Laura, Part 2

Cancer

  • Frustration

    I guess I am having the post-surgery blues. My breasts are itchy, I have drains coming out of me, and I have to wear a tight-fitting bra at all times (except in the shower). Yesterday, I was pretty grumpy. This… Continue reading

  • Recuperation

    I had surgery on Tuesday. Now I am at home recovering. This is a chance for me to think about my life goals. Who knows how much time we all have left? I am thinking about my career, about writing,… Continue reading

  • Autumn

    Autumn brings cooler weather and grayer days. I have two more weeks of chemo. The cumulative effects of the drugs are starting to manifest. I feel weak. My nails are brittle. I feel a little down. But I have a… Continue reading

  • Untitled

    I am so tired of this place. My quiet desperation has become a little noisy. Cancer has made me realize that engaging in pointless efforts is a waste of my valuable time. I have to somehow stick it out for… Continue reading

  • Over the First Hurdle

    I finished my cycles of adriamycin and cytoxan a few weeks ago. Now I am on taxol once a week. So far this drug is much easier to endure. I think the other regimen was making me depressed. Getting over… Continue reading

  • Feeling Good

    I have actually been feeling pretty good for the past few days. Maybe it is the Neulasta shots they are giving me for my white blood cells. This morning, Jim and I took a hike on Hemlock Trail at Coopers… Continue reading

  • Being Still

    The cancer center called me on Friday. I am profoundly neutropenic, which means that my body is producing very few white blood cells. The nurse told me to stay away from crowds and to wear a mask if I go… Continue reading

  • Mistakes

    I have often been told that I am pretty hard on myself. When I make a mistake, I get angry. Last week, I was supposed to have a port put in for cancer treatment. The people at the hospital may… Continue reading

  • The New Normal

    Well, I thought I was going to start chemotherapy last week. It turns out I didn’t. Instead, I had one new biopsy in each breast of areas that were found on an MRI. I am learning that this process of… Continue reading

  • Gratitude

    It is a relief to know that my cancer is Stage IIA. When my husband was diagnosed with melanoma, it was already at Stage IV. I think I can manage this. The question now is whether I have chemotherapy first… Continue reading