News from Erica: March 2008

March 27, 2008

Hey, well I’m feeling much better the last couple of days...i wanted to give everyone an update...i had a chest MRI the day after my chemo and it was clean! now don’t start jumping up and down just yet, i still need my bone scan, PET scan and CT scan(don’t ask me what all the letters mean, all i know is they are super high tech cancer screening scans) but i am keeping my fingers crossed. i have been getting my cancer vaccine every week which means i have been giving myself SUPER painful shots. Anyways, i am enjoying my time in the frozen tundra. i went and listened to some music last night and I’m going to a comedy show with my good friend Darcy on Friday which I’m super excited about. well, keep in touch!
3/27/2008 1:05 PM
ericatomsha said...
PS i went and bought a couple super cute wigs yesterday! They make me look hot!

March 26, 2008

Happy Easter All. I am in Alaska now, i was able to get my chemo...however, driving back from spokane my car broke down, i need a new transmision...but i got there anyways, im feeling pretty tired these days, but i will write again when im a little more peppy...chow

3/24/2008 2:19 PM

March 16, 2008

Hi everyone! im sorry it has taken me so long to post an update. it has been a really long week for me! I got in to Seattle a week ago, everything went well. my bro flew in the next day, he had a 12 hour layover, so i picked him up and we hung out for the day...that was pretty fun. the next day i got my vitamine drip and my first cancer vaccine...which hurt like a mother by the way...that night i took my temp (im in the habbit of taking my temp in the am and pm) and it was 102.5 so i drove myself to the hospital, where they took my blood, urine, and that kind of stuff...they concluded that i just had a minor bug, so they sent me home that night. when i woke up the next morning i had a fever of 103 i called my doc and he said that because all the tests the night before were neg i sould just stay in bed all day. well i stayed in bed and my temp was down by about noon. the next day was chemo i went in excited beause i was supposed to go home to fairbanks the next day. however when i got my blood drawn they discovered that my platletts were too low for treatment, you can only imagine the look of dissapointment on my face! Some good came out of it however...instead of staying in seattle and feeling sorry for myself, i decided to drive to eastern Washimgton to visit my Family...so thats where i am now...things didnt work out the way i had planned but if they did i wouldnt be here. i will drive back to Seattle on tuesday to try to get chemo again on wednsday. wish me luck...i need all i can get!

3/15/2008 9:44 AM

March 9, 2008

Hey everyone. I will be leaving for Seattle tomorrow. I’m super bummed because I don’t think my brother will be able to meet me there. the rules of his ticket and because its spring break, he wont be able to leave Seattle until the 20th...its ok though, I will leave on the 13th, so I will only be there for a few days by myself...plus I have some family in the area to drive me home from chemo, I’ll be fine.
I wanted to send a special thank you out to Robyn and Darcy Davies. They have made my life much easier. They have done everything, from setting up this blog to introducing me to Susan Afton(who has been an angel with plane tickets)thank you SO much!
I start my cancer vaccine on Monday...apparently it hurts a lot! I’m not necessarily looking forward to it. Especially since I’m going to have to give it to myself while I’m out of Seattle...ouch! well, wish me luck...
3/07/2008 10:44 AM

March 1, 2008

So, another good day today. i was able to go ride horses on the beach! it was so good to get out in the sunshine! German and i just got back from bible study, we had a good evening. i have been having good days here, the weather has been working in my favor for sure! well, i made plans with my bro today, he will be the one to meet me in seattle this time, and than i will go back to fairbanks with him. so thats the runndown for now...bye

2/28/2008 10:52 PM

A little history

23 year old Erica Tomsha was born and raised in Fairbanks. Parents Mark and Anita are also long time Alaskans. Anita’s grandparents (Carlson) moved to Kodiak in the 40’s to work on WWII construction projects. From there the lure of gold drew them to Fairbanks. Anita’s dad followed and opened up Music Mart in Fairbanks 60 years ago. Mark moved to Fairbanks in the early 70’s.

From an early age Erica shared her mothers passion for horses. Learning to ride when she was 4 she quickly figured out she had to make sure her pony knew she was the boss. In elementary school she joined the Golden Heart 4-H club to continue to learn. As she got older she expanded her perspective to include IHA, ACTA, IHC, Pony Club, 4-H community service and leadership activities. She was an active member of the Tanana Whirlwinds 4-H group in high school and helped to advocate for and pass the limited liability for livestock bill which helps to insure personal responsibility for accidents occurring around livestock animals. That exposure to politics led her to an internship with Senator Stevens.

After attending UAF for a couple of years she decided to move to California where she could pursue her dream of working with horses. She has been actively training horses and riders and enjoying being around magnificent Grand Prix horses.

Although Erica had to move to Seattle for her cancer treatment she has continued to work and learn, giving riding lessons and training horses. She moved into an apartment of her own. Her father has been able to stay with her through most of her chemotherapy. Erica has lost her hair from her treatments but does not try to hide it. She encourages people to ask her about her cancer and is anxious to share her experience in the hope of teaching or providing comfort to others.Erica remains positive and upbeat. She appreciates all the concern and well wishes from her friends.

From Erica on December 6th

I want people to know that I found a lump last December that was about the size of a pencil eraser. I went to the clinic the next day and the nurse told me it was probably nothing, and because of my age it was very unlikely that it was serious. So naturally i believed her, and I continued on with my life as usual. However, 6 months later the pencil eraser grew to be the size of a golf ball in a week! So I went back to that clinic and the same nurse agreed that I probably needed a biopsy! DUH! 2 days later the same nurse told me I had Invasive Ductile Carcinoma, (I found out later that I was a stage 3a, 4 is terminal), and she told me this while crying. 2 days after that I came to Seattle because not having insurance limits my care options in California, and plus Seattle has better cancer hospitals, unless you go to UCLA or SanFran and being 300 miles away is just as hard as being 1500 miles away from home.

Being here has really changed my life; it has forced me to live in a different way (I have learned a lot about myself), it has forced me to DRAMATICALLY change my diet (which is the most important thing a cancer patient can do). I have had to watch my spending, it's hard to work when you're getting chemo once a week. I am working a little, and in return my boss (whose ex husband I live with) pays my rent. But there are so many things that the charity care program at Swedish Hospital does not cover, such as supplements and alternative treatments like acupuncture, vitamin infusions, and the cancer vaccine. It also doesn't pay for things like reconstructive surgery (which unless I want to be the one boobed wonder I will need to get). I don't have the price for this yet but i will get it as soon as I can. I have also definitely learned who my real friends are, the ones who care.

News from Erica

March 27, 2008

March 26, 2008

March 16, 2008

March 9, 2008

March 1, 2008

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