So, I asked Kelli if she would send me a bit about her being diagnosed with Hodgkins and her treatment and remission. Here is what she wrote. She is truly an inspiration. Did I mention that she also has passed the bar and recently taken a job with the Juvenile Diabetes Fund???
( to donate... it works best through internet explorer http://pages.teamintraining.org/ctx/rnrsa08/amandaeblack)
Hey Amanda,
Not sure exactly what info you want, so I'll just give you the low down. I was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin's Lymphoma on April 13, 2007, one month before graduating law school. I moved down to Houston to be treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where I underwent 7 months of intravenous chemotherapy. Chemo was rough, I experienced all the ordinary side effects like intense nausia, fatigue, etc, and of course, I lost my hair. I finally chose to take control on August 20, 2007, when I had a head shaving party with my family. It was extremely emotional, but it was a way of not letting cancer beat me.
I officially went into remission on August 21, 2007, but I still had to finish my course of chemo, which I finally finished October 4, 2007. I am still in remission today, and I go into the hospital every 3 months for catscans, bloodwork, chest x-rays, etc. I live with the fear every day that despite beating the cancer, it is going to come back.
Cancer was hands down the most trying experience of my life, and I am so lucky I had so many family and friends who stood behind me, went to doctor's appointments with me, helped me on the days I couldn't even get out of bed, provided me a shoulder to cry on when it all got too overwhelming. I was very lucky that even in the serious stage I was diagnosed, I still had a very high cure rate, but to get there involved almost a year of very painful, invasive, and crippling treatments. I am proud to be involved with TNT because I know that by raising money, we are not only going to find a BETTER cure for lymphoma and other blood cancers, but we are going to eradicate the disease entirely. I attended my first TNT run back in January, when my sister and my cousin ran in my honor, and I immeadiately felt part of a close knit community every time I saw someone in a purple shirt run past me.
I am so proud of you for doing this, Amanda, for everyone who has ever been touched by this awful disease!!!
Kelli
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