Cass’s battle with AML

01/06/2026

I haven’t updated here for a while.
Everything has been going pretty smoothly the last few months. I’m still doing bloodwork locally once a month to keep an eye on liver enzymes. They got kind of high when I was sick with the stomach bug but according to the labs 12/22 they are back to being stable.
There is no such thing as TMI when dealing with cancer and helping someone else who might be facing the same issues as I am.
OBGYN appointments: (Men.Stop.Reading)
I started off seeing a female doctor in Columbus who started me on vaginal hormones and when I stopped them due to side effects she asked me if I was taking them vaginally or if I was eating the cream?! WTF. 😳
Needless to say I cancelled all future appointments and fired her from my team.
I now see a super nice male doctor at Genesis Zanesville office, Aaron Bowers.
He took the time to listen to my issues and we worked out a plan together.
I started off with pelvic floor physical therapy, but had to discontinue due to my mother’s immediate health problems.
I started using dilators and eventually was able to have s*x comfortably for the first time without severe pain and discomfort!!!
At my check-up a few weeks ago, Dr. Bowers asked how everything was going, did an examination and told me to keep doing whatever I’m doing because it’s working. 🎉
I’m also now on a Dotti hormone patch that I change twice a week. It’s no bigger than a dime, easily hidden, AND so far, no nasty side effects!
I do have some abnormal cells but he said with all I’ve been through he wouldn’t expect anything different.
Mammogram came back clear.
Another check up scheduled for next year.
I’m scheduled in Columbus for a check-up, bone density test, and lung function test in February.
If you didn’t know, I passed my 3 year mark of being cancer free in October!
They consider it cured at the 5 year mark.
My immune system is still compromised due to a medication I take daily but I feel great and I’m gonna keep on kicking cancers ass into eternity!
Thank you all for choosing to support me and follow me on my journey!
I will update in February !!

08/13/2025

🚨COLUMBUS UPDATE 🚨

*My blood counts have returned to normal!!! (White, red, and platelets) 🎉
*My liver numbers are a little higher than normal but I was on 600mg ibuprofen after the dental work I had done.
*No med changes, they say you don’t fix something that’s not broken.
* I don’t return to Columbus for 6 months and I don’t have to get local bloodwork done.
*This is the longest they have let me go without bloodwork or a Cbus appointment.
* I will be having a bone density test and lung function test when I return to Columbus in February!!

06/01/2025

A day to celebrate those who fought and survived and to encourage those still fighting to continue!

05/18/2025

04/16/2025

Columbus update:
I caught a lot of hell from Dr. Choe for neglecting myself. She demanded that I see a dentist at OSU immediately, OBGYN appointment scheduled before leaving the office, Bloodwork being scheduled in Zanesville, and Counseling via video call.
NO I cannot have MMR vaccine and if TM or HS get any live vaccines I am not be in contact with them for a week.
No hematology appointment again until August.
Bloodwork was awesome.
I now have a team of social workers setting up my appointments and finding me local care with doctors that are comfortable dealing with me and my extensive medical history.
No more being looked at like I’m not from this planet!!
Today was an excellent day !!!!!

02/19/2025

COLUMBUS UPDATE:
My bloodwork is excellent.
Liver function is stable.
I got an emergency referral to an eye specialist in Columbus for the GVHD in my eyes. They are super dry, itchy, and sometimes my vision gets blurry.
Nick said continue with Restasis drops OTC gel drops, hot or cold compresses.
Still unable to return to the work force.
Next check up is scheduled for April 16th.
Overall, I’m doing and feeling great!!

11/20/2024

COLUMBUS UPDATE: 📣 📣📣
I saw occupational therapy and physical therapy today.
OT finally gave me a diagnosis for the issues I have with the wrist and thumb I messed up golfing months ago: De Quervain’s Tendonitis.
I’m back wearing a brace and going to OT in Coshocton once it’s scheduled.
PT said I am stronger than I was a month ago.
Dr. Choe was a little upset that I weaned myself off Rezurock because it made me feel like dog water. In my defense, she wasn’t listening to anything I was saying a month ago at my last appointment. 🤷‍♀️
Bloodwork was excellent. Liver enzymes are stable.
Flu shot in one arm, pneumonia shot in the other. Tomorrow is gonna be fun! 🤦‍♀️
No Columbus until February!!
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

