Many of you know Ilana, many of you just wish you did because she is an angel. . a gorgeous, funny, hard-working, tough-as-nails angel. Hopefully we can use blog to keep you updated on a more regular basis on our cancer butt-kicking.
Lans (her nick name) worked seven days a week for the last several years. She worked 3 days a week as a nurse and 4 days a week at their store which oddly enough is a store for cancer patients (primarily breast cancer). I know, I'm beginning to wonder too -is cancer contagious!? WTheck! This girl was overworked to say the least. When she got pregnant with their second baby (surprise!) they arranged schedules so that Lan's could finally get a break and only be a nurse and a mom . . and a housekeeper. . . comedian, etc. Excitement grew as we waited for Andrew to be born. And at last the most perfect baby was born on December 5th. And he is perfect- never cries, always smiles, smells good, poops candy . . . PERFECT.
Two days later Lans' leg started going numb and they went to the ER, but it was assumed to be a side effect of an epidural or a muscular skeletal issue with readjusting pelvis after baby, etc. So they declined an MRI (because radiation causes cancer don't ya know?). Soon the numbness turned to hyper sensitivity where she felt like she was walking on needles. . then joint pain, back pain, all over pain! Her pain got so bad that she couldn't hold her 18 month old and could barely hold her new born baby. An MRI was finally done and she was referred to an oncologist. . . we waited for results hoping it was an auto-immune complication after having baby, but at the beginning of January she was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkins lymphoma. We cried . . and cried a little bit more as we watched tears roll down her face as she had to be picked up and carried down the stairs because it hurt so much to move. . and then we picked up our swords and said "let's fight!" And we are an army. And we will win.
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