One year plus One Month

Elizabeth was diagnosed Jan 4, 2010. Her tumor was removed on the 5th, she began radiation late January, and when completed went on to chemo. The rounds were three weeks of treatment with three weeks off to recuperate; after a year of chemo she was pronounced done. This means she now needs to rebuild her white cells and build up her immune system; rest up and take on the world. To that end she seems to be in good spirits; she still is uncommitted to what she wants to do with the rest of her life, but true to herself, she won't be pushed by her parents, sister or friends. She will work out what she wants to do and let us know when SHE'S ready.

As a family we have spent more time together this past year than the previous four. That was a blessing for Jim and I. As all parents know when their kids are adults there are times when parents are very low on the priority list. So we were grateful for this opportunity to have so much face-time.

So many in our community have come forward to help Elizabeth. Everyone has been so generous. The truth is we can never payback your kindness, but are ever so grateful for all that everyone has done. As Elizabeth reenters the "real world" again I hope to have her blog just a wee bit, but in the beginning we asked her to do this so everyone would know what was up without repeating the same story over and over. It was not her idea, and you can tell by the lack of posts that she is not really focused on this now. I did want to drop in to catch everyone up on what IS going on with her now.

In closing this post… many will ask what is the outcome? Well, we won't be told any outcome. The doctors won't give us any prognosis. So she has frequent blood draws and they check her blood for any signs of cancer; as long as the tests remain clear the appointments we be spaced further and further apart until they are quarterly. They think that will be the protocol for the rest of her life, as long as the tests come back negative. Your prayers, good wishes and kindness are always welcome. Thank you.

So it wasn't the day after .....

Sorry it took a few days , I had a social hang over ( I did to much ) . Thursday night was awesome ! I took my sister and my friend Jessica up to Seattle to see my other friend Jessica Rosa aka Boom Boom la Rue preform in a show . It was fantastic ! Good music , new moves mixed with classic moves , some skits to jazz others to rock . A classic can-can and a reverse strip tease . The show had it all ! I made them get there early so we could find parking and get a good spot . After we went around the block we found a parking place . I went to pay the attendant I was short like 4 bucks it was either give him a tip, he had no change he was waiting for his manager to bring him some , or ask him if I could be back with some change . He looked at me pulled out his wallet and paid for me . I was just floored ! I walked up to Jess and Sister and told them what happened and while I was telling them I realized I had my wig on . I am AMAZED at the power of hair . I look at them an I said " I think it is because I have like hair right now " yes I said it totally valley not meaning to . Jess started cracking up . She turns an looks at me flips her hair over her shoulder and says " Oh my god ! I'm so pretty with hair ! And I like get shit for free ! I'm like way hot ! " . I kinda blushed but laughed . It was pretty funny . I'm kinda use to the way people look at me when I have a scarf on , its more of the ugly duckling / poor you / i'm glad i'm not you / i use to be you followed by awkward stranger hug sometimes the other person crying and then the stay strong speech , yet when I wear the wig most just ask what I got my scars on my chest from . I have to admit I have made up stories . It makes it not as tedious to deal with plus it's entertaining for me =) . My favorite one i have told some one was I was stabed by my sister with a meat fork ! hahaha you should of seen her face . She looked at me like your sisters crazy then Sister at me around the corner and I interduced karyn . As I finished I pointed to my chest and then made the shhh sign . I've never seen someone scurry away so fast . Hahaha also the other funny part is that there is now someone out there who thinks my sister is fliping crazy . For some odd reason that thought warms my heart . =)

Well besides tormenting Sister , I have been baking cookies . Sister gave me a challenge . To bake ALL the cookies in the Betty Crocker Cookie Cook Book . Having grown up making cookies from that book I thought to myself well I think I have made almost all of them ... not even close I think I have made like 40 of the different kinds . So i added up the cookies 146 if I bake 2 types of cookies a week , then make the normal 12 to 14 different kind of Christmas cookies it should take me about a year . I will be smelling like a cookie for ever !!

