October 4, 2020
Seriously, HOW is it October already?! For as much crazy stuff that I have been through this year, it has still seemed to fly by. My birthday will be here in less than two weeks (I’m turning 32 AGAIN….that one just seems to be repeating itself – I don’t understand this phenomenon but whatever, I’ll just go with it). If you don’t know, I am an only-child princess. I mean, I was spoiled before, but after surviving cancer twice, I just don’t know how people can stand me – I am loved on A LOT! And as much as I would love the bday Santa to give me everything on my Amazon wishlist, I have a different thing to ask for. I would like to see how many new people I can get to sign up on the bone marrow registry by my birthday (or the end of the month, or whenever really). They prefer people ages 18-44, but you can be up to 60. It is such an easy process too. You sign up on BeTheMatch.org and they will send you a cheek swab kit in the mail. You send that back in and, BOOM, you are on the list. You may never be called, but then again, you may get the honor of saving someone’s life – someone that is a wife, a mother, a husband, a father, a child…..you just don’t know. But I can tell you that the gift of life you would be giving would be a blessing that neither you nor the person receiving could ever grasp the magnitude of. I would love to keep a record of how many new people we get signed up – think of it as a virtual drive (like a blood drive, but easier). I posted it on my FB page here. If you sign up, please leave me a comment letting me know you do. If you share the post, ask others to do the same. It would be so amazing to see how many we can get this month. Let’s do this!
Bone marrow Biopsy results….drum roll, please….. We finally got the last of the results this week. First of all, there were NO cancer cells (whoop whoop!). The other two things we were looking for were two separate lines of cells: Cd33-myeloid cells and T-cells. The first ones are my immune system and they are 100% donor now! This is great because obviously mine wasn’t working so well. The T-cells are what fight off the cancer bugs (as Gus calls them). They are 96% donor. Now the perfectionist in me, the kid who got miffed when she got a 92, I was bummed that they weren’t 100% yet. But it’s okay. First of all, they expect them to keep climbing and hopefully be 100% on my next visit. Secondly, it’s good for me – this reminds me to continue to lean on God and rely on him for strength – it helps me remember that I do need Him every hour (one of my favorite hymns). So, here I go now – be-bopping around with my two sets of DNA! See, there is the princess coming out again – I have to be extra!
As far as my menfolk – hunting season has started, the woods are calling, and they must go. They finish school and work and are off to a stand. It is really neat to see them all do this completely on their own now – and providing for the family – they are growing up. We are making some changes in our schooling – and that is exciting. Gus is loving his “school” – cutting, gluing, and stickers are his favorite subjects. He asked me if I would “show him how to read” so we have worked on that a bit. So far Mat sat on Cat – the suspense is high for what happens next! Other than that, I am just chasing my tail trying to keep up with everyone and everything. We have been trying to make up all the doctor’s appointments we missed earlier this year. I am thankful that I’ve been able to cook almost every day. I put up pear preserves for the first time this year (they are fabulous!) and experimented with canning apples. I’m still sweating all the time and having trouble with the dry skin, but both issues have improved a little bit. I made a new friend this month – another young mamma diagnosed with acute leukemia. I have been able to encourage her some and we even got to meet face to face at the cancer center, totally not on purpose either. We even discovered that we have an Auburn connection! God is amazing. He has made me healthy and is letting me keep on living – watching my boys grow up, making new friends, spending time with my other good friends, making plans for the future. I don’t take a day for granted and look at the world with much more grateful eyes now. I encourage you to do the same 🙂 Happy Fall everyone!
Love,
Lesley
Cancermamma 