I woke up this morning.....

.....the sunshine was shining. I put on a happy face. I'm living, I'm able, I'm thankful, I'm grateful to put on a happy face.

Dude, I felt like a Disney Princess, I'll pick Snow White due to the hair, but anyway, I swore I was going to see a blue jay fly into my room and perch on my pointer finger & whistle a song with me. I was just in good spirits. I treated it like any other typical day----which consisted of my habitually taking my time getting ready. Yet I treated it as me a conquistador preparing for battle. I read and reread my wall of inspiration.

Asked God to guard me from every evil, to guard my life, to guard my coming and going. Focused on why I'm doing this and what I'm fighting for.

And it being my first chemo day I wanted to be comfortable yet being me - I still needed to look fashionable. I decided to Posh my hair than Jackie-O it since I knew I was going to see Team Captain. (*heartbeat *heartbeat)

I drove to my parents' and once I arrived I popped in my first antibiotic (Emend). I'm supposed to take it an hour before treatment. Then we were off to CCCN.

We arrived there 18 mins before schedule. Yes, I know I was Snow White all morning but that car ride there I started to freak out a bit I could feel the tears beginning to form but I started praying to The Lord that I did not want to cry because I wanted to look cool in front of my parents---so I threw on my Jackie-O shades to mask any sadness/fear. I didn't cry though. *Thank you Jesus.

Although I was scheduled for 1pm, I did not speak with Dr. Galsky until 1:45pm. They were slammed with patients and EVERYONE is already an hour behind schedule. My MUGA test and pulmonary function both came back normal--healthy heart, healthy lungs.

I was finally brought into the spa, oops, I mean Chemo Room around 2pm.

2:15pm - The saline solution was started. They rubbed an alcohol swab on my mediport for about 30 secs. Then poked it with the IV line. Man, although this mediport is probably going to leave an ugly scar I'm grateful that I have it. I DESPISE getting IV through the vein--it hurts! But with the mediport--didn't feel a thing! Plus, it's so high up on my chest, when I look down I can't see it. Out of sight out of mind.

2:43pm - Steroids are injected (GGGGGRRRREAATTT. I'm going to be one of those patients that gain weight from chemo. G R E A T.) for nausea & vomiting. It lasts up to 3 days. It was pronounced deca-drone.

3pm - IT'S CHEMO HOUR!!!!!!!!!! Yessssssssssssssss! Time for my chemo cocktail.

Chemo is practically toxin. Poison. My nurse wore a robe and DOUBLE GLOVED. She DOUBLE GLOVED. She said that if it were to touch the skin it will damage the tissue and/or scar. As she brought out the Fox Force Four I see the movie 300 in my mind. Except I have four smoking hott babes in place of the Spartans. "THIS IS SPARTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" [Imagination Time: a line crosses out Sparta and is replaced with: SHARON LEE ALBANO ANDRES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Vinblastine was the first out of my Fox Force Four deployed. She's a 6'0'' Kimora Lee Simmons look-a-like but with electric blue hair. [Imagination Time: Japan anime complete with the multi-colored sunbeam background and Kanji characters. Vinblastine comes soaring into the image, her dark blue, knee high stiletto boots entering first, panning the rest of her body, her electric blue hair whipping all over. Cue in Japanese girl voice: VINBLASTINE!!! The multi-colored sunbeam changes color reminiscent to Power Rangers or Transformers or She-ra/He-Man.]

"Yay! Time for my chemo cocktail! 4 shots! I'm a shot kinda-gal!"

(*giggle) "That's a way to think of it!" Should I let her in on the Fox Force 4?

The following picture is the "draw back" or "looking for the blood" the nurse talks about in the video clip.

The nurse had to "push" the chemo through the IV 2 cc's at a time per minute until all of the chemo was given.

Immediately following Vinblastine, I was given Adriamycin, the Kool Aid Chemo! (The nurse warned me that this chemo makes my pee and tears red too. Gross.) [Insert Imagination Time for Adriamycin. She's a fiery redhead with hot red patent leather boots--teeheehee!]

3:20pm - Dacarbazine was given but not with a syringe. It was a bag but I chose not to take a picture of it because it brought back horrible, wretched memories of my ER experience I had during this summer. (*shoulder shudder) [Insert Imagination Time. Dacarbazine has long flowing wavy lavendar hair. She reminds me of Angelina Jolie.]

While Dacarbazine was doing her sassy Fox Force 4 moves, I met Laurie, a breast cancer patient and fellow Cancer Babe--oops! I mean Cancer Cougar. She just kept smiling at me.

Cancer Cougar: You're too young & too pretty to be in here.

Hozhoni: (shrug) What can I say.

Cancer Cougar: You just work with the card you're dealt right? (& that's the Cancer Card -muah-hahah! *Please refer to last blog) So what are you in here for?

Hozhoni: I have Hodgkin Lymphoma. What are you in here for? (Man, it's like prison! But ya know, as I entered the Chemo Room I was hoping to spot a dashing, straping young lad---no avail. Since my dream of snagging Team Captain Galsky is dust in the wind I was hoping I'd have a: "So how'd you two meet?" *said in unison "We met in chemo!" *smile at each other beaming, lil red hearts float & vaporize into the air moment)

Me & Cancer Cougar Laurie talked for the entire Dacarbazine deployment. She's a tough cookie--Laurie's cancer reoccurred after being in remission for over 10 years. She's worried that this time it has spread to her bones. I told her that I would pray for her and I'd like all you to say a quick prayer for her as well. She's now one of my CFFs - Chemo Friends Forever.

This bag took an hour to take. Before they started the fourth chemo, my nurse wanted to make sure every drop was given, "Gotta make sure every drop of your expensive chemo is given!" Yummmm....Maxwell Coffee style-good to the last drop!

4:31pm -[Insert Imagination Time. Bleomycin has a lime green bob. She rocks a Sunshine Canary yellow pleated mini skirt. She's a giggler--like MEEEEEE!!!!] This one was given through a bag as well but only lasted about 10 mins.

I could now feel my chemo cocktail swirling throughout my body. It feels like a tingling, cool sensation. From head to toe.

4:55pm - Chemo Part 1 of 2 of Cycle 1 officially ended. "VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!!!"

5:03pm - I had to pee me a waterfall. I was disappointed that it wasn't red.

5:06pm - I'm doing good. I'm glad that everything went well. I'm doing just fine (for now--it may be a delayed reaction to the chemo. I may very much feel like crap tomorrow.) See, I'm still very much cheesy and greasy!

12:26am- I know I KNOW! WHY ON EARTH am I still up! I'm an insomniac! I promise I'll go to sleep once I finish this. I'm still feeling fine. A bit lightheaded but that could be due to sleep deprivation. Anyway, I feel fine -- for now. I'm just having issues of not touching my face, biting my lip, rubbing my eyes, picking my nose, and popping my zits! I don't think I can last 6 mths of not doing that! Well, I'm allowed to rub my eye or touch my face only AFTER washing my hands.

Ya know, I'm very very fortunate that so far my cancer experience has been extremely pleasant and good spirited. I definitely want to keep the positive momentum going. And I believe it's because I have all of you praying and sending me your positive energy. THANK YOU GUYS!!! I've been praying a lot myself too. God's a giving God. Never selfish, always patient. THANK YOU GOD!!!

"Think about what you're fighting for. You're fighting for a life with us forever." - Nolan

"You're proof that cancer cannot spread to the heart." - Antonette