I have gastro intestinal stromal tumor. I was diagnosed at the age of 17 on May 1997 and have had it ever since, I am 37 years old now. I has been a long journey of intro chemo, pill chemo, study drug chemo, surgery, kytruda, an experiment of a high dosage of acutane, radiation, and herbal therapy. I was also born with neuroblastoma. They took out the tumor, adrenal gland and kidney, and at six months old I didn’t need any other course of treatment. I was lucky.
Currently, I am not on any type of treatment for my cancer and now use hospice care.
I am in artist and have used art as therapy but lately with no energy it has become hard to be motivated to do anything. I used to take cancer lifeline classes but most are at least two hours long and even getting there takes a toll. My artwork (bracelets) was sold in the Schack Art Center in Everett Washington a couple years ago I believe and a showcase of my art was in a chocolate shop for a month. I have sold my artwork at rally’s and schools when I was well enough. I no longer sell my artwork, much less create. I still get great ideas but they come less and less daily. Each of my art tells a story. Even my bracelets told stories.
I have a cat named Ellie. She is three years old now. She acts more like a dog each day and keeps herself entertain which is awesome.