My Cancer Chronicles, Volume 2
How Jenna Ortega saved my life
The Latest Updates
Hello, friends! First, huge thank you to every single person reading this update. The support we’ve received since sharing the diagnoses has been overwhelming in the best possible way. It’s what keeps us going.
Today’s update is hot off the presses (journalism joke). Last Saturday, my mom arrived to help us prep for the weeks ahead. On Monday, I had a second round of biopsies, this time on my right lung. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to get the best tissue samples, so we spent the rest of the week waiting to find out if they could run the tests they needed to move forward.
This morning, we finally got the answers we needed at an appointment with my oncologist (Dr. B). The pathologists were able to confirm that the cancer has spread to my lungs – they’ll keep running tests to determine the exact pathology of the tissue. Since that was always what my doctors suspected, it wasn’t a big shock to any of us in the room and we went quickly into planning mode.
On Tuesday, we head to the hospital to have a mediport implanted in my chest – it’s a small device that helps protect my veins from the chemo drugs. Chemo will quickly follow, starting as soon as Wednesday. The goal with chemo is to (a) stop the spread, (b) kill the cancer in my lungs, and (c) shrink the main tumor so it detaches from my heart. We’ll do two rounds of chemo with three weeks of recovery, and then another round of scans to check our progress.
I, of course, plan on exceeding whatever expectations they have at that scan. Such is life as an incessant overachiever :)
Weekly Ramblings: Jenna Ortega saved my life. No, but really, she did.
The last few weeks of my life can best be described as a domino effect — a series of incidents that, in the grand scheme of things, should have been forgettable. But in reality, they led to a life-changing diagnosis. The dominoes had to fall at exactly the right angle for us to be where we are today, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
The Dominoes
Nov. 18, 2022: After a ten-year battle with my uterus, I surrendered and had a full hysterectomy. The operation was a success and I recovered at home through the holidays, during which time I (along with everyone else) binge-watched Wednesday.
Dec. 17, 2022: Jenna Ortega, star of my new favorite show, unveiled an adorable new haircut on social media. With my hairstylist unavailable until the end of January, I was forced to make an appointment at a new salon (Austin, if you read this, I’m so sorry). I just couldn’t shake the urge for bangs.
Dec. 22, 2022: I ventured to the salon — one of the few times I left the house during recovery — and came home with The Bangs. I immediately FaceTimed everyone I knew to introduce them to the new me.
Dec. 25, 2022: On Christmas Day, I woke up with a scratchy throat and quickly confirmed that — after three years of avoiding it — I had COVID. I immediately cursed The Bangs and the hair salon that gifted me the plague.
Jan. 2, 2022, early morning: I woke up with a fever, earache and chest pain and made my way back to the urgent care clinic where I had been diagnosed with COVID a week prior. After a chest X-ray, I was diagnosed with pneumonia (a misdiagnosis, as it turns out). The doctor suggested I call the Inova COVID clinic to see if I qualified for the COVID antiviral infusion to help me fight the (fake) pneumonia.
Jan. 2, 2022, afternoon: Because it was a holiday, the clinic was closed, so I headed to the ER instead. Tim was battling with his own COVID diagnosis, so I went in alone. After numerous rounds of bloodwork, X-rays and other tests, the doctors still couldn’t figure out why my heart rate and blood pressure were so high, so they ordered a CT scan to rule out a pulmonary embolism. When the doctor came by with my results, her exact words were “So you don’t have a blood clot, which is good, but has anyone told you about the mass in your chest?”
Without each and every domino falling exactly as they did, it’s likely the cancer would have continued to grow until it was too late. It was fate that allowed me the chance to survive. Well, fate, and Jenna Ortega.
Weekly Roundup
Song of the Week: God Only Knows by the Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, amiright?)
Cat of the Week: Chrissy Teigen, my recovery buddy. Any time I sit for longer than four minutes, she heads to my lap for a snuggle.
This week, I’m grateful for: Science, toddler giggles, my favorite chair and my mom’s chicken and noodles.
This week, I could have done without: The waiting game that accompanies every biopsy. There are so many better games in this world — Euchre, Ticket to Ride … I’d take them all over the waiting game.
How can I help? We are so incredibly fortunate to have all the physical support we need right now! Notes of encouragement are always welcome and my sweet sister-in-law is planning a meal train once we begin chemo (details to come). In the meantime, if you feel compelled to send something, I have one suggestion.
One thing that I’ve learned on my trips to the Schar Cancer Institute is just how challenging it is for patients who rely on public transportation to get to their treatments. Transportation is not something I will have to worry about, but it would mean the world to me if you would consider supporting Life with Cancer, Inova’s program to provide critical support (like transportation) to people who live in Northern Virginia. Having cancer is challenging enough. No one should have to worry about getting to their treatment.
Speaking of support, if you sent me a gorgeous UGG blanket, can you send me a note? I want to know who to thank!
As always, thank you for your love. We’re one week closer to remission, I can feel it.
❤️ Katie
Dear Katie, I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was diagnosed with Stage IV Thymoma in November 2020. I was treated at NYU Langone in NYC. If you would like to connect I can share my experience in the hope it will help you on your journey. You can reach me at beth.davidovich@gmail.com.
We love you Katie, get well soon!