Understanding the Shorthand

As with any community – there are phrases and and shorthand. Here’s a list of some of the most common phrases and what i mean when i use them. I’ll probably be updating this post regularly!

SE = Side Effects
WBC = White Blood Count
ANC = Absolute Neutrophil Count
PCP = Primary Care Physician
BRAT Diet = Bananas, Rice, Apples (or Applesauce) and Toast
this is a diet that is easier on the stomach when you are nauseous, etc.
Turn around time = The time between an infusions.
Port = When chemo starts, there is usually a port surgically implanted. This port has a long tube that is run through a vein in your chest area. The port has an “opening” that is covered by a thin layer of skin. That keeps the opening in a sterile format. The port is accessed by a special needle. There is a lidocaine cream that i put on the skin to reduce any pain of being accessed.

October 22

First round done. After two infusions, and follow up labs, we have a starting point. It turns out i will have at least a couple of SE (side effects). (Big surprise!) The key will be figuring out how to prep better. This time i became a bit dehydrated, and dropped levels in WBC and Platelets.

i now have about 6 days to build myself back up for two more infusions. After getting fluids, etc. this morning i’m feeling better. So here’s to a week filled with  gatorade (fruit punch flavor), chicken, mashed potatoes and applesauce. And sleep.

October 15

Late last week i had a few physical issues, that may or may not have been SE. If i had not had a chemo infusion, i may have just assumed i had a stomach bug that going around and not thought twice about it. SO it was either SE or a bug. This week should answer that question. i felt a lot better by Sunday evening, and by the time i went for my appointment today, i felt pretty normal…or whatever passes for normal right now.

The infusion today went well. Had a great time catching up with nurses and friends, and finally got my voicemail on my phone fixed. A good day!

If i get the same issues later this week, i’ll know what SE to expect for a while. If not it’ll be the first time i was happy to get a stomach virus! Also, i am very excited that my next appointment, on the 22nd, i only have labs drawn. No infusion! Yay!!

One Down…

Today (October 8) was the first infusion of Gemzar/Carbo chemo meds, and so far all is good! i was given a couple of meds to help with nausea, and they are supposed to stay in my system for one-two days. Also, according to reviews from patients who have already taken this chemo, several of the SE (side effects) have been easier than others. And there are a ton of people praying that the God will be merciful with the SE. i am going with option 3. Thank You Lord Jesus for Your mercy. Thank You for the knowledge You have given to those in the medical field. Thank You for the friends and family You have placed around us. Thank You for being so undeniably evident in all these areas. To God be the Glory!

October 2

So many people were praying today for my  doctors appointment, and God answered in the form of some good news.

Most important: i didn’t have to get chemo today. This chemo is going to be given on a 21 day cycle.  Basically that means i will get two chemo infusions two mondays in a row, and the third monday i will do labs, but no infusion. That three week rotation will last for several months. Since i want to get my treatments on mondays, they have to start on a monday. So my first chemo treatment will be Monday, October 8! Yay!

Also: The tests and exams that i have been going through the past couple of weeks show that the tumor has not increased in size from when it was originally diagnosed.

And last, but certainly not least, i found out today that the side effects from this chemo are different. There will still be nausea and other issues, and the possible SE that are listed are still the “worst case scenario” type of information. However, overall there have been a lot of encouraging reports from patients that have used and are using the two medications. (thank you!)

i will try to update the blog at least once a week, and more often as needed. If you have any questions or something you would like me to address, please feel free to contact me directly by clicking on the email link above!

Just when you think it’s safe…

Yep!

i had been through a few checkups since the end of my treatments, and all seemed to be going well! i went in for my regular followup about two weeks ago, and it was also time for my 2nd mammogram, so…well… you know where this is going.

Same type of cancer, in another area. It is considered a new primary cancer. It did not come from the previous cancer site, lymph glands appear to be clear. They did scans to make sure i did not have anything anywhere else. Those scans showed no evidence of cancer elsewhere. i’m just lucky i guess!