A long but nice week

Well I think I found out why sick people need so many blood transfusions . It's not that we bleed out or that our blood is unhealthy . It's due to the fact that twice a week ( if your lucky ) you get a blood draw to mak sure you are healthy . Heathy enough to be treated . Well I know when I go in for a blood draw they take 3 different vials of blood . Plus theres the blood they draw out to make sure all the flush stuff is out and they draw only blood . Then they draw out for me about 9oz of blood . doesn't seem like much but think of it this way a pint is 16 oz hence the term a pounder glass . So in a given month they take over a pint !!! Then they tell me that I need 2 pints to balance back out . hahaha It's a goood thing I love the staff at T.G. !

What have I been up to ? Thanks for asking ! =) I have been kinda on the down low . I have gone out a little but generaly this week I have been cozy at home in front of my faux fire place heater . I try an stay warm but sometimes I need help to warm the bones . Tonight though I am going out ! An old friend from Fenster is in a show tonight . I gathered up the troops and we are trotting off to Seattle for a fantastic show !! I am excited to get out of the house and city for a few hours . I will write about tomorrow after I wake up from my I had to much fun social coma .

the vampires give back

Today I have the pleasure of a nice relaxing day at Tacoma General . I sit in a over sized chair that makes me feel like I am 8 years old while I get transfused with new A+ blood . The nurses here take such good care of me . I've never seen a group of people as a whole have such a great over all attitude . I know how hard it can be to remain nice when dealing with the public . Everyone has a different way to say something wires get crossed and they still smile at you and say " We will figure this out and every thing will be right " . I like that they treat very person with the same amount of worth . I think that says alot about the group conscience .


I am getting two pints of blood today . I should of seen this coming my the bags under my eyes went all the way to my cheek bones . Last time they looked that bad was before i had my tumor removed . The last time I got transfused I did not feel that boost of energy that they all say you get . In fact I believe I went home an slept for 2 days . I am hoping for that feeling ! My fingers are crossed . It is a odd feeling to feel good so when it happens I try and make the most of it ! =) Like going for a walk or going out with some friends .


This last week was filled with small mini adventures for me . Might be part of the reason I am getting transfused today .... On Friday Sister and I went to a benefit that had a casino theme . After we ate we hit the tables craps blackjack texas hold'm and the one with the ball and wheel drawing a blank on the name . I am proud to say I lost all my money and had a great time doing it. It was the 1st time I have gotten dressed up also . I was lucky enough to have a friend with great taste and a shrinking waist give me some clothes that made me look hot hot hot ! I will be up front and say it was the 1st time while in treatment that I just felt like a normal girl . Earlier in my treatment I had bought a wig and I barely ever wore it due to the itchy factor . Well I had a lady give me a great skull cap that didn't make my head ubber hot or itchy I was in heaven . It felt good to have people say they liked my hair . Losing my hair I still believe has been the most dramatic part of this whole thing , and I didn't even like my hair ! It was thin and lifeless would not hold a curl , I couldn't even rat my hair to get a bump when it was short . THe glory of wigs has allowed me to have the hair I have always wanted . I like it . Easy too . I highly recomend for anyone .

Saturday Sister , mom and I carved pumkins . Ming was going to but she ended up only having a little bit of time so she hollowed out 2 pumkins in like 5 minutes ! I swear it was like watching Top Chef when they do the chop competion . That poor pumpkin didn't stand a chance , orange pulp flying , seeds shooting left and right , it was a frenzie . To say the least . I asked Ming what I should carve since she was leaving at least that way she would feel more apart of it . She said make a lil asian guy as she left . After the door closed I said to myself " An asian guy .... " So I made a Wang Chung of a pumpkin and callled him Mr. Ming ! The trick or treaters loved him ! I had a few ninjas comment on how that was the face of their master . So much fun !

On Satuerday night I went to a murder mystery party . I have never been to one . It was a lot of fun . I was able to be 2 characters . It was a fun group . Full of laughter an I was amazed how everyone was able to stay in their role . I think next time I might opt for a 5 hour energy before the next time . The last hour was tough for me . I started to get light headed and a little tingely . I wanted to eat but I was a little nauseated . I didn't have my meds on me either so I choose to try and tough it out . When I got home I ate a tortilla and felt better .

Sunday was a day to recope . I slept , did laundry , hung with Sister and just let my body take a deep breath and relax . Over all worth it =) . In the last few months I have made some new friends and the more I hang out with them the more I find things in them that I like and would like to someday see in myself or have be more prominate in my every day life .

