 Since I was discharged from the hospital saturday, after my 7 day extended care luxury package, I couldn't wait to get home. Only home has changed now. For health and financial reasons, I have moved in with my parents in San Marcos for the duration of my chemo which will go through the end of December. Yes, I SHOULD be done with chemo literally a couple days before Christmas! I wanted to give a little back story about my current situation so it makes a little more sense. This summer I decided moving to our condo in Port Aransas would financially help not only myself, but my parents as well. Although I love being at BCE more than words an explain, I literally could no longer afford the high Austin housing costs on a low teacher salary, on top of my loans now being out of deferment since I graduated with my Masters in May. I was stuck between a rock in a hard place to say the least. So I applied and interviewed in Corpus and was offered a job. After the offer I let LT know of my resignation so I wouldn't hold anyone up filling the position so late in the summer. I turned in my resignation on a Friday, ended up in the ER and hospital the next day, they filled my kinder position Tuesday (for obvious reasons), and I found out I had cancer Wednesday. I was scheduled to sign my Corpus contract on Wedneday and that obviously didn't happen. Because of this, I am now jobless (even though I won't be able to really work on this chemo journey) but now I am also insurance-less making the situation a million times worse. In fact, if I were honest, I am more stressed about not working, making money, and not having insurance during this whole process than the chemo and cancer itself! If you know me, you know I am always working 3-4 jobs just o pay my bills, so this is going to be a tough one! Now an update from my oncologist appointment today! I am scheduled to get my port put in wednesday, have a full body CT scan Thursday to make sure I don't have an other masses, and then have "class" with my oncologists PA on what this whole experience is going to be like and what to expect etc. I also found out, my mass is actually the size of a grapefruit, not a tennis ball....I wouldst preferred the tennis ball at this point! However, at least I know when this is all over I will be able to breath with this lovely grapefruit out of my chest! My first chemo is monday the 14th and was told it will take about 4-6 hours the first day. I will be undergoing EPOCH if you know anything about chemo. My official diagnosis is "Mediastinal Lymphoma" which is apparently one of the most rapid growing and takes one of the strongest chemo regimens to get rid of...my luck right?! : ) My oncologist has also made sure to tell me on a few occasions that if I hadn't gotten this "discovered" and taken care of...well let's just say in just a few shorts months I wouldn't be around...so glad I actually went to the ER and finally got answers after being misdiagnosed for months and just trying to deal with it! LESSON LEARNED! Here is a link with a short blurb if you're interested in reading it! www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/lymphoma/lymphoma-non-hodgkin/understanding-cancer/types-of-non-hodgkin-lymphoma/mediastinal-large-b-cell-lymphoma.html We may be having a "hat party" in the next few weeks after my hair is officially MIA (in 2-3 weeks...yikes) if you are interested in coming! I will share more details when they become available!
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