Last GVD!

Well, here I am again in front of the laptop... Just watching the recap of the debates after watching most of the actual debate at the clinic while receiving chemo. Hard to believe the election is in 3 weeks! I'm completely stuffed as I've been trying to gain some weight after my almost 2 weeks without eating. I stepped onto the scale today and noticed I've lost about 10-12 pounds... Kinda scary. I get so full now so easily as I think my stomach has shrunk. I need to gain this weight back because I know I'm going to be in the same situation (not being able to eat) once I enter SCT. Easier said than done dealing with nausea and residual mouth sores. Just another hurdle on my journey...

I wanted to share something good that happened to me that could have been pretty bad. I was on my way to the Comcast office to drop off my old cable box as I've recently switched to Direct TV. Here in Seattle there are some serious steep hills in certain neighborhoods and Jackie happens to live on top of one of them (Queen Anne). So, I had to progress down the hill to get to the main route. Having chemo brain, I forgot to bring my wallet with me and also failed to fasten my seatbelt (dumb move I know). I was halfway down the hill and because of the steepness of the hill (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it) I failed to come to a complete stop at a stop sign. Of course, a police officer was parked right at the cross street! We made eye contact, she told me to roll down my window and told me to pull over so "we could talk". She walked over and asked for my license and I told her I didn't have it. She then asked me why I didn't have my license and I told her I was in treatment and had chemo brain. She then went into a tirade about how she doesn't feel safe with me driving, how I should find a driver and basically stay off the road! She then went to her car after I produced an expired proof of insurance and expired drivers license which I had in my glove box. Yikes! I waited and waited as 10 minutes went by... She then came to the car and asked me for my social security # as she had a Chris Carr in the system that was a wanted fugitive felon!! Things are going very wrong... I gave it to her and sat in my car for another 15 minutes now very nervous and very scared that she was going to mistake my identity and "throw the book at me". I envisioned her cuffing and stuffing me and bringing me down to the station for instense questioning... Mind you, I had my final infusion in just another half an hour. She finally came back with what looked like a ticket and I braced myself. She then went on to say (to my delight) that she undertood I had enough on my plate and was just going to issue me a warning! She then went on to tell me she has two colleagues that are currently going through stem cell transplant and she knows what I'm going through. We went on to have a great conversation about some of her other friends who have made it through bleak circumstances and we had a real spiritual connection. We ended up exchanging contact information and can truly say I made a friend! I couldn't believe it and was overwhelmed by emotion as I drove off... I think I have a Guardian Angel looking after me and thank God for it!

So where do I go from here? First, I'm going to make sure and always have my license and seat belt fastened while driving... :-D Seriously, I meet with my transplant team tomorrow for my prelim physical. I hopefully will find out when my re-staging PET scan is and an outline for subsequent treatment, i.e. SCT.

So long GVD! I've now conquered You, ABVD and ICE. I'm a little wounded but still very strong in mind and body and ready for the next phase in my quest for a cure!

P.S. Just wanted to send good vibes to my friend Bekah who is having a hard time with side effects on an experimental drug http://truebeautyneverhurries.blogspot.com/. Also, wanted to send prayers to a guy named Mike in St. Clair Shores who has been battling Hodgkins for a while and is in constant excruciating pain that no pain med has been able to offer relief. The only thing that will work for him is a epidural but the doc's are afraid to do so as he is so immunosuppressed and they're afraid of infection. I truly hope they can find a way for him to get this so he can be in peace.

More to come...