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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Sunday, October 11, 2009

FYI


FYI: if you are ever told you need a lung biopsy done, do not call your mother and tell her "I'm getting my chest cut open monday."
 A. That is not exactly how it works and 
B. This will probably make her upset, hysterical even, and call the fellow coveribg the case. 
I know, I know. Sometimes I'm a little uncouth.
I should treat dear mom carefully. I'm lucky to have her.
 After I spoke to my surgeon, a dr. Johnstone, Dr. David Johnstone, who by name alone was bred to be a thoracic surgeon (it just rolls off the tongue like James, james Bond, someone smooth, avante_gaurde and innovative), yes I did call my mom to reassure her, first with the "I was born to be a surgeon name" and then with the title "director of thoracic surgery" underneath his name on the card. 
I'm back to where I was a few years back. . . .  a complete and utter train wreck. Just kidding, just a little bit, but I'm back to being back in the mindset that I completely trust the team and their decisions regarding my health.
 I am so excited that I can just relax and trust. 
I am aware of options that span the globe from nyc to germany to india, but dhmc has seen me from the beginning. Its the best place for me to be. 
I was granted a leave for the weekend to participate in our friends' nicole and jeff's wedding. Nic has been planning this since first grade when we listened to nkotb and played dress up. I couldn't let a thoracic surgery and what may be a superbug in my lung get in the way of that.

1 comment:

Katie said...

"Sometimes I'm a little uncouth."
This is why we ALL love you, Hillary!

....and the fact that after all these years, you still "dress up" to the nines no matter how you're feeling. I don't know how you do it, but your cheerfulness and put-together demeanor rarely vanish, which I definitely took notice of yesterday and today. You looked fantastic! I'm really glad you were able to make it. We would've all gone through withdrawals if you hadn't.