New Year Update

Happy 2011!


I can not believe that 2010 is over. It was one of the best years, if not the best, of my life. Entering 2011, I'm trying to keep up the optimism. I don't want to look at this year as the year I had cancer, but rather the year my life changed paths a bit. 


So my first chemo has passed and it wasn't a cake walk. Last time I video updated, I wasn't feeling too terribly - but that changed. I was sore most of the following week from the neulasta shot that I had (neulasta increases white blood cell production in marrow). The nurse described the soreness as "flu like symptoms" because of the achy feeling in the bones. I also had a sore mouth for two days and I was only able to eat popsicles and pudding with plastic ware. Everything else tasted like hot metal in my mouth. That wasn't fun. But other than that and the fatigue, I did pretty well. No nausea at all thanks to all the meds!


I went to my first check up on the 28th and everything went extremely well. All of my blood counts were great and I had responded pretty darn well to chemo. As I said in my last video, I could feel the tumor in my neck had shrunken already. Despite my mom's disbelief, the nurse said that chemo actually does work that fast and the doctor confirmed that it had started to shrink. No mom, it wasn't wishful thinking. I'm not crazy!


I also checked out some wigs recently for when/if my hair falls out. We found one that was just about perfect. It needs a little adjustment, but when the time comes I'll have a perfect hair day every day!


I feel perfectly fine this week and have been out and about visiting with friends before they all leave to go back to school. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do while I'm at home alone, but I hope to make the best of it. 


Hopefully everyone had a great New Year and will continue to have a great year.

Thanks for the support!
Lauren