My cousin, Hannah Garand, is doing a 5k Walk/Run at Wilson High School March 19 @ 9:00am. The cost is $10 and all proceeds will go to The Gateway for Cancer Research. Pay the morning of the event.
Let's all go and support a great cause.
Supporter of more birthdays,
Tori
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Happy tears
"When I get where I'm going, there'll be only happy tears.."
Well, it's been a while since I've updated but everything is over. I am officially a cancer survivor and I couldn't be proud of that title. I am a very lucky girl. Thanks to everybody who stuck by my side and gave me all the support I needed and thanks to everybody who kept me in their prayers.
Still keep me in your prayers. Let's hope and pray I stay as healthy as possible. Also, keep everybody affected with cancer and their families in your prayers.
I will keep this updated as much as I can. I have changed the background to violet to represent the color of my cancer.
Still standing up to cancer, not just for me but for everybody battling this disease.
xoxo,
Tori
Well, it's been a while since I've updated but everything is over. I am officially a cancer survivor and I couldn't be proud of that title. I am a very lucky girl. Thanks to everybody who stuck by my side and gave me all the support I needed and thanks to everybody who kept me in their prayers.
Still keep me in your prayers. Let's hope and pray I stay as healthy as possible. Also, keep everybody affected with cancer and their families in your prayers.
I will keep this updated as much as I can. I have changed the background to violet to represent the color of my cancer.
Still standing up to cancer, not just for me but for everybody battling this disease.
xoxo,
Tori
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Long time, no see.
Wow guys, sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. Everything has been going pretty good. Finished radiation, which was a piece of cake compared to chemo. Going everyday at 8 in the morning was the hard part.
Everything is starting to hit me now. Whenever I was diagnosed, everything just kind of happened at once and I was too busy going through the treatments to actually put things into perspective. Now that I'm done, I want to be normal again instantly. Being an athlete and always being able to play tennis anytime I wanted to has made the healing process very hard. I still get out of breath easier, and I'm still very weak. Now that I'm done with all the physical treatments, the emotional part of this whole experience is starting to kick in. I just need to be patient and let recovery happen the way it's supposed to.
Whenever I was diagnosed, I had to go through a series of tests and scans to see how my body was before treatments started. Now, I have to do all of that again. Monday I go back up to Columbia for a full day of tests and scans. Heart tests, lung tests, meetings with my oncologists, and the worst of all.. the dreaded PET and CT scans. I don't know what it is about those scans, but I just really hate them. But, hey! Hopefully there won't be too many more of those.
Recovery is going to take a while, and it's very emotionally draining, but if I can make it through chemo and radiation, I know I can make it through the recovery process. Pray that everything goes well Monday and I'll get the results we're all hoping for!
Will update once the results are in. Thanks for all the support.
xoxo,
Tori
Everything is starting to hit me now. Whenever I was diagnosed, everything just kind of happened at once and I was too busy going through the treatments to actually put things into perspective. Now that I'm done, I want to be normal again instantly. Being an athlete and always being able to play tennis anytime I wanted to has made the healing process very hard. I still get out of breath easier, and I'm still very weak. Now that I'm done with all the physical treatments, the emotional part of this whole experience is starting to kick in. I just need to be patient and let recovery happen the way it's supposed to.
Whenever I was diagnosed, I had to go through a series of tests and scans to see how my body was before treatments started. Now, I have to do all of that again. Monday I go back up to Columbia for a full day of tests and scans. Heart tests, lung tests, meetings with my oncologists, and the worst of all.. the dreaded PET and CT scans. I don't know what it is about those scans, but I just really hate them. But, hey! Hopefully there won't be too many more of those.
Recovery is going to take a while, and it's very emotionally draining, but if I can make it through chemo and radiation, I know I can make it through the recovery process. Pray that everything goes well Monday and I'll get the results we're all hoping for!
Will update once the results are in. Thanks for all the support.
xoxo,
Tori
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Baldy no more!
Ok, maybe I'm still bald. But, my hair is finally starting to grow.. slowly but surely. :) I got just a little bit of fuzz going on right now, but it's good to know that it's starting to come back.
I started radiation Monday. 8 in the morning is just a bit too early for me, but I'm doing alright so far. No pain or side effects yet, and it seems to be a pretty quick process.
Just thought I'd let everybody know I'm still good, and MY HAIR IS GROWING!
Don't stop praying yet.
xoxo,
Tori
I started radiation Monday. 8 in the morning is just a bit too early for me, but I'm doing alright so far. No pain or side effects yet, and it seems to be a pretty quick process.
Just thought I'd let everybody know I'm still good, and MY HAIR IS GROWING!
Don't stop praying yet.
xoxo,
Tori
Friday, September 17, 2010
It's been a while.
