Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Yay ME!!!

Just a quick post to let you all know that today is my fifteen year anniversary of being cancer free!!!

BOOOOOOOO-YAAAAAAAH!!!!!!

It's also the eighteen year anniversary of the day I was diagnosed for the first time when I was 16. Crazy, huh? I had my surgery on Dec. 28th and was diagnose on the 29th. Had a month of tests. And started radiation therapy the day after my 17th birthday. Having kids now, I can't even imagine what my parents went through. How they must have wished they could take my place.

I finished radiation on April 16th. I missed half my junior year. Two years later in May, I was re-diagnosed. This time I was FILLED with cancer! I had it in my lymphnodes, kidneys, lungs, liver, spleen, blood, bone marrow, stomach....Every. Where. My doctor even made a motion that described tumors just floating in my body. Not even attached to anything. (This is where the video blog would come in handy, so I could show you!) I had a 30% chance of survival. I started the 7 months of chemotherapy that would actually make me gain weight. Yes, it took my hair and yes, there were days I felt really crappy but I could literally feel it making me well again. One treatment in, and I knew this was going to work. Many prayers were offered in my behalf. I was given an amazing blessing where my body was commanded to heal. And it did.

On December 29th, just a month before I turned 20 I finished my cancer experience. One of the worst experiences of my life, but probably the BEST experience for my life.

So today I'm grateful for the life I have. The only way my life could be any better is if my dad was still here with me. But all in all...it's pretty good. I know he's on the other side watching out for me.

Happy Anniversary to MEEEEEE!!!!!

12 comments:

Annette Lyon said...

Wow. Just--wow! I'm SO thrilled for you! 18 years . . . how many cancer survivors can say that?!

Happy You-versary!

wendy said...

Happy anniversary to you
Cause Cancers Taboo
It won't ever come back
Cause we all ordered it not toooooooo

good song eh. (sing it to the happy birthday song and it'll seem lots better) Now think of me singing it, with my brush as a microphone and it becomes really awesome..

but even more awesome is YOU and your cancer free self. Celebrate, celebrate
(oh, that reminds me of another song)

veronica said...

Holy Crap Amber! Congratulations and HAPPY Anniversary!

(You're making me cry, here. Happy tears though.)

Kristina P. said...

You would definitely make cancer cry.

tammy said...

What an amazing story and fabulous anniversary to be celebrating! Congratulations.

Sher said...

I am so happy your survived! The world wouldn't be the same without you. You are an amazing person!

Kazzy said...

What a great anniversary! An amazing story!

Vanessa said...

I like this kind of anniversary. It is a happy one.

Unknown said...

Oy. This hit me right in the gut. Now that I'm the mom of a 20 year old, I'm with you. How did our parents even survive that ordeal?

I remember that December the year you were diagnosed. I had Cori 2 days later. What an emotional roller coaster we all were on!

Yay for 15 years, yay for you still being here, yay for the gifts of the priesthood and modern medicine. I can't imagine a life without you in it.

Love you, little sister.

Just SO said...

I'm not surprised that you took on the big C and kicked it's trash! Not one bit. You are amazing.

We need to have a "I kicked Cancer's Trash" lunch.

mCat said...

I am so incredibly happy and PROUD of you! You have taken cancer and not just throat punched it but also castrated it with a spork!

Congratulations - you inspire me girl!

xoxoxox

Ash said...

I read this post once before, but this morning I read it again. Sometimes I like to see how other people conquer the world. You're such a bad ass. Congrats (albeit belated) on this anniversary. I found my year working on the cancer unit at Primary's the most challenging, yet rewarding, year of my life. I can only imagine what it's like to actually be going through the diagnosis and treatment. I, for one, am so happy that you are on the success side of the C-word statistics. Miss you woman!