A Hike for Healing

A HIKE FOR HEALING

Cancer.  The last thing I thought I would be diagnosed with.  In Jan. of 2015 I went in for an exam thinking I was experiencing kidney stones, only to have my PA, Matt Christopher, call with the results of my CT scan.  

“I have good news,” he said, “you don’t have kidney stones. But the radiologist thinks you have lymphoma.” 

“What?” I replied.  “Isn’t lymphoma (pause) cancer?” 

“Yes.”  Came the voice over the phone.  I was still trying to process how this was “good news.”

I had all the necessary procedures done:  a PET scan, two biopsies; one of the lymph nodes and the other of the bone marrow, the placement of the PORT, and a cardiogram.  I was labeled as stage 3 large cell B lymphoma.

I began my chemo treatment on Feb 9th 2015.  

You don’t feel good when you are going through chemo treatment, but I was determined to not be sick. I willed myself to continue getting up in the morning and going to the gym by 4:30 am and to work by 7:20 am.  I continued to snowshoe and hike on Saturdays.  Although I got slower and slower I still kept active.  I was not going to let cancer dictate how I lived. 

 People would often say to me, “I am so sorry you are sick.”  My  reply was, “I am not sick, I just have cancer.”

 After my last chemo treatment, May 26th 2015, I prepared to leave  on a backpack on June 28th 2015.  During that backpack I  completed 178 miles during a 2 ½ week time period. Then I  prepared to leave the first of Aug for the Three Sister’s Wilderness  for another 10 day backpack which also included climbing all three  Sister Volcano’s. 

 Since my recovery, I have been overwhelmed with humility and gratitude for life. I suffered well through my fight with cancer and I have a desire to give back to the cancer community. I have been approved to take a sabbatical from my teaching position next school year (2017-2018) and in June I will be stepping on the

Pacific Crest Trail to hike all 2,650 miles solo to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. My goal: at least $500,000.00.