Feeling much better the past few days. Finally got to stop taking my nausea medicine.. Yay! Hopefully the chemo Tuesday won't cause too many side effects. Still pretty tired though.
Also, went to the beach yesterday to go wig shopping with my parents and sister. :) Got a couple! One is just the cutest little thing. It's a hat that just has hair hanging out the bottom that looks pretty much identical to my hair, so that's awesome! The other is my hair color with some highlights in it. It takes some messing with.. but it doesn't look too bad :) I'll put pictures up once I have to start wearing them.
Had such a blast shaving JP's and his dad's hair last night. Their heads are now oh so shiny! Very sweet of them!
I will let everybody know how Tuesday goes.
xoxo,
Tori
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Jaw pain.. go away!
Feeling much better today.. no more nausea and I've been able to eat pretty normal. Trying to gain back the 5 pounds I lost the last couple days. But, for some reason, one of my chemo medicines just wants to attack my jaw. Man oh man, it hurts! I don't understand what it is that makes the meds just attack my jaw.. but hey, I guess its better than aching all over, right?
Tonight will be my first night of taking my Neupogen shot. When I'm on chemo.. my body's white blood cells drop and cause my ability to fight infection to decrease. So, this shot will help with that. When my white blood cell count drops, the Neupogen decreases the amount of time it is dropped. My mom is giving me the shot and lets hope she doesn't use it as a stress relief like she did with the practice rounds yesterday.. jabbing at the fake skin! Haha, I'm sure she'll do fine :)
Got my hair cut yesterday.. very short! Its up to my chin, which is the shortest I've had it since I was very, very little. I think I really like it now, plus it should make the transition to bald a little bit easier. Also, I got a free wig yesterday from the "Wig Room" at McLeod. It's not my hair color, and it's not very cute.. so going to the beach tomorrow to see my sister and do some more wig shopping! Yay, let's hope I find something!
No more chemo again until Tuesday :) Update everybody then!
xoxo,
Tori
Tonight will be my first night of taking my Neupogen shot. When I'm on chemo.. my body's white blood cells drop and cause my ability to fight infection to decrease. So, this shot will help with that. When my white blood cell count drops, the Neupogen decreases the amount of time it is dropped. My mom is giving me the shot and lets hope she doesn't use it as a stress relief like she did with the practice rounds yesterday.. jabbing at the fake skin! Haha, I'm sure she'll do fine :)
Got my hair cut yesterday.. very short! Its up to my chin, which is the shortest I've had it since I was very, very little. I think I really like it now, plus it should make the transition to bald a little bit easier. Also, I got a free wig yesterday from the "Wig Room" at McLeod. It's not my hair color, and it's not very cute.. so going to the beach tomorrow to see my sister and do some more wig shopping! Yay, let's hope I find something!
No more chemo again until Tuesday :) Update everybody then!
xoxo,
Tori
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Pictures!
Only 2 medicines today, woop woop! I felt worse afterwards though. :( Absolutely no appetite, very weak, tired and a bit nauseous. I got a milkshake and some peanut butter crackers, then JP and I took another good walk so I'm a bit better now.
But, my mom has been taking lots of pictures so I thought I would share some with everybody :)
Outside the hospital :)
In my chemo room.
My nurse giving me the "red devil" chemo medicine. Its called the red devil because it's red, causes the most nausea, and one of the ones that is going to cause me to lose my hair.
My wonderful boyfriend by my side the whole way :) Love him!
The therapy dog, Lucky!
They brought us arts and crafts to keep us occupied.
Working hard.
Finished product!
Not in the pictures, but my mom, dad, and Aunt Janey have all gone to treatments so far, and they've been awesome! :) Thanks for everything.
xoxo
Tori
But, my mom has been taking lots of pictures so I thought I would share some with everybody :)
The therapy dog, Lucky!
Finished product!
