Thursday, February 25, 2010

Back for a Visit

Last Friday came along and I had a wonderful day of thrift store shopping with my mom. We lucked out because everything was 1/2 off at the Salvation Army and we were able to find some amazing deals on things that looked pretty much brand new. We pretty much spent all day out and I was very worn out come the end of the day. Then as I was trying to fall asleep that night I found my stomach acting up and before I knew it I was vomiting uncontrollably. Yuck!!! I wasn't able to get any sleep that night, so I spent the next day laying in bed next to my mom while I continued to be unable to keep any fluids or medicine down. I felt pretty miserable, something I haven't experienced for quite a while now. So Saturday was spent trying to get better but come Sunday I was still going through all this yucky stuff. So yep you guessed it we had to make a call to the BMT doctor on call Sunday and they said that I needed to come into the ER right away.
We made the drive down to San Diego Sunday night and had a "great" visit to the emergency room. I was very dehydrated and in a lot of pain. After talking through things and spending 7 hours in the ER they decided it would be best to admit me in the hospital. It had been 7 months since I have had the privilege to stay at the "resort in La Jolla" (: I was really hoping to make it at least a year but I guess it wasn't in the cards for me. They gave me lots of fluids and ran lots of different tests to try to figure out why I randomly keep having these vomiting episodes. All my tests so far have come back clear which is good but it is frustrating at the same time because we still have no idea why this is still happening. They are switching meds around AGAIN, hoping to figure out a way to control these episodes with still getting me off the steroids. A hard task to say the least. So I was released and able to come home yesterday afternoon. Four days in the hospital was plenty of time for me. It was really nice to see all the nurses and doctors on 3 West that I haven't seen in quite a while. I was able to catch up with them, like seeing old friends. They were so happy to see me but not at the same time. One of those bitter sweet situations. They really don't want me to be there but enjoy talking with and seeing me again. It was neat because I was able to chat with one of the nurses Jessica that I have gotten to know over the course of my treatments. She actually lived across the street from us when we lived in the apartment by the hospital. She was going on a backpacking trip this past Fall and back in August I had helped her buy her equipment for the trip and given her some advice and tips on the little I know about backpacking. It was fun to hear about her trip though and catch up on what we both have been doing. I love and am so thankful for the relationships that I have been able to develop through this time.
So anyways I am back home now and feeling a whole lot better. I just hope that some of these things get figured out eventually. But for now I am enjoying my own bed and room again. Also my wonderful puppies (they are dogs but I call them my pups). They really have a hard time while I am gone, they seem to know that something is wrong and have a lot of anxiety. So all is well and I am recovering from another stay at the hospital. It always takes me time to catch up on sleep because you definitely don't get too much sleep or rest while staying in the hospital. All I have to say now is it is good to be home!!!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Sushi and Seals




My mom and I enjoyed a delightful lunch at a Japanese Sushi Bar. It was nice to get out on a beautiful day and enjoy a wonderful meal with my wonderful mother. The food was so delicious. My mouth is just salivating thinking of how yummy it was. It is one of our favorite restaurants to go to. They give you so much food and usually I have quite a bit left over, but I think yesterday I almost finished everything. It tasted so fresh with its ingredients. Yum Yum!!!
After eating we decided it would be nice to go take a walk along the beach. It was such a perfect California day; 75 degrees, the sun shinning and a slight breeze in the air, PERFECTION! We took a nice stroll and got to take some pictures of the seals. It is the start of pupping season so we were even able to see some little ones. The pup count is at 6 right now with 2 born just yesterday. They are so adorable and looked like they were having a good ol' time bathing themselves in the sun. I love animals and watching them and their unique personalities. I love the beach, it is such a breath of fresh air.








Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Express Yourself

Here is a photo I took in my backyard this morning. It was such a beautiful day to be outside. I love Southern California weather. Flowers year round. BEAUTIFUL!!!

Have you ever wished that you were talented at something you clearly don't have the gift for? I found myself wishing that I was able to contribute to cancer research through running marathons or things such as that. I wanted to just go out and buy some new running shoes and all the gear the other day. I am clearly not a runner, let alone a marathon runner. Then I started thinking....... Running isn't the only thing someone can do to help out. We all have our own ways that we contribute to certain things or organizations. As I started thinking about it I realized that I guess I give back through my baking and crafts that give out. If we all did one thing the same, all the bases wouldn't be covered.
So what I am trying to say is go and express yourself in the things you love to do. I know a lot of times we wish we were better at certain other things, but God made us all unique and special. Don't spend your time worrying over what you can't do and evaluate the talents you have been given and give back to others with those gifts of yours. Be who you are and be proud of it!!!


*P.S.*- I am attempting another blog right now. It is a baking blog called Heavenly Decadence. I am excited about this new adventure because I am hoping to maybe eventually turn it into a little baking business. Quite a few people have asked if I would sell the things I make, so why not? I am sure it will be super slow, but I am enjoying putting things together for it. So please check it out. I have a link on the right for it. Hope you enjoy it and I also hope everyone had a great Valentines Day!!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Quilt for a friend


Here is a wall hanging quilt that I made for a friend. I just finished quilting it last weekend and have just the binding to put on and finish. Then off in the mail. I really hope that she enjoys it. I had a lot of fun making it.

