T10

Oh my, I am exhausted. Yesterday after treatment I slept a staggering five hours! I think the previous record was four. Then I was up for four hours then back to bed. I woke up early today because I was super hungry, I didn't have an appetite last night. Man, this is boring sorry.

Dull stats and stuff

I went in yesterday equipped with questions. You see, the past couple of weeks I have been researching things a little more. When I received the diagnosis in March, I did a lot of research but it was about the disease, what the hell it was, and what the typical treatment would be. Now I am looking more at prognosis', recurrence rates, the long term affects of the other drugs I'm on besides bleomyicin, etc. I didn't even know what my doses were. I still have not received my prognosis, well, I have been told the basic statistic of 90% after 5 years. This is the number generally used for Classic Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Stage II. The American Cancer Society (ACS) says the general one year survival rate for all types and cases is 92%, 5-year is 85% and 10-year is 80%. If a person doesn't make it until the 15 year mark its usually because of recurrent Hodgkin's, if they make it past 15 it is usually due to another cause. That cause can be something completely unrelated or it can be a long term affect of chemo and radiation such as lung or breast cancer or leukemia. One of the drugs I'm on can also contribute to congestive heart failure down the road, although the chances are slim and I would have to have had my lifetime allotted dose.

So, as I was when I was first diagnosed, I am not worried a bit about my prognosis. I was a little shaken when I found out that the chances of recurrence are higher in those with a low stage, and with those that have a "bulky" tumor as I do. But I found conflicting information in another study. So, the moral of the story is I have no clue nor do the doctors. They can only guess. Its all up in the air. And as much as white people love statistics we'll just have to be surprised and hope for the best when I have follow up scans.

On to more exciting news... I found out that my last treatment will be September 18th!! When they told me I would have 6 months of treatment I assumed it would go until mid-October. However, 6mo.=12 treatments so wohooo! I will be starting radiation in mid-October and that will last 4-6 weeks. We can't know exactly until we see how large the chest tumor is when chemo is complete. So if all goes as planned, I should be done with everything before holidays. Not my bday necessarily, but thats ok. At least a I had a great 30th, what does 31 mean anyway... Just ask Carl. =) After the 18th, I plan on having a little get together to celebrate the happy conclusion of chemo, so keep that in mind.

Next weekend I am heading up with Seattle with Audrey. I'll be hanging out with Lynne while A spends time with her aunt. If all goes as planned we will be checking out Bumbershoot...very exciting! It will be nice to get out of town. So this weekend I am laying low to gather as much energy as possible, not that I can do much anyway. During the week I'll be wrapping up schoolwork and then I'll be DONE with that. Can I get another woohooo?! Below is a really beautiful pic of me I recently found for your entertainment.