Baldies' Blog began originally in the UK by a 26 year old journalist with a blood cancer on a mission to inform the world about bone marrow donation.

He has since died, and I took on the cause of making cancer care more transparent for everybody.

Cancer is a disease that will touch everybody through diagnosis or affiliation: 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed and 1 in 3 woman will hear those words, "You Have Cancer."

I invite you to read how I feel along my journey and
how I am continuing to live a full life alongside my Hodgkin's lymphoma, with me controlling my cancer, not my cancer controlling me.

I hope that "Baldies' Blog" will prepare you to handle whatever life sends you, but especially if it's the message, "You Have Cancer."

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Saturday, July 11, 2009

With family like this...

I am back. I am not dead. I am not significantly disabled. My typing thumbs are still working. Thank you all for your concern regarding my sabbatical. What was not working, here in no man's land, was my network, but now, I am back, at least temporarily to share my great vacation. Who needs enemies when you have family like this -Justin my beloved cousin. The whole family has made it to camp and probably not a minute too soon. I think I have been in a weeklong recovery from my vacation from alabama: I have,kt quite been feeling like my cheery, silly self. I have been sleeping, non stop for days. I even had a day when I woke p and I just felt sad, downright sad, end of the world sad how am I supposed to compete with those feelings while trying to be troop camp mom to x and lex? Surprise, I don't have to be. Let's take a second to say "god bless liz.". Liz is the mother's helper who has trekked up to assist me during our vacation. I dare say she is less a helper and more an official family member. I'm so happy that it worked out she could come. Her presence has brought such relief, my mom and I seem to be running around a little less frenzied, though I would't quite say sane. Her help as shifted where our energies are put, if I am ill my mom can now comfortably assist me and if I am sick I can retreat to rest almost guilt free knowing they are in amusing qualified hands. She's more family than nanny. I do have future plans for her. Sometime this week I will sit her down and see if maybe, she wants to be with us a while. This way I will be able to finish my book. I am so excited. Yes its almost completed. I'll be able to proceed with my patients as partners idea. I will be meeting with the NH State Dept of Health's CIO when I return from vacation to discuss details. I can't belive all this is really happening! My labs continue to look good, and as I left my appointment with Dr. Alyea on Thursday, he was sure to tell me that the scan on the 30TH would look great, just like my last one. Just like my last one?! Was he confused or was he just trying to put some last minute positive reinforcement in my head? If the latter is true, it worked. I keep thinking to myself, "I am cancer free. I am in remission. I can move forward with my life and hopes and dreams.". This brings a smile to my face, this peaceful confidance that all my efforts may have truly sent my disease into remission. I can start dreaming of the future again and considering long term goals! These pass times have long been lost on me since my body behaves so erratically. What I do know is I am finishing book numero uno, it's going to be damn good, and I plan to shop it around in august. I have no idea how this goes but I will be in manhattan at the end of august for some college girl time and plan on squeezing it in then. Of course, I'll need my full perfected manuscript for that. When I get home I'm. Glueing my behind to the computer chair for a while, at least until august 5 when I will be moving myself to the dental chair for an extraction. My last wisdom tooth must come out prior to the start of any bisphosphonates (to strengthen my bones like boniva) due to a possible terrible side effect of osteonecrosis of the jaw during extraction. In laymans terms, my jaw could just crumble when I open wide and collapse on itself due to the use of these drugs made for strengthening bone. Who would have guessed that one? So for now, right now, I am happy to be here undergoing some serious wilder bonding. The wilder kind is the best kind. Jon arrives tomorrow with our unit and we can officially move the clan to our own space. We've been laying low, going to the beach, doing activity books, having campfires and reading matilda every night but now that he's coming it's on! X has learned how to ride a two wheeler this week and quickly aquired the road rash to prove it. He can't wait to show daddy. I can't wait to see him either, it's been two whole weeks. It doesn't sound like j was living the high life while we were away. He sounded a little overwhelmed with overtime, packing and coaching X's soccer team, he barely had time to golf or play softball and he definately didn't cross hang the shelves or put the futon together off the honey do list, but it's all okay since we're going to see him tomorrow in massive family glory. And by that I mean, my grandparent, parents, aunt and uncle, cousin justin, cousin steph and fam dylan jazelle and new beau andy, heather, allen, and pierce will be making their way here alongside my group: jon, xander, lexi, liz, and me. We are taking over a full road of campsites for one serious weeklong family reunion (with trips to settlers green, story land, and mt washington strategically placed in there.) I am giddy and excited all ready and the wild times haven't even started yet.

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