Tara's Blog - Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone is as stuffed as I am. My doctors postponed my next round of chemo until Monday, so I was able to eat and eat and eat all week without feeling even a little bit sick. I don't have much of an update for everyone, other than I'm continuing to feel great and eat more. We haven't completely discussed how the scans were this time around, but in general, they were great! The tumor is still smaller than the previous scans showed, and my body is doing a great job at eliminating all these extra toxins. I'm scheduled to get chemo everyday next week, then I'll have another 2 weeks off. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. 

I'm not sure if my doctors and nurses read my blog, but if they do, HEY GUYS!!! I wanted to give a shoutout to my oncologists, Dr. Suh, Dr. Melian, Dr. Kamberos, Dr. Hemmenway, and my nurses Sara, Christa, Sue, and Miriam. I am so extremely thankful for everything they have done for me since starting treatment in June. I was so intimidated by literally all of these people when I first started; I thought I would ask the dumbest questions around them or just be so nervous and scared about everything that they wouldn't like me. Well, now I feel like I can joke around with them whenever I feel like it, and I'm sure they feel the same. Dr. Suh and Dr. Melian really know how to mess with me. They'll get me to laugh even when I don't feel good. Dr. Kamberos and Dr. Hemmenway always seem so calm. They don't ever seem flustered or scared, and with such a hectic profession, I admire that. I especially love all of my nurses in the outpatient clinic. Whenever I have to get chemo or blood, they offer me juice, snacks, movies, pillows, blankets, literally anything I need. They understand how I'm feeling which I am very grateful for. If I feel like shutting off the lights and falling asleep, they get it. If I feel like talking their ear off, they get it.

I'm so lucky to have such amazing, influential doctors and nurses to take care of me. They have always made me feel comfortable and safe, and made me feel like they really wanted me to get better. Reading about what they've studied and what they have accomplished, makes me excited for my future. I can't wait to go back to school next fall and get my life started back up again. Soon enough :)