Strong words on how to survive, from a cancer warrior named Ann:
"Sometimes we are faced with doctors telling us
the odds at winning our battle are low.
Stop right there and grasp the situation and
don't let anyone set you up to fail.
Attitude is everything! Doctors are not God.
There have been many miracle stories
of patients defying the odds.
Go in there with an "I am going to win"
attitude and forget the stats.
You are an individual with inner strength
and the power to fight with all your might.
You are NOT just a number. Don't let the doctors cloud
your attitude nor your determination to win.
If you go in there with a winning attitude,
you have already won half the battle."
It was time for another SGN-35 treatment this past Wednesday, right here close to home:)
It was also time to start thinking about what happens next - how many treatments left after this?!
I am being restaged at this point to help design a plan..
1. Bone marrow biopsy (done) - results in 2-3 weeks
2. CT scan - March 7
3. Gallium scan - March 2
And lastly in the near future, I now have
4. Consult at Princess Margaret for consideration for allogenic stem cell donor transplant - Feb 29
Whereas it was previously not possible, I am now being considered in Toronto (in lieu of Washington) for a stem cell transplant.. I am not exactly jumping for joy (with heavy risk that this procedure carries with it), but do appreciate immensely the fact that time has given me this chance to do it here. As I have told my doctor, mindset is so much in the healing process, and being far from home when doing something this scary, made it that much harder for me to imagine how I could pull through it in the end. The isolation itself - alone in another country -would make it that much steeper of an uphill battle..
In the end which way we go from here only time will tell, but I have complete faith that God will continue to guide us on our way.
Positive thoughts lead to positive outcomes.
Belated Happy Valentines, love and light,
Paulina
