Questions

Here are some questions some friends or family have asked me about my cancer or in general, more questions are always appreciated though!

What are you most concerned about when it comes to you having to do chemo?

At first I was most concerned about losing my hair, but then, I met someone in Michigan who willingly cut her braids off, donated them, and then proceeded to shave her head clean. And why? As a big hoorah for her 19^th birthday! I couldn’t believe it! Then my doctor told me that the drugs weren’t going to take my hair, but either if it does, I’m not too concerned. The thing I’m most concerned about now is how I’ll react to the treatments and if they’ll work right away or not

How is your treatment going so far?

My treatment is stopped because I’m switching my treatment from a TACE procedure to systemic chemotherapy through an I.V.

Will you stay in Michigan over the next three months while crushing the tumors?

I will stay in Michigan for the next three months, only because it would be hard to travel back and forth when I need a treatment once a week for three months straight.

Did they tell you how long the genetic decoding will take for the tumor?

My doctor said that the genetic coding will take a few weeks at the most, but I’ll already be having chemo, and the coding, if it shows anything that a specific drug will work, they’ll add that into what I’m taking.

How aggressive is your chemo going to be? Will you get sick; loose your hair, etc?

I don’t know how aggressive my chemo will be, only because, as my doctor said to me, I’m a unique person and case, so I don’t really know. The drugs may make me sick, but it all depends how my body takes to them. I shouldn’t lose my hair, if I did it would be because the chemo being put into my body was a stronger dose, but my doctor assured me that it wouldn’t be that strong; at least not yet.

How do you feel after having your chemo? And how are you feeling?
 

After my first TACE procedure, I was pretty worn out for a week, and slowly regained my strength and stamina and ability to go and do things. After my second TACE procedure, since I was used to it, after about the 2^nd or 3^rd day, I would go out, although, I also relapsed because it was too soon for me to do that. I don’t know how I’ll respond to this new type of chemo. We shall see.

How do I feel now? Honestly, I feel numb, hollow and confused. I’ve always been so positive, and every time, my positivity gets me nowhere. So it’s frustrating being positive all the time but getting results you weren’t hoping for at all.

What kind of warrior do you see yourself as?

I don’t really know what kind of warrior I see myself as yet. I see myself growing into being a stronger person, and learning to trust that everything will work out and that this, for some reason, is all part of God’s plan for me and that He will use this to His advantage, whether it be to help people draw closer to God, help cancer patients, help the families of cancer patients, or whatever He has planned.

When you have to go back?? Is there anything I can do?

I will leave sometime this weekend, either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

The only thing I can think of is to pray. Pray, not only for me, but for my mom who constantly travels with me, but also for my dad who remains here due to work, and also my sister as she shares this burden.

Can you get a liver transplant, or does it not work that way?
 

Right now I can’t get a liver transplant only because they’re not sure that my liver is producing the tumors, so if they took my liver out and it was producing tumors, it could be producing them from the arteries and such, and in a way would be pointless.

How has having cancer affected your relationship with God?
 

It’s definitely made me stronger in my relationship with God. Trusting and relying on God more, and praying a whole lot more about anything.

To lighten up the mood, what is your favorite dessert / type of junk food / flavor of ice cream?

My favorite dessert is probably my mom’s pizza cookie dough cake.

My favorite type of junk food is snickers bars or York peppermint patties.

My favorite flavor of ice cream is chocolate or chocolate fudge brownie; but I like mango sorbet better than ice cream.