Revised Official Start Date

Okay, just kidding, I don't start treatment on Monday, August 31st. In the world of cancer treatment, I have noticed that scheduling, dates, times, and doctors to see change on a daily basis. "Lauren, by the way, you need to see this doctor, can you go today?" Well, okay then. Moral of the story is my new proposed start date is Monday, September 14th. Which means I'd be done February 15th of next year. Sorry for whomever was planning to take me out on Valentines Day, we'll have to reschedule! On a different note, I have been pretty up and down with my emotions the past few days, but at the same time I am also feeling pretty numb to any emotions, if that makes any sense. Once again, it's that fear of the unknown that does this to me. Can someone just maybe be so kind to move me to February 15, 2010 and make me 100% healthy again? Thank you. On a brighter note, I am going to enjoy my weekend with friends and family and hope everyone else does the same. :)

Official Start Date

It's official, I start chemotherapy on Monday, August 31, 2009. Which means if I have to complete all 12 cycles of treatment, I will be done on February 1, 2010. February 1st is before Valentine's Day (I'm available, if anyone wants to know) and before my Mom's Birthday and before my 25th birthday! You know I already did the calculations of figuring that out! I am really nervous as I have no idea what to expect. I dread feeling "sick" and the thought of vomiting makes me want to vomit. My parents tell me to try to not think that way, but it's hard not to. I HOPE I don't get any of the silly side effects from chemotherapy, which includes hair loss. And naturally, my hair is getting so long and has been looking so pretty the past week. I'm like "Dear hair, are you teasing me or something?" I know my primary concern is to just get better and not have evil cancer cells in my body, but come on, as a woman, it's hard not to think of having no hair. I am going to get a wig just to be prepared for the hair loss because as soon as it starts to come out, I'm shaving it off. Yes, rather dramatic, but that's the plan. My friend Jackie is a hair stylist and I will be asking her to conduct a shaving of the head ceremony for me. Okay, I am being kind of negative, I'll stop. Send positive thoughts my way please...I'll need approximately 20,000 of them. Thanks everyone, love you!

Post surgery

I have completed my last round of surgery for the time being (that is until they remove the port in 6 months)! The port is in and chemo-ready. I was lucky enough to have my Mom, Dad, and Aunt at the hospital with me today by my side and praying. Again, today was not as bad as I had worked myself up for it to be. I couldn't sleep last night and watched old episodes of Saved by the Bell at 4:00a.m. due to my anxiety. At the hospital, I had the most awesome nurse who started an IV that was pretty much painless. And the anesthesia was much easier to come out of versus the last time. I didn't wake up to the feeling that someone had shoved rocks down my throat due to the tube they use. I got a special little mask this time. And I got to see all the nurses in the recovery room from last time and they remembered me! One even came over and hugged me. It made me feel really good to wake up to that. I am definitely sore on the right side of my chest and can't do much with the motion in my arm right now, but it'll get better within the next few days. The doctor even cleaned up my previous surgery scar and it looks significantly better, not so much Frankestein-ish. Also, I received some wonderful news prior to going into surgery. My test results from the bone marrow came back and the evil Hodgkin's cancer cells are NOT in my bone marrow! I told my Dad that I wanted to frame the results because I loved seeing the positive words on the report. For instance "no sighting of the Reed Sternberg cell" (that is the cell that indicates Hodgkin's) - I was so happy that it made me tear up in the waiting room. So, for all of you that are praying, including myself....keep it up, it's working. So now we just wait for the treatment plan, but it will for sure be starting next week and I am hoping to be treated on Mondays or Fridays because my sister really wants to be there for me (as she is commuting from California). On a side note, I have to mention again that I have the best family and friends ever. My parents go above and beyond to make me feel comfortable (even when I'm a bit moody) and have turned into my personal chefs and nutritionists, my sister and brother-in-law are in contact with me on a daily basis always trying to make me smile, my aunt and uncle gave me their treadmill for my room so I can get my workout on during treatment and are also in contact with me daily, and I get an abundance of texts/phone calls/e-mails from all of my friends, including co-workers. I COULDN'T ask for a better support system, it just doesn't get any better. Oh and for those of you that are wondering, I didn't mention doing tequila shots in the OR today... :)

Another fun surgery day tomorrow!

Hello friends/family...I had my appointment today with the general surgeon, the one who was kind enough to remove the lymph node from my neck. My scar is healing fine, I didn't have any stitches, it was just "glued" together. So he said within the next 10 days, the glue will start to flake off. Kind of gross to say "flake off" - I know. And while I was there, I was able to schedule my port placement. The lovely little gadget that will be put into my chest is where the chemo drugs will be inserted through. That will also leave me a pretty neat scar (don't be jealous of my awesome battle wounds). I was thinking the port placement would be scheduled for this Thursday or Friday, but nope, it is tomorrow morning! I don't want to wait any longer, so I agreed to do it tomorrow at 11:30am. Hospitals and medical facilities are my new hangout. Yardhouse doesn't have anything on them. (Who notices that my lovely sarcastic attitude is back?) :) On a different side note, my parents and I bought spinach salad at the grocery store last night and we opened the container and it smelled disgusting...and the expiration date is supposedly August 30th. SO spinach salad eaters, smell the spinach prior to using. School started today, but I had to rearrange my schedule. I'll be doing online courses this semester versus classes on campus. That is all I've got for now. Continue to keep me in your prayers please! Much love...