In June I finished my 12th cycle of Temodar, the oral chemotherapy that I’ve taken every month as the main treatment for my oligodendroglioma. I’ve written about some of the side effects I had before— but each month I seemed to have new ones. From Nasuea and vomiting, rashes, to low blood counts— in addition …
Tag: chemo
Gaining Perspective
This month, as I marked the end of my first year with cancer, I lost my job. I had a job I loved— I loved the people I worked with, I loved the work... and I was good at it. And really- being a pediatrician was more than a job— I had dedicated my life …
What NOT to say to someone who has cancer
There's a lot on the internet on this topic already, so if you are really worried about saying the wrong thing you can read more than just this blog post. Some good places to start are here and here. A lot of this comes down to common sense and emotional intelligence. The things that have …
Chemo Rounds 3 and 4, and another “trip in the tube”
After my terrible second round of chemo (which I wrote about here and here), my third round's dose was reduced by half, and was lower than any of the other doses I have had so far. So--- it felt pretty mild, and my labs didn't budge at all. My doctors were happy that I tolerated …
Continue reading Chemo Rounds 3 and 4, and another “trip in the tube”
Making it work- going to a concert at the Zoo.
For months I had been looking forward to going to a concert at the Oregon Zoo. The concert series at the Zoo is one of the highlights of summer in the Pacific Northwest. The stage is set up right next to the elephant exhibit, and you are able to sit on lawn chairs and blankets, …
Continue reading Making it work- going to a concert at the Zoo.
Learning to go-with-the-flow when plans change
I have a Type A personality. I always have a plan, and a back-up plan. I keep 2 paper calendars up to date -- one has the kids' schedules, and one with our whole family's plan laid out for months at a time. Usually this is full with potential conflicts-- my husband and I may …
Continue reading Learning to go-with-the-flow when plans change
Birthday Bittersweet
I love celebrating other people's birthdays, but I like to have mine pass without much fanfare. Yesterday was my 37th birthday, and I honestly went back and forth on deciding to celebrate in a bigger way than I normally do this year. YOLO, right? Why NOT have a huge party every year that I'm alive!? …
Chemo, Round 2
Thankfully my chemotherapy is a pill, so I can take it at home. The routine is set so that I take 3-4 pills every night before bed for 5 nights in a row. Then have 23 days off, and start again. This round was delayed by 1 day because my platelets were too low (side …
between the busy 