Half WAY!!
Home from Little Rock, can honestly say I am half-way through the nasty, yucky, funky garbage. A real wimpy WooHoo coming everyone's way. This stuff kicked my skinny little shriveled up butt this time. Gotta get better in the next couple of days. AT LEAST I AM HALF WAY BACK TO "NORMAL".
Monday, August 2, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Left my pillow for an update
Got a call from the nurses at UAMS, my WBC counts are good, magnesium and RBC a little low but still a go for chemo on Monday. It floors me that when I feel my worst, my WBC are good, when I feel my best, my WBC are down. But it's the lower RBC that bring on anemia and fatigue. Once I get past the fuzzy dog slept on tongue thing, I'll be able to eat and get my strength back.
Now back to my pillow and my constant furry companions, Sampson and Hurley.
Got a call from the nurses at UAMS, my WBC counts are good, magnesium and RBC a little low but still a go for chemo on Monday. It floors me that when I feel my worst, my WBC are good, when I feel my best, my WBC are down. But it's the lower RBC that bring on anemia and fatigue. Once I get past the fuzzy dog slept on tongue thing, I'll be able to eat and get my strength back.
Now back to my pillow and my constant furry companions, Sampson and Hurley.
My Pillow is my best friend today
Chemo was on Tuesday, today is Friday? Nasties are still pretty potent. Lynn is coming to take me for blood work, hoping counts will be high enough to go Monday. When I finish chemo on Monday, I can honestly say I'm halfway through the bad stuff. Wish me luck.
My daughter, Tiffany is coming up from Austin this afternoon to help out for a few days. God Bless her and keep her safe on her way.
Chemo was on Tuesday, today is Friday? Nasties are still pretty potent. Lynn is coming to take me for blood work, hoping counts will be high enough to go Monday. When I finish chemo on Monday, I can honestly say I'm halfway through the bad stuff. Wish me luck.
My daughter, Tiffany is coming up from Austin this afternoon to help out for a few days. God Bless her and keep her safe on her way.
Monday, July 26, 2010
1030!!
I needed a WBC of 1000 and I had 1030, just enought o go ahead with the third cycle! I never thought I'd jumping for joy to receive a chemo treatment. Dr. Stone said everything looks good, the new heart burn medicine is helping with the "Burn" and the explosive belching. I do have to start taking a blood pressure medicine. Is that not a hoot? I've had low blood pressure my entire life, start taking a cancer treatment drug and now have to take medicine for high blood pressure, a the side effects of that medicine!
Someday, no more pills and injections!!!
Tim and I just finished dinner, a pretty decent hamburger and french fries and I actually was able to taste it, WooHoo.
Tomorrow a good breakfast before the nasty bloating Cisplatin treatment. Thanks for your collective prayers and finger/toe crossings. Never underestimate the power of prayer.
God Bless our normal days!
I needed a WBC of 1000 and I had 1030, just enought o go ahead with the third cycle! I never thought I'd jumping for joy to receive a chemo treatment. Dr. Stone said everything looks good, the new heart burn medicine is helping with the "Burn" and the explosive belching. I do have to start taking a blood pressure medicine. Is that not a hoot? I've had low blood pressure my entire life, start taking a cancer treatment drug and now have to take medicine for high blood pressure, a the side effects of that medicine!
Someday, no more pills and injections!!!
Tim and I just finished dinner, a pretty decent hamburger and french fries and I actually was able to taste it, WooHoo.
Tomorrow a good breakfast before the nasty bloating Cisplatin treatment. Thanks for your collective prayers and finger/toe crossings. Never underestimate the power of prayer.
God Bless our normal days!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Dag Nab It!
Three of the side effects that I have managed to avoid have snuck into my life. Mouth sores is the first one, I have a couple of small ones and I'm gargling with nasty tasting stuff to keep those two little suckers under control. It's amazing after 2 1/2 weeks I can finally taste my food and I end up with mouth sores. Go figure! The second side effect is elevated blood pressure from the Avastin. My "normal" blood pressure is usually 116/60 but today it reached 147/103, and that was after resting, its a good thing I wasn't jogging around the lake in the 100 degree temperature! I called to let my nurses know and they said elevation was "normal" but to watch for 200/100 which is stroke range. GREAT!!! SO I monitor daily and today was the highest yet, boogers!
