cathy@hellocancerfriends.com

Here, again.

HEALTH UPDATE: Still in remission! Wonky labs. Iron transfusion today. This place! I’m here at Carbone today. The worst place. The best place. It brings me so many emotions!! I start at the lab. I notice they no longer have pagers. Masks are still mandatory. I get sucked in to all the memories of thisContinue reading “Here, again.”

5 years

HEALTH UPDATE: Doing pretty good. Some lab levels remain elevated since my surgery in February. I don’t know if that is normal. I’m scheduled for scans and follow up in December. Ramblings… Here I am, again. Writing and sharing. It’s all been a selfish ploy, you know. I never knew what exposing my secret thoughtsContinue reading “5 years”

They called it an abortion

I was 38 years old when I was diagnosed with PCOS. Polycystic ovarian syndrome. This condition explained a bunch of symptoms I had experienced for many years, such as acne, weight gain, painful periods. I thought all of these things were so not cool but I had no idea that the worst was yet toContinue reading “They called it an abortion”

Three Quarters Full

HEALTH UPDATE: OMG, I am still alive!!! I am 95% recovered from my open distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy (removal of my spleen and partial pancreas). I am currently waiting for results of a full body MRI which has been ordered as part of my surveillance due to the POT1 genetic mutation that I was apparentlyContinue reading “Three Quarters Full”

New Life

HEALTH UPDATE: The surgery was a success! I’m still healing and it hasn’t been easy, but it’s going better than I could have ever imagined. There will be follow up appointments and scans but I think it’s safe to say that at this point, I’m done! Ramblings…. What does one do when they have defiedContinue reading “New Life”

Snow Day

HEALTH UPDATE: Open Distal Pancreatectomy and Splenectomy scheduled for February 12, 2024. Ramblings… This feels so unusual. Something I used to do so often and so quickly. So easily. Writing and sharing has become a distant friend to me. I still love the friend and for every additional word that is written, it feels moreContinue reading “Snow Day”

Exhale

HEALTH UPDATE: I experienced my first ct scan that was not stable back in June. Multiple liver lesions. The only information I know about these lesions for sure is that they are not neuroendocrine in nature. Tests and scans are ongoing. If you guessed that I am mentally unstable due to this cloud, then youContinue reading “Exhale”

The Next Chapter

Health Update: Are you ready for this update? WOW! I’m still cancer stable as of my last scans in May, 2023. There are lots of weirdo things popping up in my labs and I am following up on each of them with my trusted team. My broken esophagus is still in play. I eat smallContinue reading “The Next Chapter”

How it started. How it’s going.

HEALTH UPDATE: CT last week shows no change in the tumor monster. Still hanging around at about 6×5 cm. Not bad considering it started at 22x16x18! Much of the same these days although I’ve been experiencing more severe fatigue. My hemoglobin is low. The red flags are flying in my mind. I’m working on eachContinue reading “How it started. How it’s going.”

A letter to the tumor monster

HEALTH UPDATE: Doing well. Meeting with a surgeon about my esophagus issues this week. Scanxiety sets in for my 9 week scan next week. Insomnia is common these days. Constantly emotional about, well, everything. I’m okay. Ramblings… Dear Tumor Monster, First of all, fuck you. You came into my life uninvited, you total piece ofContinue reading “A letter to the tumor monster”