10/23/2024

Columbus appointment update: Blood work was good.
I saw Dr. Choe instead of my NP Nick this time and I do not feel like she even has a clue what goes on with me. Travis and I left this appointment confused and upset.
She was trying to prescribe more medications for things I don’t agree with, giving me no explanation and wasn’t hearing anything I had to say about already being on one of these medications and it wrecking my liver function so I was taken off of it almost year ago……. Like wtf lady?! We aren’t doing this again, it was already done, it’s right there in my chart.
Secondly, I’m NOT going back on prednisone as a solution to my joint pain. I WILL SUFFER before I go through that BS again. I was weaned off of 40mg after transplant and it was horrible!!! I gained a massive amount of weight, retained water, and had really bad moon face. I am STILL struggling with my weight because of this!! Not to mention the withdrawals from long term steroid use is horrific!
She started asking me about depression, am I depressed? Hell yes I am! Who in their right mind wouldn’t be in my shoes?! Every single time I have to make that 2 hour trip to Columbus I’m depressed and my anxiety is sky high worrying constantly if I’m gonna get told my cancer is back. She says, I see here you were on Effexor XR, we can put you back on that if it helped or we can do lexapro. Umm. NO. We aren’t putting me back on that it wasn’t prescribed by you or prescribed for depression. I was taking it via my OBGYN for hot flashes and it didn’t help worth a s**t.
I honestly don’t know what to think, say, or do right now.
This is the worst experience I’ve had with Columbus and now I get to have anxiety for a solid month because I see this woman again in November. 🤷‍♀️
I apologize for the rant.
I really don’t know what to do with this buffet of WTF today.

09/18/2024

🚨Columbus Appointment Update!

*Bloodwork is great.
*I’ve gotten slightly out of breath recently so another pulmonary function test is scheduled for October and I have a prescription for an inhaler.
*It’s too early to see results from the new medication I started Saturday for this crazy joint pain and limited mobility.
*NO I am not allowed to return to work so I will be filing for disability again.
*Alcohol is OK in moderation. My doctor said that I have worked too hard to be here and he’s not going to tell me not to live my life, just don’t overdo it.
*Chair yoga, because I need a structured exercise routine and chasing TM doesn’t count.
*My immune system is still low so I need to be careful.
Overall, a good report!!!

09/17/2024

PSA: If you’re sick, think you might be sick, or have recently been exposed to someone who is sick please stay away from TM and ME.
We don’t want or need your germs!🦠🦠🦠🦠
🚨 (I AM STILL ON IMMUNE SUPPRESSION MEDICATION!!)🚨
🤒🤒🤒🤒🤒🤒🤒🤒🤒🤒🤒🤒
Cold, Flu, and Covid season is upon us, please use your brain, wash your hands, use sanitizer, don’t touch or kiss my granddaughter or any other child during this time.
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. 👏👏👏👏

07/19/2024

Columbus appointment this morning did NOT go the way I was hoping but I am still cancer free!!
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I was taken off a medication a couple weeks ago to see how my liver would tolerate being off it.
Apparently my liver is stupid because enzymes are too high again. 🤦‍♀️
I’m back on the liver protection medication as of today. I’m also scheduled August 21st to be a new patient at GVHD Clinic. (Graft vs host disease) If you’re unfamiliar with GVHD GOOGLE IT. I have it in my eyes, mouth, joints, and liver. The clinic appointment will open up opportunities for me to join drug trials and other treatment options for the GVHD. This will also allow treatment for my loss of range of motion and the never ending pain in my joints.
Dr. Nick said my blood work looks great and he is very happy with how I’m doing.
However, I’m NOT happy about more Columbus trips, because finding someone to take me is like pulling teeth. 🙄
I’m feeling a little discouraged today.

04/23/2024

2 years ago, yesterday, April 22nd 2022 was my cancer diagnosis.
I had a sore throat, a sore on my tongue, and a swelled up lymph node in my neck.
Luckily, Coshocton Emergency Room did bloodwork and then shipped me via ambulance to OSU The James Cancer Center.
AML, Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
I did 4 rounds of chemotherapy, went into remission and then did a 5th round of intense chemotherapy before my bone marrow transplant on October 21st 2022.
I’m still here, cancer free, living my best life!!
I will never forget the fear and anxiety of being told I had cancer but I’m here to tell you it’s a diagnosis not a sentence.
Cancer will never be what defines me as a person!!!