Friday

It's been about a week since John's Hopkins told us they were still working on the first biopsy and would call us back when they had results.  We're going to try to touch base with them today and see if there is any news.  It's also been 3-4 days since the second biopsy, which was the amount of time the surgeon said would be necessary to hear any results from that one.  The original oncologist I saw (who ordered the second biopsy) is out of town until Tuesday, so I know we won't hear from his office before then, but maybe Hopkins can give us some news.

Failing that, my next appointment with the first oncologist is Tuesday afternoon, so I will certainly post any information and updates we get from that appointment at that time.  Fingers crossed to hear from Hopkins though!!

Limbo

So until all the test results come back, I'm waiting in limbo.  But rest assured I am not sitting idly by!

At the moment I'm still working as full time as I can, excepting the days I've had to take off for various appointments, tests, and recovery periods.  I can still work normally, with the exception of now wearing an environmental mask to prevent inhalation of hair, dust, and other yuck into my already damaged lungs.  My back is a little sore from the spinal biopsy, but nothing that a little Motrin can't fix.

I've also adopted a "cancer diet".  There are many out there, but they all seem to agree that sugar and carbs are the devil, and so despite my life-long sweet tooth, I have given them up.  My diet now focuses on fresh vegetables and greens, lean proteins, good fats and oils, and very little else.  I'm bored sick of water and salad, but hey, it's worth it!  And I'm learning lots of new recipes to make up for it- carb-free bread is pretty easy, I'm still working on the carb-free cookies.

I'm pretty tired from losing my caffeine and sugar intake, but I've been doing my best to keep active during the day, and get plenty of rest at night.  It's like walking a very confusing tightrope, but hopefully once I get in with my permanent treatment team, they can give me some more direct guidelines to follow and it won't be so puzzling.  For now I'm just going with general knowledge type advice and hoping that it helps at least a little.

Well, that's all for this morning!  Off to groom some puppies.

Welcome!

So I thought I'd start off with an introduction for anyone who doesn't know me well.

My name is Aly, I'm 31 years old, and I was recently diagnosed with cancer.  We don't know exactly what kind it is yet, or exactly where we're at in terms of progression.  What we do know is that there is a tumor in my lung, and some cancerous activity in the lymph nodes next to it.  (Which is nothing short of ironic, because anyone who knows me knows that I've never smoked a day in my life.)  There may be some bone involvement as well.  We're still waiting on a lot of test results, so there are far more questions than answers at the moment.

So who am I aside from that?  Well, I'm a small business owner- my partner and I purchased a grooming salon a little over two years ago, and it has been a challenging and rewarding experience.  I've been grooming for nearly 12 years, and it is my passion.  Thankfully I have wonderful staff who are able to help me keep the shop up and running even when I have to be out for a while.

I'm also an avid equestrian, and in May 2015, I was accepted into the TROTSAR Mounted Search & Rescue Team.  We deploy all over Maryland and Virginia in search of missing persons.  I'm hopeful that I can keep my certifications up during my treatment and recovery time so that I can continue to participate in this wonderful cause.

In the rest of my free time, I work with my own animals- a talented German Shepherd who holds titles in numerous dog sports and competitions, an adorable little lapdog, two cats, and our newest addition, a veiled chameleon who could not be any cuter.  I've spent the last year refurbishing a 40 year old used horse trailer, and though the progress is slow, it's definitely there!  I also participate in mud runs, attend the Renaissance Festival (in costume, of course!), write, and play World of Warcraft (yes, a girl gamer!!).  When the mood strikes, I'm not a bad shot with my little .22 pistol either.  Variety is the spice of life, and I like to try everything at least once!

My partner Ty and I have been together for 8 years, and he has been amazing and supportive throughout the chaos of the last few weeks.  My friends, family, church and team have also shown me incredible love and support and I am grateful for every one of them.

I guess that's all for now- it's going to be a few days before we get the rest of our answers back, but I will post updates when they are available!

Thank you all for reading.

-Aly