Skip to main content

How I'm doing: Great, because there's one more infusion to go!

Ring a bell or do a dance with me on Thursday (Feb 22) for my last infusion! I treat this milestone as if I'm finishing the hardest leg of a race. You know how people cheer on the sidelines and ring bells when people are watching racers? I'd love to have that feeling as I wrap up chemo and head into the next phase of my treatment plan.

So, set an alarm for around 4 pm CT (or whenever) on Thursday and either ring a bell (like a cowbell they ring at races), play a bell sound, or dance with me! Bonus points if you record and share.

Here's how to join me

Yesterday's infusion: Was fine! I was really tired again, but I got the private room with windows on two sides, which was really nice, and all went well. I woke up this morning feeling better than I have in awhile, which I appreciate, because I've got another first date tonight! Even with chemo rash and a shaved head. 😅

Today I was supposed to: Be leaving on a 3-week vacation to the Cook Islands with my friend Nikki from Australia, and then afterward meeting another friend, Stacey, to explore Cambodia and Vietnam. Obviously that is postponed. But! Nikki offered to come visit me in Chicago instead! So I get to see her this week, and she'll be there to help me ring the bell. Uncanny how timing works out. :)

About dating: Yes, I'm still dating. Or trying to—dating is hard enough as it is! People have asked me about dating during cancer. If you have questions, I'd love to hear them, so please get in touch. I'm debating on writing something more formally about this topic to help other cancer patients facing the question, "Should I date during treatment if I want to?" 

Another project I'm working on: I'm formally putting together a case study to present to patient advocacy representatives and other healthcare officials about the narrative gap in information and support for people who go into treatment otherwise healthy and already leading a healthy lifestyle, because information is not currently targeted to this group. This will require asking for more research in this area.

If you have connections to the health care industry and have ideas on angles for making a pitch, please get in touch! 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sara's playbook for dealing with cancer

My care team has commended my playbook for managing symptoms and dealing with cancer treatment.  I can't compare my cancer experience to others', because everyone's cancer is different. But, I can say that I'm coming out of this feeling like a better version of myself, and I didn't experience the intensity of symptoms that most people experience.  I'm a firm believer in doing what I can to manage what's thrown at me and take control where I can.  Here's my playbook for dealing with cancer in case it's helpful.  Note: If you think it might help to share with someone who has a recent diagnosis, I recommend first asking them if they're open to a perspective on managing life during treatment, sharing only if they say yes.  I treated food as fuel. I learned which ingredients reduce inflammation and which ingredients help the body recover, and I chose foods with them instead of comfort foods as often as possible. These ingredients can be found across c...

How I'm feeling: Warmth from returning to work

I went back to work this week, and the best word I can describe it is dreamy. You read that right.  I had the best welcome back from teammates and others. The best. I truly felt joy seeing them, and I received so much warmth and even love back, it really makes me count my blessings. The only triggers I had were problematic, institutional terms in our work that we haven't solved yet!  I also reviewed final content from a big project I had been working on before I left, getting to see how the team finished the foundation we started and how they applied the content guidelines I drove. I couldn't tell the difference between what I wrote and what they wrote, which is amazing! This is what you want to happen! It was also dreamy because my directive from my new manager and partner lead recognized my leadership and strategy skillset, versus a more tactical starting point of, "Can you write this line of copy?" Like I said, dreamy .  There was a weird part I got through. I re...

How I'm doing: Positive reflections as I head back to work

My Florida trip brought paddle boarding, crystal clear waters, tequila, sunshine, and laughs with friends. My final few days before work are a wonderful balance of downtime, long walks with Monty, rest, and fitness. I was also asked to be one of the speakers at the hospital cancer center's Survivors' Day of Celebration this year. Yes, there's so much to celebrate!  And, it's fitting to share my reply to an e-poll question that I answered in a group of former colleagues. The question was, " If you could relive one year of your life, which would it be? "  Here's what I wrote:  " My first thought was age 26. I just remember it as coming into my own and having so much fun. Then I saw [so-and-so's]  mention of studying abroad, and my 2001 experience changed my life in so many ways. But my final answer, if I were to pick one year, would be this past year, actually!  "A year ago at this time I finally, finally just felt so comfortable in my own skin...