Friday, January 25, 2008

One Year!

Today is the 25th of January. January 25th, 2007 is when I was diagnosed with Cancer. I remember everything seemed to happen so quickly that day. I went in for a chest x-ray. As soon as the doctor read it he told me to go to Urgent Care for another Doctor's opinion. I was shocked to hear him tell me that I needed to go to the ER at Ventura County Medical Center. I made some phone calls, packed a bag, and Eric and I headed off to the ER. The place looked really packed and we thought we'd be waiting all night. To our surprise, we were called up and I was stuck with my first IV in my hand. I had to look away. It wasn't too painful, though. Just uncomfortable. Then I went back to the waiting area and only had to wait a short while till I was called back to a little area with a bed and curtains. Sometime in the mix of things I was taken to get a CT scan. Then one doctor after another came to talk to me. I remember one doctor telling me how incredibly serious this was. No one knew exactly what was going on in me, but they knew it wasn't good. It kind of felt like a dream to me. The doctors were very nice and sincerely concerned. We were up all night until we got transferred to a room. The first big procedure that was done was a bone marrow biopsy. Although they shot me with some medicine to numb me, I could still feel pain as they ground their tools into my lower back bone to get enough bone marrow. Actually, I think that was the second big procedure. The first was to biopsy the mass in my chest to see whether or not it was cancerous. That was a breeze because I was given morphine and numbed up so much that I couldn't feel a thing. I just remember this skinny tube thing sticking out of my chest. Later, I was getting a EKG done when my doctor walked in. He told me that the biopsy results showed that it was cancer. He had tears in his eyes. I didn't cry. I just remember nodding and saying "uh huh, okay, alright, uh huh...etc." as he told me. When I came back to my room, everyone was in there, crying and teary-eyed. This all may sound depressing but it really isn't when you think about all the healing and miracles that have taken place. Well, I'm still waiting to hear from the hospital so I'm guessing the MRI isn't going to get done until next week, which might be for the best. I will update again soon! Bye for now!

6 comments:

Alena said...

Shelsi, it was good to read you story. While I was reading I pictured you going to the hospital and getting the procedures done before you knew it was cancer. I recalled what it was like for me to have doctors crowd around me. I felt like a lab rat! So began the roller coaster! well it has been a year for you and the best thing is that you still have an amazing shine. I have learned what an incredible ability it is to have faith and eternal hope no matter what happens. You, my dear, are VERY blessed with this attribute. Thanks for being such and inspiration. You have touched so may peoples lives. You have touched mine forever.

Davianne said...

Wow! I can't believe it's been a year already. This year has just flown by for me. So many things happening. Well, it seems like this past year has been your hardest and so blessed at the same time. Funny how that happens. Thanks for being my friend and always having such an inspiring attitude about everything. I sure miss you.

Anonymous said...

I remember when you called and told me that after looking at the x-ray they said it could be valley fever, tuberculosis (sp) or cancer. I thought to myself, I'm sure it's not cancer or tb, but valley fever fits. Then after researching on the internet I found that many unnecessary biopsies are done because valley fever can look like cancer on an x-ray. So I called you at the hospital and told you to make sure they didn't do a biopsy until they had ruled out valley fever=O) Cancer wasn't a part of my vocabulary at the time and made no sense to me. How that has changed. I can't believe how strong and brave you have been throughout this entire year Shelsi. But then when I think back at your history, whether plucking a brick from the bottom of a swimming pool while completely exhaused, putting together a futon bed single handedly, stringing Christmas lights all over the outside of a 2 story house alone, or battling cancer, you have undaunting will that proves you are a survivor. Your shining spirit and radiant smile have captured hearts across the globe. I love you my precious daughter. Mom~

Unknown said...

Wow! Your a one year survivor! Which will turn into ten then twenty...hey, your gonna be here with us for a long long time! We need ya! We all love ya! Keep smiling!

Unknown said...

It's hard to believe it's been a year and yet it seems like a life time! I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say I don't want to ever hear those words again about any of our family or friends. And we all can't wait for the day when we hear " I'm finally in full remission!" 2008 will be that year! I love you, we all love you! What a shinning example you are to us all... and it didn't just take this, you always have been an amazing, shinning example to us all, ever since you came into our lives 25 years ago! Not all anniversaries are happy ones, some are just there to mark our way to victory!
I love you sweet daughter-o-mine! Daddy

amyndodd said...

Thanks for sharing your story. You have been through so much this year and I am in awe of how you and Eric have handled it all. We love you!