Cowgirl Up!!! ... Does Horse Poop Cause Cancer??

Monday, November 22, 2010

Happy Birthday to Me


So I've made another Birthday!!!
Numbers have always been symbolic to me... but now more so than ever!
Just marking the day... November 22, my actual BIRTHday

Amazing what I have been through this past year...
This day last year 2009... completely unknown to me, MYELOMA was brewing inside me...
Specifically my plasma cells were 67% cancerous and I was soon to be (only a month and a few days after my 2009 birthday), diagnosed in stage 2 of 3 with Multiple Myeloma Cancer...

But the Birthday present to me this year is Remission and being on the Recovery Road to Good Health!
Who knew in just 11 months I would go from a shocking cancer diagnosis, to aggressive chemotherapy, to hospitalization for a stem cell transplant, to my current recovery process! And all this in under a year's time!

I used to brag that all the DRAMA swirled around me, but I wasn't ever the center of it!
Well, hahahahhaaaaa on me... I've been the recipient of all the Drama this past year!

So Happy Birthday to me :)
I am blessed more than ever this year, Nov 22, 2010, for :
ALL of YOU
MY SPECTACULAR MEDICAL TEAM AT KAISER AND CITY OF HOPE
My body's ability to tolerate all the cancer fighting treatments I received
Remission
Recovery
Good health to come
And the Good Life I am still "allowed" to live!!!

Thank You all for being there for me! xoxoxoxo
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Monday, November 15, 2010

My New Hair is So Funny!

I've been getting out and about more and even tried a few days at work......... then the evil sinus-cold bugs bit me!! Have felt really lousy for a week now. These pictures are from the day I was getting sick and the other night at a party where I lost my voice and I've been hoarse and coughing my head off ever since! But my lil immune system is waging war with the evil sinus virus bugs and...... we're winning !!! .... albeit slowly...
This feeling lousy and being sick and having cancer is wearing on my "I used to be so healthy" personality!!!! gggrrrrr!!!

Anyway, let me know what you think of me with short hair, as I'm really liking it, and so many others comment positively too... unless they're just sweet Liars!!!! I've been told to ditch the wigs :(
But I miss being Blonde! wow, that's all I've ever been... but note the blonde eyebrows still hahaha; so who knows what color I'll be next month or next year!!!!


Seriously, this is so funny to me how my hair is growing back!
Dark and Gray and Wavy and lots of it!


And I can even Spike a bit of a Mohawk!!!


Still love my wigs- this is the lighter blondie one.
Jim and all the Hair Challenged Men want to try it on!
Hey, Get your own wigs Guys!


Even our doggie Max (well his twin look-a-like) loves wigs too!

Other than the "normal" seasonal sick bugs, I'm feeling ok. Still buzzing and numb from the Neuropathy... but sadly, hahaha, I think I'm getting used to it!!!

Love to all of you :)
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Friday, November 5, 2010

4 Months Post SCT- wow!

Hello Everyone :)

Not much new to report.... just marking the day... November 5th... 4 months since Melphalan chemo EXTERMINATED the last of Myeloma and 4 months to the day, July 5th, that I was infused with my cleansed Stemmies to regenerate a new immune system, repair damage and send me into Remission la la land :)

When I reflect about this journey I have participated in for the last 11 months... it still seems so unreal, so out of body experience-like for me. I marched in step each month to what was prescribed for me and appreciated the 5 Star care I received every step of the way ... but I still feel so disconnected to the diagnosis and label of CANCER!!! Even when I look in the mirror at my new Cancer-Make-Over-Buzz-Cut... I still look back at the person looking back at me and wonder WHO IS THAT, AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HER!!!!

But I am slowly feeling better each day... if only I'd stop buzzing and numbing at night and get some sleep!!!

Yes, Fortunately today I was able to re-affirm (to myself) my road to good health... albeit temporary... by spending the morning and early afternoon with my amazing Farrier Ryan. Today was Hoof Pedicure Day (aka hoof trims). Yes, any horsey event has always been very special to me... but now... priceless! My horses constantly reward me with their nickers, nuzzles and neighs and the simplest events such as brushing their manes and tails, scratching and brushing their slick coats gives me endless moments of FEELING SO ALIVE AND SO APPRECIATIVE to be me and STILL ABLE to be a Challenged Cowgirl!!!!

I'll post a pic soon!!
Love to all of you xoxoxoxo
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My Story... How my MM was diagnosed

October/November/December 2009...

Most of my life I was VERY presumptuous about being healthy, taking my (mostly) GOOD health for granted...
I was committed to annual check-ups for all of us, and so late October 2009, my daughter and I went for our annual and very routine physicals.

Surprise, surprise... my routine blood tests revealed extreme Anemia, significant White and Red Cell issues, low Platelets, and a variety of other CBC red flags! I was (stupidly) not worried when my GP doc left repeated phone messages to contact him, and when we did speak, I (stupidly) requested postponement of his referral appointment to the Hematology Dept until the end of the Fall academic term.

Arriving for my first appointment Dec 14, 2009, I was confronted with the check-in sign that read: "Hematology/Oncology"... What? Nooooo! not me... I must be in the WRONG place! And so my diagnosis journey began with vials and vials of blood drawn "stat", urgent Dr consultations, a surprise and painful Bone Marrow Biopsy, a full body Skeletal Scan, more blood tests stat, and then on 12.30.2009... THE revealing meeting... the "huh-what" moment ... the confirmation diagnosis that I, Julie, have CANCER!!!

