Tiger Fan
<font color=deeppink>Survivor<br><font color=teal>
- Joined
- May 21, 2000
- Messages
- 1,827
Well, thanks to Dan's recent phone call to check on me (he's so great about doing that from time to time and it really does mean alot to me to know that he's thinking of me and still praying for me) - it got me to thinking about ALL my DIS friends and I just wanted to pop in and say Hello!
I hate for it to sound like my whole life is about cancer, but I do feel I need to give a medical update, so let's get that out of the way. The end of this month will be my 6 YEAR anniversay - can you believe that?!?!?! No, not since remission, I've never gotten that luxury. I have been in constant chemotherapy treatment or radiation the entire time. I progressed very quickly to stage IV and was told 18 months was about the best I could hope for. That was March of 2000. My darling Emily had just turned three and that was totally "unacceptable" (in the words of SuperNanny Jo
) I have the most incredible family and support group and literally people ALL over the entire world praying for me. I just don't think God is finished with me yet. This message board was my safe haven when I had those many restless nights early on. As you can see I still struggle with good sleep patterns. The latest is this: So far so good about keeping my liver and brain clear. I did get a lung tumor in October and I will have another CT in just a few hours to take another look at that. As for the bone mets, it's pretty rampant. Most all of my long bones are affected and the worst are the tumors in my spine (I've shrunk almost 2 inches) and the ones in my hip and pelvic are - very painful indeed! I'm almost wheelchair bound unless I just hobble from one place to another using my walker or cane. I get my treatments every 2 weeks (if my counts are ok) and we go from there, just taking it one day at a time. I've had over 14 different kinds of chemo since the beginning. I had a really bad time with infections during August to November. I had three hospitalizations, with the last one keeping me tied to the hospital bed for 24 days. I was septic (severe blood infections) each time. The last one the nurse actually told my parents and Lynn that if didn't respond to the IV antibiotics within 12 hours I wouldn't make it. My dad calls me a timex - I "take a lickin' and keep on tickin'" My days are up and down. Keep those prayers and well wishes coming. I need to be here for my baby girl.
Speaking of my baby girl, Emily turned 9 last month!
It was fabulous. I was so honored and thrilled that I was here to see that. She and I are so close. She takes such good care of me. She is a straight A student, involved in softball, basketball, competive English Hunt Seat (horseback riding). At church she plays the handbells and sings in the advanced choir for her age (she actually has a solo this Sunday morning). I tell her how wonderfully brave she is. I doubt I could stand up before 800 people and sing 
I could brag about that kid for days and days and most of you have probably already closed this thread so I'll stop, but she really is FANTASTIC!! 
As for Lynn, she's hanging in there. She's like a rock, but I know she's tired all the time from taking care of me and Emily and working and so on. We are so very lucky to have my parents less than two miles away. My mom takes wonderful care of me and takes me to most of my appointments (sometimes 2-3 in the same week). I also stay there when I'm really sick to help keep Emily from seeing the worst of things and also allow she and Lynn to keep a semi-regular schedule.
As for our Disney trips, we had to cancel a really great trip we had planned for October. Disney did work with us and we have until June of this year to make it down, but we just are not sure yet. We are going to head to the beach for five days over Spring Break and it will be very relaxing. Emily has been to Disney 11 times so she's not hurting for anything - lol! She's actually started asking to go to Washington, DC sometime this summer so that's in the back of our minds for now.
Well, for those of you that stayed with me til the end (so sorry for a long post, but no other way to get all this out to you guys since it'd been so long) thank you. I will try my best to get here maybe once or twice a week, but then I feel bad when I only post to a few threads when I see so many that I'd like to respond to. Thanks again DISers for such a wonderful support system, this really is a great place to come to and I've met alot of wonderful people here (Dan Murphy of course tops the list). Happy DISing everyone.
Lisa
Tiger Fan
I hate for it to sound like my whole life is about cancer, but I do feel I need to give a medical update, so let's get that out of the way. The end of this month will be my 6 YEAR anniversay - can you believe that?!?!?! No, not since remission, I've never gotten that luxury. I have been in constant chemotherapy treatment or radiation the entire time. I progressed very quickly to stage IV and was told 18 months was about the best I could hope for. That was March of 2000. My darling Emily had just turned three and that was totally "unacceptable" (in the words of SuperNanny Jo
) I have the most incredible family and support group and literally people ALL over the entire world praying for me. I just don't think God is finished with me yet. This message board was my safe haven when I had those many restless nights early on. As you can see I still struggle with good sleep patterns. The latest is this: So far so good about keeping my liver and brain clear. I did get a lung tumor in October and I will have another CT in just a few hours to take another look at that. As for the bone mets, it's pretty rampant. Most all of my long bones are affected and the worst are the tumors in my spine (I've shrunk almost 2 inches) and the ones in my hip and pelvic are - very painful indeed! I'm almost wheelchair bound unless I just hobble from one place to another using my walker or cane. I get my treatments every 2 weeks (if my counts are ok) and we go from there, just taking it one day at a time. I've had over 14 different kinds of chemo since the beginning. I had a really bad time with infections during August to November. I had three hospitalizations, with the last one keeping me tied to the hospital bed for 24 days. I was septic (severe blood infections) each time. The last one the nurse actually told my parents and Lynn that if didn't respond to the IV antibiotics within 12 hours I wouldn't make it. My dad calls me a timex - I "take a lickin' and keep on tickin'" My days are up and down. Keep those prayers and well wishes coming. I need to be here for my baby girl.Speaking of my baby girl, Emily turned 9 last month!
It was fabulous. I was so honored and thrilled that I was here to see that. She and I are so close. She takes such good care of me. She is a straight A student, involved in softball, basketball, competive English Hunt Seat (horseback riding). At church she plays the handbells and sings in the advanced choir for her age (she actually has a solo this Sunday morning). I tell her how wonderfully brave she is. I doubt I could stand up before 800 people and sing I could brag about that kid for days and days and most of you have probably already closed this thread so I'll stop, but she really is FANTASTIC!! As for Lynn, she's hanging in there. She's like a rock, but I know she's tired all the time from taking care of me and Emily and working and so on. We are so very lucky to have my parents less than two miles away. My mom takes wonderful care of me and takes me to most of my appointments (sometimes 2-3 in the same week). I also stay there when I'm really sick to help keep Emily from seeing the worst of things and also allow she and Lynn to keep a semi-regular schedule.
As for our Disney trips, we had to cancel a really great trip we had planned for October. Disney did work with us and we have until June of this year to make it down, but we just are not sure yet. We are going to head to the beach for five days over Spring Break and it will be very relaxing. Emily has been to Disney 11 times so she's not hurting for anything - lol! She's actually started asking to go to Washington, DC sometime this summer so that's in the back of our minds for now.
Well, for those of you that stayed with me til the end (so sorry for a long post, but no other way to get all this out to you guys since it'd been so long) thank you. I will try my best to get here maybe once or twice a week, but then I feel bad when I only post to a few threads when I see so many that I'd like to respond to. Thanks again DISers for such a wonderful support system, this really is a great place to come to and I've met alot of wonderful people here (Dan Murphy of course tops the list). Happy DISing everyone.
Lisa
Tiger Fan
. I am so glad you posted and I loved reading every word from you, whether good OR bad. You are a trooper and a blessing to all of us! Thanks and Prayers for you!
And, more for Lynn and your parents! 
on the internet I would send it to you, Lisa!!! You go girl!! Stay strong and know you are so loved by family and by us strangers! GOD bless you.
Talk about a blast from the past!!
(I think that was in 2000.) How have you been??
)
