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Today was a momentous day: my two-and-a-half year post-transplant check-up.
It was surreal going to the hospital after a full six months off from appointments. For one thing, the new Q line makes the trip infinitely faster - one train instead of two, and 50 minutes travel time instead of an hour and a half. We've come a long way from Aaron driving a bald, tired, and often cranky Lulu across New York City!
After the routine blood work and vitals check, I was ecstatic to see that my weight has finally gone back down to my "normal" pre-cancer level. Being in early menopause, losing weight has become really difficult. Eating well and a mountain of running have finally helped to shift it.
I had my next set of vaccinations, and then we sat around and waited for two hours to see my doctor.
I always have a nervous anxiety in the lead up to my check-ups. Fear of relapse, fear of being told my counts are playing up again, fear that I'll be trapped inside the hospital for ever. But today, I was nervous excited. This is the first time my doctors will have seen me well. Even for my two year check up, I had a bad cold and was not feeling my finest.
Today, two-and-a-half years post-transplant, I got to tell my medical team that I'm running the Brooklyn Half Marathon in a few weeks. Then I got to tell them that I've signed up to run the New York Marathon, which coincidentally takes place around the third anniversary of my transplant, and I'm going to be raising funds for leukemia research at Sloan Kettering. My nurse practitioner got all teary. My usually unflappable doctor told me that I had inspired her to take up running again. It was the best way to say thank you to my team for saving my life.
My counts are looking great, I'm scheduled to finish up my re-vaccinations, and I am officially being moved over to the Survivorship Team for future check-ups. All things going well (knock on wood), I'll have my three year check-up in November, and then I'll be down to one visit a year! And no more bone marrow biopsies!
The past two and a half years have been an uphill slog.
Today, I feel awesome. Tonight, I'm working on Broadway (ok, I'm still in front of house... but baby steps. I had a stem cell transplant not so long ago!). In a few weeks I'm running a half marathon. In six months, I'm running the New York City marathon, baby!! In a year... who knows?
Right now, I'm sitting in the Rose Main Reading at the New York Public Library. Afternoon sunlight is streaming through the windows, and in between sentences I'm staring up at the ornate cloud-painted ceiling. And I feel so very lucky to be here.
It was surreal going to the hospital after a full six months off from appointments. For one thing, the new Q line makes the trip infinitely faster - one train instead of two, and 50 minutes travel time instead of an hour and a half. We've come a long way from Aaron driving a bald, tired, and often cranky Lulu across New York City!
After the routine blood work and vitals check, I was ecstatic to see that my weight has finally gone back down to my "normal" pre-cancer level. Being in early menopause, losing weight has become really difficult. Eating well and a mountain of running have finally helped to shift it.
I had my next set of vaccinations, and then we sat around and waited for two hours to see my doctor.
I always have a nervous anxiety in the lead up to my check-ups. Fear of relapse, fear of being told my counts are playing up again, fear that I'll be trapped inside the hospital for ever. But today, I was nervous excited. This is the first time my doctors will have seen me well. Even for my two year check up, I had a bad cold and was not feeling my finest.
Today, two-and-a-half years post-transplant, I got to tell my medical team that I'm running the Brooklyn Half Marathon in a few weeks. Then I got to tell them that I've signed up to run the New York Marathon, which coincidentally takes place around the third anniversary of my transplant, and I'm going to be raising funds for leukemia research at Sloan Kettering. My nurse practitioner got all teary. My usually unflappable doctor told me that I had inspired her to take up running again. It was the best way to say thank you to my team for saving my life.
My counts are looking great, I'm scheduled to finish up my re-vaccinations, and I am officially being moved over to the Survivorship Team for future check-ups. All things going well (knock on wood), I'll have my three year check-up in November, and then I'll be down to one visit a year! And no more bone marrow biopsies!
The past two and a half years have been an uphill slog.
Today, I feel awesome. Tonight, I'm working on Broadway (ok, I'm still in front of house... but baby steps. I had a stem cell transplant not so long ago!). In a few weeks I'm running a half marathon. In six months, I'm running the New York City marathon, baby!! In a year... who knows?
Right now, I'm sitting in the Rose Main Reading at the New York Public Library. Afternoon sunlight is streaming through the windows, and in between sentences I'm staring up at the ornate cloud-painted ceiling. And I feel so very lucky to be here.
2 Comments
Crying all over the place. I could not be more thrilled for you! Also, I knew you were doing 9:1 but I didn't know you were running THIS YEAR! That is incredible! I'll be out there cheering for you, girl!
So lovely to hear that you are so well 🌻🌺🌹🌸🌷😍