Written by JKM on May 9th, 2009

Well, helllllooo there!!!

So, try this out for size:  hemoglobin of 12.7, hematocrit…..36.5!!!!!!!!  Pretty darn amazing, don’t you think?  Those are my red cell numbers from my doctor’s visit today.  My ferritin level (which deals with how much iron is stored in my blood) is still quite high, but apparently it’s gone down on its own a little bit.  If it continues to decrease, I may not need to take Exjade again come my one-year follow-up, and if there are any problems with the level, they may be able to actually take blood from me!!  IMAGINE THAT!!!  I’ve been pretty stingy with my blood these past four and a half years, so it’s quite good news to hear that I may be allowed to give some up if necessary to control my iron level.  By the way, my white count was 3.3, neutrophils 1.5 and platelets 147,000.  All in all, verrrrry good numbers and the best red cell count I’ve ever had (since the big L, at least).  :)

I do have to make a correction to a previous blog.  I assumed that Acyclovir would help me guard against the swine flu since it’s an anti-viral, but I asked Dr. Kales today, and he said it actually doesn’t work against it.  The only thing that does is Tamiflu.  There were signs all over the office reminding people to notify someone immediately if they felt any flu symptoms, and to wash their hands frequently.

Oh, I forgot something very important!  I was running late, and the elevators in the building move at a turtle’s pace, so I ran up four flights of stairs!!  I was quite impressed with myself, though a bit out of breath.  I’ll start making that part of my training so I can hike White Oak Canyon without cussing.  :)

I had another wonderful weekend.  My friend, Jenn, came out to visit, and I haven’t seen her since high school!  We talked for hours, catching up on families, jobs and just life in general.  I had been looking forward to it all week, and it was indeed a great time.  The dogs were also happy ’cause they got spoiled with belly rubs and lots of attention.  :)  Jenn, I’m looking forward to meeting Floyd!  I’m also sending lots of love out to the whole Gaffney clan, my second family when I was younger.

Saturday night, my mom, dad, Laura and I went to Henry’s 40th birthday/citizenship party…and what a party it was!!  There was delicious food, sangría! :), pisco sour, a DJ and, of course, very good company.  It was so wonderful to see Henry, Nicole and little Connor.  Also, as you’ll see from the photos (Laura and I had a little photo shoot), I got to see little Jack (or as I refer to him, “Jackecito”).  Unfortunately, I still am not able to give him hugs and kisses, but I look forward to that day.  He is such a happy and outgoing little boy, and I think someday he’ll be quite the dancer (and a little heartbreaker–he’s such a cutie!!).

Congratulations, Henry, on getting your citizenship!!!  And also, Happy fortieth!!!–two very exciting reasons to celebrate.  We were all so happy to be there with you.  Thanks for the dance!  I definitely need to brush up on my moves–when I’m allowed, we should all go out to Cafe Citron or Habana Village!

Sunday it was KATIE’S BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Happy 26th, Katie!  Sorry I didn’t get your birthday blog wish out in time (but it’s much better to keep on celebratin’).  :)  By the way, just so you know, it’s now Saturday, three days after I first started this blog.  So I’m a little slow this week, what of it?!  Katie was supposed to go skydiving for her birthday, but unfortunately the weather did not cooperate.  Many of you are probably breathing a sigh of relief that it was cancelled, but before you relax, just know that Katie still plans on taking the jump!  If any of you are interested in jumping from an airplane like Katie, check it out:  http://www.skydive-virginia.com/.  I’ve always heard of “Skydive Orange” because it seems like it’s closer to us, so if you’re interested, go to http://www.skydiveorange.com/?gclid=CIbHma7Tr5oCFYuT7QodDQutbw.  What do you think?  You up for it?!