The third side effect which is the one, believe it or not that really bugs me is my blood counts being too low. When I talk about blood counts, I am referring to White Blood Cell (WBC) counts, specifically my neutrophils which make up 60% of my WBC, the other 40% is a mixture of odd sounding names that I can't remember. The most important for me is the neutrophils. "Normal" is approximately 1250 and higher. If mine fall below 1000 I can't do the chemo, my counts this last time were 860. The WBC are the "armed guards at the gate of the body" fending off all types of infections. When there are too few WBC my immune system is compromised opening up those gates for all sorts of stuff! The only ways to raise the WBC is rest, time or in critical cases injections that will boost WBC production. I had to have those injections with both previous cancers. They bring on their own set of side effects.
Tim and I are going to Little Rock tomorrow with the hope that the counts have gone up enough in the last couple of days to go ahead with chemo. If not, we will have to postpone and turn around and come home. Double boogers. I need all of you to say a prayer and keep those fingers(and toes) crossed that my counts rise enough to do this cycle. WE DO NOT WANT TO PUT ANY OF THESE NASTY CYCLES OFF! NO matter how much I hate the chemo I want to finish as soon as possible! I'll let you know tomorrow, one way or the other how I did.
God Bless!
Three of the side effects that I have managed to avoid have snuck into my life. Mouth sores is the first one, I have a couple of small ones and I'm gargling with nasty tasting stuff to keep those two little suckers under control. It's amazing after 2 1/2 weeks I can finally taste my food and I end up with mouth sores. Go figure! The second side effect is elevated blood pressure from the Avastin. My "normal" blood pressure is usually 116/60 but today it reached 147/103, and that was after resting, its a good thing I wasn't jogging around the lake in the 100 degree temperature! I called to let my nurses know and they said elevation was "normal" but to watch for 200/100 which is stroke range. GREAT!!! SO I monitor daily and today was the highest yet, boogers!
The third side effect which is the one, believe it or not that really bugs me is my blood counts being too low. When I talk about blood counts, I am referring to White Blood Cell (WBC) counts, specifically my neutrophils which make up 60% of my WBC, the other 40% is a mixture of odd sounding names that I can't remember. The most important for me is the neutrophils. "Normal" is approximately 1250 and higher. If mine fall below 1000 I can't do the chemo, my counts this last time were 860. The WBC are the "armed guards at the gate of the body" fending off all types of infections. When there are too few WBC my immune system is compromised opening up those gates for all sorts of stuff! The only ways to raise the WBC is rest, time or in critical cases injections that will boost WBC production. I had to have those injections with both previous cancers. They bring on their own set of side effects.
Tim and I are going to Little Rock tomorrow with the hope that the counts have gone up enough in the last couple of days to go ahead with chemo. If not, we will have to postpone and turn around and come home. Double boogers. I need all of you to say a prayer and keep those fingers(and toes) crossed that my counts rise enough to do this cycle. WE DO NOT WANT TO PUT ANY OF THESE NASTY CYCLES OFF! NO matter how much I hate the chemo I want to finish as soon as possible! I'll let you know tomorrow, one way or the other how I did.
God Bless!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
My wonderful friend, Lynn forwarded this e-mail to me today, I hope everyone all over the country who reads my blog will enjoy this I LOVE THE RAIN!
A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target.
We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in 'Mom let's run through the rain,' she said.
'What?' Mom asked.
'Let's run through the rain!' She repeated
'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run through the rain,'
'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said.
'No, we won't, Mom.. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm
This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?
'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'
The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently... No one came or left in the next few minutes...
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life... A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing,' Mom said.
Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.
And yes, I did.. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories....So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.
I Love You!
Take the time to live!!!
Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when you'll need each other -- and don't forget to run in the rain
My wonderful friend, Lynn forwarded this e-mail to me today, I hope everyone all over the country who reads my blog will enjoy this I LOVE THE RAIN!
