Friday, August 9, 2013

1 YEAR CANCERVERSARY

As you may already know, today I hit the one year mark since my diagnosis of DIPG. A lot has changed this last year for me, too much in my opinion. But I MADE IT! (Sorry about all the Capitalized letters, I'm just trying to display my excitement through text)! Anyways, I wanted to thank everyone that's made this last year bearable for me and my family! It's weird think now that I have had cancer for a year. To tell me I would have made it to this point is even weirder!

Rachel's Timeline:
August 9th, 2012 Diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma on my Brain Stem
August 19th, 2012 Moved to Memphis, TN to be treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
August 28th, 2012 Started Chemotherapy and Irradiation-30 rounds of Irradiation, and 270 rounds of Chemo
October 9th, 2012 Moved home from St. Jude's
June 4th, 2013 Diagnosed with a Glioblastoma on my spine L4 L5 and S1
June 6th, 2013 Removal surgery of the Glioblastoma tumor they diagnosed me with
June 17th, 2013 Removal of 29 staples in my back
July 8th, 2013 Started 1/27 round of Radiation
August 9th, 2013 CANCERVERSARY and three radiation treatments left!
August 10th, 2013 WHO KNOWS!?

One of the child life specialists I met with when I was first diagnosed, after telling me what all about my life would change, and how life would be different, asked me if I had any questions for her. So naturally, me being my curious self I asked her "When I'm going to get my life back and be a normal kid again?" And she replied "Honey, life as you know it, is never going to be the same. Everything from now on is going to be very much different. You're going to have all your old problems that most kids your age have, but you're going to have it a lot harder with this on top of everything else. Nothing will be the same."
When she said that, it kind of hurt! Here I am trying to be a normal 17 year old, and she came in and rained on my parade! But I was looking for honesty!-Just not so brutal...

Anyways, what does that have to do with anything? Everything- today I marked 365 days of being cancerous off my calendar, and for some of it I have gotten to feel like a normal teenager, who still gets to do normal things, and that's only because the help I've so generously been given, between my friends, family, blog supporters, doctors, and many more.

I'm only three treatments away from finishing this round of radiation, and I haven't thrown up once or anything! Must be cause of my amazing doctors at the Huntsman Cancer Radiation Center in Provo! I will be starting chemotherapy soon, and will be doing it orally again (PRAISE THE HEAVENS!) it will be 5 days on 23 off!

So- to the Child Life Specialist who said I could never have my life back- you were very very wrong! And although my life has changed, and I have things hard, there are also so many blessings and opportunities that have come along with it.

I CAN DO HARD THINGS
Rach365
ps my sister Heather got married! Here are some pics of the wedding! Welcome to the family Cody! WE LOVE YOU!



















Oh and Diane and I are raising caterpillars! I'll post again soon! XOXO!

11 comments:

  1. This post makes me happy all over--so happy for the joyous celebrations!

    P.S. I wish I could have come to the reception to celebrate with all of you. I love all the ideas!

    Jaimi

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  2. I am so, so, so happy to see you succeeding! I remember just randomly running into your blog on Google last August and being intrigued ever since. It's people like you who inspire me to keep going, because if you can do it then there's no reason that I can't. God is good and you can SO do hard things! Keep going, Rachel, because you're kicking this nasty disease's ass! Congrats on one year! I hope to see many more! ♥

    P.S. You and your entire family look beautiful in the wedding pics! I love it!

    - Emily.

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  3. Way to go Rachel!!! I remember so well that first year mark! I am a fellow survivor and I have loved all that cancer has taught me. You keep on living every day and remember that only Heavenly Father knows when it's time for you to return to Him. I always felt better when I thought of the fact that I was really no different than anybody else in this world. We're all in the same boat. There are people that die every minute from car accidents, drowning, other illness, etc. The point is that none of us know when our earthly journey is over so we need to just live every day, be grateful for every moment we have and strive to do our best. I'm proud of you and the way you have lived this last year. You will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. Love, Tracy

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  4. What a beautiful celebration! Cody is my cousin & I wish I could have been there to celebrate with you! Congratulations on your 1 year mark~I have been reading thru your blog & you are an amazing young lady & and inspiration to so many people!! Thank you for sharing your journey with everyone!!

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  5. Love the photos! What a beautiful family! I love you guys' dresses and that cake is so pretty! Happy 1 year Cancerversary and I wish you many more!

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  6. An amazing journey, and you've been no less amazing through it all.

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  7. Admin, if not okay please remove!

    Our facebook group “selfless” is spending this month spreading awareness on prostate cancer & research with a custom t-shirt design. Purchase proceeds will go to cancer.org, as listed on the shirt and shirt design.

    Thanks

    www.teespring.com/prostate-cancer-research

    ReplyDelete
  8. شركة نقل اثاث في دبي من افضل الشركات المتخصصة في مجال نقل وتخزين الاثاث في الامارات فريق محترف ومهني في نقل الاثاث تغليف الاثاث بشكل متقن وعناية فائقة
    خدمة نقل اثاث تتميز بسرعة والسعر الرخيص مع توفير خدمة نقل اثاث شاملة من الباب للباب
    نقل اثاث دبي
    شركة نقل اثاث دبي
    نقل اثاث الشارقة
    نقل اثاث ابوظبي
    نقل اثاث العين
    نقل اثاث الفجيرة

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  9. افضل شركات الشحن في الامارات شحن بري بحري جوي شحن اثاث سيارات عفش فرش معدات ثقيلة بضائع من دبي الامارات الى جميع دول الخليج والعالم العربي السعودية الكويت البحرين لبنان العراق
    شحن من دبي بواسطة شركة بي بي سي لخدمات الشحن الدولي
    شحن من الامارات الى العراق
    شحن من الامارات الى لبنان
    شحن من الامارات الى السعودية
    شحن من الامارات الى الكويت
    شحن من الامارات الى البحرين

    ReplyDelete