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​CANCER CHRONICLES

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A Little Catch Up

8/7/2017

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In case you haven't followed my Facebook fun, below are my posts from my duration in the hospital, finding out I had cancer, and the following steps I had to take.

July 29th:
You know it's gonna be bad when the ER Dr brings in the tissues and tells you they're transporting you by ambulance to the main hospital. Guess I'll get to check off staying overnight in a hospital off my bucket list! 
Take away lesson: if you think something is wrong even after going to 2 different drs and them both not helping...more than likely it's not all in your head and you were misdiagnosed. Took getting so bad and having to come to the ER for them to find issues. Hopefully after more tests we'll get some answers of why I've been dying for weeks.... even if it's not what I want to hear. #WorstTimingEver

July 30th:

Hospital Update:
First, I was transferred from ER at Seton SW bc they found a mass in my chest and fluid around my heart.
When arriving to main, I did more tests and the cardiologist said I needed surgery in a few hours on my heart to drain the ample amount of fluid I have and then have a drain come out of my chest for a couple days. (Lovely, I know....this coming from someone who gets sick at the sight of blood or broken bones)
I believe Monday is when they will be going in and taking samples of my mass to see what it is. This mass, regardless of what it is, will need to removed in the following days. So it looks like my hospital stay is much lengthier than I initially thought.
No, I obviously will not be able to move this week.
No, I don't know how this will affect my new job since I was signing Wednesday and starting Friday.
Yes, I could have had these two issues for literally years and and have been misdiagnosed by multiple drs. A simple chest X-ray was all they needed to do.
Hospital Now I Knows:
- first and foremost, wear the right underwear 
-don't plan on sleeping
-don't plan on eating
-when offered morphine, take it whether you are currently in pain or not, you will be soon
-you look just as horrible as you feel...suck it up
(Sorry I haven't gotten back to texts)

July 31st:
Hospital Update Day 3:

First, if I had the energy and physical ability, I would send each and every one of you a thank you for your sweet words! I'd say heartfelt but apparently that isn't working at the moment lol. Seriously though, I appreciate all the kind words and texts!
So update......first thing Sunday morning I was immediately sent to have surgery around my heart to get the fluid out. Apparently I had a lot...3 cups worth a lot (ya, visualize that for a minute! No wonder I've had issues!) Then the drain was left in my chest for the remaining loveliness to get out. Hopefully this will be taken out tomorrow. Also, the liquid was sent for testing to see what and why and what we need to do.
Next, this morning I was sent in for surgery to get a biopsy of the mass in my chest to also be sent off for testing to figure out what it is and how/if I can treat it etc since we can't remove it till we know what it is. I was told the mass is as big as a tennis ball 😳 So between these two pretty large masses in my chest I am kinda blown away I've made it this long....but answers many questions and obviously I've been misdiagnosed for years....literally.
I was thankfully moved to a "normal" room tonight and am no longer needed in the "immediate care" since I've had the fluid around my heart removed. 
In conclusion, I still have no idea about the fluid around my heart or what the mass in my chest is and we are waiting ever so patiently for the results to come in so we can get a game plan. My breathing has gotten better after surgery, just very sore from everything. Looks like I'm on the extended stay spa package and will be here a few more days 

August 3rd:
Hospital Update: Day 6

Gonna try to keep it short.
My results came back from my testing late yesterday. The mass in my chest is cancer. 
They also took me back for a 3rd CT scan bc they are worried I also have a blood clot in my lung and/or something else we are trying to figure out since I'm still having severe breathing issues and they don't know why.
Just met with my oncologist and I'll be starting chemo asap, 5 days a week for 18 weeks.
I will no longer to be able to move to the beach or teach/work in general during the duration of my treatments since my chemo is apparently a pretty tough one.
Hoping to be released this wknd if not before.
​
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    "You either get bitter or you get better. It's that simple. You either take what's been dealt to you and allow it to make you a better person, or you allow it to tear you down. The choice does not belong to fate, it belongs to you."
    ​~Josh Shipp

             

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    When Cancer Comes a Knockin'

    Timeline

    On August 2, 2017, Brianna was diagnosed with Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Beginning Monday, August 14, 2017, Brianna will begin chemotherapy treatments. She will be commuting to Austin for 18 weeks to receive treatments. This site is set up as a donation page to help Brianna and her family cover medical costs and living expenses, as well as a one stop shop to get updates on how chemo is going and even buy a shirt or two in support!

    UPDATE:
    After getting her final PET scan to confirm the aggressive chemo did it's job, we got the news that it hadn't and that the tumor was still active when it shouldn't of been. Brianna is now undergoing radiation for 5 weeks, everyday in Austin. 


    UPDATE March 2018:
    Brianna begin having the same cancer symptoms as she did this past summer during spring break, except more painful this time. She was sent to get a CT scan which showed her cancer had returned. She then met with her oncologist who planned the next steps which include to do more chemo (a differnt regimen this time) followed by a stem cell transplant. 
    She thought she was done....she was done.....and now she is having to start the cancer journey all over again...including losing her hair that had just start growing back.


    UPDATE
    END OF MARCH - JUNE 25th
    ​(at the moment....things have yet to even begin apparently.)

    If I didn't feel like I was really dying or truly out of options to live....I do now. Remember  I was basically on our plan F and everything was just getting worse instead of better. I really thought I was done these last couple weeks and being in the hospital for another little week vacay. I finally updated by blog since so many people were asking, so you can read the detailed updates.

    October 2018 Update:
    Insurance has finally approved all of the CAR-T procedure and I will be getting my T-Cells retrieved from my body next week. (Oct 10th if all goes as planned)


    MARCH 2019
    The first post CAR-T pet scan showed the main mass has shrunk in size, even though still active. Hopefully, the CAR-T will continue to work its magic over the next few months before the next scan.


    To donate to Brianna's GoFundMe page, please make sure the donation is made on the GoFundMe Page found here:
    ​
     https://www.gofundme.com/teambonnet
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