tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60733712024-03-07T21:16:05.048-07:00Cancer Is The "Easy" Part...<center>It's Everything Else That's Killing Me!!!<br>Previously Called "Our Life With MEN2a"</center>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-70411821033685117512020-10-08T13:24:00.005-06:002020-10-08T13:24:50.891-06:00Apologies I’m sorry I let this blog basically die. Cancer DEFINITELY has been the “easy” part over the years. My cancer is still growing but it is going very slow. I don’t know how I got so lucky. The rest of my body though is being an asshole plain and simple! My diagnosis‘ as they stand now are- Metastatic Medullary Thyroid Cancer, Adrenal Insufficiency (lost both adrenals to Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-75509855413868542642015-09-09T13:20:00.000-06:002020-10-08T13:20:49.096-06:00Just Keep Swimming...So obviously I still suck at this but I'm trying. Life seems to keep running full steam ahead and I'm forever trying to catch up.
In January I finally had my first appointment with an Oncologist, Dr F. I have felt from the beginning of all this that I should have had an Oncologist even if they couldn't do anything for the cancer or it wasn't at a point where more surgery was needed. A doctor I Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-60999889441709132782015-01-23T09:54:00.000-07:002015-01-23T10:01:04.642-07:00Remembering This Blog's PurposeI know I haven't posted in forever and I'm sorry. My brain kept telling me that there was no reason to post since things never really get better but recently I was reminded why I started this blog. I started it because when I Googled "MEN2a" in hopes of finding someone who could help me understand all this, I came up empty. There were no blogs for people like us and that leaves you feeling prettyJohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-54528089644622257792013-07-22T17:43:00.000-06:002014-08-26T17:44:28.615-06:00I'm A Neuropathic Nightmare!!I saw the Neurologist and found out after many tests, scans, and pokey needle things that I definitely have Peripheral Neuropathy which we already knew but now I have an updated diagnosis of it for my records. What I wasn't expecting was that when I brought the papers home and looked at them I saw that the doctor had written down, "Small Fiber Neuropathy", "Idiopathic Neuropathy" (which just Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-24368964544440596922012-10-20T10:46:00.000-06:002012-10-20T10:51:11.763-06:00The "Legacy" Continues...About a week ago I received some good news to balance out the bad news we had received the week before. The good news- my calcitonin levels haven't risen in the last eight months! I was so very relieved to hear this as I'm sure other Meddies can understand.
The odd thing was that I was on the verge of having a panic attack waiting to hear these newest results which is so very unlike me. I have Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-86685586811118798282012-04-19T17:27:00.000-06:002012-10-20T10:50:05.372-06:00To Everyone Who Has Contacted Me...And not received an answer, I just want to tell you that I am NOT ignoring you at all. I have recently found several emails that were missed in the high volume of mail that my tjcoiner and JoBurzycki accounts receive and I am so very sorry for that. I've also just found out that I should be hitting "Other" when checking messages on Facebook as well because I found several in that folder today. Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-6094500313316842702012-02-08T16:40:00.000-07:002012-10-20T10:49:23.809-06:00Goodbye and Love to Susan/WhyMommy
It is as always with sadness that I tell you we have lost yet another amazing woman to her fight with cancer. Susan aka WhyMommy of Toddler Planet fame lost her battle with IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer) on February 6th, 2012.
Susan was and will always be an inspiration to so very many women. Not only did she fight her own battle (through multiple recurrences) but she was also an advocate forJohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-89291650822724363572011-07-12T10:32:00.003-06:002011-07-12T12:17:20.301-06:00Dear Body,
I hate you too but I at least TRY to be nice to you so quit being such a painfilled bitch! I don't know if I can ever understand why you felt the need to just quit on so many levels. Yes, we have cancer that can't be cured. Yes, we're missing a bunch of organs. Yes, we're stuck on steroids for the rest of our life and have to worry about sickness. Yes, we have fibromyalgia as well Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-31029083453187678612011-05-11T21:40:00.000-06:002011-05-13T14:25:38.446-06:00Goodbye And Love To Sarah of Spruce Hill Farm
It is with much sadness that I tell you we have lost another wonderful, beautiful, cancer mama. Sarah from the Spruce Hill blog's family posted this on Twitter just minutes ago- "Friends: Sarah passed quietly tonight after a long, hard battle. We appreciate all love/support/prayers. Thank you [from her family]".
I want to send my thoughts, Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-82788911440113362782011-05-05T18:34:00.003-06:002011-05-05T18:41:14.683-06:00"Average Joe" heroes As a little girl, my heroes were Wonder Woman and my cool third-grade teacher with the wild hair. Later, they changed to people like Amelia Earhart, Joan of Arc, and Eleanore Roosevelt. Okay so I still thought Wonder Woman was da bomb too! When I became an adult though, I quit having heroes. There just wasn't anyone who inspired me anymore.
Then I read the story ofJohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-24737934185525437362010-10-30T17:46:00.005-06:002010-11-01T18:00:03.713-06:00Goodbye and Love to Rivka of Coffee and Chemo.
I am ashamed to say that I just found out today that the world lost a wonderful beautiful soul in Rivka bat Teirtzel from Coffee and Chemo on October 29th after a long battle with her breast cancer.
Rivka always made sure to be not only a mother and wife but also a friend, a voice for moms with cancer, and a shining example of how to fight cancer Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-86516142845546630892010-09-25T22:53:00.000-06:002010-11-01T18:56:04.445-06:00Goodbye Daddy
At 1am this morning my wonderful father, Darling Vincent Smith passed away due to complications from his metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. I miss him already but I am so glad I had him in my life even if for a short time.