It's been a while since I've updated, just finally getting used to not having to go to Columbia everyday. Everything's been going good since the blood transfusion. It made me feel much more energized, and now my hemoglobin is back up to where it needs to be! Yay! I went to meet with the radiation oncologist Monday. That went pretty well.. had to take some tests and do another CT scan. Now I'm set to go back the 24th for a few more "setup" things, then I'll be ready to go for radiation.
Other than that, things have been pretty calm. No more surprise blood transfusions!
My shopping spree is now planned for Sept 25th! I'll let everybody know how that goes.
Keep praying.
xoxo,
Tori
Other than that, things have been pretty calm. No more surprise blood transfusions!
My shopping spree is now planned for Sept 25th! I'll let everybody know how that goes.
Keep praying.
xoxo,
Tori
Friday, September 3, 2010
Change of plans.
Well, didn't get my wish.. I'm in Columbia now waiting to get a blood transfusion. Pray that everything goes well and I'll be outta here by midnight :)
xoxo,
Tori
xoxo,
Tori
Chemo Grad
I officially got my "Chemo Grad" hat. Monday was my last day. It was very, very exciting. Got sung to, got some cool gifts, and also didn't feel so hot. I was sick for a couple days afterwards, but I've been feeling better since.
Except, things have gone downhill since yesterday. I guess it's a cumulative effect of all 4 cycles of chemo, but I got labs done yesterday, and they weren't very good. My white blood count was the lowest it's ever been, and my hemoglobin was really low. In order for me to start radiation, my hemoglobin has to be up to 10 and it's only 7 right now. On top of that, I've gotten a bit of a cold which is making them worry. I don't feel too bad with it, and it seems to be going away, but since my immune system is so weak, a cold just isn't a cold for me. If things don't get any better within the next few days, I will have to get a blood transfusion. I don't know details yet, but for now, I've been instructed just to take it easy. No school for me today. Most kids would be happy about that, but missing school is no fun. Especially when it seems I only get to go every other day. Blahhhh.
My parents are at the beach for their anniversary, and since things aren't going so hot for me right now, I'm heading down there for the rest of the weekend so they can keep an eye on me and make sure things don't get worse. Let's keep praying that this is the last little bump in the road I'll have to deal with, and I will be able to start radiation soon. I'm still keeping my head up and staying positive, thanks to all my support.
xoxo,
Tori
Except, things have gone downhill since yesterday. I guess it's a cumulative effect of all 4 cycles of chemo, but I got labs done yesterday, and they weren't very good. My white blood count was the lowest it's ever been, and my hemoglobin was really low. In order for me to start radiation, my hemoglobin has to be up to 10 and it's only 7 right now. On top of that, I've gotten a bit of a cold which is making them worry. I don't feel too bad with it, and it seems to be going away, but since my immune system is so weak, a cold just isn't a cold for me. If things don't get any better within the next few days, I will have to get a blood transfusion. I don't know details yet, but for now, I've been instructed just to take it easy. No school for me today. Most kids would be happy about that, but missing school is no fun. Especially when it seems I only get to go every other day. Blahhhh.
My parents are at the beach for their anniversary, and since things aren't going so hot for me right now, I'm heading down there for the rest of the weekend so they can keep an eye on me and make sure things don't get worse. Let's keep praying that this is the last little bump in the road I'll have to deal with, and I will be able to start radiation soon. I'm still keeping my head up and staying positive, thanks to all my support.
xoxo,
Tori
Friday, August 27, 2010
Did I mention how excited I am that I only have one more day of chemo?
I'm so beyond, incredibly, super duper excited to get this part over with. Although I still have more to go through, the ending of chemo makes everything seem so much closer to finished. Plus, all these chemicals in my body are just not feeling so hot. Imagine getting milliliters and milliliters and MILLILITERS of chemicals pumped right into your veins 3 days in a row. Then, it's like they just sit there in your tummy trying to make you feel the most bloated and sick you possibly can. THEN, you have to take about 12 million pills a day so you don't get sick. Oh, and after the pills, I have to get this really awful shot EVERY NIGHT to make sure I don't get an infection of some sort. My mom is starting to become an expert, but if only she knew how to work magic and make it not hurt so darn much. Yeah, it seems pretty horrible.. and it seems like I'm totally complaining (which I am) but the part I haven't got to yet is I would take all million pills, and all million milliliters of chemicals again and again and again if it made me better. And, guess what? I AM GETTING BETTER! So, thank you chemicals, pills, and shots for everything you've done. Thanks to you, and all the prayers, things are looking up and I will be back to normal in just a little while :)
I will save the rest of my excitement to share with you guys until after Monday when I am OFFICIALLY done with chemo.
Keep praying.
xoxo,
Tori
I will save the rest of my excitement to share with you guys until after Monday when I am OFFICIALLY done with chemo.
Keep praying.
xoxo,
Tori
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)