Biography

My cancer bio: Summer of 2006, working alot of hours (60-70/week); co-worker commented that I looked pale. I was bruising alot and did not know why….looked it up on computer in May, 2006 – said possible cause could be leukemia…told my husband about that one…laughed it off and went on my way. I thought I was tired (and confused) due to the stress of my job. The pulsative tinnitus in my head was getting worse and I went to the docs to get that checked in June, 2006. They did a CT scan which revealed nothing. I went on my way. Then on July 26, 2006, I was at my desk feeling overwhelmingly tired. I remember getting out of my chair, down on my knees and asking God for help. I left the office and headed home for a nap. Went home, laid down, realized how this was SO unlike me that I took myself to the local hospital emergency room. They performed bloodwork and around 8 that night the doc in the ER came, literally screaming at me: YOU HAVE LEUKEMIA, WE DON’T KNOW WHAT KIND, YOU NEED TO GO TO A TREATMENT CENTER! I was alone at that hospital thinking this guy was a nutcase. I didn’t have any idea what the word leukemia meant, i.e., that it was cancer. Had no recollection that 2 months prior I had read a blurb about it….so off my husband and I went to Maine Medical Center and the next day the diagnosis was confirmed: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia—the good one! Treatment was to begin the following Monday. I said I wanted a second opinion. Went to Dana Farber in Boston. They concurred…started chemo the following week. I remember they tossed a couple of pamphlets at me explaining chemo and possible side effects. It was like being thrown into a lion’s den. I had the chemo they suggested, but only 1 round as opposed to the 6 they wanted me to have. I had switched docs and the docs in NH at the Seacoast Cancer Center were more conservative and held off on chemo….and still would be but I decided to go to another specialist in DC. Where I stand now is that I’m due to start chemo again at Dana Farber. I’m in Stage IV with anemia and thrombosis but no lymph involvement as yet although my spleen is a little enlarged. It’s been almost 3 years since that initial diagnosis yet I hear that doc’s voice screaming LEUKEMIA as if it were 10 minutes ago. I was in a brief remission from that one cycle for about 1 year and slowly my counts have increased. I should have had chemo before now and hopefully my response will be good this time, too. I’ll be taking Treanda, I believe and the Rituxan as well. Can’t wait….

Cancer Symptoms

tired, tired, tired….random bruises all over my body; cramps in my legs at night; horrible “whirring” sound in my head which I later found out was due to anemia…it’s called pulsating tinnitus for anyone interested; irritable; craved sweets.

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects

Fludarabine – 8/7/06 – 8/11/06—tired and nausea
Rituxan – 8/11/06 – “shake and bake”...you name it I felt it…dizzy, chills, threw up, nurses very good in giving me appropriate meds to counteract side effects

Comments: