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"!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Tshirt Sayings of Empowerment & Strength

Thanks for stopping by and checking in.... I am doing much better this morning, last night was rough.  Schuyler had a tough reaction to my wig and lack of hair.  He really wanted me to hang on to that short tuff of hair (that was FALLING out and was too much for me to manage).  We calmed him down, let him cried, cried with him a little and talked to him about when the hair will come back and that we can get a wig that will help mommy look like mommy again. He wasn't so keen on the blonde wig.  But I explained to him it could be so much worse, I could feel really sick.  I could be incapacitated and not be able to do the things I love to do.  But it is tough not having hair, I don't want to look "sick" - I want to be normal.  Having no hair is not normal.  But --- the new "hair" is fun in its own way --- I just need to get used to it.  I am ordering some beanies from Road Runner sports that will help being able to wear hats  - - and hopefully bring a little more normalcy to the house.  Be strong - it won't be long....  I will have hair again.  I just need a little strength sometimes, and prayers, and need to cry, just to get it out......  and keep healing.

Back to something fun....

Here is another post from the Pink Petal and there will be a few more to come.... but this is dedicated to all the tshirts that Donna has on sale at the Pink Petal.  I smiled, felt empowered, felt warmth and felt strong as I looked at all she had to offer.  I love to take photos of fun and empowering shirts on my other blog,(LINK HERE TO Tshirt sayings on Mountain of Dreams) and thought how cool it would be to share with you all these shirts and what they have to say about fighting cancer and have some fun with it!  A little humor goes a LONG way.  These shirts have been worn at senior centers, shopping malls, Relay For Life events and just give the battle a whole new look!

Mostly these are for females & breast cancer survivors, but they have such a strong message!  Please leave a comment and tell me which one is YOUR favorite?  :)

Enjoy!  :)  And smile!  :)










4 comments:

Ashley Sisk said...

Again, you are such a strong woman...I'm not sure what else to say, other than those tshirts are pretty funny.

mmc said...

Nancy - you are such an amazing and strong woman. My thoughts and prayers are with you thru your journey.

One of my best friends just finished chemo treatments for stage 1C ovarian cancer. She shaved her head after her second treatment. Her treatments ended a couple of months ago and her hair is coming back quite quickly now. She viewed her bald head as a badge of honor. She is one of the strongest women I've ever known.

Keep fighting and bask in the knowledge of the love and support that surrounds you.

Loopy said...

Hi,
My name is Laura Reid. I stumbled across your blog looking for a breast cancer blog. I'm trying to get the word out that I'm holding my 5th annual breast cancer book sale. Every penny raised goes to the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. Every year friends, friends of friends, family and strangers donate books. I drive around like a crazy woman picking them up and sell them at one big sale. I've raised about $2,000 over the last 4 years. Here are the details of the book sale if you're interested:

37 Center Street
Weymouth, MA
Saturday, August 14
9:00-2:00

Thank you!!!!

Unknown said...

Hello, my friend. Your blog today made me cry, make me laugh, gripped my HEART! Thanks for sharing your feelings so candidly - you are indeed a special person. Love, Jane (PS - I liked/loved several of the wigs!! Had to do a multi vote!) I think the short/sassy dark hair wigs look gorgeous on you! - Lizzy, etc, plus liked Scene Stealer and others) Love the t-shirts, too!