So I had another scan...

Hello team (really anyone who is still checking this, which might be my mom and sister) I am supposed to have a CT Scan every 3 months and a PET Scan every 6 months. This past week was a PET/CT scan combo. I have the most interesting experiences at these things. They first do a pregnancy test and it came back negative...I was shocked. HA HA!! For the PET scan they make you drink this nasty, sugar filled drink and then sit in a room for 45 minutes doing NOTHING!! No music, no TV, no reading and no talking...all alone. It's because they need to see how your body processes the sugar stuff. Cancer cells eat that stuff up so that's one way they check it out. That part takes a while...Then on to the CT. Last time I was there they pulled the IV out too quick and I got blood all over my arm. LAME. This time was a great adventure again. I put my arms above my head and they put the contrast in my IV and the IV pops...blood all over my arm and a few spots on my neck. Super fun! Needless to say I am amazed that I have this luck. If it happens next time I go I'm not sure what I'll do. Kind of funny, Kind of irritating.
So this was on Monday and my doctor was in office half day all week so I didn't get my results until Wednesday. Now I try to be positive and optimistic...but I'll be honest every time these scans come around I get nervous. Plus I'm having some additional health problems so this time I was really nervous. But it came back with one hot spot, by my windpipe on my thymus gland. My oncologist said it was common for that gland to freak out after being suppressed by the chemo. So he's not worried and I trust him. But just to make sure I'll have another PET Scan along with my CT in May.

Thanks to everyone for your patience and support while I was an emotional wreck.

Another update

I went to see my oncologist this past week. It was the first time I had seen him since I stopped chemo. It was more difficult than I thought it'd be to go back. It brought back a bunch of not so pleasant feelings and memories. But it was really really good to see the people in the office again. They were a big part of my life for a long time and it was a good reunion. Anyway so i met with the doc and he said things are looking good. They took some blood and scheduled another scan for me in the end of February. I don't go back to see the doctor until July. So things are still good. But this visit brought back the reminder of how fragile life is and blessed I am to still be around. I am very grateful to everyone who supports me and to my Father in Heaven for everything I have been given.

the results are in.........

I got the results from my CT Scan and it's CLEAR!!! I haven't seen the doc yet, but they called with the good news. I am so very excited. When I had my last scan, before I finished chemo and they said it was gone I didn't believe it 100%, but getting this result solidifies it in my mind. Remission is official and I am happy. I am so grateful for good health. I know I took it for granted before I was diagnosed and never will again. I have my next scan in a few months, and every 3 months for the next little bit. I'll keep on praying!

I love remission!

Well things have been going really well. My hair is growing back, I've even gone a few times without a wig or a bandana. I am loving being back at work and I feel better every day. Tomorrow is my first CT Scan to check on the status of the missing cancer. To be honest I am a little nervous and I am having problems sleeping. It's like when I was doing treatment I could never sleep the night before my chemo...that's how it's been for the last week. I have faith that I'll be okay and the cancer won't be back. But I also know that I can accept whatever happens and that I can handle it. I sure don't want to but what can you do. I'll do another post when I get the results. I meet with the doctor on Monday.

The worst is over or it only get's better from here...

Over these last few months I have been through a lot and it was hard. There wasn't anyway that I could have made it through without the love and support of my friends and family. I like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who was so great through this cancer adventure. I am so blessed and I have learned so much about myself. I know who I am, I believe I can handle anything as long as I don't have to do it alone, I know there is a God in Heaven who is very aware of me, I know that I can turn to the Lord with anything and be understood, I know that I am more loved than I ever could have imagined and I know I will be alright.

I have started back to work- at the same job I had when I was first diagnosed. I love it there. The people are so great, the job is interesting and I have a lot of fun. I am still the same old person I was before this, I still get stupid in front of the really cute guy. But I am stronger. I couldn't have done this alone. Thanks to my wonderful family who was perfectly supportive and I feel so much closer to each on of you. I am grateful that families are forever. Thanks to all my friends who gave me the time, space and support I needed. I love you all.

Today is a day to celebrate!!

