Tuesday, May 27, 2008
My profile picture
Just a quick post..........I just wanted to mention that the young man in my profile picture is my brother Chris and not my boyfriend Drew. On this blog I am writing about Drew and his fight with cancer. I just didn't want people thinking my profile picture is him. I would like to put one up but the picture of my brother and me is the most recent picture I have and it is from my 27th birthday party. Ok, just wanted to clear that up. :)
Drew's first diagnosis with Testicular Cancer
The first time Drew was diagnosed with Testicular cancer I hadn't met him yet. This was about 3 years ago, Drew was about to turn 24. We worked together but never talked. I was a receptionist where he worked and would only see him walk through the lobby. He seemed like a pretty healthy young man from what I could remember. What I didn't know then was that he was about to be diagnosed with stage 4 Testicular cancer.
Drew had been sick for a few months, pain, stomach issues, and other symptoms but the doctors could not see what was wrong with him. He had told me that by the time he was diagnosed the cancer had spread into his chest and it looked like a snow storm of tumors in the X-ray. He had surgery immediately and then started chemo for the first time. Chemo was followed by another surgery to remove tumors from his abdomin and chest area. The surgent stopped the surgery because they thought they could do more harm so they were going to monitor Drew. During all of this time he didn't work, from about last week of June to right before Christmas he was off. I had no clue what he was going through, I just thought he was on a different assignment. After I met him there was one time I could remember him coming in and he had no hair but at the time I thought nothing about this young man going through such a fight to beat cancer.
Drew had been sick for a few months, pain, stomach issues, and other symptoms but the doctors could not see what was wrong with him. He had told me that by the time he was diagnosed the cancer had spread into his chest and it looked like a snow storm of tumors in the X-ray. He had surgery immediately and then started chemo for the first time. Chemo was followed by another surgery to remove tumors from his abdomin and chest area. The surgent stopped the surgery because they thought they could do more harm so they were going to monitor Drew. During all of this time he didn't work, from about last week of June to right before Christmas he was off. I had no clue what he was going through, I just thought he was on a different assignment. After I met him there was one time I could remember him coming in and he had no hair but at the time I thought nothing about this young man going through such a fight to beat cancer.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Cancer
The word "cancer" to me growing up was like a bad word or an evil character/bad guy in a movie. My Busia (grandma in polish) died from cancer when I was young. I'm sure other family members have passed from it too. Cancer starts, defined by National Cancer Institute, "Cancer begins in your cells, which are the building blocks of your body. Normally your body forms new cells as you need them, replacing old cells that die. Sometimes the process goes wrong. New cells grow even when you don't need them and old cells don't die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass called a tumor. "
Tumors that are malignant are cancerous. Cancers are named to where the cancer first starts.
"Testicular cancer forms in a man's testicles the two egg-shaped glands that produce sperm and testosterone." according to the National Cancer Institute.
Testicular cancer mostly accords in young men between the ages of 20-39.
Why all the medical definitions in this blog? To bring awareness and also a little knowledge of what I am going to mainly talk about in this blog, my boyfriend Andrew's life with cancer. Although the cancer is a struggle and very tragic, Andrew shows courage and strength everyday.
Tumors that are malignant are cancerous. Cancers are named to where the cancer first starts.
"Testicular cancer forms in a man's testicles the two egg-shaped glands that produce sperm and testosterone." according to the National Cancer Institute.
Testicular cancer mostly accords in young men between the ages of 20-39.
Why all the medical definitions in this blog? To bring awareness and also a little knowledge of what I am going to mainly talk about in this blog, my boyfriend Andrew's life with cancer. Although the cancer is a struggle and very tragic, Andrew shows courage and strength everyday.
Monday, May 12, 2008
My Birthday
Today May 12th is my 27th Birthday. It was a pretty great day, I took it off from work and spent the whole day with Drew and went to my Parents house for dinner. On Saturday all my friends came out for a nice night at Doc's Sports Retreat out on the patio. Even though it was a little chilly outside. As today is drawning to an end I am trying to figure out some Exercises for ENGL 444. I've noticed that I really have forgotten all the things I've done with HTML in my past graphic design class. So I am going to stop blogging for tonight and try to figure out my exercises.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
A little stressed
So I am trying to figure out my Exercise 1 & 2 for my ENGL 444 and I got Exercise 1 done pretty easily but I am having issues with Exercise 2. I have completely drawn a blank to how to create a title for my website. I had a graphic design course a while back and I did create a web page but now I can't remember a thing.
