The Toughest Marathon of My Life: Chemo

My journey - battling lymphoma

Recently I celebrated my 46th birthday. I love celebrating birthdays! Then I participated as a co-captain for our local "Quabog" Relay For Life and the Pack 57 Rocks! Cub Scout Team. This was the time frame that I had discovered an uneasiness in my stomach and growth in my spleen and stomach. After weeks of monitoring, my husband Steve took me to the doctor who felt the lumps and ordered a CT scan. The CT scan showed a massive area, my spleen enlarged to twice its size and an additional growth lower in my stomach. Next was the localized CT guided biopsy and subsequent PET scan. The biopsy showed positive for lymphoma and most likely Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma.

This is my online journal sharing my experience through battling this cancer that has abruptly entered my life for no apparent reason. The story is documented here if you want to start from the beginning, you can check the archives on the side bar.

As a top competitive master athlete this year winning my age group at the Marine Corps Marathon and placing 3rd in the New England Trail Running Championship I have been truly excited with my results of late and am a truly driven athlete. Driven by goals.... my goal right now.... to beat this "thing"!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Chemo - Day One

You are all of course not surprised that I had Steve take my picture in the treatment room... for "posterity" he says to the ladies across the way. But really I had to share the smile on my face -- after the nurse had a tough time with these incredibly strong VEINS of mine.... and had to re-launch the needle -- (a few times - third time is a charm - right?!) and then ripping that bandage off my slightly hairy arms just was nasty pain..... not that I am complainer..... :)

Yes - I have the Optimist Creed framed on a shelf (a gift from Stephanie Haberkorn back in my day as a Relay specialist covering 3 counties in Northeast Colorado - I needed it back then too!). I subscribe to Jon Gordon's Energy Bus emails giving a positive outlook daily and I truly love the Energy Bus and all of Jon's books! I believe in motivation, positive thinking, visualization and that winning is 70% mental and 30% physical -- in some cases 100% mental! :)

And yes that maybe a grey hair, not that I had any before I discovered this cancer.... so I am blaming cancer... but at 46 with no grey hair, no coloring ever in my life -- I am so blessed! :)

SO here I am - Day 1 of my 4 month trek.....

Me with my Ipad, my blackberry, and my USAT championship shirt :) at Doc Mullally's office

Another war wound... I have a nice picture of the "wound" from the CT guided biopsy too --- from July 4th weekend on the boat. :)

3 comments:

Unknown said...: Hey Nancy & Steve....thanks so much for sharing your journey. It helps me know how to pray. You are always in my thought - I swear - several times a day God puts you there..it's like he is saying "pray for Nancy" or"pray for Steve"...so I do. Eyes forward....
Joyce; July 19, 2010 at 3:35 PM
Shelley said...: We are all thinking about you, Nancy! I ran tonight for the first time in 2 weeks and thought about you quite a lot. This cancer battle will be one more chapter in your life story that showcases both your optimism and your tenacity. You have a huge cheering section at ACS!; July 19, 2010 at 8:38 PM
Nancy E said...: I love all of my ACS supporters for the notes and more! It is the reason I am here.... we are fighting and finding cures... now I am a living example!

I will miss being in Houston to be able to say hi, hug and be in that room of amazing strength and optimism. And I will miss seeing you Shelley! It has been way too long!

And thank you Joyce -- the strength of prayer is essential for the healing process - which is every day from now on until this trek is complete! :); July 20, 2010 at 8:09 AM