RALITZA TUFTS

Welcome to my CaringBridge website!


As many of you know I embarked on my Hodgkin's Lymphoma journey about this time last year - they gifted me the official news on Christmas Eve.


Since then, I went through almost 6 months of chemo - I completed 9 infusions of ABVD (many folks do 12). I was the first to ring the newly installed bell at the NAKA Infusion Center to celebrate the end of that journey - Emerson celebrity! Alas, the universe had more in store for me. I spent the summer testing to find out if the Lymphoma is still with me and along the way went through a MRSA Staph stint at MGH (got the bug during the biopsy to find out if I still have cancer!). 1 week in the hospital with all kinds of tubes sticking out of me and 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics, all to determine that I now have "refractory" disease and what will follow is "salvage" therapy. The terms are just something else, aren't they! SO, now I have completed the 1st phase of the salvage therapy - the immunotherapy infusions. And I am preparing for the Stem Cell Transplant - New Year = New Cells = New Me! I'll be in the hospital at Dana Farber / Brigham & Women's for roughly a month starting right after Christmas.



I want to express that I couldn't have gone through all the fear, shock, emotional and physical roller coasters without all of you. Your presence, your emotional support, your yummies, your encouragement and faith have made the biggest difference in this journey for me - I am not alone! I have you all!


So far I've gone without any official structure...I'm finally succumbing - here it is:)) This site is a pretty good tool to keep you all (family and friends) updated in one place. I appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. This too shall pass! 


Love you! Thank you for visiting and staying the course with me!


Ralitza


P.S. The Unicorn hair symbolizes the irony of my journey - I am one of 8000 folks diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma per year in the US. I am in the 20% who don't have complete response after being treated with ABVD. I am a super rare case of catching MRSA during a minor routine surgery. You get the picture...I am a Unicorn!