!!  As mentioned in an earlier post, Meagan Kanski ran the marathon in my honor-- THANK YOU Meagan for everything that you and the TEAM has done for me!! And another BIG THANK YOU to everyone who donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through her fundraising page.. the support from every single one of you is amazing!  

Here's a few pics from the event--

                    Dana, Meagan, and Marsha-- Thanks for everything!!

                     Steeephen :)

                     Stephen, Lindsay, and Nikki

If you are still interested in donating to Meagan's Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training page, you can still donate by clicking here!!  

Thanks to everyone else who ran the marathon for me-- I know there is many of you, you're the best!!

Neutrophils!

Just a little neutrophil update.. I went to get my blood checked Tuesday and my neutrophils went from 0.8 to 1.4!! yay  This is still below the "normal" range, but it's great news to see that they're going up because over the last 3 treatments they have gone down, down, down.  This means I can DC the prophylaxis Cipro that Dr. Marks put me on! Good thing for that.. I don't want to become resistant to it if I would need it again with future treatments.  I put together a little chart to follow my neutrophils a little better visually...

Click on the chart to see it larger!

CHEMO 3!!

This post is a bit delayed.. Chemo 3 was on April 28th.  I have been spending days since resting and trying to find energy to so something productive but it hasn't happened.  Before my chemo appointment, I had a appointment scheduled with Dr. Marks.  I went to the Hillman, got my port accessed, got blood drawn, and went to the exam room.  Dr. Marks was in a meeting so we met with his PA and was told he would visit me sometime during my fun 4 hours of chemo.  During the appointment we discussed any side efftects I've been experiencing and how I felt after the first cycle of treatments! (woo one cycle down, six to go!!-- a cycle is 28 days.. I get chemo every 2 weeks, so 2 treatments equals one cycle.)  We then scheduled my next two upcoming treatments, another Dr. Marks appointment after another cycle, and my first PET/CT since treatments have started!! My 4th treatment is 5/12, I'm getting my PET/CT 5/21, A Dr. Marks appointment with results of the PET/CT and 5th treatment 5/26. After scheduling we went towards the treatment area, and got started!

After my premeds were started, I got the results of my blood that was drawn and it indicated my neutrophils are down lower since last treatment and are now 0.8, moderate neutropenia  (a level of 0.5 indicates severe neutropenia).  The neutrophils indicate risk for infection and ability to fight off bacteria. Dr. Marks was concerned with the dropping levels and prescribed prophylaxis Ciprofloxicin 500mg BID X14D and instructed me to DC the Cipro if my blood levels rise upon my appointment for blood work tomorrow.  Dr. Marks stated while these are risky levels for infection, he is going to continue treatment at high doses even if my levels were to drop to zero.  He continually says that keeping treatments scheduled at the recommended doses is the main focus in curing me of cancer.  While the Cipro is protective for me, I am told to be cautious around large groups of people, I am following a neutropenic diet, and avoiding anybody with even a slight tickle in their throat.  I'm hoping my blood levels will go up so I can return to some normalcy in the next week.  During the first two treatments I would be down for the first 2 days with nausea, tiredness, constipation, and dry mouth, start to feel some better the third day, get down on energy again the fourth day, then feel better each day up until the next treatment.  I would love it if my blood levels would go up so this next upcoming week I can focus on getting out and about and preparing myself for my 4th treatment.  I'm starting to get into a bit of a routine with all of this.. not a fun nor desirable routine, but I am starting to learn my limitations and capabilities between treatments.

Making a sad face because my neutrophils are low.. pictured with my Cipro RX and neutrophil levels.  (and trying not to laugh because if you know me at all I can't keep serious for very long)


After speaking with Dr. Marks, we got the treatment on its way.. each time it gets easier, because I know exactly what to expect.  Tiredness from the benadyl premeds, red urine from the adriamycin, frequent urination from all of the fluids they're pumping into me, and an awful taste when pushing the vinblastine through my line.  It's a fun 4 hours.  But this treatment it was even more fun-- THE STEELERS VISITED THE HILLMAN!!  That's right, as I was finishing my last med, my nurse told me that 3 of the Steelers were coming to visit patients and if we wanted to wait around a bit, we could meet them!  Well OF COURSE I wanted to stay.. so we did.  We waited quite a bit, but it didn't matter to me because I was going to sit there or sit at home either way.  While waiting, we joked with the nurses that it's probably Big Ben coming to serve his community service! haha After awhile, in walks Justin Hartwig, Trai Essex, and Sean McHugh!!  I swear, one of them equals 3 of me in size.  They were HUGE!! But they were soo nice and each signed a team photo for me!  Pretty cool and a nice pick-me-up after chemo!  I had to sign a release form that I could have my picture and video taken my UPMC.. so look for me in an upcoming commercial! haha who knows if they'll use any of it!

                                         STEELERS AT THE HILLMAN!!!


Well I'm feeling some better today with some energy.. hopefully tomorrow's blood test will go well and I won't have to be super concerned with making sure I have hand sanitizer globbed in my hands every 5 seconds! 3 TREATMENTS DOWN, 9 TO GO!!