Since i had a reaction to the Taxol, and i have taken all the AC i am physically able to tolerate, we will be using a new chemo mix.

My doctor’s appointment/first chemo visit is scheduled for October 2. i hope to have more information after that appointment.

i need to tell you, that my sister-in-law is quite the prayer warrior, and she is praying for a miracle. and i’m great with that! She has prayed several people through some serious stuff lately, and i am just thankful that she is praying for me! There is also the possibility that God has me going through this again for a reason, and in that case, the prayer is that the side effects (especially the nausea) will not be as severe as last time.

The prayer requests are the same.
1 – That God will be glorified through this! And that i don’t screw it up.
2 – For Dad and my two furbabies. This journey is pretty hard on them too. In some ways more than for me. Dad is now 91. He is not the spring chicken of 89 that he was last time, so please pray for his health, and for continued peace.
3 – No throwing up. And i have now learned to ask for MERCY with the nausea!

This series of the blog will be a little different then the last. Instead of having a few long and edited posts, i’m thinking about doing several short posts, with the info i have available. There will be a couple of more thought out stories and updates, but for the most part, just a couple of paragraphs, and moving ahead.

So thankful to have you along for the ride with us and praying for us. We are truly blessed!!

I’m back!

Wow!  It’s been a while since i have posted anything. Sorry. i have been on quite a wild ride.

Shortly after i wrote the last post (July 23, 2017) everything spiraled out of control. i was unable to keep the blog going, because i was unable to keep me going. i received the last two rounds of AC. All was going as expected, and around the 2nd week of August, it didn’t.

i learned a few important things:
1) There are some people who, when bald, cannot tell they have a fever by feeling their forehead. i am one of those.
2) When the digital thermometer says “102”, it is not broken.
3) Hearing “she could go either way” in the ER does not feel like i thought it would.
4) If God is not intending to take you home yet, and you have an army of people praying you will get better here on earth, you get better.
As a matter of fact, the ER trip was August 15. And on August 21 i was able to go home and celebrate my dad’s 90th birthday. Only God can do that!

There were two more trips to the hospital, radiation treatments, and three surgeries. But God was faithful, and He brought me through it all. By June of this year, i was through all my surgeries and my treatments, and started to feel the best i had felt in a long time.

All praise and glory be to God the Father, and to Jesus, His only Son, my Lord and Savior.

If you think this synopsis is really short, it is.  Mainly because it seems there is already a chapter 2 in the works… Stay tuned!

 

Transition Weekend

So tomorrow is infusion 3 of 4 of AC. The past few days has been good overall. Obviously not because of the heat, but i have been able to actually eat some really good food. My brother and sister-in-law made potato salad (awesome!!!), dad made his first chocolate cake (yummy!),  Jasons chef salad, and caprese salad, pancakes from ihop, and baked potatoes! i know that the next week to 10 days will be filled with popsicles and jello, so it made these past meals all the more enjoyable!

i am a bit anxious. According to my research, this is like the pinnacle of infusions. -i will have the most chemo build up in my system so far,
-at some point my wbc will be dropping again,
-my current issues with neuropathy, balance, and fatigue will get worse before it gets better.

There is good news..
-The God of the Universe, who has gone ahead of me on this journey, has already taken care of all our concerns.
-the med rotation this past round has keep my SE more stable, so i can continue to build on that this round.
-there is only one more after this! And then, God willing, chemo will be done!!! In time to celebrate dad’s 90th birthday!

Please pray for the issues listed above, and strength and wisdom for dad. i know there is more to this journey than physically fixing cancer. God has been working on us in so many ways. You know that your priorities will probably change when you have a major detour like this. You have expectations. But God is surprising me far beyond anything i can even describe. sometimes daily. sometimes hourly. i pray that these blessings He has bestowed, is also overflowing into your lives as well.

God’s Got This! And He has you too.

Catching up!

Well it’s been a busy couple of weeks since my last post. Let me try to catch you up!

