🌀 Mood: Anticipation, Vulnerability, Gravity, Turning Point I was incredibly anxious for a few days before the consultation at Fred Hutch. I didn’t exactly know what to expect, but I knew it was going to be serious. And somehow, that made my condition feel more real — like it had moved from the world of bloodwork and scans into something undeniable. For those of you … Continue reading 22 – The Consultation That Changed Everything (Part 1)
🌀 Mood: Anxiety, Relief, Uncertainty, Frustration Walking into the neurosurgeon’s office again felt… weird.Familiar, but not in a comforting way. I thought I was done with this part.We had already done the kyphoplasty on my T8 — the vertebra that had collapsed. It was supposed to be fixed. Handled. Resolved. But here I was again, nervous and uneasy. The MRI had shown a burst fracture … Continue reading 21 – Back to the Neurosurgeon
🌀 Mood: Uncertainty, Waiting, Reflection After such a hopeful week, I thought I’d finally caught a break.But pain has a way of showing up uninvited. About three weeks after my kyphoplasty procedure — the one that was supposed to help stabilize my T8 vertebra — my back started aching again. At first, I thought maybe I had overdone it. Too much sitting and walking during … Continue reading 20 – The MRI
🌀 Mood: Discouraged but clear-eyed. This cancer journey is a roller coaster. Every day brings something new. One week, you get good news; the next, something changes that sends you into a tailspin. After chemo #7, I found myself feeling low — probably for the first time since my diagnosis. I’ve worked hard to stay positive no matter what this disease throws at me, but … Continue reading 18 – Chemo #7 – The Unexpected Conversation
🌀 Mood: Worn down but hopeful Some weeks bring setbacks, others bring blessings. Week 6 gave me both. After the roughest week yet, I went into my oncologist appointment both anxious and desperate for answers. What I left with was more than I ever imagined. I gave him the full rundown of my Week 5 reactions: the chills, the skin sensitivity, the pain in my … Continue reading 17 – The Turning Point
🌀 Mood: Shaken but watchful It only took one routine shot to remind me: cancer doesn’t always follow the rules. By Chemo Week 5, I thought I knew what to expect. I’d had this shot ten times before without a problem. Routine. Predictable. I didn’t think twice about it. But this time was different. First came the chills, sudden and deep — no amount of … Continue reading 16 – The Unexpected Side Effects
🌀 Mood: Relieved, hopeful, and deeply thankful. Wow — what a difference a week makes! I want to begin by thanking my neurosurgeon who performed the kyphoplasty. The procedure itself was a rough experience, but it was absolutely worth it. I also want to thank all of you who prayed for me, sent encouragement, and checked in. I’ve felt carried by that support every step … Continue reading 14 – After Kyphoplasty
🌀 Mood: Raw, intense, faithful, relieved In my last two posts, I shared what led me to Kyphoplasty — the fractures, the back brace, the hope for relief. Today, I want to share what the actual procedure was like. I had a really difficult time sleeping the night before the kyphoplasty procedure. I didn’t feel especially nervous but sleep just wouldn’t come. That morning, before … Continue reading 13 – The Kyphoplasty Procedure – Bones, Bravery, and Balloons — A Day I Won’t Forget
🌀 Mood: Grounded, sobered, resilient If you read my last post, you know I’ve been preparing for a procedure called Kyphoplasty. But I wanted to share more about what exactly that means — and what brought me to this point. When I was in the hospital after I was given the diagnosis, there were several other things that came along with it. One of those … Continue reading 12 – Living with Fractures
🌀 Mood: Heavy, vulnerable, cautiously hopeful When I was in the hospital, I found out something I wasn’t expecting – cancer hadn’t just been growing in my body — it had already started breaking it. Multiple fractures in my vertebrae. The cancer had weakened the bones in my spine to the point that they could no longer support me on their own. That’s why I … Continue reading 11- Preparing for Kyphoplasty – Another Step in the Fight
My Anchor Holds 