My Journey

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and reading along during my daily battle. This blog chronicles my life and treatment in my post-relapse world. My journey started just over 8 years before that, so let's get you caught up...

Summer of 2003: A large lump appeared on my neck.  

November 2003:  I finally met a doctor who believed it could be more than just an inflamed lymph node.  On to the biopsy and staging....

December 2003 - August 2004:  I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  I received outpatient chemotherapy every other week for 8 months. During those months, I attended college as a full time student and continued working my part-time job as the director of an after school childcare program at a local elementary school.

August 2004: I received the devastating news that my chemotherapy treatment was unsuccessful, and my tumors had grown. After balancing life as a college student and cancer patient, it was clear that I could no longer split my focus between the two. The time had come to move home to St. Louis leaving my schooling and friends in Springfield.  My focus was now solely on my recovery.

September - November 2004: After moving back to St. Louis I started a new chemotherapy treatment, including an inpatient high-dose treatment.

November 2004: I received a stem cell transplant to follow-up my chemotherapy.

February 2005: After a couple months of recovery, I underwent radiation therapy.

Spring 2005: After chemo, a transplant and radiation, my tumors were gone! Unfortunately, there was still some minor cancer activity in my chest. It was minor enough not to treat, so my oncologist decided to simply monitor the activity over the next few years, and as she stated, just keep "Holding onto Hope."

March 2011: "Your cancer has relapsed."

And that is where this blog picks up…