Hi friends! I have several updates from this week, so I figured now would be a good time for a blog post before things get crazy tomorrow.  I had a Zarxio shot yesterday to boost my white blood cell count and went back for labs today.  (When I say “labs” I just mean the nurses draw blood and make sure my counts are where they need to be for me to receive chemo).  My numbers looked good today, so I’ll be able to receive my 13^th chemo treatment tomorrow!  That’s right, #13! Thank you Lord!  Sometimes it’s hard to believe I’ve been doing this since May.  I would like to tell you “oh the time has just flown by” but let’s be real…..it has been a long 5 months, and I’m okay with that.  I’m just happy to be here J This week I was able to get two Orange Theory workouts in on my lunch break, so I felt happy I was able to do that!  I know it’s different for everyone, but for me, being able to workout is something that keeps me feeling normal.  I’ve had to listen to my body and take it easy when I’m really under the weather but this week has been a good week for the most part.  More to be thankful for!

Picture below is from yesterday’s workout with one of my favorite instructors 🙂

Speaking of working out, this Sunday, (October 14^th) Orange Theory Towne Center (in Baton Rouge) will be holding a special class at 2pm.  The class is $30, open to the public, and ALL proceeds go to Woman’s Hospital/Mary Bird Perkins for cancer research. You can call (225) 424-5000 to register.  I hear they’ve made me the honorary “class captain”- so if you feel like working out for a good cause, come by and see me! (…and don’t be alarmed if I look less than stellar, it usually takes me a few days to recoup from chemo!)  Pic below is from Monday’s workout with another favorite- Cam!

Moving right along, on Thursday of next week I’ll be getting a Pet Scan and MRI of my abdomen to see what’s going on in my liver.  I know God has a plan, and whatever the results are, we are going to stay the course and keep fighting.  (For what it’s worth, I would LOVE for the PET Scan to be “less bright” than the last scan and for the spots in my sternum and liver to be smaller).  If any of you have some time, feel free to say some prayers to the good Lord that we have positive results from those scans.  The following day I’ll be meeting with a liver surgeon to discuss next steps on how we can get this cancer OUT of my liver (that may be radiation, surgery, etc.).  Will keep everyone posted.  This seems to be a day by day kind of process.

Note: for my friends and family who aren’t on social media (and have been asking)…..below are pictures from the article in the latest issue of Lola Magazine.  My sweet friend Bevin Hicks did such a good job with the article, and it was an honor to be on the cover! Yes, I could have scanned the pages in…..but taking pictures with my iPhone is all the energy I have at the moment!

If you’re solely reading the blog for health updates, you can probably stop here….but there is more after the pictures 😉 Keep scrolling!

If you’re still reading, you may have noticed the title to this post is called “All the Things”.  Let me explain.  I went to see the movie “Little Women” recently. The movie is a modern take on the classic story written by Louisa May Alcott. (Little Women was one of my FAVORITE books growing up.  I read it about a dozen times….and I’m listening to the audio book now.  I also loved the movie that came out in the 90’s with Winona Ryder.)  Clearly, when I heard there was a modern remake of one of my favorite stories, I HAD to see it (and for the record, it did not disappoint).  One of the parts in the movie that stood out is when an adolescent Jo March vowed to do “all the things” in life.  That really resonated with me.  Just because I have Stage IV cancer doesn’t mean I can’t do “all the things”……at least all of the important things.  I want to spend time with the people that I love, travel, work …..and hopefully make a difference in the world (as cliché as that sounds).  That’s what we’re all here for, right?  To love, live, and to leave something behind worth reading about.  That’s my hope.

“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” ― St. Catherine of Siena

Thank you all for the continued prayers, support, and love.  Mark and I appreciate it more than you know.

xo,

-Holly Hollis Stars-