I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma just 2 weeks after learning I was pregnant with my fourth child. I was able to have chemotherapy while I was pregnant, deliver a healthy baby and eventually graduate from Nursing School. Class of December 2011! I am now 13 years in remission and my little girl Gabbi is 13 old. This blog tells our story.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Pregnancy Symptoms, Cancer or Chemo Symptoms?
You know, I think my last pregnancy coinciding with cancer AND chemotherapy kind of messes me up in the area of giving advice to pregnant women. It's my last pregnancy. Even though I have FOUR kids I still tend to relate my latest experiences to pregnancy. The problem with this? Some of my "pregnancy" issues, symptoms or problems may not have been pregnancy related at all, but rather to the cancer or the chemo or combination of both. My morning sickness? It never ever started until I had my biopsy surgery. They gave me a "narcotic" to calm my nerves before surgery and I got sick. I didn't stop feeling sick and sometimes throwing up until I had that baby. I had the worst reflux ever imaginable. I could hardly eat anything. I always had reflux while pregnant but NEVER that bad. How much can I blame on baby? I have no clue! I'll never know. It's odd. I had back pain. Upper left shoulder pain was the worst but I think it was because I had to lie in bed, with 5 pillows propped behind my back. I couldn't move an inch in either direction or I would feel like I could not breathe. I got pretty stiff. So.....I have to think back to other pregnancies. I don't really think I can relate the pregnancy experiences with Gabriella to ANY body else's pregnancy symptoms.
Wow, pregnancy is hard enough with out having cancer. I don't think there is anyway to compare the experience.
ReplyDeleteIt really is a miracle that the human body can be going through the treatments to fight cancer while growing a perfect little baby at the same time. I feel like my pregnancies were a walk in the park after reading this.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I think about it, I can't believe you went through chemo while pregnant. I think that is amazing, and it's very inspiring to see both you and your daughter healthy today!
ReplyDeleteGoodness, Yea pregnancy is hard enough I couldn't imagine what you went through. And your both safe and healthy thank God!♥
ReplyDeleteYou know, I was catching up on my reading of your blog...been sick, too :( and revisited some of the older posts. Do you know that you are one of the most strongest women I have ever known? And you still always have a smile on your face. You are amazing...I just wanted to tell you that!
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate. I distinctly remember one of the first questions my support person (through Pregnant with Cancer) asked me was how many kids I had. She acted relieved when I told her I already had two. She said that most people who are diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy do not have any more kids because of what you just described. Lucky for us we already had a houseful!
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