The Strange Cancer Vocabulary -by Joe

One of the many things you're not prepared for after diagnosis is the medical terminology used in cancer treatment.  As if cancer wasn't scary enough, all these big and bizarre terms & phrases get thrown at you:

neutropenia, monoclonals, stem cells, receptors, her2, fsh, papillary, psa, hematopoietic, epithelial, ionizing, lymphatic, oncogene, platelets, metastatic, staging, hematuria, apheresis, thrombocytopenia, infusion, ductal, germ cell, pluripotent, fibroid, nodules, mass, p.e.t., c.t., mri.. ARGH!

On the lighter side, here's a look at some of the really strange terms:

1. Flush - (do it to an I.V., not a commode!)
2. Void - (huh? oh..urinate!)
3. Power Port - (where Superman lands? no, a 'permanent' access under the skin for labwork & chemo)
4. Emesis - (Superman's arch enemy? ..actually, it's throwing up)
5. Code - (something geeks write? nope. a cardiac or respiratory arrest)
6. S.O.B. - (an insult?? hahaha, it's shortness of breath)

It took me years to learn all the terms necessary to order an espresso drink. This is worse!

Hopefully, you'll never have to learn this language.

As always, thanks so much for your support & compassion,
Joe

Happy Birthday To Me -by Heidi

Here I am getting chemo on my Birthday.

On the one hand, it is just another Wednesday and on Wednesdays I get chemo. But on the other hand, it is a special day of celebration. When I was first diagnosed, the prognosis was grim. So, turning another year is great cause of celebration. Looking back (as one does at a milestone), I am so thankful for the things I have learned this past year. I am so much more willing to trust God for the future, as well as to delight in each day as it comes... even the bad days. I actually thank God for the painful times now... because I know that it is in the painful times that I am willing to lay aside my attempts at control, my "to do" lists and just decide to celebrate the fact that I can feel pain: my nerves are working, my brain is working, I am breathing. And I REALLY celebrate the good times.

I am so thankful for family and friends. They/you have been such love-ers, pray-ers, supporters. I don't deserve you, but I am grateful for you. I am SO thankful for Joe. We have gone through some tough times. Watching him desire to serve God inspires me to work on the issues that keep me from serving God as well as I can. He walks this road with me with humor, grace and love.

Sigh, I am getting maudlin. I am just so grateful for this last year and for the FACT that I am doing so well. I would love to get off of chemo, I would love to have a healthy body. Maybe that is in the future. Maybe not. But this new year of life promises to be one where I continue to grow healthier inside... where it really counts. As our Pastor Kurt says, "God promises complete eternal healing spiritually, mentally and emotionally; the only healing that is temporary is physical".

Thank you again for listening and sharing my Birthday with me. I think the world of you.

Bless you indeed,

Heidi

Staying Upbeat With 'MiniCelebrations' -by Joe

We get lots of encouragement for our habit of pre- or post-chemotherapy 'dates'..often a cafe or a hike on chemo days.

The tradition really started on the horrible day in May 2008 when scans showed that Heidi's breast cancer was back, spread to both lungs and her bones.  After an emotional upheavel that day, we staggered down to the waterfront and committed suicide..by chocolate!  At the BluWater Bistro on Lake Union we ordered a 'death-by-chocolate' dessert that was so huge we couldn't even finish it.

From there, we expanded the idea of adding fun to cancer center visits to include hiking, trying new cafes, ferry rides, photography walks, the Seattle Aquarium, etc. 

Looking back since that momentous chocolate dessert, I am so grateful for the 'live each day fully' reminder these dates have reinforced!

And a huge thanks to so many friends and family that have cheered on this mini-celebration tradition!

- Joe