Happy 10th Chemoversary to me!

 

Happy 10^th Chemo-versary!

I told Jerry we’d stop celebrating chemo-versary at 10 years, maybe it was getting to be a bit much.  He said we were going to keep celebrating because every chemo-versary is another year he has his wife with him. So, even after this one, we will keep celebrating.

 

To celebrate, I got my first mammogram.  Put it off for 2 years, dreaded getting it.  Was in and out in 45 minutes and the hardest part was trying to keep my balance when they were trying to get a certain angle on my medi-port scars.  This is one instance where I think big boobs are a blessing.  You just slap that girl up on the plate and the top plate comes down, a gentle squish, 20 seconds and all done.  I think ladies with small boobies have it rougher because there is probably some tugging involved to get the girls to stay in place.
 

I have been fortunate in that even though my Hodgkin’s was advanced (Stage 3B), we were able to treat successfully and I have had no recurrence.  One thing I do find peculiar is that know that my immune system is suppressed from irreversible damage done by the cancer, I actually get sick less.  Weird, huh? 
 

Part of it is that I do pay more attention to people sniffling around me, stay properly hydrated, and take vitamins religiously.  I think a larger part is that I had a very strong immune system to begin with even though it didn’t seem like it. 
 

When I was little, I remember my mom sending me to play with Shauna when she had the chicken pox hoping I would get them and get it over with (it took another 7 years, damn younger brothers) and having perfect attendance.  I just didn’t really get sick except the occasional earache.  Fast forward 20 years and if someone sneezed near me I got the flu!  Total reversal!  This went on for almost 8 years.  Thankfully Hodgkin’s is a slow progressing form of Lymphoma or I might not be here today.

I look back on it now as my body was busy fighting the cancer undetected for several years and figured,

“Hey, I’m a little busy in here.  I’ll handle keeping these tumors at bay, but you are gonna have to take one for the team and handle the sinusitis. Deal?”