January 30th, 2010

Hello Everyone,
I decided to go the way of a personal blog to keep everyone informed of how life is going with my cancer and my treatments. It should be far easier than finding the energy to email everyone.

A short history: I was diagnosed with Lymphoma in November of 2009. I had a lump removed from under my arm and the diagnosis came back a week later that it was cancer. I really believed that I just had some kind of infection in my lymph system and it could be treated with antibiotics; no such luck.

I was referred to Swedish Cancer Center and had my first appointment on December 14th. That will be a day forever sketched into my memory. I didn't receive any good news. The cancer was wide spread in my Lymph system and on two of my bones. I was already at stage 4. This isn't unusual for Lymphoma. It is often asymptomatic and it is often caught late.

A person, though, can always count her blessings. All of my tumors were small so no need for radiation and none of my organs were involved. Also, my chemo treatments would only be two days a month so I could fly south for a few days and then fly home.

I had my first chemo in mid-January and all things considered it went fine. I have to do a drug called Rituxan the first day and it takes about 4-6 hours to administer through an IV drip and then I have a 30 minute drip of anti-nausea medication before my 60 minute drip of chemo which is called Bendamustine. On the second day I have to do a 30 minute drip of anti-nausea and then a 60 minute drip of Bendamustine. The first day is very long and the second day is very short.

The best part of my treatments is coming home to my family. I know other people in remote areas have to move in order to get weekly or daily treatments so I am very thankful to be able to be home as much as I am.

I am due back to Seattle in mid-February.

I am feeling good.