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."

Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

A Day in the Life: Chronic Cancer Style


I've been writing like I'm invincible, like I have some control over my body and health. 

I think it's time to admit just what it takes to get me, or any person who has battled cancer for years, to get moving, to get out of bed, or out of the house.

 I stopped posting my medlist on the side bar because the contents would take up all the space, But here goes the routine: first morphine extended release, 60mg, hopefully before I even get out of bed.

Let's be real, do you think that really happens with a 7 year old tugging at me saying "It's time to get up?" 

No. 

I grab my bag 'o meds, drink, cell phone, and clothes to bring out to the livingroom where I do finally take my pill. Then I go and get a fresh drink of juice and maybe cereal to control my blood sugar and fight the urge to vomit. 

I take this in before I start in on my everyday morning meds. These include synthroid which replaces my thyroid hormone, prednisone, which I take to replace the function of my adrenal glands and control inflammation, famcyclovir, to help my immune system fight viral infection, zithromax 250MG as part of my bronchiolitis obliterans regimen, and mepron which protects me against PCP pneumonia.


I am a bionic woman, just about every hormone, organ, or bodily function is regulated by a pill, and these are just my everyday, long term maladies.


 Usually by the end of taking my everyday am meds I've started to feel whatever will ail me for the day. 

You didn't think all those pills would cure my ills did you? 

I've probably reached for 30mg of instant release morphine by then for my everyday aches and pains.

 I may be cursing my stomach either wishing my laxative would make my bowels work or because it worked too well. 

I'm probably debating how I should treat my nausea: should I take my ativan and risk falling back asleep for the rest of the day or should I take my marinol or cesamet and just get high? 

It all depends on my goal for the day. 

I really miss the days I could stumble out of bed and great the day fresh eyed and bushy tailed with a shower and coffee.

Who knew I could ingest so much before 7:30am, and these are just my morning meds. 


My lovenox is a subQ shot I save for later to keep from clots (specifically PEs) from forming. I truly believe that getting the PEs diagnosed was an act of divine intervention.

My Lovenox and mepron are what I call "never ever meds," as in I must "never ever" miss them. 

Oops, silly me, I've forgotten about my eye issues, which require me to remove the mucous from my lashes and try to milk the microfilaments from my eyes before I flush them with artificial tears each morning.


How could I have forgotten about that?

 At least I don't have to prep for ten minutes covering my line just to get in the shower. 



Thank goodness my bathroom mirror is only 4 feet away from where I sleep. I can't count how many times I pat myself on the back for being such as genius at the tender age of 20 and building a first floor master suite into our house.

And yes, folks, the above is only a list of my everyday routine.

Chemo weeks and emergencies present with their own obstacles and medications. Those weeks are special.

3 comments:

Jerry Carlin said...

Hillary, how are you really doing?
When I switched from Marinol to the real thing I did so much better! I went 12 days only eating tapioca and Ensure (just one). The day after "the real thing" I went out to breakfast with the friend who gave it to me. What are they going to do? Put you in jail? I didn't care.

Gayle said...

Hi Hillary,

I'm glad I found your blog because your writing seems to be something I can relate to. I am also a Hodgkin's patient and I can definitely relate to wanting to feel invincible. You seem like a strong person. :)

-Gayle (Pen & Ink Blog)
http://gaylewritesinpen.blogspot.com/

Madonaldo said...


I am Alecia,from what I can read. It has been sad news and scam to everyone about Voodoo casters or so. But to me they are so real because one worked for me not quite long ago.i met this man on a blog his name is Dr Abalaka is a very powerful man.I traveled down to where his shrine his and we both did the ritual and sacrifice.he had no website yet but he promised to create one as costumers are requesting for it, and now i'm free from the powders of sickness.I don't know about you but Voodoo is real;love marriage,finance, job promotion ,lottery Voodoo,poker voodoo,golf Voodoo,Law & Court case Spells,money voodoo,weigh loss voodoo,diabetic voodoo,hypertensive voodoo,high cholesterol voodoo,Trouble in marriage,Barrenness(need a child),Luck, Money Spells,he also cure any cancer and HIV,it's all he does. I used my money to purchase everything he used he never collected a dime from. He told me I can repay him anytime with anything from my heart. Now I don't know how to do that. If you can help or you need his help write him on (dr.abalaka@outlook.com) and also his cell number: 760-935-3804 you can text him because he use to be very busy some times,i believe that your story will change for better,or if you have any question you can contact me here as 1001madonado@gmail.com best of luck.