Not in the pictures, but my mom, dad, and Aunt Janey have all gone to treatments so far, and they've been awesome! :) Thanks for everything.
xoxo
Tori
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
First Day of Chemo
Today was my first day of chemo, and overall it went well.
My parents, JP, and I left around 6:30 to be there around 8:00. I first had to take a PFT (Pulmonary Function Test) which is just a test that measures my lungs and breathing. Immediately after that we headed to the clinic to start my chemo. We got there about 9:00. Dr. Laura came and talked to all 3 of us about the meds and side effects of each other and then about after an hour conversation, I finally started my chemo. Chemotherapy basically consists of me sitting in a room, and them just sticking me in my port and putting a lot of medicine in through an IV. I got 7 medicines today, all with names I can not remember, or really even spell/pronounce if I needed to. I was at the clinic from about 9-4:30. Very long day! But, I felt perfectly fine..
..until I got home. After I ate and everything, I got very, very, very nauseated..which is to be expected. But, I was still hoping I would be a lucky one :) It only lasted about 30 minutes.. then my dad got home with my medicine cabinet. I now have 5 different , 2 for nausea (Thank God!) to take, and one will be added on Friday. My dad is of course freaking out at the fact like I have to take any sort of pills, but unfortunately we're both going to have to get used to it.
Again, the day was better than expected, but I could have definitely done without the nausea. Actually, I would have loved to do without ALL of it.. but whatever it takes to get rid of this crap :) I go back tomorrow, and Thursday. Luckily those days won't last forever and I'll be out of there in just a couple hours.
Wig shopping soon! And I heard today how my hair is very likely to grow back curly.. awesome!
Thanks again for everything and I will keep everybody updated.
xoxo,
Tori
My parents, JP, and I left around 6:30 to be there around 8:00. I first had to take a PFT (Pulmonary Function Test) which is just a test that measures my lungs and breathing. Immediately after that we headed to the clinic to start my chemo. We got there about 9:00. Dr. Laura came and talked to all 3 of us about the meds and side effects of each other and then about after an hour conversation, I finally started my chemo. Chemotherapy basically consists of me sitting in a room, and them just sticking me in my port and putting a lot of medicine in through an IV. I got 7 medicines today, all with names I can not remember, or really even spell/pronounce if I needed to. I was at the clinic from about 9-4:30. Very long day! But, I felt perfectly fine..
..until I got home. After I ate and everything, I got very, very, very nauseated..which is to be expected. But, I was still hoping I would be a lucky one :) It only lasted about 30 minutes.. then my dad got home with my medicine cabinet. I now have 5 different , 2 for nausea (Thank God!) to take, and one will be added on Friday. My dad is of course freaking out at the fact like I have to take any sort of pills, but unfortunately we're both going to have to get used to it.
Again, the day was better than expected, but I could have definitely done without the nausea. Actually, I would have loved to do without ALL of it.. but whatever it takes to get rid of this crap :) I go back tomorrow, and Thursday. Luckily those days won't last forever and I'll be out of there in just a couple hours.
Wig shopping soon! And I heard today how my hair is very likely to grow back curly.. awesome!
Thanks again for everything and I will keep everybody updated.
xoxo,
Tori
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Beginnings
When I first found out about having cancer, I was really confused and didn't have a clue what I was in for. My brother, Eric, sent me a link to a blog of a girl who had just recovered from my same situation. Being able to read it helped me out tremendously, so I decided to create a blog to maybe help somebody else one day. Also, it is very hard to find time to keep everybody updated. I figured this would be a good, convenient way for everybody to receive updates.
For those of you who don't know, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma a couple weeks ago. Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a form of cancer that affects the lymph nodes. In all started about a month ago when I discovered a lump on my chest, right under my collar bone. I found it on a Sunday, and went to the doctor Monday. The next week I went through a series of tests: an ultrasound, a CT scan, and a biopsy. The biopsy is what determined that the lump was a enlarged lymph node and I had Hodgkin's.
