Cycle 5 has been very much like the previous cycles. In the hospital the nurses all know me and stop by my room to say hi even if they are not assigned to me. The routine is the same. I…
Plot Twist: PET Scan, Anemia, and a Transfusion
This week I had a third PET scan, the second since I started treatment. The results show continued progress in shrinking the tumor even if the results are not as dramatic as the last PET scan. Looking at the results:…
Plot Twist: Chemo Cycle 4 (of 6)
There is a routine to these cycles and cycle 4 had very little deviation from previous cycles. Monday I went in, had lab work done, saw my doctor, got the Rituxan injection, and then got admitted to the hospital where…
Plot Twist: I am not a pathology
A long time ago (well, 20 years) I was pregnant with twins at age 35 and I had placenta previa. This was a high risk pregnancy. My OB sent me to a perinatologist for the ultrasounds, amniocentesis, and to make…
Growing up on a boat
YouTube sailing channels are fun to watch. Usually young, beautiful, healthy, people travel to exotic locations and spend extensive alone time. Gorgeous sunsets, amazing sunrises, tropical breezes, and romantic locations all while wearing the least amount of clothes possible. Because…
Plot Twist: Chemo Cycle 3 (of 6)
Here we are at cycle 3. I have to admit that I went into this round of chemo with a little more enthusiasm since the results of the PET scan were so positive. Knowing that I am getting the right…
Plot Twist: Progress!
I have been through two of six cycles of chemotherapy. So far I am tolerating it well and have minimal side effects. Honestly, aside from the hair loss I have fatigue and a tiny bit of peripheral neuropathy. So how…
Plot Twist: Chemo – Cycle 2 (of 6)
The first chemo cycle was a completely new experience filled with many unknowns. The unknowns definitely added to my anxiety. This second cycle had far fewer unknowns and the anxiety levels have been significantly lower. In fact, it felt a…
Inflection point: Opportunities go whoosh
The last 60 or so days have been kind of crazy. It has me thinking about a lot of different things. I’m not going to apologize for my poor grammar or even spelling it is one of those in my…
Plot Twist: Hair
Our hair is a huge part of our identity. It is often called a woman’s crowning glory. I have had long and very long hair most of my adult life. By very long, I mean past my butt. My hair…
Wild Techdom
Hi, I’m Mitchel and this is my assistant Ron. Welcome to Wild Techdom supported by Mutual of Bromaha. Today we travel to the far off wilds of the cube mazes of Silicon Valley. These are dangerous lands with an entire…
Beware the professional path. There be dragons here
So, there I was talking to some people and I talked about focus of my career not being the same as longevity in my job. You see, long before the gig economy I started moving between jobs and looking for…
Legitimacy: Government Shutdown
Why do government workers stay on the job? In 2017 I was looking at the direction that the new senior leaders were leaning in DHS Intelligence and Analysis. I was feeling conned because I had a departure path in early…
Plot Twist: Chemo – Cycle 1 (of 6)
My treatment is what they call EPOCH – a combination of very nasty drugs that kill cancer (die you f*cker). Due to the nature of my chemo treatment, I am in the hospital for each round. I will have 6…
Plot Twist: Showers in the hospital
Or not…as the case may be. One of the hardest things for me prior to being admitted to the hospital for 4 (now 5) days of inpatient chemotherapy was knowing what to expect. What would I be allowed to do?…