3 years
36 months
156 weeks
1095 days
ago the boys and I went to Connor's Farm with my bestie and her son. I remember pulling into the parking lot and telling Cassie that I had a wicked headache. I took some Tylenol before heading into the farm and hoped for the best. By lunch time when the Tylenol wasn't working I started drinking more water. When that didn't work we decided it was time to head out.
The following Monday I called my neurologist to schedule an appointment. What I didn't know was that my migraine would continue on for three months. That this would be the beginning of many, many scans. The beginning of many doctors appointments. That our lives would quickly change. Maybe not overnight but non the less they would change. Never in a million years did I think that this headache would continue on and would require scans. Never in a million years did I think I would hear the words you have brain mets. Or that the brain mets would lead to the discovery of lung cancer.
Since then, I have taken 950 pills that kept my cancer from growing for 2.5 years (this is just one pill-I can only imagine that I have taken more than 4000 medications total). I have had 9 infusions of targeted therapy, 5 chemo infusions, and 5 radiation sessions. I have had at least 22 scans of body parts. I have met with 18 doctors over I can't even tell you how many appointments. I think I have met with every nurse in the infusion center while either getting fluids or treatment. I have been hospitalized 6 times for 2.5 weeks total. I have had three bronchoscopies, 1 port placement, 2 lumbar punctures, and 1 brain surgery. I have met countless other moms, dads, daughters, sons, husbands, wives who are fighting the same fight that I am-being diagnosed with lung cancer before their 50th birthday. A diagnosis that is becoming more and more common. A diagnosis that nobody should have to hear.
Next week it will be my week for chemo and targeted therapy again. I will meet with my oncologist, I will have my port accessed and I will sit there for 3-4 hours while I get my medication. Next week I will have another two scans to determine what the next steps are. Is the targeted therapy that I am getting every three weeks working? Do I have progression? Has the cancer spread to any other part of my body?
Over the past several years my family, friends, community have been incredibly helpful. One of my good friends has set up a meal train-the weeks after I have chemo are the hardest. Generally, chemo side effects hit me on Thursday and last until the following Wednesday. I woke up in a panic this morning realizing for the past week and a half I have been feeling good enough to make meals for the family. And that this time next week my kids will start eating "easy dinners"-cereal, dominos, etc. It made me sad that I won't be able to cook for my family (not that I am a grand chef or anything).
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