I really am going to write about Drew's cancer but tonight my head hurts and I am stressed out about the HTML/CCS exercise.
I really am going to write about Drew's cancer but tonight my head hurts and I am stressed out about the HTML/CCS exercise.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
A little bit about me
My name is Rebecca Marie Hoffman, but I go by Becky. Rebecca always seemed too serious to me growing up but now I really do think it is a pretty name and I love it but everyone is used to calling me Becky. My parents have been married for something like 38 years. I am the youngest of 4 children, there are two boys and two girls. All my siblings are married and have children. I have 5 nieces and nephews and I find having these little kids in my life is very much fun and entertaining. I love it!
I've gone to Eastern Michigan University since 1999 and yes I am still working on my BA but I truly believe I will graduate one day. I went full time for about 3 years and then I decided I wanted to take a break one semester, I had just turned 21, that actually lasted about 2 years. I started working full time and have worked for the same company since although in many different jobs. I was on assignment to Ford Motor Company for about 3 years. And that is where I met my boyfriend, Drew, and we have been together for a little over 2 years. I have been back for a little more than a year direct with my company.
Today was pretty much a typical day. I went to work, we were pretty busy. I had a staff meeting which went by pretty quick. Now I am home and I plan to relax a little and make dinner.
I'll just mention briefly this about Drew because I plan on making this a topic of my blog but one thing that should be known because it is a HUGE part of our life right now is that Drew has cancer and is actually doing a clinical trial right now at U of M. So the most important thing that happened today was that it was a trial day. He texted me to let me know that the doctors said they are happy with his progress, which is awesome but he is still feeling really sick.
But I will get into his story a little more on a different day and I am definitely going to keep some things private but I think blogging a little bit about this will bring awareness to a lot of people.
I've gone to Eastern Michigan University since 1999 and yes I am still working on my BA but I truly believe I will graduate one day. I went full time for about 3 years and then I decided I wanted to take a break one semester, I had just turned 21, that actually lasted about 2 years. I started working full time and have worked for the same company since although in many different jobs. I was on assignment to Ford Motor Company for about 3 years. And that is where I met my boyfriend, Drew, and we have been together for a little over 2 years. I have been back for a little more than a year direct with my company.
Today was pretty much a typical day. I went to work, we were pretty busy. I had a staff meeting which went by pretty quick. Now I am home and I plan to relax a little and make dinner.
I'll just mention briefly this about Drew because I plan on making this a topic of my blog but one thing that should be known because it is a HUGE part of our life right now is that Drew has cancer and is actually doing a clinical trial right now at U of M. So the most important thing that happened today was that it was a trial day. He texted me to let me know that the doctors said they are happy with his progress, which is awesome but he is still feeling really sick.
But I will get into his story a little more on a different day and I am definitely going to keep some things private but I think blogging a little bit about this will bring awareness to a lot of people.
My First Blog
Actually this is my second blog but my first blog account got locked so I have created a new one.
This first blog is just a test and hopefully my blogger won't get locked again. I am at work right now and don't have a lot of time to blog right now but hopefully I will be able to later tonight. In my blog I am going to write a little bit about all the things going on in my life at the moment. There are a few serious things that I would like to talk about because I really think there would be some interesting posts about it but I'll get into all that in a different post.
I am really looking forward to the summer and the warmer weather. Today is a really gorgeous day. I went out for lunch and didn't feel like coming back in.
Ok, I'll write more later.
This first blog is just a test and hopefully my blogger won't get locked again. I am at work right now and don't have a lot of time to blog right now but hopefully I will be able to later tonight. In my blog I am going to write a little bit about all the things going on in my life at the moment. There are a few serious things that I would like to talk about because I really think there would be some interesting posts about it but I'll get into all that in a different post.
I am really looking forward to the summer and the warmer weather. Today is a really gorgeous day. I went out for lunch and didn't feel like coming back in.
Ok, I'll write more later.
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