Ommaya: basically a port for your brain and spinal cord. My type of leukemia (ALL with Philadelphia chromosome) can and did travel to my spinal cord. I take Sprycel for system wide prevention and Methotrexate to my spinal cord.I will receive chemo twice a week for a month, then once a month for a year. I haven’t noticed much yet... mostly just being a little tired a couple of hours later and a small headache. No complaints coming from this side though, I still get to work and workout and do all the things I need to do. This is MUCH better than being stuck in a hospital for months. #septua
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Someone’s Hero
15... that’s how many bags of blood I’ve needed over my two journeys with cancer. It is funny the stuff you remember. I’ve had more bags of platelets. I can only imagine how many people have given blood and/or platelets to help keep me alive. To everyone who has given blood, you don’t know this but you saved someone yesterday, today or you will save someone tomorrow. If you’ve ever thought about giving blood... do it. Be someone’s hero, even if you don’t get to meet them.
Just do it…
I shot this image for Nike Basketball at the middle of the year but I’ve used their mantra for over 20 years. JUST DO IT... I get “ALOT” of questions daily on how I can just push through and not “stress” about possibly dying from leukemia. If anything my first round with Leukemia taught me was that we are all vulnerable and to find yourself a driving force. Well, fortunately my driving force was already installed into my life... no need for upgrades. Zoey and Zenaida are my driving force... they are what gives me energy in the morning when my levels have bottomed out for days and I haven’t been home in 3 weeks.
Days like today where I’m having acid flux and every bite I swallow burns going down. It’s all good though, I KNOW I need to eat so I try and have some Maalox ready. Getting those calories in is way more important than being comfortable at the time. That’s my mindset... JUST DO IT. Whatever I have to do, JUST DO IT, JUST DO IT for them. Is it easy? Hell no, fuck no, but to me I have no other options. It is either you do this or don’t... no two ways around it.
I know this sounds like a hard, unforgiving and messed up plan to follow but I like all cancer fighters have been given a hard, unforgiving and messed up set of circumstances. Now I don’t want anyone to feel bad for me... I’m blessed way beyond I should be.
Just a reminder when you “think” you “should” do something but you are being apprehensive... JUST DO IT. You never know it might be what you needed to get you by.
Finding Glitter
Life ain’t always glitter and rainbows... how much you choose to be negative about directly influences how your life will end up. I will always find glitter in old soggy confetti.
New Birthday
Today is the day... I guess I get a new birthday today along with my new immune system. I am so at a loss for words right now. Really I just wanna be with Zoey, Z, mama and sisters. I want to be with my sister while she is going through the process of harvesting the stem cells. I know that isn’t easy. So much going through my head right now... just know that I am eternally grateful to everyone! Ya’ll strength and praying has brought me here. Even if you didn’t pray your well wishes provided momentum. I love you all!
My ommaya and I
My ommaya and I... It has taken me a while to get use to this thing on the top of my head. People staring at it like a little titty on my head didn’t help, but I understand. My “sad little unicorn horn”. I know I joked about it when I first had it implanted and seemed ok with it... I wasn’t. But that’s what I do... joke about things that make me uncomfortable... that’s my coping mechanism. I joke and make light of things until I actually am ok with them and that leads me to this thing. I’m FINALLY ok with it. We’ve become good friends. People can stare, question and ask... it’s cool. It is part of this whole journey.