Although I don’t have any plans to jump from an airplane any time soon (I will save that for after my first-year check-up!), I am going to participate again in the Vienna Relay for Life, which benefits the American Cancer Society (ACS).  Anyone want to join me?  If so, go here  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09SA/385066495?pg=teamlist&fr_id=12915 and sign up to walk with “The Young and the Restless”.  I do Relay with my Young Adult Support Group (offered through “Life with Cancer”), thus the name.  It’s Saturday, June 6th at Oakton High School in Vienna, VA.  You don’t have to join the team to walk, but you’ll miss out on a t-shirt.  :)  It’s $10 if you want to join the team (which goes to ACS), and the walk goes from afternoon all through the night, symbolizing that “cancer never sleeps”.  It’s a very touching event, and it’s actually quite laid-back.  They ask that someone from your team walk on the track at all times, but you certainly don’t get in trouble if you don’t do that….I mean, they want us to nourish ourselves and socialize, don’t they?  :)  You can bring strollers and children (obviously…I mean, why would you bring a stroller without a child?–although they can be quite handy for transporting storage), however no dogs.

If you’re a cancer survivor, you can walk in the Survivors’ lap which takes place in the early evening.  With everyone cheering you on from the sidelines, it can be very emotional, but it’s also empowering.  It makes me feel so proud, and this year I know that feeling will be even stronger considering what’s happened in my life since last year’s Relay (about a month before I relapsed).  I actually started worrying about relapse during the last Relay.  I was one of the team captains, and I slept there in my tent overnight.  I couldn’t sleep because of the people talking around me and the lights coming into the tent.  I was unable to take my focus away from the fact that I felt a rapid pulse in my head as it lay on my pillow. I kept feeling my wrist, and I knew my pulse was faster than it should be.  I lay there by myself worrying about relapse and what would happen if the leukemia came back.  Less than a month later, I would discover just exactly what would happen.  And HERE I AM a year later, back, ready to walk and greatly improved with Laura’s “gift of life”.

At another point in the evening, volunteers light luminarias that line the inside of the track, each one with the name of an individual who faced/is facing cancer.  It’s beautiful, touching, emotional and hopeful to walk and read the names lighting up the path.  If you have anyone you would like to honor, or remember, you can buy a luminaria from my page (they’re $10 for a white bag and $25 for a gold one):  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09SA?px=3541154&pg=personal&fr_id=12915.  “Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back” remains the motto for the Relay, and I’ll keep that in mind as I make my laps.  One of my mom’s coworkers died yesterday of complications from breast cancer, and she barely had any time to fight.  Less than a year ago, she gave my mom a present her daughter gave her (a manicure and pedicure), so my mom could pamper herself a bit.  Only about two months after receiving her own cancer diagnosis, she passed away.  I need to fight not only for myself, but for Diana and Dave, who most recently lost their fights.  I’ll be keeping them and their families in my thoughts as I pound the pavement (or tires?–not sure what the track is made of there :) ).

Hey, the sun is back out!!!  I plan on taking advantage of that and going cycling with Katie a little bit later.  Ronnie and Kathy are also coming up today, so it should be a wonderful evening.  I hope you all enjoy your weekend as well!!

I leave you with a video my mom’s cousin forwarded along.  I thought it was really nice, because I have often wondered whether I should approach soldiers to thank them for their service:  http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/shortmovie.php. Maybe I’ll try this gesture next time (although, it does remind me of that little girl at the Ritz when we had tea a couple years ago….Laura, Katie, Lauren and Teresa, I’m sure you remember that!!)  I thought it was a really touching video.  Oh, and I have one more thing to add.  I found this beautiful poem in a journal Sue gave me, and I wanted to share it with you.

‘Tis easy enough to be pleasant,

When life flows along like a song;

But the man worthwhile is the one who will smile

When everything goes dead wrong;

For the test of a heart is trouble,

And it always comes with the years,

But the smile that is worth the praise of earth

Is the smile that comes through tears.

-Ella Wheeler Wilcox


Lots of love,

Julie

1 Comments so far ↓

  1. May
    11
    5:47
    AM
    Andrew Colletti

    I have given up on the elevators at the dr office! And if you do take them they vibrate in a way which suggests the cable is going to snap. And walking the stairs is a good way to measure your recovery, but tell the nurse before they do the blood pressure :-)

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