Medical Update: Well I had an appointment with my doctor on Friday. I haven't seen him in quite a while because he has had some family things and had taken some time off, so it was really nice to see him again and catch up. Everything continues to look well and all of my labs are stable. We are shifting some of my meds around so hopefully the steroids will be gone soon. He has decided that we will lower my dose of the high dose steroids and increase my immuneo-suppressants to see if they work off each other. It is such a trial and error thing with these meds. It will be nice when we finally figure out the magic formula and I am able to get off them and get back to what a normal 24 year old is supposed to be doing as my doctor says. He said that if he can't figure it out soon I can fire him as my doctor, hahahaha!!!!! Like that is ever going to happen. He is the best!! They also want me to get on an exercise and strength training schedule. He wants me to build my muscle strength back up after all the damage the steroids have done and the fact that going through early menopause can cause osteoporosis.
Oh, and some exciting news (at least for me) I can finally put my hair in a ponytail. Yeah!!!!! Jump for joy! Well it is not the largest ponytail but at least I can put it up from my neck. It was simply driving me nuts. I love these little milestones and celebrating them. I have to say though, sometimes I miss being bald. I mean it was so much easier and COOLER. Oh my goodness I am already dreading summer with hair again. It was nice to just be able to let my bald head cool the rest of my body down. But I am so thankful for my hair growing back and my new tight curly locks.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Preserving Memories


As I was going through things in my closet the other day I came across my LARGE container with all of my wonderful gifts and cards that have been sent to me during my treatment and recovery time. I have kept all of them in there to keep and remind me of all the amazing people that have supported me through this and to see how far I have come since the beginning. I kept all of my cards and letters in a big shoebox. I was going through them and thought it might be neat to somehow put them in a scrapbook to preserve them better. Just cut them and arrange them in a cute way so I am able to just pick up the book whenever I want to be reminded of all the encouragement and sweet notes from loved ones. If anyone has any other ideas of what to do with them, I would love to hear them. (:


I also wanted to mention a young boy, actually a baby who was diagnosed with Acute Biphenotypic leukemia just like me. It is such a rare form of leukemia that when you hear of another person with it, it catches your eye. I heard about it through another blog of a woman who received a transplant the week before me and I have been following her blog ever since. This little boy is not even a year old and is need of a bone marrow transplant. He is Asian American so as I have said before it is very, very difficult to find a match for minorities. They just had a bone marrow drive for him but are still searching. Reading his story just reminded me again of the overwhelming need for people to get on the bone marrow registry list. I encourage everyone to register!!! It is simple and painless, just a swab in the mouth to potentially save someones life. Sounds like a good thing to me. This helpless little boy's name is Barry Pham and his page is http://www.savebarry.org/. Check out his blog and keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Going through this as an adult and knowing how tough it is, I can't even imagine being a helpless baby and have to go through all of this junk. Or be his family having to watch your little one be hooked to IV's and suffer through cancer. So yet again I plead with everyone to make sure you register with the national bone marrow association.

Thanks to everyone who reads my blog. I love reading your comments and love writing and expressing myself on here. Hope everyone has a wonderful day and takes the time to see the beauty in this world and remember what is important and "don't sweat the small stuff".

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Cooking Class- Mood Foods


Today was another Tuesday spent at the Cancer Center doing the same ol' routine. We did add a little spice to our routine by taking a nutritional cooking class. They offer a new class every month with a different topic of focus. This month's focus was mood foods. It was a really awesome class with a ton of great recipes. I tryed a lot of things I didn't think I would like but ended up loving every recipe. They demonstrated how to cook each recipe and then we got to eat all the yummy food, and I am not just talking a little taste. I mean full size portions of each recipe. It ended up being a great lunch I didn't know I was going to have. Here is the list of foods that were in the class today.


-Beet, Chickpea, and Almond dip with Jicama

-Carrot with Toasted Almond Soup

-Spicy Asian-Style Pasta Salad

-Scallops in Orange/Ginger Sauce with Raspberries and Mint

-Roasted Chicken Breast with Salsa/Dijon Marinade

-Orange-Infused Roasted Green Beans & Red Peppers

-Poached Pears with Chocolate-Pear Sauce

-Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies


I would love to share every recipe on here but that would be way too much typing, so I just thought I would share my favorite one of the bunch. It is the Poached Pears with Chocolate-Pear Sauce. This is actually one that I thought sounded not that appealing, but I ended up LOVING it!!! So here is the recipe Enjoy!!


*Melting the chocolate in the pear poaching liquid makes an instant sauce.


1 cup pear nectar
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup sugar
4 slightly under-ripe pears, peeled, halved, cored
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Stir pear nectar, white wine and sugar in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and syrup comes to a boil. Add pears to syrup in saucepan. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until pears are tender, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to plate. Increase heat to medium-high and boil poaching liquid until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add Chocolate; whisk until chocolate melts and sauce is smooth.

Place 1 warm pear half, cut side up, on each plate. Top with vanilla ice cream (if desired) and warm chocolate sauce. Or cover pears and chocolate sauce separately and refrigerate up to 2 days; then serve pears cold with ice cream and sauce, rewarming sauce, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)