Blood

My Cancer Story Ch. 74 “Gone in a New York Minute”

/ GuyOnAWire / 96 Comments

Chapter 74: “Gone in a New York Minute”

Jump to a Chapter: 
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 
51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 
61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 
71 | 72 | 73 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 
81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 
91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 

Luckily, the year wasn’t all low points. Up until this point, I had never traveled in any direction past where I visited my sister and her family: Plymouth, Connecticut. I’d been down there only twice: one for her wedding and once for my Aunt Marie’s Birthday the year prior, but I’d desired to go beyond this state. As a matter of fact, New York City had always been a dream of mine, and I had come close to applying to the New York Film Academy’s one-year Director’s Program before my Leukemia reared its ugly head. But I still knew that one day I would travel there and see the sights. I just didn’t know it would be so soon.

Continue reading →

Advertisements

My Cancer Story Ch. 65 “Job Hunting”

/ GuyOnAWire / 98 Comments

Chapter 65: “Job Hunting”

Jump to a Chapter: 
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 
51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 
61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 
71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 
81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 
91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 

Sure enough, Keith and Shawn easily transferred from one Paradis Shop N Save (Fort Kent) to the other (in Brewer). I, on the other hand, had hoped to do the same with my profession as “Sandwich Artist.”

Continue reading →

My Cancer Story Ch. 55 “Memories: Old and New”

/ GuyOnAWire / 99 Comments

Chapter 55: “Memories: Old and New”

Jump to a Chapter: 
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 
51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 
61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 
71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 
81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 
91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 

It may not seem like it’s been that long since treatment to your fine readers, but by this time, I had begun treatment over seventeen months ago and after all that time, I still had the Port-a-Cath (from which to draw blood) in my chest, you know, just in case. I had wondered for how long I would keep this third nipple, but the time had come where they deemed it ready for removal. This was a huge milestone for me. This symbolic moment told me that they were confident that I wouldn’t need the Port-A-Cath any longer.

 

Sure, I was nowhere near the five-year confidence threshold, but nevertheless, it was a cause for celebration. In an effort to commemorate such a moment, I wanted to get the removal on film. The procedure was to be conducted during an in-office visit and so, I knew the sterilization process wasn’t drastic enough to prohibit a camera.

Continue reading →

My Cancer Story Ch. 51 “Never, Never, Land”

/ GuyOnAWire / 99 Comments

Chapter 51: “Never, Never, Land”

Jump to a Chapter: 
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 |
52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 
61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 
71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 
81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 
91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 

The first semester propelled time faster than ever expected and soon it was already Thanksgiving. This particular Thanksgiving, however, was a reboot for I was finally able to experience it again with my family. I couldn’t believe it had been a year since I underwent one of the single loneliest days of my entire life. I had been fortunate enough to spend this past year with so many loved ones. And since my parents’ divorce, Travis and I were also lucky enough to have two of each holiday. First, we went to my Mom’s side at my Grandparents’ place.

Continue reading →

My Cancer Story Ch. 46 “My First Camera”

/ GuyOnAWire / 100 Comments

Chapter 46: “My First Camera”

Jump to a Chapter: 
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 
51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 
61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 
71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 
81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 
91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 

The summer had been a blast. Besides work, I’ve been living it up as much as humanly possible: hanging with my friends and preparing for my career path. I was actually looking forward to finally starting school.

We spent a night at Mitch’s family’s camp and plenty of days at his house playing Pool and shooting the shit. Continue reading →

My Cancer Story Ch. 11 “Pins and Needles”

/ GuyOnAWire / 100 Comments

Chapter 11: Pins and Needles

Jump to a Chapter: 
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 |
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 
51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 
61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 
71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 
81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 
91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 

The anticipation was rising… My counts were finally (once again), back on the climb. Round two of chemo was nearing its cycle and that meant… going outside.

 

Every blood test inched closer to a new hope: “cleared for take off.” Back in 851 after the week and a half of that medical sidestep, things changed outside. It was nearing October. People weren’t wearing summer clothing anymore. Older folks had near-winter jackets; others had windbreakers and sweaters. The cold crept its way into our typically rapid autumn commencement.

Continue reading →

My Cancer Story Ch. 8 “Extraction”

/ GuyOnAWire / 100 Comments

Chapter 8: Extraction

Jump to a Chapter: 
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 |
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 
51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 
61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 
71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 
81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 
91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 

I’ve been drugged, I’m loopy and incoherent; but what’s worse is that I have no idea for what reason. All I know is that I am in pain.

My Mom and Stepdad stayed with me the entire time while I awaited the results of the test. It was nice of them, but I wasn’t much of an entertainer at this moment considering the severe pain and being drugged; a winning combination at parties– well maybe in Hollywood.

Before the nurse could arrive at 4pm with my next dose of pain meds, my doctor beat her to the punch. “Hey Jamie, so we have an idea of what may be causing the discomfort, and we want to try another CAT Scan.” Continue reading →