Love you and miss you, Dad. Thank you for being a part of mine and your grandchildrens' lives. We will always remember you.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-26525032307600938572009-10-17T19:10:00.006-06:002009-10-18T20:54:36.696-06:00Finding Strength
When I look back to my life five years ago and think about all the things I would let get to me, I can’t help but laugh. Simple things would make me yell, “My life sucks!” Just daily stuff that we all complain about because we can.
Then my whole life was turned upside down in September 2004 when our new family doctor noticed a large lump in my throat and asked me about it. I Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-48465515437794646362009-10-07T22:56:00.015-06:002009-10-16T23:08:15.341-06:00My Five Year Anniversary
On October 7th, 2004 I was diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer. Shortly thereafter I was told that someone with it spread as much as mine had was given a 16% statistical chance of making it to 5 years. One doctor told me not to listen to statistics so since then I haven't but I can't help but be excited that...
I've made it to FIVE YEARS!!!!!
I can not even begin Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-30288529519824826002009-08-21T21:14:00.001-06:002011-05-05T18:37:19.986-06:00Costochon...what?
Chronic Costochondritis is what my last trip to Urgent Care on August 15th left me diagnosed with. It might sound scary but compared to the fact that we thought I was trying to have a heart attack... I'll take it!!
Off and on for the last four months or more I've been getting mild chest pains whenever I get really stressed out. After my adrenalectomy I was told that large Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-16107221350700656452009-06-30T13:46:00.002-06:002009-06-30T15:54:13.246-06:00Wow Has It Been A Year?I can't believe it's been a year since I wrote a post about us on here. It's funny that this post is to share the results of Big B's latest 24 hour urine with everyone because that's what my last one was about.The results from this time last year were actually slightly elevated which meant it was likely pheochromocytomas were forming but it wasn't something to worry about Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-22123937859731188772009-02-27T21:24:00.002-07:002010-11-01T18:03:26.037-06:00Cancer Claims Another Wonderful Woman
Yes, I know I haven't written in many months and you have no clue how many times I have started a post only to delete it because my heart just wasn't in it. Blogging just honestly hasn't ranked very high on the priority list lately I guess and for that I apologize to those of you who read here.
Tonight though I read something that broke my heart and I knew Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-61894973601088649632008-06-19T14:43:00.000-06:002008-07-08T16:39:48.575-06:00I have spentthe entire day feeling like such a moron for not going into the ER last night. So much could have gone wrong and I KNOW that but stupidly talked myself out of going. The only reason Vin even went to work last night was because I guess I talked him into it (I don't remember any of that though). He has informed me that from now on we do what HE decides with medical situations. I told Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-80623984539122759342008-06-18T13:31:00.000-06:002008-07-08T15:35:33.594-06:00Ummmm, Anybody Know About Strokes?It's very likely that I had a stroke earlier today and this is now scaring the hell out of me. No, I'm not overreacting either.I was sitting downstairs with Vin talking to him when all of a sudden I felt like I was going to throw up NOW. I ran upstairs, didn't throw up, and layed down on the bed. My body started feeling really heavy, I got a sudden horrid Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-47799685270989310852008-06-17T15:27:00.000-06:002008-07-08T15:31:08.585-06:00YAY, AWESOME News!!!!FINALLY I have some really great news to share with all of you. First I want to thank you though for always keeping the kiddos and I in your thoughts and prayers.Today was Big B's follow-up appointment with his endocrinologist. Three months ago the results from his 24hr urine test (that measures catecholamines, metanephrines and VMA) suggested that he was developing Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-46480255314921217982008-06-10T17:18:00.005-06:002008-06-10T17:24:48.215-06:00Now You See It, Now You Don'tWhat is it about me that makes tumors or "possible" tumors in my body want to play hide ~n~ seek with imaging equipment? Yesterday I got the results of my 6 month follow-up ultrasound on the lump in my right breast and now I don't know whether to feel relieved or like it's just same shit different spot. *sigh*The results this time are that they couldn't find the lump Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-38515510084104227132008-04-28T19:48:00.002-06:002008-05-22T19:55:50.445-06:00NOW I Have Reached The Limit...and I really just can't do this anymore.So anyone wanna know what all the swelling in my neck from my surgery on the 15th was from?A G-DAMN ABSESS!!! That's right, the entire left side of my neck is absessed and disgusting. I thought I had just done something wrong during the playdate I had with a friend but nope, it was my neck showing how badly infected it had Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-43945858718154229002008-04-16T19:44:00.003-06:002008-05-22T19:48:05.358-06:00Dammit. Just Dammit.Yesterday I had my surgery to remove the lymph node that has been pressing on my carotid artery. Everything went fine and I busted out of the recovery room as fast as I could (I hate laying in those beds when I know I can be home).I came home and the pain started. No biggie I'm use to pain. Okay so it hurts to move my head. Okay so the incision is lower down than I expected Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-22404051494401613992008-04-07T14:58:00.001-06:002008-05-28T12:41:52.994-06:00Do You Find This Creepy?*this is not a paid post or advertising post but a real question from me personally.*I've been thinking about this lately and thought I would see what other people's thoughts were on this. I have already started making arrangements for when I die. Hopefully that won't come for a long time but I hit a point last year where I decided I didn't want my family to have to deal Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073371.post-69317504213435594952008-04-04T16:38:00.001-06:002008-04-05T16:41:58.361-06:00Update on Breast Lump and Node in NeckI felt so kinky on Monday, I got felt up by a chic while two guys watched. GO ME!!!!Okay so what really happened is the breast surgeon examined me at my appointment and I could have given a shit less that two med students watched. LMFAO.The word on the lump in my right breast is that it does NOT look to be a form of breast cancer and is most likely metastaticJohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00392415064308526082noreply@blogger.com1