Christmas Came Early!!

We got an early Christmas present today with news that my latest CAT scans show no signs of cancer!! The doctor is very pleased with my progress and overall health. My white blood cell count is still low, but that appears to be my new normal level and isn't causing trouble. I am so aware of how blessed I have been with such a complete recovery with very few reminders of my past treatments. I don't take any medications at all....crazy considering how our bathroom resembled a small pharmacy not long ago. This marks 19 months since my transplant and I can't believe how quickly the time has passed. My next scan will be at the 2 year mark - a significant milestone in the battle against cancer.

The kids are getting so grown, and of course, crazy excited about Christmas. We are looking forward to enjoying the holidays with family. It hasn't been too crazy this year (yet) and we are trying to keep the focus on the true meaning of Christmas....which is really hard with all hype that surrounds this major retail event.

Here are a few recent pictures - bet you can't believe all the hair that can grow in one year!!! Yes, it is still extremely curly but I try to straighten it when I have the energy!

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!!

Nothing New

All is quiet around here on the cancer front. No new scans or doctor visits until December. I am supposed to be getting a mammogram and a bone density test done but keep forgetting to schedule them. My past treatments leave me at a higher risk for breast cancer, so I will get the annual mammograms as a preventive measure. And the bone density test is to get a baseline because the treatments can cause a loss of bone function and leave you at risk of osteoporosis at an earlier age.

The kids are doing well in school - hard to believe the first nine weeks is half over. Both are playing fall baseball and that keeps us running. My part time job appears to have become sorta permanent...seeing as how I was supposed to be done in May and I am still working!! It adds some stress to our routines, but I still have lots of time at home with the kids and I am getting some great experience career-wise.

The holidays will be here before we know it. I am looking forward to it, but I still miss the summer!!!

Hallelujah!!

....and thank God for: answered prayers; friends and family that believe in the power of prayer and have taken the time to remember us; creating us in such a marvelous way that our bodies can endure and recover; providing gifts to those in the medical field that have made huge advances in treating cancer; and the list goes on.... The children's VBS song that was titled "I know my God is real...." keeps running thru my head.

In case you couldn't tell, we received good news from the doctor today: 15 months after my stem cell transplant there are no signs of the disease!!! My statistics for being cured of this disease take leaps and bounds with each passing set of scans. Next set of scans will be in December and then again around my two year anniversary next April.

Brant and I have let out a collective sigh and have begun to feel ok with thinking about the future in terms of many years. But it is funny since no one is really guaranteed "tomorrow" yet we all tend to feel like we have a right to expect it and many more tomorrows after that. Hopefully from this experience we will always keep the perspective that each day is special, a gift to be enjoyed, and not overlooked in a race to get to somewhere that may not ever materialize.

My one other milestone to report is that I played in a doubles beach volleyball tournament last weekend. It was pretty exciting considering I haven't done that in well over ten years....in fact, I really can't remember the last time I played on the beach. And this time last year I would get winded going upstairs!! I was blessed to play on a rare August day that was only in the 80's instead of the 90's, and to have a partner that is not only good at volleyball but is also in very good condition (she's a fitness instructor). Needless to say, Janet chased down most of the stray balls while I stood stuck in the sand gasping for air!!! We didn't win prize money, but we were definitely competitive and look forward to doing it again.

Thanks for checking in....hopefully the good news will keep on coming!

A Wonderful Summer

Hi there....sorry to be so long between posts.....but I started this blog as a place to update my progress against Hodgkin's, and there just isn't that much to report about that these days!!! What a blessing!!!!

There has been plenty going on, but it is all related to being healthy, having fun with the kids, enjoying the summer and working a little bit in between. It is amazing to think how different this summer is than last. We are still just so grateful for how well things have been going.