So, it has been forever since anyone has posted and from all of us, I apologize. However, today is a monumental day. It is Kristen's LAST CHEMO DAY!!! We are so excited for this crap to be over with. SO, Kristen, way to go, you've been a trooper through all of this and we love you. So, everyone keep checking back cause in the near future we will be having a party to celebrate the end of the chemo and we want all her friends and family to celebrate with us. It will most likely be on a Saturday evening, and it will be a open house kinda thing. Ciao!

Lets give 'em something to blog about

Well, we had a great weekend. Our garage sale was very fun, hot and successful. We're glad we could help Kristen. We had tons of help and tons of people came, and tons of people donated tons of stuff!! Thanks so much to everyone who helped in every way. Whether it was buying stuff, or donating stuff or just being there, we really appreciate it all. The garage sale was accompanied by some really great news. Kristen got the results of her tests from last week. The spot that was found in her lungs is no longer there!! There are only a few "mini" spots that were found, and that means she finishes her chemotherapy in September like we had all originally planned and hoped for. She only has three more treatments and no radiation to follow. Yeah!!! We are all so excited and so relieved. She was so shocked, she had prepared herself for the worst news, that the treatments weren't working at all. We are so blessed and know Kristen is being watched over. Thanks again for everyones help this weekend and for all the paypal donations!!

Its not too late!! If anyone has some stuff for our garage sale, bring it on by.

Thanks in Advance!!

Here is another way to support Kristen. Every little bit helps and is TRULY appreciated!!

We Need Your Help

Kristen is an absolutely amazing person. A person so full of love and kindness beauty and strength. She has been a rock for so many people and has touched so many lives. Now WE have the chance to return the love that she has always shown to us. There have been many of you that have asked what you can do to help Kristen while she is fighting cancer, and so, here's your answer. We are having a yard sale/fundraiser to help raise awareness about Lymphoma and to help Kristen with any medical bills and expenses that may come up in the future. In addition to the money that we raise for Kristen, we will also be donating a portion of the proceeds to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

We could really use your help with donations or help getting ready.

We are in need of help in the following areas:

-Yard Sale donations
-Making/hanging signs
-Food-(think bake sale)
-Sorting and pricing before the sale
-Help during the sale

Also, if you have any service that you can donate for the sale (example: photography, haircuts, tutoring, computer training or ANYTHING else you can think of) please let us know so that we can sell that at the yard sale too.

If you would like to donate but can't make it to the yard sale, we will be setting up a paypal account in the near future so please check back.

For all questions or information about how you can donate, please email us at

kickkristenscancer@gmail.com

Thank you all for you love and support of Kristen. It means more than you will ever know.

-Team Kristen

(Feel free to forward this to anyone you know who would be interested-Thanks!)

#8

Today Kristen had her 8th chemo appointment. She met with the doctor before and he wants her to do a PET scan, CT scan, and a Lung Function test. She gets those done in ten days. He'd do them sooner but she has a cold and he doesn't want it to interfere with the results of the tests. If the scans all come back clear she will continue on and do the four more chemos that she has been planning on. If there is anything on the scans she will have to not only do those four, but four more. We are praying hard hard hard that all will be well with the scans and she can finish this H-E-double-hockey-sticks in September. So keep her in your prayers.

The next issue at hand is money. She is now on long term disability, so is not working anymore, and is not guaranteed her job when she is done with all this. Her work has been so understanding through all this and we appreciate their patience and support. SO, she is hanging on right now, but in the future may need some help, so I have come up with a plan. I'm thinking of doing a garage sale, with all proceeds going to her to help with the bills as they come in. If she doesn't get to that point or has extra, the money will be donated to the American Cancer Society. There is a slight chance I might sneek some and keep it aside for a nice relaxing get away or massage for when this is all said and done. Who knows. SO.... keep that in mind when you see that extra stuff you have lying around in a DI pile. More information is soon to come. If anyone wants to help, let me know.

So my kids and I went and stayed at my parents house while Sean was at Scout Camp. We had a lot of fun hanging out, but I especially liked hanging out with Kristen more than usual. Mostly at night after the kiddies were in bed, so it was nice to have no distractions. While we were there Lulu said she wanted to brush Kristens hair and not mine. I had to gently remind her that she has no hair to brush. She also told Kristen that she should come and sleep over when she got her hair back. When I asked her if she could sleep over now without hair, she said no. Funny girl. She also told her one day to go put a wig on.

