Well goodness! After I that last post, I got SICK!!!!!!!!!! It was awful; all chemo side effects. I finally called Mike, he came home and prayed for me and fed me and got me all the things I needed and God heard his prayer and I quickly improved.
Today is Thursday. I went for radiation as normal and then upstairs for a meeting with my oncologist. I was not happy with the way this is affecting me. I had a written list of what I had experienced and I saw Dr. Jameson. He's very direct and straightforward and I think that by the time I was finished with my demands he was happy with me.
I told him either we would do a smaller dose of chemo today with better help with the side effects or I wasn't doing chemo this week. I've decided that I'm not missing any more birthdays or special events because of these treatments and side effects. I explained that Jon turns 7 on Monday, Mike has a birthday on Tuesday and we have 3 new soccer practices starting next week and I am NOT going to miss any of them. Dr. Jameson backed up against the door, threw his hands in the air and said,"you're the boss!" He cut both my chemo meds quite a bit. That should make the major part of the difference. He added a new nausea medicine to my pre-chemo IV regimen.
So, when I got ready for my IV's, I got Zometa in the first bag. It is a bone strengthener that I've been taking for about 6 months now. Then, they put up the bag for the anti-nausea medicine. After it ran about half in, I started feeling BAD! It wasn't supposed to have side effects and I was feeling very uncomfortable, jittery, restless. I wasn't having trouble breathing, but something wasn't right either. Roxanne ( my dear chemo buddy) called for the nurse and very quickly I had two nurses AND the doctor looking me over. They took my blood pressure (it had went down since they took it before I saw the doctor) they took my pulse, blood oxygen level. Then, I had a massive heat flash!!!!!! They turned down the air conditioner for the whole room and gave everyone else a blanket!!!!!!!! They stopped the IV, started saline and I very quickly got past whatever the episode was. Needless to say, I didn't get any more of that! Roxanne gave them back the pills that they had given me for the next two days. After that, they ran in my pre-chemo side effect IV - tagamet, decadron, benadryl and another anti-nausea med. Then, they ran in my chemo drugs - paclitaxel and carboplatin. We started in the oncologist waiting room at 10:45 or so and got out right at 3:00.
Tonight, I feel ok. I've got lots of side effects meds and I'll try to stay in front of it all this round. Please pray against the nausea and EVERYTHING else. It's been disappointing. All my professionals are surprised at how difficult this is proving to be.
On the positive side. It is WORKING! We can tell a marked difference!
When my dear pastor, Mark Ashley, prayed for me this week, I had a vision of cancer cells exploding like fireworks, never to grow in me again!!!!!!!!!!! Pow, pow pow! Ya know, after fireworks explode, they are useless!!!!!!!! No more firing, no more noise, nothing, useless! POW! POW! POW!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
HEY HEY HEY, Better today!
Just a note to let you all know that I'm much better today! My stomach was bothering me a lot more than I realized and when it quit, I felt MUCH better!
My head is more clear, too!
September 2, is my target date for being done with radiation. 6 weeks to go!
My head is more clear, too!
September 2, is my target date for being done with radiation. 6 weeks to go!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Chemo is not for sissies!
Chemo is not for sissies. I have other things to say about it, but they aren't as polite and I know that I have polite readers, so I will censor myself.
I slept all weekend and had some carsickness on the way to church and the way home. I just couldn't seem to wake up most of the weekend. I was able to eat and I didn't hurt anywhere except with a little belly ache off and on. The doc's said this would be easy. I challenge that statement! I expected it to be easier than this. Although, sleeping all weekend is not particularly hard! VBG
Today, I have a little more energy........a lot more energy. I've been up all day so far, if sitting around is considered "up".
We did manage some schoolwork today, in addition to my radiation treatment.
Pray for my moodiness! I'm trying to keep it under wraps, but I'm not completely successful.
love to you all!
I slept all weekend and had some carsickness on the way to church and the way home. I just couldn't seem to wake up most of the weekend. I was able to eat and I didn't hurt anywhere except with a little belly ache off and on. The doc's said this would be easy. I challenge that statement! I expected it to be easier than this. Although, sleeping all weekend is not particularly hard! VBG
Today, I have a little more energy........a lot more energy. I've been up all day so far, if sitting around is considered "up".
We did manage some schoolwork today, in addition to my radiation treatment.
