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Word From Jen – December 1

Good morning all!

Last night was a good night. My rash is slowly giving way. I was able to get some good sleep last night even with the early morning vitals and blood labs.

This morning they had to redo my labs to check to see if the first labs were right. My hemoglobin dropped from an 8.2 to a 6.9 and then read a 7.0. So l will be getting a hemoglobin transfusion. I don’t need platelets or anything else which is good.

With being on chemo and IV fluids my counts are going to drop. The fact that I have gone almost 2 full weeks without needing a transfusion is amazing.

My sister Jessica Crawford stayed the night with me. We played countless rounds of rummy and learned how to french braid my hair….well sorta.

Yesterday we went on 2 walks around the hospital and my own floor which will reduce the heparin shots that I may need.

Today we did another quick walk around the floor before I was due for a refill on my chemo and my transfusion.

The nurses and PCA’s here love my hair Laura Moreo. Already planning my next color!

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My brother Matt Honigford is coming down to see me this afternoon/evening and I believe mom and dad will be back down tomorrow.

They keep talking about moving me down to the 15th but that hasn’t happened yet so I am not holding my breath. I don’t mind the 16th floor.

If you want to send me an ecard or a present my current room number 1604. If I happen to change rooms before it gets to me they will make sure I get it anyway.

I really appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers and the donations. It really helps more than you know.

If you want to visit please let me know and we can set that up 🙂

Keep my family and me in your thoughts and prayers as well as those in Tennessee. Those fires are scary and can’t imagine what the people of Tennessee ate going through right now.

God bless!

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Chemo Started

Today I started Chemo. I am doing what’s called 7 + 3 which is 7 straight days of chemo and 3 of those days I get 2 bags of chemo.

I was also giving a heparin shot to prevent blood clots.

Doctor’s haven’t been in yet. Mom went home for the day to get things since we weren’t prepared to be admitted early. But my sister is here to spend the day with me 🙂

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Happy Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful to be home with my family. Thankful for my doctors and all of those on my care team at the James. All of those who run the clinical trial. Those who made things happen as quickly as they did when they discovered I was sick.

Thankful for all those who are praying for me and my family. Thankful for those who have sent me cards, gift cards, gas cards, and food. Thankful for those who visited me in the hospital and here at home.

Thankful for my amazing family and their strength. Thankful for my cousin for being here when I can’t be. Thankful for my friends at church. And thankful for my continue faith in God.

My road ahead of me I know is a long and rough one. But I know that I will have God, my family, and friends on my side.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Count your blessings, even the small ones. They matter!

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My Reults | A Word From Jen |

My results are back. It is Leukemia or AML.

After my blood labs come back later this week they will know more on how to treat it and what clinical trials I qualify for.

Tomorrow I will have a central line put in so I won’t be connected to Ivy by my arm any more and so I won’t have to keep getting poked for blood draws.

I am trying my best to stay positive.

Please lift my family up in prayers. This is just as hard on them as it is on me.

I will also have an echo cardiogram sometime tomorrow even though it was to be today.

Treatment will probably start by the weekend. If I respond well to treatment we are looking to be home by Christmas if not sooner.

My nurse has put in a request for a consultation with the art therapist and the Chaplin here to come and talk to us.

We are going to fight this and come out stronger on the other side.

Please share the Go Fund Me page to help raise money for any expenses my family my encounter over the next few months as well as bills I won’t be able to pay.

You can also donate to the local Fort Jennings Bank if you prefer.

https://www.gofundme.com/jennifers-fight

If you can’t donate please pray. If you can donate blood please do that.

Lots of love from Columbus.
God Bless!

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Egg Harvesting | A Word From Jen |

So today while talking with the doctor. If it is leukemia it could possibly be pre leukemia.

The plan was if I were to have chemo done to harvest some of my eggs to save so that I could have a better chance at having kids in the future.

Unfortunately due to how long it takes to prep my body for an egg harvest it would postpone any treatment. Which my doctor strongly advises against.

As hard as it is to hear that everyone person and body is different and I still may have viable eggs even after treatment.

But I also am ok with looking to other options for a family in my future.

Not the best news to hear, but I won’t let it stop me from getting better. I can become a mom on other ways but need to be healthy for that.

My transfusion went well with no side effects. I also had my CT scan this morning.

My mom is here now for the day and I have the possibility of having some visitors later today.

I am in good spirits and ready to give it my all.

Please if you can donate blood whether you are my blood type or not please do so. One donation = 4 transfusions. Although your blood may not go to me directly it will replenish what I used today or be used to help someone else in need.

Thank you for all the prayers and good vibes. I truly and blessed to have such great support.