Kalifornia

I had the pleasure of receiving a email when I was on vacation from a girl who lives in the mid west . She wanted to know how I was doing as I hadn't posted a new story/update in a while . At first it made my feel good that some stranger in the midwest was worried about me , then I realized I had started something that I had to follow through with and be better about keeping it up to date . I then felt kinda felt like I let myself down and others . I then had a conversation with myself that ended with me saying to myself " I'm not mad at you just disappointed " . I always disliked hearing that . So I from here on out will try and post something at least every week till I am done with treatment and who knows maybe after treatment too . I would also like to say " Thank you " to you all for your kind thoughts , prayers , good ju-ju , and wishes .

Well lets see I am on my 4th round of chemo right now . They took me off the vancristen due to the fact i was loseing mobility in my feet ! I could no longer walk on my heels . It is a strange feeling not being able to do something that you have been able to do almost all your life . I keep thinking if I think about it hard enough I can Jedi mind my feet to do it . Sadly no matter how hard I try I still can't do it . I think my Jedi powers are in the 70% of the brain I don't use . Yes I know we only use 10% but my " brain child " aka tumor took up 20% so Ifigure I have about 70% . haha well maybe less if you add in the pot smoking and I hear when you sneaze you kill brain cells - weird . So who knows ? Plus the body is always creating new cells and replacing the old with the new . I heard that your whole body is new every 7 years . I thought that was kinnda cool .

I have been having to get more blood draws as this morbid roller coaster goes along . I keep having low blood counts . I am so glad I got a port put in ! I guess the upside if I didn't get the port would be for Halloween I could of gone as a junky , ooooooh I can go out with like a gas station pump and be vampire gas ! hahehehaha . 1500 $ a pint !

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year . I love the changing of colors , crisp air , the crunch of the leafs under my feet , and the smell of the oncoming winter at the tip of my nose . Carving pumpkins the making roasted pumkin seeds yummers ! I love getting dressed up and seeing if people can guess who I am . What are you going to be this year ? I think I am going to try and be Debra from the show Dexter . I think she would be a hoot to be for a day or two .


So now hat I am being more involved with my life I think it might be time to maybe try working al little . I miss having a job . I can't really do much though so here is my plan . Do you want to send out Holiday cards but never have the time ? For a small fee I will do it for you ! I will fold , stuff, address and place your cards in the mail for you . I know it's an odd job to come up with but I figure that during the holidays everyone is always looking for the one thing that there is never enough of ... time . If you are interested call me or sister - it was kinda her idea and I thought it sounded good .

and the beat goes on

Well I wasn't able to be treated this last Friday due to my low blood counts . My white cells were at 3.71 and they have to be above 10 to get treated . My Doc didn't want me to have another blood transfusion yet so we are giving it a week or two to see if the cells get better . Fingers crossed .

I also Had a CT scan . THey did a non contrast scan and one with . My brain is looking good ! It is weird almost awkward looking inside yourself that way . The area where the tumor was has filled with cf fluid and looks like I know have a black hole ! The good thing is is that there was no whitish / grayish out line where the tumor was nor any thing new . Yippy !!

My few weeks off this last time one of them I spent with the family down at SunRiver . It was nice . I was glad family friend / sudo sister Emily came with us . It gave sister some one to do all high energy type things with . Plus she picks on my dad ! haha he needs and deserves it ! It builds his character .... like he needs more .... I was able to walk around with my mom and not feel frustrated ( she walks slower than I do ) I feel bad but my natural gait is about twice as fast as hers . So when I was healthy it feels awkward to slow your walk and keep it slow . On the same page it feels weird not to be able to walk 4 miles in an hour . So when walking with certian friends I feel like the kid who almost has to runn to keep up - I should just get a wheel chair and my fast friends can push me around =) . I can take off my scarrf and feel the wind in my face as my " patchy hair growth " blows in the breeze . haha .

More blood stuff

I had a blood draw today it went well . My counts are up and things are looking good . I go in for treatment on Friday . It's my long day so I will be able to write more than . I am ready for my 3rd nap but wanted to drop a line to everyone . Thanks for all of your support !