As for my dear sister, she will be having chemo #7 this Thursday. After #8 they want to do some follow-up testing to see how things are going. She has been pretty well lately although at the beginning of this week she looked pretty much like a zombie because she was so exhausted. And today she has a horrible sore throat and cough. And her back has been hurting too. And as usual has a really hard time sleeping. So I guess maybe she hasn't been doing that well.

Thanks again for the continued support!!

Here is a recent photo...

We had a family party and my cousin Amy (http://www.amylittlephotography.blogspot.com/) took this picture of me. I am still really hesitant about posting pictures of me without hair, but it's who I am so I'll slowly get used to it. My eyelashes are falling out now and my eyebrows are thinning. I miss hair.

I don't know what to say.....

other than

THANK YOU TO ALL!!!
I have been given so much support, so many goodies and lots of love that I am often times overwhelmed. This is truly the hardest thing I have ever done(I thought having a kidney stone would have counted) and I am so grateful to everyone I know and to those I don't know for everything. I am truly blessed. I would love to thank each and every one of you individually but I know that's impossible. So just know that I am grateful, I do notice and I need it.
Love-
Kristen

#5

So Kristen has her fifth chemo treatment today and as usual on the day of, she is feeling nauseus and really tired. She is being a trooper though and has a good attitude still. She has a hard time sleeping and the doctor recommended some melatonin. She also has blisters on her hands and feet and the doctor said to put sunscreen with an SPF of 30 on it three times a day. Hopefully that will help cause lately she has had to bandage her hands a bit.
I've decided that we've all been careful so far with keeping away when we are sick, but my mother in law who is also undergoing chemo, is in the hospital with an infection and low white blood cells. She is having a hard time fighting the infection because of her poor immune system. It makes me think we need to be even more careful with Kristen and I'm sure my mother-in-law would say the same because she's miserable. So, if you want to visit but feel sick at all, please call instead, I'm sure she'd love to talk.

The Jazz....

I have been able to go to a few of the Jazz playoff games. I have a very good friend with season tickets. We have a blast. I am glad I am able to do some fun things while I am not feeling well. I wore my wig to one game...kinda looks real and then just a beanie to another. Don't you think that one or 2 of the Jazz players should meet me cause I have cancer...it's just a nice thing to do ;D

Here is a pic from Britts trip

I let Brittany post this one of us on her blog, but I've been really hesitant to post, let alone take any recent pics of me. I'm still freaking out a little about the no hair concept. But it's time to let go. So let me tell you this story....as I am pulling in the driveway from work (yes I've been working part time) I see my mom, my nephew Miles, his mom Amy who is holding this little girl who I was pretty sure lives in Chicago. I sat in my car just staring so confused and asked some really intelligent question about how in the world little Sophie got there. Then Brittany walks out. I was so surprised I couldn't really say much for a bit. I was so excited I was in shock. The 5 of us girls, Brittany, Me, Stacey, Amy and Alisa have pretty much grown up as sisters. Brittany and I have always been close, we're only 9 months apart. It's been hard on both of us to be apart for this. My whole family knew she was coming and didn't say a word, that's next to impossible. Secrets aren't kept that well. We had so much fun, and while I didn't take any pictures (still in shock) I know others did. We had a blast. We went to dinner one night just us and I can't tell you how much needed that was. Then we did lots of other fun things. I have a wonderful, extrememly supportive family. Which I need especially as I settle into the day to day life with cancer. Thanks Mom for putting this all together!! I love you all!!

So in the next post you'll see I said nothing has really happened, but in my sleep deprived state I forgot momentarily about Kristen's surprise visit from our cousin more like a sister Brittany. I don't have any pictures but my mom does so a post will be coming soon.

Sorry there hasn't been an update recently but nothing has been happening really. Which is a good sign right? Kristen had her fourth chemo yesterday. She's exhausted and nauseous, but gets to go to the Jazz playoff game tonight with one of her friends, so hopefully, again, she'll be feeling well. The only new thing is she has blisters all over her hands. The doctor said she needs to be really careful with her skin, and when she is opening bottles or anything to use a towel or pliers or something to help. Who knew!! So, all seems to be going well. We'll keep up the updating. Ciao!