Comments on: Halfway to the Unknown

By: LK Gardner-Griffie

LK Gardner-Griffie — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 15:04:11 +0000

You’ve expressed how I feel (most days)… it’s not gone yet, but somewhere between the 2nd to the last and the last, it is GOING!! 🙂

By: Dan Marvin

Dan Marvin — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 13:05:17 +0000

You’ve got this! You caught it early and are getting treatment and even if your doctor can’t make a prediction I will… you’re 63% of the way there. Somewhere between your second to last and last treatment cancer will give up and depart for good.

By: LK Gardner-Griffie

LK Gardner-Griffie — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 05:36:48 +0000

In reply to Rhonda Cowsert. I like your version of what is happening. :D Let the glitter and bits of rainbows amass.

By: Rhonda Cowsert

Rhonda Cowsert — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 05:28:23 +0000

*hugs* Okay, so the mysterious body is being mysterious – which means that we can choose to assume that the medications are doing whatever we believe they’re doing because who can possibly prove any different?

I believe that they are coursing through your system, destroying all your cancer cells in the grand style of Luke Skywalker shooting those laser things at the Death Star. I also choose to believe that when they explode (because, you know, Death Star destruction = BIG BOOM) they leave in their wake sparkling glitter and bits of rainbows.

By: LK Gardner-Griffie

LK Gardner-Griffie — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 04:43:33 +0000

In reply to Susan Lemieux Smith.

My internal “sense” tells me that while I may be half way through the cycle, I don’t think I’m quite half way done… if that makes sense. And I refused to acknowledge any issues prior to the diagnosis, that I can look back on now and say were some soft indicators that not everything was great. Primarily energy level.

During and post-chemo week, I always have an energy drop, but then I have a couple weeks where I am feeling closer to normal. But starting the week prior to chemo again I notice my energy levels dropping. That tells me that we still have a battle ahead.

Part of what helps me mentally is that I wasn’t expecting a definitive answer (although more than “we don’t know” would’ve been nice.) I was just looking for a ballpark of either “You’re about where we expect” or “You’re not quite where we’d like to see you.” I knew “You’re exceeding our expectations” wasn’t going to be the case—I would love for it to be the case, but I deal in reality, and that at the moment is not realistic.

I’m sorry you’re going through medical challenges too… if there is anything I can do, let me know. You know I’m always here if you need an ear.

And I love that you found my signature in your yearbook. Makes me smile. 😀

By: Susan Lemieux Smith

Susan Lemieux Smith — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 04:06:37 +0000

Liana, do you have any internal “sense” of how you’re doing? For instance, before your diagnosis, could you tell that things weren’t quite right? I wonder if intuition is helpful here at all, given the long wait that you will have for a formal assessment. I know that you can’t treat medical issues based on intuition, but does it give you any peace of mind in the absence of an official word from the professionals?

I think about you a lot – even when I don’t write. I wish I didn’t have so many medical challenges of my own right now so that I’d have more of me available to give. But you play the cards that you are dealt, even though you never agreed to play the game. There is no other choice. I was looking in my senior year book from high school and I found where you had written in it! Prayers and good vibes are flying around with your name on them and those will continue for the long haul.

— Susan