Living to LIVE

I was  healthy as a race horse until 2007 (age 60) when I was unexpectedly diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (SLL); however, I did not start treatment until 2008 when about that same time, I had experienced  what I considered to be a sharp pain in my chest that turned out to be a heart attack.  The heart attacked was caused by 3 heart ateries on the left side being blocked 100%, 90%, and 90% respectively.  I had surgery for 5 stents  in 2009/2010.

My chemo treatment consisted of:

Rituxan

Cytoxin

Fludara

Triandra

and it took place once a month and lasted anywhere from 4-6 hours.  Sometimes, I would have treatment on two back-to-back days that always result in me going to the ER because I could not  stop vomiting.

My treatment over the years caused me  to have low white and red blood counts as well as low platelets.  Being without an immune system and anemic,  made me vulnerable to other diseases.

In 2012, I was diagnosed with Melanoma on my foot that later spread to my groin and then to my neck.  In addition to my treatment for Lymphoma, I received treatment for Melanoma as well. 

For my melanoma I was taking Opdivo and Yervoy (infusions) and for my Lymphoma I was now taking Imbruvica (pills).  These new treatments were considered Immunotherapy not chemotheraphy.  I stopped taking Yervoy and received several doses of radiation which was the new treatment protocols out of MD Anderson the leading cancer hospital in the USA.

Cancer treatments fowled up the workings of my Thyroid so my Oncologist put me on meds for that.

Recently, it was discovered that either age or my cancer treatments  had fowled up  the L5 and L6 disks in my spine causing me to experience pain in my butt and in the back of my thighs making it difficult to walk.  An MRI is set for the end of next month and some sort of treatment regimen will be followed or I will have surgery.

Meanwhile, my treatment for both Lymphoma and Melanoma continues.

I have tried not to let my health issues impact my quality of life mentally even though it has impacted my quality of life physically, substantially.  I maintain a positive attitude and keep myself busy so I will not get depressed.

COVID has limited my movements as it has everyone else, but when I can, I leave the house for doctor appointments, to get groceries, gasoline, and sometimes go to a restaurant.  

I still mow the lawn when needed, weedeat, take out the garbage and recycle, and open and close our above ground pool.  I have replaced boards on our deck and performed minor maintenance tasks inside that I knew how to do.  I don't consider myself handicapped although others think that I am.

My body is tough because I spent my entire life physically training it to be tough through exercise, lifting free weights,  playing sports, as well as kayaking every weekend for close to 10 years.  As a teenager and young adult I would walk around our neighborhood with wedges and a sledge hammer, asking if anyone needed logs split for free as I wanted to build up my muscles.

Without intentionally performing preventive maintenance, my desire to do all of this all my life was performing preventive maintenance and my orthopedic doctor said that if I had not been as active as I was all my life, my problems with L5 and L6 would have been worse.

PERHAPS  WE CAN LEARN SOMETHING FROM MY HEALTH ISSUES...