Saturday, August 30, 2008

Week One (Clark U)

So It's about one thirty in the morning and I'm writing yet again from my dorm room at Clark. Today (after I go to bed and wake up again), we will be going to Six Flags for our last day of orientation, which so far has been pretty awesome. Today a hypnotist came to campus and put on a hilarious show. If you ever need ideas for entertainment, seriously consider hiring one of these guys because this was impressive.
I will have my last round of chemo in Rochester because I wouldn't be able to go to class if I stayed here anyway. I will leave Clark sometime this week and return in October if there are no setbacks, but you all know me, so who knows how long I'll be away.
Anyway, I should get to sleep so I have energy for tomorrow's excursion.
Much love,
Marika!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

CLARK

Hello once again!
Right now I am in my dorm room at Clark University. I have an awesome roomate and a few new friends and I am having an amazing time so far.
Tomorrow I'll find out when and where my last round of chemo is. Everything seems to be going well so far with me at college. The people here are very accepting of the bald, but I'm still going to try to start a headwrap fad (hehe).
Much love,
Marika

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Last Few Days at Home

It looks like college will happen and I am more than ecstatic. We've been going crazy over here in a last minute dash to gather all the college necesseties, but with the help of a few friends, everything seems to be coming together.
I will get my drainage tube removed tomorrow (SUCH a relief. I will be able to wear fitted shirts and NOT look like I'm shoplifting again!). I haven't made any decisions on where I will be getting my last round of chemo and where I will be neutropenic. My mom and dad want two different outcomes (my dad wants everything in NY, while my mom wants me to stay in Worcester). If I cannot get passes to go to class while undergoing chemo, I would lean toward staying at home because the staff at Strong knows me and has worked with me many MANY times before, but if I can go to class, I guess Worcester would be a better plan. Either way, both of my parents have agreed to accept whichever I choose. This, however, does not mean that they won't try to influence my decision. Parents...*Sigh*
Much love,
Marika

Saturday, August 16, 2008

The Questionable Surgeon

So surgery went relatively smoothly; they were able to do it laproscopically, but they did have to put another less icky drain in my side. It will come out in a few days though.
Although we were pleased with how the surgery went, Laurie, my mother and I were not as pleased with the actual surgeon. When we met with him to discuss the plan for the surgery and chemo afterward, we presented him with a plan that consisted of starting my final round of chemo a week after the surgery. He agreed to this. I have witnesses. He said that there would be no problem with this plan, so Laurie and my mother proceeded to make reservations at a hotel near Clark University for when I am neutropenic. These reservations are non-refundable.
After the surgery was completed, the surgeon denied having approved our plan and made it very clear that I would not be recieving chemo before I start college. As I told Laurie later, it seems that this surgeon has a very selective memory.
We may have to pull the "cancer card" to undo the hotel reservations, and I am considering filing a complaint. This will NOT spoil my chances of going to college, but it does complicate things a little and will make school harder, as I will have to either miss classes or take them in the hospital through my computer.
All that being said, I am quickly recovering from surgery (sleeping through most of the recovery because the vicodin they put me on knocks me out) and I should be back to normal, minus a gall bladder, quickly.
-Marika

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Prom #2

Continuing on the other post from today...
I have been home for a little while and during this vacation from Strong Memorial, my parents and friends planned a make-up prom for me and my friends. It was INCREDIBLE! Many of my friends even said that this prom was better than the high school's prom!
Thank you everyone for showing up (about 75 people total, maybe more?) and making the prom a prom.
Thank you Jeff Clement for helping to hire my favorite band, IY, an amazing band from Ithaca with much potential. They all graduated from IHS, but that's not the only reason why they're popular. Their music had all generations dancing at the party (my mother included).
Thank you Celia Clement for helping put together some amazing food. Donated food came from some of my favorite restaurants and cafes in Ithaca (Viva Taqueria, Hope's Way and the Carriage House Cafe).
Thank you Silviana Russo and Paula Winner for helping with decorations (and Rachel Possen for helping me make signs to post over the food).
Thanks Mom and Dad and Patricia for organizing everything including renting the large pavillion at Stewart Park (where I normally work over the summer and a perfect spot for a party).
The prom was a GREAT success. I will try to post photos soon.

SO CLOSE!!

Hello!!
Some good and some semi-bad news. Semi-bad news first: Thursday is the surgery to have my gall bladder removed. It is scheduled to be a laproscopic surgery, so hopefully very few scars. There is about a 5% chance that they will have to go in the old fashioned way and leave a huge scar, but if that 5% pulls through, I'll count it as another battle wound.
The good news is that a week after the surgery, assuming all goes well, I have my FINAL round of consolidation chemotherapy!! This will last five days, and I should get out right in time to head off to college! This was our ultimate goal frm he start: to finish consolidation chemo before college. My family and I are EXTREMELY excited. We are now scrambling to buy all the college supplies.
Although I will be done with consolidation chemo, I will become neutropinic while I am at Clark, so while I have a weak immune system, I will be staying in a hotel with Aunt Laurie, close to the Clark campus. Also, in preparation for college, we found an oncologist in Worcester to check in with on a monthly basis at U Mass Medical.
After the neutropenic stage, I will restart the Atra chemo drug, which is a little scary because I was on this drug when I got two of the three seizures. The good part of this is that it is rare to have a bad reaction twice to the Atra. Most people who have reacted badly to this drug during the induction chemo have had much more success when they are reintroduced to it during maintinence therapy.
We are almost in the clear!!
Much love,
Marika