Being diagnosed with a blood cancer is something that takes anyone by surprise. It’s hard to explain, but it’s something you can’t see or feel, so it almost doesn’t feel real. It’s like something is invading your body without your permission. While it may not feel real, it’s something that occurs more often than we would like to believe. I’m living proof that cancer can affect you when you least expect it. It takes you by surprise and throws your life into a whirlwind. I’m sure my life will never be the same. Cancer has changed me forever. In the past 9 months, cancer has shown me I’m stronger than I ever thought possible, I can do anything I put my mind to, and I’m surrounded by people who love and care about me.

September is blood cancer awareness month. While cancer has taught me a lot, it’s now my time to educate others. I want people to understand that blood cancer can happen to anyone when you least expect it. On October 5, 2013, I’ll be walking in “Light the Night”. Light the Night allows people who have blood cancer or have been impacted by blood cancer, to come together and increase awareness. While increasing awareness, the money raised can also help change someone’s life.  It’s my hope to get donations to make a difference.  I can’t do this alone, so I’m asking for your help. Please feel free to make a donation to my team (one step @ a time) and help me change someone’s life. THANK YOU for your continued support!

Till next time…KMS

Fundraising page: http://pages.lightthenight.org/ct/NewHaven13/onestepatime

The month of August has flown by! I’m back in the swing of things going to clinical, so that’s keeping me busy. In addition to my clinical, I still visit Smilow weekly for labs. It’s nice to be out and about in the “real” world again. This Friday I start a 5 day chemo run, but I’ll be back in the swing of things at the end of next week. I’m about half way done clinical; the end is near! Well I just wanted to check in since it’s been about a month. I continue to take it one step @ a time on this journey.

Till next time…KMS

Tomorrow marks the eighth month of treatment. Where did 8 months go? Well for me, I know many long days were spent at Smilow. As for my A-team, many miles have been spent on the road. No matter where the time was spent, it sure has gone by quickly. Today was my last day of delayed intensification. Once my counts get the memo and come up, I’ll start maintenance. It’s funny to look back to the beginning and think, "when I'm on maintenance”, and here I am. I can promise you it hasn't been an easy journey, and I still laugh and say it doesn't feel real. I can't possibly have cancer. As I tell my friend, we’ll wake up and say wow, Katelyn handled that really well. While it doesn't feel real I have daily reminders of what I have gone through. I told Chris just the other day that no one told me I would have this much neuropathy and he looked at me and said, “would it have changed your mind to get treated?” As if that would have ever been an option. I’m too damn stubborn to let cancer win. While it’s easy to watch me cruise around in my braces, it’s definitely not how I imagined I would be starting maintenance. Cancer has taught me a lot, that’s for sure. I’ve looked fear in the eyes and overcome. Every day I see myself getting stronger. While it never happens as quickly as I would like, I continue to make strides. Sometimes it's just all in my head, so everyone says. I say it's just my personality and that I put a lot of thought into everything I do. I have thought long and hard over the past 8 months, but one thing I’ve never asked myself is “why me”, because I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Cancer may not always be easy, but it teaches you some valuable lessons, strengthens some important relationships, and for this alone, I wouldn't change my diagnosis for anything.

Till next time…KMS

I guess I have been MIA lately. The first couple weeks of delayed intensification were busy. I was at Smilow nearly every day for two weeks. So I have a good excuse! I was off last week, which was a much needed and nice break. I'm off until Thursday this week and then I start a five day run. While it'll get busy again, I'm almost half way through this phase. Believe it or not, I'm six months (almost seven months) into treatment. The time sure is flying by.

I can't believe I've been out of school for a month. I've been keeping busy with my physical therapy and little things around the house. I also had some visitors this past week which was nice. It was nice to see some of my friends. I hope as I continue to move forward I can have more visits! While I may not see everyone as much as I would like, I continue to receive support. Everyone at work put together a beautiful quilt with notes to me. It truly brought tears to my eyes to read the notes from everyone. I also continue to get cards, phone calls, text messages and even nakeds! I'm truly honored to be surrounded by such supportive people.

(and of course happy fathers day!)

Till next time…KMS

Here we go again! On to another phase- -delayed intensification. Can you keep up?! We’re on a roll here. It’s going to be a busy 64 days, something that seems overwhelming on paper. But all I keep telling myself is, “I’ve already gotten every single one of these medications before”. This phase takes the name literally- - intense that is. It’s every intense medication that I’ve received over the past six months rolled up into one last wallop, just to make sure that the cancer which invaded my body is gone for good.  

I’ve been catching up on some much needed reading. After graduating, I began to climb the walls so everyone wants to give me a project J. Not working was much more manageable when I was busy writing papers and studying for exams. So now I have to find other ways to keep myself busy. Smilow is helping with that next week….I’ll be there four out of five days. Today was a long day too…I put in some 9a-6p hours! In time I’ll get to work again, I just have to keep up my exercises and eating.

One step @ a time…Rome wasn’t built overnight, even though in my book it would have been!

Till next time…KMS

Happy graduation day! (and mother’s day of course) I made itJ If this has taught me anything, it has taught me that determination and hard work pays off. I achieved my goal- -I walked across that stage and graduated alongside my fellow classmates! It has been a long journey with a big pay off. I am happy to be done with late night studying, 20 pages papers and endless exams. Although I am sure after about a month I’ll be climbing the walls. I’ll keep myself busy with studying for the boards and a few good books. Of course I didn’t achieve this goal alone, I am thankful to be surrounded by some pretty amazing people. I cannot thank Chris, my parents, some good friends, and family enough for their support through school. We made it J

Here’s a sneak peek picture- - more to come.

Till next time…KMS

I know I said this about March…but where did April go?! I cannot believe it is May! And I am happy to say April is gone. April was a rough month. I gave a couple weeks plus some days to nausea. Which I can tell you first hand is awful. The medications just made me sleepy and didn’t make me feel any better. I am happy to say I am feeling better. A little ginger is always helpful too! Of course while I had nausea I lost weight so I am back to eating myself out of house and home. Eating has become my full time job! Some would be jealous of my diet…ice cream, hot pockets, ellios pizza and naked fruit smoothies. Those are a few of my favorites.

On top of the nausea, the medications I receive have caused me to have some difficulty walking and doing some things like going up and down stairs. I know I will re-gain my skills but this has definitely been a big change for me. God gives you what you can handle, for some reason he is giving me yet another challenge. Of course I am all over it with vengeance. I have everyone on my team helping me get over this bump in the road.

Yesterday I had my last day of chemo for interm maintenance. I have a two week break and then I start delayed intensification. One step closer to maintenance!

I will have some free time on my hands soon. I graduate this coming Sunday! I might not be able to run across that stage but I will walk slowly and take it all in.

Till next time…KMS