Michele's Cancer Blog
Cancer Blog Entries Archived by Date
2019 (6)
August (2)
It Was Definitely Worth It: It’s been a long time since inability to sleep has plagued me. Usually it is the constant churning...
From Somewhere Up Above: I have been missing my bestie, Laurie, as of late. I always miss her. This however is extra and beyo...
July (2)
Isn't That What We Are Here For After All?: Have you ever bumped into someone you know well, but from your distant past at a completely odd plac...
Somewhere In The Wake: I haven’t posted in a while. There is this thing called “life” that can take over your very e...
February (1)
Palliative Care...Can I Have Some Please?: I am a nine year survivor of stage IV anal cancer. I have endured surgeries and various rounds of tr...
January (1)
Don't Wake Me: Life has been such a whirl wind lately. I feel like taking care of myself, in all my “long term s...
2018 (6)
October (1)
That's What It's All About: As you know from a previous post, the long term side effects of pelvic radiation continue to arise i...
September (2)
The Desires of my Heart: When I was diagnosed with stage IV anal cancer at the tender age of 47, approaching 9 years ago now,...
What's Really Important!: I know many of you have been waiting on an update from me on one of my lung “unmentionables”. S...
May (1)
My Unmentionables : So much has happened this past month and it is high time I free it from my mind so I can have some p...
March (2)
This Doesn't Sound Fun, Does It: An answer came yesterday afternoon from a radiologist unknown to me. Someone who reads for one of th...
The Wee Hours: It’s 1:30 AM and I am up. I am awake, because ambien, neurotin, a muscle relaxant and prescription...
2017 (7)
December (1)
Writing Helps: I will never tire of writing the story of me and my experiences as a seven, soon to be eight, year s...
August (1)
When Words Won't Come: This blog is long over due. I often forget that the people that follow my blog do not necessarily fo...
June (3)
We Have a Plan: I saw the pulmonologist on Monday. She looked at the scan itself with her own eyes (not the written ...
In a Snapshot: Monday was a surreal day for me last week. The reason I say that is because the day was completely n...
Chaos Into My Order: I am not sure what is going to be in this post as I begin it. So many things are going on inside of ...
March (1)
A Tiny Glimpse: Yesterday I had an experience that I feel compelled to extract from my body via trembling fingers ta...
January (1)
Nothing Humbles a Girl Like....: I pooped my pants a couple of nights ago. Are you shocked? I was. It had been a while since this had...
2016 (14)
December (2)
Dream a Little Dream..: The mind is an enigma. It is known to exaggerate details and suppress the unpleasant. Whether a memo...
Bitter Sweet Happiness: Hello my friends! I am well...really well! Saw my oncologist today. I remain, according to my CT, NE...
November (2)
The Loss of Another Warrior: It is with a heavy heart that I let everyone know that Tammie Hine passed away in her sleep last nig...
It will be okay...honey.: Writing is cathartic to me and just as my cancer diagnosis opened this avenue of expression in me cr...
September (2)
Underwear Update: I have written about my underwear plenty of times over the last six plus years. They started out ...
A Disaster of Epic Proportions: I have had a very hectic work week. This girl is tired. So much so that this girl decided not to go ...
August (1)
Chin up, my ass!: Recently I have had several of my “virtual” anal cancer sorority sisters have either recurrence...
July (2)
Any one in Dallas?:
Hi All,
Anybody on here from the Dallas area?
...
Here It Is: Anal Cancer in Newsweek!: Amen!
http://www.newsweek.com/2016/07/29/anal-cancer-stigma-482063.html
...
June (2)
The Results Are In...: I remain NED! More later on this incredible feat. I gotta call my mom!
...
The Wait: Like many people my cancer check ups are on a set time frame. For example, right now, my CT scans ar...
May (1)
People Still Get Hurt: A few months back one of my virtual anal cancer sorority sisters passed away. She and I had been in ...
February (1)
All the Love!: My whole life I have always felt, in general, that my birthday was no big deal. But in light of almo...
January (1)
Just Standing in My Kitchen: Each year we host a Christmas party at our home on the last day of classes for my husband’s entire...
2015 (25)
December (1)
Technically I don't Belong: It’s been over a month now. I’m not talking of the last of my writings here, for that has been w...