The Neulasta kicked in, and my numbers increased in time for my second infusion. So physically i was ok for the second infusion. However mentally i was still very concerned. The team was very compassionate, and we was able to discuss options available to combat the SE, especially the nausea. Needless to say i got the second dose, (with a lot of prayer) and a couple of prescriptions to see how they would work. During the exam, it was also discussed that the tumor seems to have almost gone away. As a mass it is very hard to find, it seems to be breaking apart – i think the term used was “it was melting”. PRAISE GOD!

Similar to the first infusion, some SE started the next day, and so did the new prescriptions. The first couple of days were still a little rough, so i called and we discussed some changes in how to take the meds. After that, things were a little more stable. The highs and lows of the SE were not as crazy, and i was actually able to eat and drink some things, enough to keep me going. By Monday, i started feeling pretty fatigued. Since i am not completely aware when my wbc drops, (usually approximately on day 7-9) i decided it was best to stay at home for a few days.

So life right now is:
-The neuropathy sometimes feels like it is clearing up, and then the next minute i’m dropping things. i guess that is something i won’t get back until chemo is over totally.
-My two fur babies have become my “entourage” of sorts. They follow (or sometimes lead) me around the house, and keep me within view as much as possible. Comforting.
-Dad has learned how to make so many things – and he is totally loving all the variety of meals we have been blessed with. i guess i’m going to need to get a recipe book made of all the meals to make for him when i’m cooking again.

And i’m already starting to try and psych up for the next infusion this coming Monday. Please continue to pray for dad. He is still doing more than he was used to. We think that by doing some much moving around, he is really getting some much needed exercise, and it is physically helping him. But he still worries. Only two more infusions before the surgery, but that is spread out over 4 weeks. Sometimes the days can be long.

Thank you for the blessing that is you!!! Whether it is bringing something by, helping with errands or at the house, texts, calling with encouragement, prayers, or just visits! You are all being Christ to us through this time.

God’s Got This. All raise to Him, in the name of Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Savior.

Thank you!!!!

This has been a journey. i am starting to realize why most people have said to me “I’m so sorry you have to go through this.” God’s peace that He gave to dad and i brought with it a bit of hope that God would be merciful with the side effects.

To be truthful, He has.

There have been a few times in the past couple of months that i have hurt more than i thought i could stand. But i know that it could have been much worse. God truly is the one that carries you through this. (FYI – This is SO much easier to say when i am able to sit up on the couch, focus on a computer screen, and try to convey what has been going on to you. If you had been here Sunday morning around 2:00 am, i probably was not saying that. 😉

God did give me an insight to the fact that the first couple of months would be rough, but doable. But that there would be a time when i would not be able to do things, or be more than a blob on the couch and we would be relying on the kindness of family and friends. As hard as it is to say, i am there. i know i will still have good days, and i do have good hours, but it is scary and humbling to be in this place.
And then this happens:
i have been out of pocket for about the last 4-5 days. I opened up the computer today to catch up on the blog, and went to the meal train site. wow. i read out loud to dad the people that have signed up. We thought about those that have already been here, and helped in many ways (including last minute doctors appointments) He was blown away, and i just cried. Overwhelmed.

I see texts, notes, cards, emails, the people who are feeding dad, helping him, and i am overwhelmed. Sometimes dad and i just look at each other and say “We are so blessed!! (yes, we do!)

Please don’t think we are not getting your encouragement and prayer notes. I have every note, card, and text that has been sent. It is what we are holding onto and relying on.

The reaction i had with the last round of chemo, neuropathy hit me hard. I am getting feeling back in my hands and feet, but i cannot write, at least not anything you will be able to read! And my typing wpm has gone WAY down! They say it will come back, but please do not think me rude if it takes me a while to respond.

I’m also dealing with chemo brain!! It’s real! Any of you that have taken me to chemo can probably attest to that, right? 🙂 The weakness is frustrating.  Dad is doing a lot of talking on the phone for me. i do find that typing these posts are great therapy for my fingers, and my brain.

All this to say, THANK YOU! We love you. And may God richly bless you!!