2014 Leukemia Research Foundation Jim Gibbons Memorial 5K run/ 3K fun walk

Dear Friends and Family,

As many of you know, I have spent the last 16 months fighting a rare form of leukemia, Acute Promyleocytic Leukemia.  When my leukemia was discovered, I had flu like symptoms and large bruises that appeared out of nowhere.  Little did I know, I had days to live without immediate treatment.  I am blessed to say I am in remission, although I am still undergoing maintenance chemotherapy drugs until next October.  It has been a long battle, but I couldn't have done it without the support of my colleagues, friends and family.  Thank you for all your prayers along the way!

I am reaching out to you today asking for your support.  I will be walking as a survivor in the Leukemia Research Foundation's Jim Gibbons 5k run/3k walk in Chicago on June 12. I am walking the 3K in memory and honor of a fellow leukemia patient and friend I made while being treated at Rush, Keith Johns.

Keith was diagnosed the same time as me, Feb 2013.  We were both on the same floor at Rush, and we became friends during our initial month long stay.  Keith was diagnosed with AML (another form of leukemia) and needed a bone marrow transplant.  Keith and I went through our battles together.  We both had turned our rooms into mini studio-style apartments.  His room was plastered with family pictures and goodies from home, as was mine.  We lost our hair at the same time.  We experienced the same sore throats and upset stomachs from our chemo, lovingly termed by the nurses as "the red death".  Yet, he always smiled and waved to everyone in the other rooms.  He was always positive.   Keith did receive his transplant, after lots of chemo, during the summer.  I was lucky enough to also be receiving a round of chemo at the same time as his transplant, so I got to spend a couple more days visiting my friend.  Unfortunately, he had some
complications a few months later and passed away November 28. The news of his passing was incredibly heartbreaking for me.

More than anything, I want to honor my friend by participating in this walk.  The Leukemia Research Foundation is a non-profit that actually provides financial assistance to patients who cannot afford their treatments and/or medications.  It also funds research grants to help find better treatments for all blood cancers.  Last year, LRF provided over $500,000 in grants for research to help cure this devastating disease.  My specific leukemia was a death sentence 20 years ago, but because of groundbreaking research, it now has a 90% survival rate.

Below is a link to my fundraising page.  Please check it out and read my cancer story.  I am reaching out to you today asking for your donation.  I originally set a goal to raise a mere $200, but then I realized I could do better.  Please help me blow the roof on that silly $200!  Your donation will help fund leukemia research and help pay another patient's medical bills.  No donation is too small.  If you can't donate, I would love it if you could share my fundraising page with others, or better yet, join me in the walk! 

http://gibbons5k.racepartner.com/Jim-Gibbons-5K-2014/lisalee

Everyone is touched by cancer.  Everyone.  Whether its an aunt, mother, father, grandparent, friend or coworker...we all know someone that has experienced what I call "Warrior Training".  Not all of us are lucky enough to hear the word CURED.  Leukemia is a cancer that has a general survival rate of about 50%.  50% is TOO LOW!  We can't up that number without research!  I am one of the lucky ones, I heard REMISSION.  I WILL hear CURED in 4 years. 

I am walking in memory of Keith.  Please make your donation in memory and honor of your loved ones who have fought cancer.

Thank you!  Please share on twitter/facebook/linkedin

Being Human

The past few days I have been neutropenic, which means I have very little white blood cells.  White blood cells fight disease and keep us healthy.  I have none, so I can't leave the house.  In fact, I have been a bit low on everything...platelets, hemoglobin, and white blood cells.  How does this affect my body?  I feel very tired, a bit weak, and shaky in my legs if I am standing too long.  I can't really walk or even go outside.  I wear a mask when anyone comes over to let my dog out potty.  It sucks.

Well, since I have been neutropenic, I started watching Being Human, a BBC show.  I am lying on the bed watching tv in a marathon style fashion.  I have gotten through the first two seasons and am in the middle of the third season right now.  This show is about a ghost, werewolf, and a vampire all living together, trying to be "human".  They yearn for normality.  I can relate.  I haven't felt normal since February, the day everything happened.

Actually, I almost feel like the girl I was died that day.  I feel like I am not the same person, not the same me I was.  I wish I could say this was a good thing, and I'm stronger and yada yada yada, but I can't.  Sure, I feel stronger, but I feel like I don't know myself that much anymore.  I feel out of sorts.  Can anyone with a life changing illness relate?  Have you had cancer of any type and felt just not the same afterwords?  Please, please share.  I want so much to return to normal, but  I don't know if my brain will work the same anymore.  I don't know if I will be the same anymore.  Part of me fears taking any vitamin, getting even a papercut, going somewhere alone.  Part of me can't wait to get back to work, buy my own groceries again, bake some bread, go through my things and get rid of the clutter in my life I held onto for no reason at all.  Things that were important before cancer just aren't anything to think about now.  Priorities changed in an instant.

Chicken Soup for the Cancer Survivors Soul

My boyfriend's mother gave me a book titled, "courage: 100 verses for your daily journey".  Very inpiring, but I could not find it on amazon.com.  I did a search for other books that are inspirational, and this one is on my list--- I will be a cancer survivor!!