Surgery is tomorrow!

I got up this morning at 4:00 to get ready to go to the hospital for pre-op. Since my commute from Yucaipa to Ontario is usually about 45 minutes, I figured I had better leave early.....so I left the house at 5:00 and got to the hospital at 5:35..haha just a little bit early (had to be there at 6:00). Who would have thought that at 5:00am on Sunday morning there would be absolutely no traffic on the freeway! DUH!!!

Here is the latest:
I was examined by the doctor and he said that the biggest of the enlargements is above my heart, pushing down on it and the smaller ones are in the middle. It is actually the one that I can feel and is making my heart hurt. He is going to go in either from under my arm and through the ribs, or maybe have to make an incision on the top of the breast area....I told him I don't care what he cuts - just get this going :o) THEN - I got some good news!!! I asked him if he had the results of my abdomen and pelvic CT and he said yes and that they were CLEAR!!! YAY!! That is wonderful news! The doctor tagged my shoulder and I got a pretty pink bracelet, and was invited to spend the night in the hospital tomorrow night (well, I was told I was staying..haha). Looks like I am ready to rock and roll!!! I will update when I can...stay positive people!!

"X" Marks the spot!


New Jewelry



xoxo - Joni

Random....

So, last night Bret and I tore apart the garage looking for my medical records for this reason - the oncologist office that I have been referred to said they need the records for me to even make an appointment and that I had to get them. Well, I just happened to have a copy of my own and figured screw 'em I will give them those....ummm yea, we moved 10 months ago and could not find them anywhere! Of course, I totally remember what else was in the box that I threw them in, so every time Bret would open a box I would say "nope." Mind you, it is about 900 degrees in Southern California right now, so we were both about to have heat stroke looking for this stuff. We gave up and instead pulled out all of our old photo albums and sat with the kids laughing at ourselves. Until I felt like I over exerted myself and went to bed - at 8:00 - I feel like an old lady!

Anyhow....this morning everyone leaves and I was ready a little early, so I decided to give it another look. Low and behold, I open one box and it was like the was sun shining right out of it!!! I knew that was the box!!! I did a little happy dance, dug to the bottom of the box and YIPPEEEE I found them!! Not only did I find the records, but I found the one and only picture of me bald from my first battle with cancer. I have maybe showed 5 people this picture in 18 years and I'm about to post it here - I must be losing my mind!! I also found a cute picture of me and Sara with our wigs on :o) Here they are.....

A lot of you will remember what I looked like in the second picture, but I can guarantee you that only about 3 of you will remember the first "look" since I never took that stupid thing off! That picture was part of a photo shoot for Billboard Magazine in 1992, the girl in the picture is Tracy Earl and the guy in the background is my little bro Michael. That picture was not in the magazine. I never would have thought I would be putting it out there for the world to see, but it has been a lot of years and it doesn't bother me anymore - hell, looking back, I think I looked kinda cute - hahaha!

Today's Update:

Not much to report, I am in a bit of pain everyday now so I am excited to get my biopsy done on Monday and get this moving forward. I called the oncologist this morning and they are trying to schedule me in for one week after my biopsy, so they have the results when they see me. Of course I argued and said I am in pain and want to be seen sooner...but I do realize that they need my results to see what we are dealing with. Therefore I am going to throw a stink on Monday before surgery and tell the doctor that I need to go home with a LOT of vicodin and that he needs to put a rush on the pathology...I will say please though :o) And if that doesn't work - I am going to sick my mom, Allison and Kelly on him.....trust me, he doesn't want that to happen!!!

xoxo Joni

Brilliant idea!!!

Yesterday I was chatting with an old friend and he said something that totally cracked me up! He said this “when you talk to the Make a Wish Foundation, this time ask for a house in Hawaii or a billion bucks.” Of course he was kidding because Make a Wish is for kids. What he said next was the best part…he told me I should register at Target because he would rather buy something for a friend with cancer than someone that is popping out another kid (all totally in good humor of course!). This got me thinking…what a brilliant idea is that??? LOL I can see it now, the registry list:

5-gallon bucket – For puking purposes
Thermometer – Because everyone is going to want to take my temp 24-7
A bigger TV for my room – So I can sleep through movies on a bigger screen
Movies – Again, so I can sleep right through them
Books – So I can read 3 pages at a time and then fall asleep
Pajama’s – Since it appears that I will be sleeping a lot
Popsicles - Because that is the only thing I ever want when I feel sick
Ice packs and heating pad – for the chills and the sweats
Scarves and hats – Gotta cover that head up!

