This is a lyric from one of my early adolescent favorites by L.L. Cool J. It is significant because this Monday I will be making my seasonal debut at Salem Middle School. I plan on going back to teach for at least three weeks before my surgery.
I do apologize for not updating this sooner but with the last round of chemo, I got pretty sick and just didn't really feel like writing much. So here is my update post! The good news that my HCG and AFP which is the blood markers that measure how much cancer is in your blood have both normalized. This is a great thing. It basically states the fast moving part of my tumor has been killed off by the chemo.
The bad news is all three of the enlarged lymph nodes are still of significant grow on my CT scan. This means that I will be having the RPLND surgery. Dr. Einhorn said that it is possible that two of the nodes could just be scar tissue but the third is large enough that he feels it is probably teratoma. Teratoma is the part of my tumor that we knew chemo wouldn't kill and that it had to be surgically removed. The surgery itself is a pretty evasive one. Basically I will have a large inscision from my sternum to past my navel. Then will then remove my insides and cut out the effected nodes. Sounds pleasing right?
Monday was my last day of Chemo and before I could go get my shot I had to meet with Dr. Einhorn to get my lungs checked and to make sure I was capable of getting the shot. It was a truly moving appointment. Dr. Einhorn congratulated me on finishinng my chemotherapy and then said that my numbers will remain good for the rest of my life now we just have to get the teratoma out. I love how he is always so positive about everything.
The next thing that happened to was very interesting. I had to sit and wait on a bench to get checked out. A elderly came and sit next to me and asked me how I was today....I told her I was great and that today was my last day of chemo but unfortunately I was having surgery on the 4th. She then proceded to say....."well dear at least you are getting to have surgery. My husband can't! His cancer is back.....crazy he has lung cancer and never smoked in his life" She started to cry as she was telling me this. Just then Jackie which is Dr. E's right hand woman and my savior through chemo said "blair you don't have to wait you can go ahead to chemo" If jackie had came five minutes earlier then I wouldn't have known about the ladies husband. I and she were there for a reason. I felt it was god's way of telling me that instead of freaking out about the surgery that I need to realize their are alot of people who would love to be in my shoes......to be able to have the abiltiy to have surgery save their live. That is the approach I have to take
As we made our way to the infusion room one last time I was over come with emotion. I really never thought I would make it to the end of my chemo sessions. The final shot, the final IV, the final room
The bleo shot is only a ten minute shot that has to be given through the IV so it didn't take very long at all. The infusion room has a bell that you can ring at the end of your sessions to signal that you are finished with your chemo. The nurse asked me if I was ready to ring the bell! I told her that I wasn't going to ring the bell. It wasn't that I didn't want to because I really wanted to ring it loud. But every time I thought about ringing it I kept thinking about the women I had met downstairs. I didn't feel like ringing it when I knew their were people in that room that were never going to get to ring it.
So I packed up my stuff....thanked all of the nurses that were just awesome. Can you imagine having to infuse chemo everyday. It really takes a special person. Then I stopped at the infusion front desk and told the lady who always got me in my private room and said "Don't take this the wrong way but thanks and I hope I never see you again" she politely responded "I feel the same"
Well a huge hurdle in this battle is over and we Won! The surgery is next but we have a little time for that. I just want to thank all of you for the overflowing support you have given me and my family during this difficult time. I had know idea how many people truly cared for us. I will never be able to repay you for all you have done for us. But please know that I thank you from the very bottom of my heart. I love all you! Until Surgery! I am headed back to SCHOOL!!
BT
