Amazing Times!

Well it's been awhile since I've written and I hope I'm not losing you all. Kim thanks for the bday wishes. Steph and Erin you guys are too funny thanks again and again for all your help and friendships. Derek let me say Mark will get some razzing over his night of drinking.

I had my 4th cycle of chemo. My mother in law was there for this one. I wasn't much entertainment for her as I slept through most of this one. She did get to witness the nurse miss my vein with the first IV the next one she put in started to bleed. She actually changed a part the IV and it solved the problem not after some blood squirted at her. When I was recieving the chemo this time I really felt like I was being poisoned. Even though I had no nausea and feel relatively good I have this mental thingy going on of being poisoned. I seen another oncologist from Dr Chin-yee's team. I believe his name was doctor Logan he felt my armpit and told me they're very happy with how my lymphoma is responding to the chemo. He said there was only a little spot left in my armpit and he wasn't sure if was even lymphoma. He thought it just may be scar tissue filling in for the lymphoma that is most likely gone. So I'm hoping 6 cycles will be enough for me but I'll have to wait for my CAT scan.

Lastly I have had one of the most amazing weeks of my life. Since I've been diagnosed with cancer my life has been a whrilwind of ups and downs. I've had unbelievable support from are families and friends. Seriously I can't believe the things you all have done the prayers the kindness,generousity,and love. The support I recieve from wellsprings the cancer support centre here in London has been huge for me. The excellent care from all the doctors and nurses at the london cancer clinc. Even with all this support I was scared,confused,angry,and every other emotion that comes with this horrible diease. But things changed for me forever on Monday Jan 25th I had just finished my peer support group and was at the wellsprings centre. I looked over and one of the girls in my peer support group was waving at me excitedly to come over. She was standing in front of a bulletin board pointing at a leaflet. It said, "stupid cancer" a group for young people with cancer. They were having a get together tuesday night at a restaurant in London at 6:00. My friend and I decided we'd go. Little did we know that Stupid cancer was a fairly big organization that was started in the U.S I'm not sure how many years ago. But they have 37 chapters in the US just for support with young people with cancer. Tuesday was the first time this group was in Canada and London of all places. So I show up at 6 and there is a private room in the back for the group. People start to show up and we mingle a bit. I think there was roughly 14 or 15 young adults that showed up from london,toronto,kitchener,and windsor. The organizer had us all sit at the table she gave us a brief intro to what stupid cancer was and then invited us all one by one to tell our stories with each other. One by one these people told there stories and they were amazing and inspiring. I was amazed a how grateful these people were to live life considering some of them are terminal,some are relapsing and some are cured. It was nice to here young people with the same concerns that I had. The only thing I don't get from wellsprings is the younger point of view on how to deal with cancer. Some of there stories were heartbreaking. One young man told me how do ask a girl on a date but I might not be around in a few years, let alone if you want to have children. Or how about being diagnosed with cancer at 23 and sleeping everynight in your mothers bed for a year because you're afraid you won't wake up. How about being diagnosed in your mid twenties with an extremely rare cancer that they have no protocol for. So basically you have to tell the doctors how to care for you because they don't know what to do. These kind of stories came from each persons mouth yet they smiled and had fun and were so positive. I stayed out till 1am listening to stories and exchanged #'s and made some friends. When I left there I wasn't scared of cancer anymore and some of my biggest fears were gone. This isn't to say I don't have fears because I do it's just different now. I've grown and have a greater appreciation for life even more then before. I'm have no idea how often this group will meet but I'll be there and will support anyone of these people.

Tonight I ate 2 full onions pickled in vinegar, followed by a half a pineapple, sunflower seeds, 3 glasses of lemonade before bed. Thanks Jen for the lasagna and mom for coming to wellsprings with me.