Pray for my moodiness! I'm trying to keep it under wraps, but I'm not completely successful.
love to you all!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
treatment update Saturday July 18, 2009
Had my first chemo yesterday.
Got benadryl, metamucil, an anti-nausea med and decadron (steroid) in the first bag to counteract the side effects of the other two bags.
Got paclitaxel in one bag and carboplatin in the other bag.
Got low doses, so side effects are small. Not like last time.
Today I feel Ok. a little emotional, tired, a little weak, but I'm getting up from here soon and gonna get cleaned up and move to the living room to watch a movie.
No pain, no nausea, just tired.
These drugs at these doses will weaken the cancer so the radiation can kill it. I've got 7 more weeks of treatment, (I think). Then surgery is planned.
Got benadryl, metamucil, an anti-nausea med and decadron (steroid) in the first bag to counteract the side effects of the other two bags.
Got paclitaxel in one bag and carboplatin in the other bag.
Got low doses, so side effects are small. Not like last time.
Today I feel Ok. a little emotional, tired, a little weak, but I'm getting up from here soon and gonna get cleaned up and move to the living room to watch a movie.
No pain, no nausea, just tired.
These drugs at these doses will weaken the cancer so the radiation can kill it. I've got 7 more weeks of treatment, (I think). Then surgery is planned.
Friday, July 17, 2009
The desert
You all know the story of the children of Isreal wandering in the desert for 40 years. (See Exodus).
They had been rescued from slavery in Egypt, delivered across the Red Sea on dry land, all their diseases were healed.
They had rejected the idea that God, their father, leader, creator, could defeat their enemies in the Promised Land, so they were destined to wander the desert until they died. Only two who came from Egypt as adults were ever to enter into the Promised Land.
We tend to think of the desert experience as one of misery, heat, deprivation and delay of God's promises.
Now, remember where the children of Isreal, the children of the Most High God were! They guided by a cloud by day (in the desert!) and by a pillar of fire by night. The cloud provided protection and coolness from the desert heat, hmmmmm. The fire provided heat and warmth at night.
They were fed with food they didn't plant, till, weed, milk, cook or transport. they simply had to gather it each morning. And it was GOOD!
They had clean water to drink. PERIOD. It didn't need chlorination or filtration or anything. It was provided to them IN THE DESERT! In plenty for each person and animal of the children of Isreal.
They moved when God said move and they went where he lead them. They never had to wonder, "What do we do now?"
God's prescence was always with them, right outside their tents, in the tabernacle that they were camped around.
They had the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey for their children! A place of plenty for their children! Don't we all want that for our children?
When I see it this way, the desert doesn't look like a bad place. They had EVERYTHING!
EVERYTHING!!!! Complete provision.
The Promised Land was truly a land of milk and honey. But it also had giants and idolatrous people and temptations. It was a place where they would work for their provision. Till and plant and weed and harvest. A plenteous harvest, but worked for nevertheless.
Perhaps the desert wasn's a bad place after all. Perhaps we all need a desert, a place to learn and grow. A place of total provision. Let us not take our desert for granted.
They had been rescued from slavery in Egypt, delivered across the Red Sea on dry land, all their diseases were healed.
They had rejected the idea that God, their father, leader, creator, could defeat their enemies in the Promised Land, so they were destined to wander the desert until they died. Only two who came from Egypt as adults were ever to enter into the Promised Land.
We tend to think of the desert experience as one of misery, heat, deprivation and delay of God's promises.
Now, remember where the children of Isreal, the children of the Most High God were! They guided by a cloud by day (in the desert!) and by a pillar of fire by night. The cloud provided protection and coolness from the desert heat, hmmmmm. The fire provided heat and warmth at night.
They were fed with food they didn't plant, till, weed, milk, cook or transport. they simply had to gather it each morning. And it was GOOD!
They had clean water to drink. PERIOD. It didn't need chlorination or filtration or anything. It was provided to them IN THE DESERT! In plenty for each person and animal of the children of Isreal.
They moved when God said move and they went where he lead them. They never had to wonder, "What do we do now?"
God's prescence was always with them, right outside their tents, in the tabernacle that they were camped around.
They had the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey for their children! A place of plenty for their children! Don't we all want that for our children?
When I see it this way, the desert doesn't look like a bad place. They had EVERYTHING!
EVERYTHING!!!! Complete provision.
The Promised Land was truly a land of milk and honey. But it also had giants and idolatrous people and temptations. It was a place where they would work for their provision. Till and plant and weed and harvest. A plenteous harvest, but worked for nevertheless.
