my crazy cancer story in a nutshell

That's Nuts!! Cancer Sucks! Lol.

My cancer story is a little complicated, so I’ll just bring you back to the beginning.  At ten I was diagnosed with bone cancer of the right leg (femur). Ewing’s Sarcoma to be specific. I was told that it is usually more prevalent among big boned males- guess I had to represent, ladies. HOLLAAAAA!!!

Age 10- that striped sofa rocks!

Treatment included chemotherapy, radiation to the right femur, and an autologous bone marrow transplant that included total body radiation (or TBI to keep it short and sweet). Truthfully though, there’s nothing sweet about it.  After a long, intense year of treatment, we did what most families do –we went to Disney! Hilarious picture attached of my sisters and I at Epcot Center 1986.

Lisa, Mommy, Marita, Karin, Susan, and Andrea 

Afterwards, life continues on and brings milestones like high school graduation and attending college. While in nursing school at West Chester University, I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the right leg.  A different type of bone cancer caused by my previous radiation treatments 9 years earlier. I took a semester off from school for chemo and surgery. And as a woman, this was the easiest 12 pounds* I ever lost...

but not recommended for everyone. 
* Footnote 12 lbs. = 1 right leg. Lol. 
So without hair and without a leg, I returned to school in the Fall of 1994.  My homecare nurse arrived at my dorm room on Thursday evenings to access my port and start iv fluid hydration in the form of a backpack.  That backpack would then accompany me to my classes on Friday.  Friday nights, while most students went out to parties, I would receive my own cocktail of chemo in the dorms. Followed by a weekend full of fun and hydration – in the form of a backpack. Lol

Party hard dude! Go Rams! ...I'm such a dork 

Third times a charm (only since this one wasn’t too bad). At 32, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer- caused by that darn TBI from 21 years earlier.

Surgical resection -check þ

Radioactive iodine treatment -check, check þþ

More surgery the following year for residual metastic disease  –check, check, check þþþ

Can you tell I’m a checklist kind of gal. Lol

Age 38 was going to be a milestone year for me, only because it marks the official halfway point in my life. Half of my life with one leg... and half without. Well that brings me to now. I was just diagnosed with either (since the doctors haven’t officially come to an agreement) metastatic pancreatic cancer or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma. Not good though, regardless of what they decide.  Best case scenario would be surgery. Fingers crossed :o) Chemotherapy is a definite. But I am told that with this aggressive form of cancer, chemo is just for control -not for cure.  Most people will live for 6 months. One year if they’re lucky. Man, this sucks a*#.  

So... many prayers needed. Not to micro manage your prays, but please pray that I qualify for surgery. Now, await further instructions. Lol. Attaching a picture of Saint Peregrine, the Patron Saint for the Cancer Afflicted which includes a prayer.

Prayer to Saint Peregrine

Pray Hard. And then Pray Harder. Lol. 
I have a big important meeting with the doctors... T minus 12 hours and 30 minutes.
Until next time, lots of love, little lisa lollipop :o)