Baldies' Blog began originally in the UK by a 26 year old journalist with a blood cancer on a mission to inform the world about bone marrow donation.

He has since died, and I took on the cause of making cancer care more transparent for everybody.

Cancer is a disease that will touch everybody through diagnosis or affiliation: 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed and 1 in 3 woman will hear those words, "You Have Cancer."

I invite you to read how I feel along my journey and
how I am continuing to live a full life alongside my Hodgkin's lymphoma, with me controlling my cancer, not my cancer controlling me.

I hope that "Baldies' Blog" will prepare you to handle whatever life sends you, but especially if it's the message, "You Have Cancer."

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Thursday, November 13, 2008

Did I Scare You?

I was worried people had stopped listening to me.
Was I wrong or what?!
My first phone call about my posting came at 6:45 am.
You didn’t really think I’d post my secrets if I wasn’t clearly out of the woods?
If I was concerned those videos would be from the hospital.
My favorite call was from my very concerned nurse practitioner, Melissa, asking if I was REALLY okay.
I do not have an appointment today. I am that good.
She’s a fearless femme fatale from Columbia that has crossed 116th. She lived on 178th during school for her Master’s Degree. Appararently, the health school resides in this area.
How perfect for community intervention?
M made me PROMISE I would call her immediately if I sensed a problem.
I assured her that I had all ready called for a small pimple that was the start of shingles. I called when my temp was 100.2 and I was worried about it creeping.
I am a compliant patient. Unlike last time, I follow the rules to the T.
Last time, I was a bad girl. I kept drinking. I had piles of friends over. I went shopping. I went in crowds. Now, I have less of an adolescent tolerance for restriction. Railing against the rules was really just railing against myself.
I was being self destructive.
The guidelines, however much they suck, are put in place for a reason. I’m doing as well as a patient can be in my situation. I think it’s from my participation.
I found a shirt that said “My oncologist is my homeboy.” They did not have a “My Hematologist is my homeboy shirt,” which is the specialist I have.
Worst of all, they did not have a “My NP is my Homegirl” shirt. I’m boycotting. The world needs to show we nurses some respect.
There is a reason we want advanced nursing degrees and not medical degrees. I’ll tell you why later. It has nothing to do with our intelligence.
Thanks for your concern, all seven people who left messages yesterday, and all you who spent time wondering if I was okay.
I hope some of you laughed at the truthfulness. Remember, I’m not the only patient who does this.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hillary you are such an amazing woman!!! I have always known how smart and courageous you are!! I think and pray for you all the time! I have so many wonderful memories spent with you that always makes me smile!! Thanks for sharing you story with us all...you are an inspiration !!! Love you Hillary
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Shannon