Perhaps the desert wasn's a bad place after all. Perhaps we all need a desert, a place to learn and grow. A place of total provision. Let us not take our desert for granted.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Squash pickles - done!
After I got my hair done today, I felt so good that I decided to can some squash pickles. I had all the ingredients ready, so I put the boys in the pool and moved outside to slice/dice.
I ended up with 5 pints and a quart of relish (I diced the squash and onions to make relish) that I will devour on beans this winter!
I made 4 quarts into slices for sandwiches this summer!
Hooray!
I used the recipe that was posted earlier on my blog. For the relish, I used cider vinegar instead of white vinegar (it was what I had).
HAIR is a wonderful thing!
Well, folks, it's been 6 months since I started growing hair again and it's finally long enough to trim up, style and color!
So, today, I got my hair done!
YIPPEE!!!!!
Friday, July 10, 2009
update 7-10-09
I spoke with the oncology nurse this week. She said that compared to the chemo that I did last fall and winter, this will be a "walk in the park."
The radiologists said that I won't have any trouble with the radiation treatments either.
I believe them both!!!!!!!!!!
They DID prescribe me insane amounts of steroids to take the night before the chemo treatments, so I don't expect to sleep that night. But, I've been awake all night before. It don't hurt!
love you all,
dana
The radiologists said that I won't have any trouble with the radiation treatments either.
I believe them both!!!!!!!!!!
They DID prescribe me insane amounts of steroids to take the night before the chemo treatments, so I don't expect to sleep that night. But, I've been awake all night before. It don't hurt!
love you all,
dana
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Treatment plan
Treatment plan......
I'll be doing radiation every day, Monday through Friday, starting July 13. Right now, I'm scheduled at 9:45 every morning.
I'll find out about chemo either today or tomorrow. I expect it will start next Friday, July 17.
I have Nanny and Sam and Patty to help with caring for the boys and driving me back and forth until Sam and Patty go to school the middle of August. That gives me a few weeks to see how this round of treatment is going to effect me.
The docs expect me to have 7 -8 weeks of treatment this round.
I'll be doing radiation every day, Monday through Friday, starting July 13. Right now, I'm scheduled at 9:45 every morning.
I'll find out about chemo either today or tomorrow. I expect it will start next Friday, July 17.
I have Nanny and Sam and Patty to help with caring for the boys and driving me back and forth until Sam and Patty go to school the middle of August. That gives me a few weeks to see how this round of treatment is going to effect me.
The docs expect me to have 7 -8 weeks of treatment this round.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Fourth of July Weekend
Hello all,
I see that it's been a while since I posted! We've been busy!
Sam had July 3 rd off work, so Nanny and I cooked all morning. Then Patty and Trey and Rick and Roxanne came over and we cooked out and played Sequence. If I remember correctly, Roxanne and I beat Mike and Ricky pretty soundly! And, we shot fireworks and sat in the hot tub!
(Patty is Sam's girlfriend - we love her- and Trey is her younger brother.)
On the fourth of July, Chris and Steph came! So we played in the pool and cooked out and shot fireworks again! Next day, Sunday, we all got up and went to church together - 9 of us! It was so wonderful, Sam and Patty on one end of the seats, Chris and Steph on the other end and us in the middle with the "boys". Everyone went on and on about how much Chris looks like Mike and I got to introduce my daughter-in-law, Dr. Stephanie Estes!
Gonna run, now,
love to you all, will post more later,
Dana
I see that it's been a while since I posted! We've been busy!
Sam had July 3 rd off work, so Nanny and I cooked all morning. Then Patty and Trey and Rick and Roxanne came over and we cooked out and played Sequence. If I remember correctly, Roxanne and I beat Mike and Ricky pretty soundly! And, we shot fireworks and sat in the hot tub!
(Patty is Sam's girlfriend - we love her- and Trey is her younger brother.)
On the fourth of July, Chris and Steph came! So we played in the pool and cooked out and shot fireworks again! Next day, Sunday, we all got up and went to church together - 9 of us! It was so wonderful, Sam and Patty on one end of the seats, Chris and Steph on the other end and us in the middle with the "boys". Everyone went on and on about how much Chris looks like Mike and I got to introduce my daughter-in-law, Dr. Stephanie Estes!
Gonna run, now,
love to you all, will post more later,
Dana
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