Happy New Year to me, I just learned a new vocabulary word:
Multiple Myeloma!!! MM, Multiple Mye-what-loma!!!

January - June 2010

My medical metamorphosis began.
I read, and read, and read and researched and researched MM. I trusted my expert Oncology/Hematology team's plan and began my "New Normal" as a cancer patient.
My treatment plan was developed to include powerful Dexemthesone steroids paired with Revlimid chemotherapy, with the plan to be hospitalized for an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant July 2010.

I began living "one day at a time" like never before.
Jim was a wreck. Alissa and Scott were stunned; family and friends shocked.

Me... Cowgirl Up! I got back in the saddle and knew I was in for the ride of my life!
I did well on my initial pill-form Revlimid Chemo, "roid-rage" Dex Steroids and other supportive meds. I am forever deeply grateful and appreciative for all the love and support from everyone in my personal and professional life! I thank all of you for working along with me, and allowing me to continue to lead a semi "normal" life!
YOU have helped save my life!

My treatment trail ride forks to City of Hope hospital as I will saddle up beginning June 9, 2010 for a new rodeo called an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant!
Ye-Ha, let the adventure begin!

Chemical Warfare...

January 2010 - May 2010:
My initial chemo regimen:

Pill form Chemo= Revlimid (10mg, 15mg capsules)
Pill form Dexamethasone Steroids (40 mg, 4 days on, 4 days off!
Omeprazole for steroid acid reflux
Mepron (looks like yellow finger paint) Anti-fungal, Anti-viral, etc for my very compromised immune system
B-12
.81 Aspirin to prevent DVT, Revlimid complications
Allopurinol- keeping the kidneys healthy
Acyclovir- anti-Shingles, anti-viral

June 2010:
High dose IV Cytoxan chemo
Neupogen to build up stem cells for Apheresis, stem cell harvest, which was very successful, as City of Hope was able to collect 9.5 million of my own stem cells

July 2010 Hospitalization:
Two days of high dose Melphalan chemo
Then July 5, 2010 = my Autologous Stem Cell transplant infusion!

And you can read my whole story from that point forward in this blog!


What is multiple myeloma?

What is multiple myeloma?

Cancer starts when cells in the body begin to grow out of control. Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancer, and can spread to other areas of the body. To learn more about how cancers start and spread, see What Is Cancer?

Multiple myeloma is a cancer formed by malignant plasma cells. Normal plasma cells are found in the bone marrow and are an important part of the immune system.

The immune system is made up of several types of cells that work together to fight infections and other diseases. Lymphocytes (lymph cells) are the main cell type of the immune system. The major types of lymphocytes are T cells and B cells.

When B cells respond to an infection, they mature and change into plasma cells. Plasma cells make the antibodies (also called immunoglobulins) that help the body attack and kill germs. Lymphocytes are in many areas of the body, such as lymph nodes, the bone marrow, the intestines, and the bloodstream. Plasma cells, however, are mainly found in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside some hollow bones. In addition to plasma cells, normal bone marrow has cells that make the different normal blood cells.

When plasma cells become cancerous and grow out of control, they can produce a tumor called a plasmacytoma. These tumors generally develop in a bone, but they are also rarely found in other tissues. If someone has only a single plasma cell tumor, the disease is called an isolated (or solitary) plasmacytoma. If someone has more than one plasmacytoma, they have multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is characterized by several features, including:

Low blood counts

In multiple myeloma, the overgrowth of plasma cells in the bone marrow can crowd out normal blood-forming cells, leading to low blood counts. This can cause anemia – a shortage of red blood cells. People with anemia become pale, weak, and fatigued. Multiple myeloma can also cause the level of platelets in the blood to become low (called thrombocytopenia). This can lead to increased bleeding and bruising. Another condition that can develop is leukopenia – a shortage of normal white blood cells. This can lead to problems fighting infections.

Bone and calcium problems

Myeloma cells also interfere with cells that help keep the bones strong. Bones are constantly being remade to keep them strong. Two major kinds of bone cells normally work together to keep bones healthy and strong. The cells that lay down new bone are called osteoblasts. The cells that break down old bone are called osteoclasts. Myeloma cells make a substance that tells the osteoclasts to speed up dissolving the bone. Since the osteoblasts do not get a signal to put down new bone, old bone is broken down without new bone to replace it. This makes the bones weak and they break easily. Fractured bones are a major problem in people with myeloma. This increase in bone break-down can also raise calcium levels in the blood. (Problems caused by high calcium levels are discussed in the section “How is multiple myeloma diagnosed?”)

Infections

Abnormal plasma cells do not protect the body from infections. As mentioned before, normal plasma cells produce antibodies that attack germs. For example, if you developed pneumonia, normal plasma cells would produce antibodies aimed at the specific bacteria that were causing the illness. These antibodies help the body attack and kill the bacteria. In multiple myeloma, the myeloma cells crowd out the normal plasma cells, so that antibodies to fight the infection can’t be made. The antibody made by the myeloma cells does not help fight infections. That’s because the myeloma cells are just many copies of the same plasma cell – all making copies of the same exact (or monoclonal) antibody.

Kidney problems

The antibody made by myeloma cells can harm the kidneys. This can lead to kidney damage and even kidney failure.