November (1)
In other news :): I'll keep this brief because I am still at MD Anderson and only have my iPad. My PET scan reveals th...
September (1)
Will You Bury Me?: I’ve been thinking a lot lately about a funeral. You know, the one I would like to have? Yeah, tha...
August (2)
Peace Anyone?: So far this month I have been to a wedding and a funeral. Both of the services were for fellow paris...
Tune in!: If you like yourself some Dr. Radio (Sirius XM 81) tune in today at 10:00 EST (that's 9:00 CST). I a...
July (2)
The Poster Child of Hope: A few weeks ago I spent some time in Houston, as you know. My routine check-ups every ninety days or...
The Theory: It is the early morning hours of Sunday morning. My typical Sunday consists of waking up to the smel...
June (1)
Who Says You Can't Take It With You?!: I think it is interesting how thoughts link together. I was on call a couple of weekends back and si...
May (1)
I Think I Will Stay: I made a mistake. Everybody makes mistakes but this one was pretty enormous as far as mistakes go. N...
April (3)
He Really Loves Me!: I love my husband and he loves me. I have been married for going on 28 years now. I’ve been really...
My Husband....the best in the World!: This is my husband speaking out about how my anal cancer effected him and the care I have received a...
The Next Chapter: A couple of posts back I wrote about my “AB-normal” mammogram and the frenzied followup, complet...
March (5)
St. Teresa? I know her!: Are you familiar with the life and story of St. Therese of the Little Flower? According to The Socie...
For those wondering: For those wondering, no MRI required for my "red herring" mammogram. My oncologist said it was not w...
Only If He Says So: I had my screening mammogram this month. My oncology team of doctors say that despite my PET scans e...
Brought it all up, brought it all out....:
My time on Via Christi Life Matters
Except for not being able to say the word "anal" because it...
All The Wrong Things: I have done plenty of reading over the last few years surrounding what not to say to someone who has...
February (5)
Scan Results Are In: I had my appointments in Houston this past week. PET/CT and lab work. I really need to blog about it...
Popcorn at Midnight: I overindulged yesterday. I ate too much...waaay too much. Things started out innocently enough, a f...
My Interview Link: http://ksn.com/2015/02/04/michele-longabaugh-talks-about-her-survivor-story/
Here is the link to th...
Discovered: Forgotten Writing From the New Year: The holidays have come an gone and just as expected the new year arrived. With it's predictable arri...
It's All About You: February 4th is World Cancer Day. This year February 4th is my five year "cancerversaary". On this d...
January (3)
War of Words: Within me lies of war of words that I cannot seem to get out. Some call it writers block. My hope is...
I'll take it!: My procto was uneventful with my favorite colorectal surgeon! I took him a dozen cookies from a lo...
Ugh!: Time for a procto exam. I believe that speaks for itself...ugh!
See you on the flip side :)
...
2014 (25)
December (3)
Medical Professional/Scientific Meeting:
I usually shy away from “advertising” anything, but this meeting is vital to the community. ...
I Have Already Won: Many people have wondered these days what is up with me. Feelings generally flow freely from my fing...
Carry On: As the holidays roar into full swing one can almost palpate the tension humming in the air. People a...
November (1)
...like me!: The holidays are upon us and as is typical with the last gasps of Fall's balmy days coming to a clos...
October (4)
My Face: I am home from my trip to Houston where I received the incredible news that I remain an outlier...No...
News Flash!:
I received the results of my PET scan today ( a rare thing to get same day results) and I remain...
A Mountain Out of a Molehill: I am six days away from my PET scan, tests and doctors appointments. This is generally the time peri...
The Power of Pink: The first day of October is over. It exploded on to the scene with the subtlety of a peptobismal nuc...
September (1)
Ever and ever...: It was Thursday. I decided I needed to find an old picture from my Facebook archives to display on m...
August (2)
The Other Shoe: The world of NED (no evidence of disease) can be exciting and disconcerting at the same time. Let me...
Never a Question in My Mind: Just recently I found myself home alone on a Saturday. My husband was out for the day. He had slippe...
July (2)
An Arm and a Leg: As many of you know, I was in Houston this week getting scanned and poked in order to define my curr...
Cancer Can't Talk: I should be used to it by now. All the whispers. The talking behind my back or worse, referring to m...
June (1)
So I won't...: When I was diagnosed with pneumonia a few weeks back I went through something emotionally. It's not ...
