Here is to #livinglife in July!

Right now, I am sitting in my newly update backyard which really turned into a hidden paradise for me, the wind has kicked up, it is 5:30ish and still 72 degrees out which is lovely and I am happy.  The dogs have learned to just chill out here with me (well except for Charlie Bear).  Life feels really good right now. I am 10 days out since my last round of chemo and I feel good. Perhaps the glass (or two) of sparking rose has helped me to feel so good - but that is what makes this even better - I am enjoying a glass of sparkling wine. It doesn't taste weird or metallic, in fact, it tastes fantastic!

Tomorrow, I have a bone marrow biopsy.  Have any of you had one? The first one, in January 2019 - I really was a warrior, I did it in the doctors office with some local numbing stuff. Then in July of 2019, the oncologist (we call him Dr. Danny) tried to do it again, but my nerves had become so sensitive from all of the chemo - he stopped before I did....he said he could not keep putting me through that pain.  They basically stick a needle into your bone and pull out some marrow (OUCH, right?), so they sent me to Hoag Hospital to have it done under twilight anesthesia which honestly still really hurts but it is quick. So tomorrow I get to do that again.  It will let us know if there is any cancer left in my bone marrow. When I was originally diagnosed, 90% of my bone marrow was cancer. 

Friday, is a day to celebrate, I get that damn port removed from my chest. The one that they placed this time with the catheter over my collar bone and right into my jugular - so for the last 6 months, every time I turned my head, I felt it tug. It has been awful and uncomfortable, sleeping in any position other than on my back, impossible, and when I asked at two months in,  if we could fix it, they said "is it oozing? swollen?" No, I said just extremely uncomfortable, which they replied, we cannot help you if it is just uncomfortable - so as soon as I heard that they are not using it for the stem cell transplant - I said - let's get that thing out of me. and so July 9th - they will do that!! 
Great advice from a new friend "Take the port with you to the bars on Friday and wave it around like a trophy"  - so you know where I will be Friday night! 

The following week is filled with a Petscan, a full day of pre-transplant workup tests (chest x-ray pulmonary function test, echocardiogram, echo doppler,  full blood panel including a check for infectious diseases, and a call with a social worker to be sure I have support when I get home from the hospital.  After the 16th of July, I should get to really just #livelife until August 6th when they start the mobilization/harvesting of my stem cells (we can discuss that in another post).  

So....for now. I am going to enjoy tonight and all of my good days, my July.  Walks on the beach, coffee with friends, evenings in my backyard with a glass of something cold.  If you want to join me....reach out! I already have a duffy boat ride on the books, and I am ready to fill my dance card at least for the next couple weeks.