The Spirit Can Help You Write Emails

I've needed to send my principal an email all weekend and tell him what's going on, but I had no idea what to say. I sent everyone else that word doc email, but I didn't feel like that was appropriate. So tonight I finally sat down to write it (no more posts to respond to to give me an excuse not to, haha). And, I kid you not, I did not write this email. I had help. The Spirit must've come into the room and moved my fingers for me. Even I am proud (and amazed by) of what came out.



(Mr. Principal - not posting his name),

I have been trying to figure out what to write all weekend.

I have been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I just found out Friday night. Friday afternoon I got a call from the cardiothorastic surgeon who did the biopsy and he told me, but it didn't really mean anything until the oncologist called and explained everything later that night. I will have six months of chemotherapy, once a month via IV for three hours, then take one month off and do a month of radiation (because it is classified as bulky and because the mass is large). The radiation will take 6-8 weeks to recover from, though I'm not really sure what all that entails.

Dr. Rich, the oncologist, said I would have a better idea how treatments will affect me after the first round, which will take place in the next 2-3 weeks. I'm thinking probably the first week of February. I plan to take off a few days around that and then hopefully I will be feeling up to teach for another three weeks and then take a few days off again at each treatment. I will lose my hair after the first round, most likely 1-2 weeks after it. I have to have three tests done this week or next (scheduling) to determine what stage it is so that they know what "chemo cocktail" to use. I plan to send an email to the faculty sometime this week and tell my students as well.

I have a very supportive family and group of friends and I am so grateful for the support you have given me. It has made this.. process.. so much easier. I am going to call Human Resources to talk to them about their policies for this type of thing, but I am hoping that I am well enough to come to school for 3+ weeks each month and then take off a few days around the treatments.

I will be very, very tired and I may be nauseous (though I will get medicine for that). (And I will probably be an emotional roller-coaster :).) My Service-Learning class has a lot of awesome ideas for this semester and I am hoping that we can do many of the things they want and that my illness won't hinder that. I do not want my illness to negatively affect my students or take away from their opportunity to learn and grow in the classes I teach. Brandi and Natalie are going to help me with Foods on days that I don't feel well. I'm very grateful for supportive co-workers. It is going to be so helpful. I am confident that I will fine in the end, it is just the middle road that is going to be hard.

I am willing to speak further with you about this and answer any questions you may have. Again, thank you for being so understanding. It means the world to me.

Sincerely,
Adrienne