May (2)
I Am an Anal Cancer Survivor: When people learn that I have cancer they usually appear saddened and offer me encouragement often a...
I am Alive!: I have gotten much more philosophical about life and my stage 4 anal cancer over the last four years...
April (2)
My Never-Ending Story: I've been feeling different this past few weeks. Ever since I returned from MDA and saw my local onc...
It Feels Like an Epidemic: Having had a rare cancer for more than four years now I have gotten used to the fact that there are ...
March (2)
My Wounded Soul: I don't know where to begin. I know that is probably hard for many of you to believe that read my wo...
Petrification : I awoke with a headache this morning. It’s the third day in a row. I also recalled instantly upon ...
February (1)
Past Tense: It is rare and surprising to me when I meet someone like myself. Let me explain what I mean. I am no...
January (4)
I Just Didn't See It Before: Last Friday I had an idea. It's one of those kind of ideas that won't leave your brain. It won't lea...
Guilty As Charged: I'm alive. I'm alive and doing well. This is so amazing, right? I mean who, in a million years, woul...
It Means the World to Me: I received a belated holiday card from my oncologist at MD Anderson. "So what?" you perhaps are thin...
Definitely Without Hesitation: I have had this little blog crashing around in my brain and struggling to get out since before Chris...
2013 (31)
December (2)
Drink It All Up!: I have to say that this most recent trip to Houston was fast and furious! What with leaving mid-afte...
Bravery or Courage?: I have had this post crashing around in my head for several weeks now. My biggest internal struggle ...
October (2)
Maybe It's Not About Me...: Those of you who follow my blog know that I had to spend a few weeks in Houston to receive my radiat...
X Marks theSpot!: My stay in Houston is half over as I just completed my fith of ten radiation treatments at MD Anders...
September (2)
You're Never Going to Believe This!: I have said in the past that cancer is like a rollercoaster ride in the dark. My most recent visit t...
The Only Way Out is Through: It's 5 AM. Being awake this early has nothing to do with insomnia and everything to do with needing ...
August (3)
Just Catching My Breath: When the kids were young we always took a lake vacation. We pack up the boat, stuff the car full of ...
Bounce Back: As a kid I lived across the street from a Bible College. We called it "Bible School Park". It was a ...
Finally Breathing: My sister arrived this last week. This has been our "disaster plan" for the last three years. It was...
July (6)
Position 2 :): In my mind, toilet seats have 3 possible positions. Position 1, which happens to be my daughter's fa...
Rhetorical Question: It is surreal, yet totally expected, to be starting chemotherapy again for my beast of a cancer. I h...
Just the Pep Talk We Needed: Being home in Wichita, sleeping in my own bed, and safe within the security of my familiar surroundi...
Only for a Minute: I know you all have been anxiously waiting for "part 2" of my visit to MD Anderson. I will try to ke...
Just maybe....:
MD Anderson part 1 of 2 faithful readers. Don't get your hopes up though, chemotherapy is starting ...
White Noise: When my eyes cracked opened on Independence Day (July 4th) it felt like sand was coating them as my ...
June (3)
For now I tread on...: My phone rang late in the afternoon on Wednesday with a hospital number indicated on the caller ID....
I'm Not Every Other Woman, Now am I: “Everybody else’s mom is letting them go!” If you are a mom there is no doubt you have heard t...
A Different Kind of "Not Knowing": I had a PET scan on Thursday last week and have been waiting in angst ever since for the results. To...
May (4)
True Grit: My daughter just graduated with an Associate's Degree from one of our local community colleges. She ...
The Happy Ending is Optional: The interesting thing about twitter is that you don't have to follow anyone you don't want to but de...
4 Mother's Days Back: In 2010 I wrote a blog about my Mother's Day experience, called "Being Back" (link not allowed on Bl...
A Little Bit of "Deja Puke": <p>I am not good at throwing up. I have never been a good barfer. I hate being nauseated but w...
April (2)
I Am the Pollyanna of Stage 4 Cancer: I have a good attitude about life. I see the silver lining and the good in everything including my s...
Love Gets Up at 4:30 in the Morning: Right before I left on vacation I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with my daughter running...
March (3)
The Unspeakable: I've been on vacation this week relaxing on the shores of Florida...the Atlantic side. We went with ...