And whatever else my little heart desires when I am walking through the aisles with the all mighty register gun! You all know that you have registered for crap that you would never use just because you have the POWER!! Hahahaha Really people – who actually uses the banana hanger?? hehehehehe

I think my friend might be onto something here…maybe I should write a letter to Target and explain my position?? Sick people around the world could totally score the goods and not just get flowers and the neighbor’s yucky pot roast for dinner. :o)

By the way….this conversation did take place BUT this is 100% an all-in-good-humor post so don’t run out to Target and start buying this junk – it is just a joke. Seriously though, if anyone sends me a 5-gallon bucket…they will regret it!!! I WILL send it back full!! :o)

Today's update:
Saw the surgeon and I have pre-op at 6:00am Sunday....coming from Yucaipa is gonna blow!! LOL They will call me on Sunday afternoon to tell me what time my surgery is on Monday. He will be doing some kind of scope (probably laproscopic) surgery going in from my left side and removing some lymph nodes. I had my gallbladder removed last year and that laproscopic surgery left me with 4 scars..I am going to have even more now and look like a damn road map! Haha Anyhow, the junk he removes will go to pathology and we will see what we are dealing with....although he and I both pretty much agree that we already know. So, there it is...the daily dose of my journey!

xoxo ~ Joni

So...why Superwoman Diaries??

I was pondering the name of my blog and thought that it sounds pretty conceited of me to refer to myself as Superwoman...so I thought I would explain where the name came from, and why I decided to embrace it.

I do what I do and I am who I am. I never thought of myself as anything extraordinary, I am just me and I have a lot on my plate. Last year a friend of mine, Ty, started referring to me as Superwoman because of all that I do manage to keep on my plate - without spilling! I always just thought it was funny and never gave it much thought. To me, I simply have a goal in sight and nothing is going to divert me from that goal - to become an RN. I already mentioned my work, school, and general life schedule which includes a lot of 18 hour days...so I guess I can see where he would get the nickname. Of course, no one will ever forget my original nickname of Joni-Butt (Thanks Norann!!)

When I decided to write the blog, I had no idea what I was going to call it...and then there goes Ty with the answer "No Surrender - The Superwoman Diaries" so I thought "oh what the hell, lets go with it!" So here we are...ready to fight crime. Now I simply have a little more on my plate, I have a new goal in sight and I am ready to reach it. I have not lost sight of my original goal though - I am still applying for the RN program in October and moving forward. I would not start until April of next year, so hopefully by that time all of this nonsense will be done with and I can get back on track!

Today's update:
Called the surgeon this morning and I have my first appointment tomorrow, hopefully followed by a biopsy by the end of the week. Then I will see the oncologist, followed by a call to my primary to get a second opinion authorization that is required by my insurance to go to City of Hope....where I originally went and where I really want to be treated.

Here we go again!

Flashback....
March 1992, I discover a lump in my neck and after a whirlwind of blood tests, body scans, biopsies and enemas (yes I said that! And can you imagine how mortifying it was to be 17 and have to do that just for some stupid test?? UGH)...I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Mind you, this was in my Senior year in high school, making everything seem like it was worse than it was. I was soon known as the girl with cancer, everyone knew I wore a wig (well, I guess that was my fault since I picked one that was dark brown and clear to my ass when my hair was only to my shoulders...and light brown), and if you asked me I WAS NOT SICK....but everyone thought I was. Long story short, I graduated high school during my treatments and finished my last treatment on September 28, 1992...the day after my 18th birthday.

Here is a picture of me and my friend Sara..I wouldn't take off the hat so she kept hers on too! Not very many people have seen this (me without hair) I wore that stupid wig to bed sometimes!!




I must now tell you a little story that will soon be relevant to my new journey...so stay with me here. One day when I was having outpatient chemotherapy, I met a lady that was in there getting her "juice" with me. I found it odd that she was in there because she was obviously not pediatric like the rest of us. I started talking to her and found out that she was 35 years old and was back for her second battle with lymphoma.





Flash Forward....
September 27, 2009....I turn 35 (does anyone see the relevance of the story above yet?) I did not tell anyone, but I ever since the day that I met that lady, I have always feared turning 35 - I knew that if my cancer was ever going to come back....that would be when it did. Again, I never told a soul.



Jump to present day....
Next month I am going to be 36...I was almost in the clear. Here is where my new story begins. I am a wife, a step-mom to three teenage boys, a daughter, a friend, full time employee and a part time student. I just completed my very last prerequisite class to apply for the RN program...busting my ass, stressing out and pulling 18 hour days to get here. Looks like that is going to have to be put on hold.....as my biggest fear is staring me in the face! I am 35 and it is quite clear that lymphoma has decided to pay a visit.....dammit all to hell!!



Here is what I know so far...
I have had a CT scan of my chest, abdomen and pelvis after getting a "dirty chest x-ray" and the chest scan says this: I have 5 enlarged lymph nodes in my chest - pushing on my heart, and around my lung. The largest of these measures 6cm....that is friggin huge!!! I now know why I am having chest pains and can't breathe so well....makes perfect sense! Monday I have to talk to the surgeon who is going to do a biopsy and tell me that I have cancer again....who are we kidding here...like I don't already know that! I have all the symptoms (chronic cough, itching, night sweats and enlarged lymph nodes running around like crazy in my chest) so I have a pretty good idea as to what is happening. Don't take me too seriously though, I obviously know that I have to see the surgeon...and hey maybe it is just a cold (HA yea right).

So, this is my blog...the beginning. I will continue to update as things progress and let you all know what is happening. Warning - I will most likely make you laugh, and I might make you cry...so read at your own risk!



xoxo - Joni