Day 159 - Tuesday (01/29/19)

Next blog update will TRY to be posted by Saturday, February 9th, at midnight.

Hello everyone! Please make sure to note the next blog posting day. I’m going to wait two weeks, because I don’t see anything changing in my status before then. That post though (on February 9th) should be packed with info, as my PET scan will be complete, as well as my follow-up visit with the doctor to discuss the results. I should also be given more clarity on the radiation side of things.

Reminder of important dates:

February 1st – Return to work. I have officially turned in my “Return to Work” paperwork, and notified HR and my boss.
February 3rd – PET Scan. This scan will let us know (1) if the lymphoma is gone as expected, and (2) if the spot in my stomach is still there.
February 7th – Meet with Doctor to go over scan results (in the afternoon). This will be a huge day, and I would appreciate everyone’s prayers on this day.

Now for an update on my health since the last post… I am honestly doing fantastic. I feel like I’m 95%. The only thing that I need to get to 100% is exercise and conditioning. It turns out when you have been out of work for 4 months, and your only exercise has been walking the mall on your good days… that you get out of shape. I have started (as of yesterday) doing more “vigorous” (not getting carried away) exercise to rebuild my stamina. Also, now that I know I’m done with chemo and all of its side-effects (that were often made better by indulging in bad food), I’m starting a more strict diet. For those that have kept up with my whole journey, you know that I went vegan for a few weeks while we waited on the doctors to do something. Having done a lot of research, and having talked with some friends who went vegan, there are clear health benefits to doing so. That being said, I will never be able to go complete vegan, due to my love for various food groups outside of that diet. However, anything you do change helps, and everything in moderation. My first goal is to cut out as many processed foods as possible (things like little debbies, oreos, fast food… things that you can set on the counter, come back in 1 month… and it still looks the same). My next goal is to cut out high sugar items like sodas and fruit juices (actually eat the fruit instead). We will focus on those two goals to start with, then we will see where things go from there. Some of my vegan friends have told me that if I’m absolutely set on continuing to eat animal protein, try to cut it back to only once a week. I’m not going to set that as a goal yet, but maybe as things progress. The bottom line… I now know that I am more susceptible to cancer in the future (either different cancer or re-occurrence) so if I can help limit my risk with diet, I should.

Dear heavenly Father, thank You again for another awesome week. I’m getting stronger by the day. You continue to heal my body. Please be with the doctors in the coming week as we do the PET scan and follow-up analysis. Please be with me as I return to work on Friday. Please be with my family as we adjust back to a different way of life / schedule than we have had over the past four months. I continue to pray for any of the blog readers who are going through their on trials, whether it be health, marriage, financial, etc. You are and awesome God, and can provide help and comfort for all. Thank You for all You do, amen.