Having an awesome aunt and uncle in the medical field, I was referred to a pediatric oncologist in Columbia. Last Friday, Mom, Dad, Aunt Laurie and I went to meet with the doctor and get some tests done. The doctor is awesome! Definitely worth the drive to Columbia. After a long 7 hours of tests, they did find cancer in more areas besides the one swollen lymph node. Luckily the areas are very small. Just this Tuesday, Mom, Dad, JP, and I went back to Columbia for me to get surgery to place a portocath (it has a fancier name, but I'm not sure what it is) in my chest. The portocath is used for my chemotherapy and any other injections they may need to make such as taking blood, etc. Lots and lots of pain after the surgery, but it does decrease as the days go on. :) Also, during the surgery I had a bone marrow biopsy to check my bones for cancer. Good news is, my bones are cancer-free! This officially means I am in Stage 2. This means that the cancer affects two or more lymph node regions all on the same side of my body.
Fortunately, I have not experienced any cancerous symptoms yet, other than being tired more often. I am still able to work and continue with normal life. However, I start chemotherapy Tuesday. The chemotherapy consists of 21 day cycles. I am not completely sure as to how many cycles it will take. The last I heard, I will be going on Days 1, 2, and 3 (which is next Tues, Wed, and Thurs) then I will go get more chemo on Day 8. I have no idea how chemo is going to go and how my body will react, but let's hope for the best! :)
I will keep everybody updated as to what happens Tuesday, and anything else that may happen between now and then. Most entries won't be this long, but I had to catch everybody up.
My support systems have kept me strong, and I know they will only continue to be amazing. I am so lucky to have such amazing family members, parents, friends, and such an awesome boyfriend. I really appreciate all the thoughts and prayers.
xoxo,
Tori
For those of you who don't know, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma a couple weeks ago. Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a form of cancer that affects the lymph nodes. In all started about a month ago when I discovered a lump on my chest, right under my collar bone. I found it on a Sunday, and went to the doctor Monday. The next week I went through a series of tests: an ultrasound, a CT scan, and a biopsy. The biopsy is what determined that the lump was a enlarged lymph node and I had Hodgkin's.
Having an awesome aunt and uncle in the medical field, I was referred to a pediatric oncologist in Columbia. Last Friday, Mom, Dad, Aunt Laurie and I went to meet with the doctor and get some tests done. The doctor is awesome! Definitely worth the drive to Columbia. After a long 7 hours of tests, they did find cancer in more areas besides the one swollen lymph node. Luckily the areas are very small. Just this Tuesday, Mom, Dad, JP, and I went back to Columbia for me to get surgery to place a portocath (it has a fancier name, but I'm not sure what it is) in my chest. The portocath is used for my chemotherapy and any other injections they may need to make such as taking blood, etc. Lots and lots of pain after the surgery, but it does decrease as the days go on. :) Also, during the surgery I had a bone marrow biopsy to check my bones for cancer. Good news is, my bones are cancer-free! This officially means I am in Stage 2. This means that the cancer affects two or more lymph node regions all on the same side of my body.
Fortunately, I have not experienced any cancerous symptoms yet, other than being tired more often. I am still able to work and continue with normal life. However, I start chemotherapy Tuesday. The chemotherapy consists of 21 day cycles. I am not completely sure as to how many cycles it will take. The last I heard, I will be going on Days 1, 2, and 3 (which is next Tues, Wed, and Thurs) then I will go get more chemo on Day 8. I have no idea how chemo is going to go and how my body will react, but let's hope for the best! :)
I will keep everybody updated as to what happens Tuesday, and anything else that may happen between now and then. Most entries won't be this long, but I had to catch everybody up.
My support systems have kept me strong, and I know they will only continue to be amazing. I am so lucky to have such amazing family members, parents, friends, and such an awesome boyfriend. I really appreciate all the thoughts and prayers.
xoxo,
Tori
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