Thanks to the Labor Day holiday, my weekend is not yet over – woohoo!! I am happy to say that it’s been a very good one so far. I’m feeling as well as I’ve felt since before the last treatment which makes me sort of dread this week’s chemo. BUT, I know that after this week I will have two treatments behind me and could possibly be half-way through with treatment all together (if I only have to have four rounds).
Four months ago, the fact that this month is Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma Awareness Month would have meant nothing to me. (Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma are classified as blood cancers.) If I heard it on TV or saw it online or in print somewhere, I would have breezed right past it without stopping to give it a second glance.
Well, the times, they are a changin’! My cancer radar is on super mega ultra high lately. When Pumpkin hears something unusual, his ears sort of perk up and turn sideways. That’s how I feel when I hear the word “cancer” these days. My ears perk up and turn sideways! It seems that every commercial on TV is about cancer, cancer research, or cancer treatment facilities. I know that’s not true, but I’m certainly noticing them more.
A few facts* about blood cancers:
- 1 million people in the United States have leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
- Someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer every four minutes.
- Blood cancers are the third leading cause of cancer deaths.
*Source: PR NewsWire
Significant progress has been made just in the past five years with new treatment options. But there is still a lot of research that needs to be done to find better treatments and cures. So what can you do?
- Educate yourself on the causes and symptoms of blood cancers. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s website is a great source of information.
- Make a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society or the American Cancer Society to help fund cancer research.
- Say a prayer for the million people fighting blood cancers in the U.S. right now.
Well, I’m going to enjoy the rest of my holiday weekend. I hope you all are having a wonderful one, too! I’ll leave you with a print I made for Jennifer with one of my favorite quotes:
You describe all of your feelings so beautifully. Love the analogy between you and Pumpkin. I would agree that before June of this year, I didn’t really know the difference between blood cancers and other cancers nor did I understand NHL and Hodgkin’s. I still feel woefully uneducated but am trying to learn more each day as you go through this.
Love, Jennifer
I think you’re a little biased, but thank you! Love you.