Well, my last chemo treatment was on Thursday, October 4, 2007. YAY If you're wondering what's next, keep reading.
NO, I haven't finished school yet, taken the bar or started working.
I think the reason it took me a while to blog about my last chemo is because I don't feel done. I'm still fatigued, having problems with my skin, can't think straight, concentrate or remember and (what the hell - I'll put it out there) I'm in menopause.
Many people seem to think that just because cancer treatment is over that your life can resume and you can pick up where you left off. I'm here to tell you that's not how it works. Not for me anyway. Yes, I have hair and I don't LOOK sick anymore but the after affects of chemotherapy, radiation, anti-biotics, anti-fungals, anti-virals, steroids, sleeping pills, hormones, etc. are apparent on the inner workings of my body. Things are very out of balance. Don't get me wrong, i'm not complaining - I'm very happy to be alive and writing this blog, but non-cancer people must know: I did not just get over a cold. There is still work to be done on this whole person - not just my cancer.
I have started seeing new doctors to deal with the aftermath of cancer treatment. We started with blood tests, urine and stool samples, sonograms of my ovaries and thyroid and I am relieved. My next post will be about what they found.
If it will help someone else, I want to share some personal information (well more personal than I normally get on this blog). I've been keeping these updates pretty general but I think it's time to share what's going on with my body post treatment.
I will continue to post in the hopes of helping other post treatment SURVIVORS deal with their bodies post treatment.
About Me
- Lindsey B.
- I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a blood cancer, April 20, 2005. I finished my treatments a year later and relapsed within a month or so. This time the leukemia cells were in my spinal fluid (June 06) and were treated with spinal taps of chemo. Shortly after, we had to stop the spinal taps because the leukemia was back in my bone marrow. The doctors wanted to get me back into remission so I can have a stem cell transplant. The doctors had to find a donor match for me in order to have healthy bone marrow and beat leukemia.
5 comments:
Lindsey,
We are so so happy to hear tha you ave finished your long trek to health. You have always been a winner and you will get the Blue Ribbon for this one! We may not always be in touch, but we think about andn pray for you often. As far as school is concerned, you ae still young and swould take the time to enjoy your new life! We wish we would have known you were in Florida. We would have loved to have seen you.
Please give my friend Barbara and David big hugs and kissed from me and tell them that I am always here for them when they need me.
We all love the three of you very much!
The Leibmanns
Hi Lindsey,
I check your blog from time to time to see how you are doing...So happy to hear that you are doing so well. Information sharing is so valuable and helpful to fellow cancer patients, survivors and their supporters..You are brave and generous to share the details of your physical and emotional journey...It helps us all!! You are so right about life and health post treatment...Thanks again, Christine in California
Lindsey, thank you for sharing your story. There are so many others out there that don't understand the whole picture. And it's such a big one that you are helping to shed some light on it by sharing the realities, however difficult it may be to relay them. So please know that your blogs are important and and appreciated and they will be very helpful in understanding the effects of cancer treatments. I'll be checking in on your blog and praying for things to continue to get better each day.
Hi Lindsey
Boy, you really went a bit far to become a celebrity and be on the news! (Ha Ha) Even though, you still have a long way to go to get your body back to itself, we are so happy that your long struggle with this disease is finally going to be behind you. Very soon you will be on to better and brighter days!
As we have said in the past, you have an amazing attitude and you are an exceptional person. You have never lost your sense of humor. You have united,educated and helped so many people by sharing your story. Our wish for you is a long life filled with good health, good luck, and good times -in fact the best of everything!!
Come visit us next time you are in Florida. In fact, I am inviting all of you to stay with us. Our love to mom and dad also. David sends his love and best wishes!
Marlene and Michael Cohen
Hey Lindsey,
Congrats on finishing the treatments! That's fantastic, but you're so right about the other issues that linger long after treatment. As you stated so well, there are other issues besides the treatment itself that can still interfere with normal living let alone the emotional/psychological issues.
Thinking about you.
Love,
Duane
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