Dx Day #2 Anniversary

So, I missed posting it but New Year's Day was Post 100! Yay :)...now, onto more important stuff like today's post...

Aerodynamically, the bumblebee should not be able to fly,

but the bumblebee does not know that so it goes on flying anyway.
—Mary Kay Ash

January 2nd, 2001...We had nervously celebrated Christmas and New Year's and everything in between. I knew something was up but not what specifically. The months before had brought much leg and hip pain and lots of trials and errors with pain meds. It had also scared my doctors enough to take stem cells to store in case I'd ever need a bone marrow transplant...I think my doctors probably knew the unfortunate news over the holidays but decided to tell us afterwards. I am happy that they let us have a few more days of 'innocence' over the holidays.

So on this day, 2001, I think it was probably my mom that answered the phone. I was 17 at this point and it had been almost exactly 1 year since I had ended a full year of chemotherapy with some radiation after that emergency surgery. We got the news that within the stem cells taken as a precaution, cancer had roared its awful head. The plan was: Chemotherapy beginning on January 15th (my mother's birthday) for a few months and put me into remission, then take more healthy stem cells from me and go through an intense stem cell transplant (like a bone marrow transplant). We didn't realize then until years later that my chance for survival was about 10%. This was just the beginning of probably the worst year of my life, as far as how I felt health wise and what I had to go through.

Cheers to making it through that year and the ones following!

Today, I am grateful for: life, optimism, hope, love, friends, family, God and everything good (and what one learns from the not so good).

Love,
Rachel

Rad Fairy

Aloha! Last night I did some MAJOR cleaning in my 'apartment' and came across an old friend from my past...My very own Radiation Fairy or "Rad Fairy" for short (pic above). When I had radiation 4 1/2 years ago I did some mind imagery. One of the radiation beams carried a sweet fairy that would come in to my back and work on the tumor between my heart, lung, spine and pulmonary artery. The other beam was a big burly tough guy who would chisel away at the tumor. Well, they seemed to have done their jobs quite well! I never got around to making Mr. Tough Guy but I did make Radiation Fairy...she even inspired a big painting that I donated to the radiation department at my hospital!


In life, it's like do what you need to do to survive and that fairy and macho man got me through radiation (and some tough times) with flying colors...no pun intended!

Today, I am grateful for: more nice weather, an easy day of classes and of course, friends and family!

Love,
Rachel