Here's a recent picture of the whole family - we visited friend's up in Blacksburg over the 4th of July. They truly live up in the mountains and have some land, four dogs, two horses, and a cat. The kids were in heaven with all of the animals and the chance to ride a horse. This picture is on the front porch of their log cabin. Brant was in heaven as well being in our beloved college town. It was fun to visit campus and the bookstore on a non-football weekend when we didn't get quite so mobbed!

Here are a few other kid pics from the weekend...again, just because I think they are so stinkin' great and believe you should all want to see them! :)

I will be getting another set of scans done in August. It will be the 15 month mark and a big one if everything still shows to be clean. Luckily I will be able to do the scans and a heart test down here and send the results to New York. This will be the last requirements of the clinical trial protocol that I participated in. If all turns up well, I will be done with Sloan Kettering and just have routine follow up with my oncologist down here. I haven't been as nervous lately, I guess that may change the few days before my scans......Prayers are always appreciated!!

Well, enjoy the rest of your summer. School will be starting up again before you know it!

Still in Remission!!!

We received another set of clean scans in May - yeah!! They were my first scans taken down here (instead of NY) and were requested by my local doctor. Since all looks good, I will do my August scans locally as well and send my results to NY to complete the requirements of the clinical trial. So that means that hopefully there will be no more trips to NY for a while!

Other than that, not too much to report. School is out tomorrow and we are looking forward to a fun summer. Katie is still playing baseball - she is on all stars like Chris was last year. Brant is pitching for the team just like last year as well. So that will keep things tied up until Fourth of July. The heat came EARLY and so the pool has been in use A LOT!!

Hope everyone has a nice summer (or mild winter for my upside down relatives off in Aussie land).

One Year Anniversary!!

It is hard to believe that it has been a full year since my stem cell transplant. I went back and scanned a few of the posts from last April and remembered what it was like. It is nice to have documented the process because I have already forgotten so much of it......maybe the chemo destroyed a few too many brain cells?? Even though I am fighting off another cold right now, I feel like I have been very blessed with great health over this last year of recovery. I don't think I ever posted any pics of me in the hospital last year, so here are a few for memory's sake:

First off, there is transplant day receiving my stem cells via that big syringe....

Then me as a bald beauty walking around with my IV pole - remember the time I thought it was an evil scarecrow in the middle of the night? We decided the morphine pump might have been set a tad too high.... And check out my make-up, I look like I am ready to hit Times Square late night as soon as I find my wig......

And last but not least, a recent family photo for one of Chris' class projects. Look at all the hair that has come back!!!

I keep hearing the Rob Thomas song in my head "Look How Far We've Come". And thanks to all of you for your love, support, and many prayers in getting to this great milestone!

Cruising Along

Life is treating our family very well this Spring. We are adjusting to much busier schedules as the kids have started all of their Spring sports (Chris - soccer, Katie - baseball and gymnastics) and I am working part time. There certainly isn't as much time to sit around and just hang out. It was especially crazy just before Easter (which snuck up so quickly!!!) and I was stressing about all there was to do. Then I remembered that late March one year ago I was in the NY apartment with nothing to do but wait until my body made stem cells. And I realized how much better it was to be home with TOO much to do.

Easter was great. I was a little bit teary thinking once again back to last year when Easter Sunday landed in April while I was home from NY between treatments. We were able to attend church together even though I was pretty weak and wearing my lovely wig. Easter is a holiday to celebrate the greatest gift ever given, Jesus' sacrifice for us, and this year I also celebrated the gift of being here another year and being so healthy as well.

Speaking of health, I had a local check-up last week. My bloodwork is the about the same with my white blood cells seeming to line out around 3.7 - a level that is a little below average. But they must be pretty efficient workers because I have been rather healthy. And the doctor is not concerned.

Here is a link to another cancer blog posted by a local physician. He was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma and is fighting a HUGE battle. I am inspired by his faith and insight thru all of this - he is clearly a very intelligent and spiritual man. Check it out if you can: http://www.dancrabtree.blogspot.com/