I'm Sitting in a Coffee Shop: I am sitting in a coffee shop right now. I think it is helping my writing. I have a lot inside me th...
Money Well Spent: I have wondered, lately, if I am really helping making an impact with my awareness~slash~support cam...
January (4)
Willy Wonka Would Have Forgiven Me!: "You stole fizzy lifting drinks!" Remember that scene from the 70's movie version of Willy Wonka and...
The Ultimate Time Bandit: As many of you know a few weekends ago I made a fabulous trip to Las Vegas with my Besties. The trip...
It's Cancer's Move: The return of my cancer has been a much different experience than my initial diagnosis. The flurry o...
The Precious Time I am Granted!: Do you remember the show "Thirty Something"? It ran in the late 80's, maybe early 90's. It kind of h...
2012 (31)
December (4)
A Chrismas to Remember!: I am starting a new project. I know this doesn't surprise you. I am going to start doing some self p...
Truth in Whispers: This is one of those entries that is made in retrospect after an epiphany that went something like t...
Those Days Are Gone I Guess: Up until about 10 days ago I had been having a pretty steady recovery from my surgery. A 'remarkable...
Home for the Holiday: As painful as my surgery was and as awful as I felt even with all my tubes and wires removed, I want...
November (5)
Ugh...I'm allergic to tape :(: I am allergic to tape. This is a fact plain and simple. I have been this way as long as I can rememb...
The New 10: When the dust had settled a few hours after my visit with the cardiothoracic surgeon it was decided ...
- Not Likely: There are many things in my life that I am very comfortable with. Give me a pacemaker implant proced...
Speechless...: With the start of November I noticed a familar change in the "status posts" on facebook. On the very...
Simply Peace: This has been a rough week. I have had a lot of distraction from wallowing over the annoying spot ...
October (4)
The Waiting Game: When my kids were little I used to play a game with them called "The Quiet Game". The rules were sim...
I'd Buy a Case if I Could!: I was making a grocery list for this week and because I have a butt doctor visit in my near future I...
Ignorance is Bliss!: It's been a month now. A month since the offending spot was identified lurking in my right lung. It...
Much Needed Hats: I have been adjusting to this most recent discovery of a "concerning spot" in my lung. No more "cr...
September (6)
A Bit of Cancer "Scripture": I received a text a few nights ago from my daughter, Maggie. We text each other a lot, especially wh...
One Blessed Girl!: As a result of my compultion to share my entire anal cancer journey with the world on my many blogs...
It's On the Tip of My Brain: I am positive that you all have heard of "chemo fog". The Internet describes it as "the mental cloud...
How Am I Doing?: How am I doing? A lot of folks that care about me have been asking me how I am doing for the last fe...
Now You Know the Rest of the Story: Before you begin to read this entry I want to warn you that it is quite long so you may want to get ...
All By Myself, Like a Big Girl!: Whew! With the Labor Day weekend behind me I finally have some time to sit and blog about all that h...
August (6)
No Worries...Everything is Going to be Okay!: I am back from my wonderful vacation that I took with my daughter to go see my sissy, my parents, br...
You Have No Idea: My husband and I went mattress shopping last week. Not for our room but for the guest room in our ba...
Flip Flops: Many of you know I spent last weekend getting some intense, much needed "lake therapy". After the st...
Safe is a Better Word: I got the results of my MRI. The good news is it is not tumor regrowth. The other good news is I don...
What's Really Bothering Me: Yesterday was my dad's birthday. I forgot to call him. I had been planning on calling him and had th...
A Pain in My A**: I've been struggling with sciatica. This isn't news. I have been dealing with butt and leg pain inte...
July (2)
It's Just the Right Thing to Do: As I am preparing the opening remarks I am going to be giving at our upcoming Relay for Life event (...
The Lost Blogs: I have been blogging for about two and a half years now about this crazy cancer journey that I am on...
June (2)
You Can't Quit Cancer: Things have been running a pretty even keel for me this last few weeks. I have had a wonderful summe...
I Will Never Be the Same Again: I had a book signing last week in Hillsboro, Kansas. Hillsboro is a little town nestled in the softl...
May (2)
Hairy Knees: I noticed a small amount of peach fuzz on my knees yesterday. Big deal, right? Well, it's just that ...
Home Page: Check out my home page :)...