Update on mom/Debbie - New Diagnosis!!

What a crazy month it's been! Mom has successfully started chemotherapy and is tolerating it well. A few weeks ago she had a repeat CT scan that showed ALL of her nodules/masses have decreased in size, some 30-50%! And that's only after 2 treatments! Praise God for that!
Yesterday she had her 3rd treatment and found out that her diagnosis had changed. Originally, she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's large B-cell lymphoma. But after her lymph node biopsy and bone marrow biopsy results were reviewed by the lymphoma pathologist at City of Hope, it was decided that she has Non-Hodgkin's follicular lymphoma.
For mom/Debbie, new news kinda throws her off kilter a bit. She was prepared for how to handle her initial diagnosis, and then things changed. The great thing is that follicular lymphoma is a better diagnosis! Follicular lymphoma is slow growing and responds very well to chemotherapy. So well, in fact, that she may not need all 6 treatments originally planned. Also, there will be NO need for a stem cell transplant! Follicular lymphoma tends to reoccur every 5-7 years at which time she will simply be treated again. This cycle may continue for the rest of her life, but that sounds much better than a 5 year survival rate that diminishes after 10 years.
We could not be happier about the change in prognosis, even though we have some research and reading to do on the new diagnosis.
Please continue to pray for mom/Debbie and dad/Dale. Thank you to the friends and family who continue to bring food and help around the house. For information on how you can help please click here. You will be asked to log-in and list how you are connected to this community. Mention Debbie's name to start the process. A web coordinator will respond to your request for 'membership' in the community.

With Love,
Amanda

PS: I have signed on with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training (TNT) to train for the Nike Women's 1/2 marathon in October. Please see my team page for more details on my training and fundraising progress: http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/nikesf08/zooga. If all goes well with this training and fundraising, I plan to sign on to run with TNT for the PF Chang's Rock-n-Roll marathon in Phoenix January 2009. Mom will be able to be at this race, which excites me greatly!!!

Because, "It is what it is"

It's official...I'm a blogger!!

The title of this blog is an ode to life. It is a phrase often used by my husband, and one adopted by my mother and aunt during my grandmother's unfortunate passing. I find myself saying it quite often, and it has become quite a comfort for this rather type-A personality.
I highly recommend it to any stress-prone people out there. Just take a deep breath and say it, "It is what it is." Chances are you can't control "it" and you can't change "it"; you just have to accept it for what it is, whatever "it" is.