A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target.
We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in 'Mom let's run through the rain,' she said.
'What?' Mom asked.
'Let's run through the rain!' She repeated
'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run through the rain,'
'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said.
'No, we won't, Mom.. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm
This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?
'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'
The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently... No one came or left in the next few minutes...
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life... A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing,' Mom said.
Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.
And yes, I did.. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories....So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.
I Love You!
Take the time to live!!!
Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when you'll need each other -- and don't forget to run in the rain
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Good Week?
This was supposed to be my good week, but I haven't found my energy yet, I still have a couple of days to find the energizer bunny in me! I start the next cycle of chemo on Monday if my blood counts are OK. I had a good visit with my kids and my grandchildren. I didn't get all my kids together like I had hoped, but I understand when the military dictates my youngest son's schedule. As you can see by the picture of my grandchildren, they are each a very special character and I was tickled to see them. Here are Val, Tony and Haley
I think my emotions are out of whack. Of course it could be the chemo, the steroids, the sleep medicine, etc. etc. etc.... or just the fact that I'm battling my third cancer in 10 years.
I was eating a grilled cheese sandwich the other day with my daughter and burst into tears, my fish pond sprung a leak and I lost my two koi and I cried, feeling like I had failed my fish AND it's a good thing the Christmas Maxwell House commercials aren't on, I'd be a blithering idiot! My husband gives me a hug and the usual "it'll be alright" (that's his typical catch phrase) don't get me wrong, it's a good phrase, but I'm not seeing light at the end of my tunnel yet and there's gotta be a better phrase, a few cuss words, colorful metaphors, whatever!!!! Anyway, my tear ducts have gotten a workout lately and I'm just a little, sob, emotional, sob! ENOUGH already!!!
I've decided that when I sneak a peak in the mirror, I look like a cross between Cousin Festus, Voldemort and Golom. (Hey, you'd cry too!)
I know, I'm being hard on myself, but geez I really look alien! I think some of the problem is my fluctuating weight, I just can't seem to stabilize it. With the fuzzy dog sat on tongue thing my taste buds just aren't recovering like they did the first two cancers. I have cravings for all different foods, and since everything gives me heartburn, it's kinda like what the heck, eat what I can, but nothing tastes the way it's supposed to and my imagination is getting as thin as I am! Needless to say, I'm not eating like I should because NOTHING tastes good. What I would give for a true good tasting grilled cheeseburger! When I finish all of this mess in the fall, look out "all you can eat buffetts" I'm coming your way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was supposed to be my good week, but I haven't found my energy yet, I still have a couple of days to find the energizer bunny in me! I start the next cycle of chemo on Monday if my blood counts are OK. I had a good visit with my kids and my grandchildren. I didn't get all my kids together like I had hoped, but I understand when the military dictates my youngest son's schedule. As you can see by the picture of my grandchildren, they are each a very special character and I was tickled to see them. Here are Val, Tony and Haley
I was eating a grilled cheese sandwich the other day with my daughter and burst into tears, my fish pond sprung a leak and I lost my two koi and I cried, feeling like I had failed my fish AND it's a good thing the Christmas Maxwell House commercials aren't on, I'd be a blithering idiot! My husband gives me a hug and the usual "it'll be alright" (that's his typical catch phrase) don't get me wrong, it's a good phrase, but I'm not seeing light at the end of my tunnel yet and there's gotta be a better phrase, a few cuss words, colorful metaphors, whatever!!!! Anyway, my tear ducts have gotten a workout lately and I'm just a little, sob, emotional, sob! ENOUGH already!!!
I've decided that when I sneak a peak in the mirror, I look like a cross between Cousin Festus, Voldemort and Golom. (Hey, you'd cry too!)
I know, I'm being hard on myself, but geez I really look alien! I think some of the problem is my fluctuating weight, I just can't seem to stabilize it. With the fuzzy dog sat on tongue thing my taste buds just aren't recovering like they did the first two cancers. I have cravings for all different foods, and since everything gives me heartburn, it's kinda like what the heck, eat what I can, but nothing tastes the way it's supposed to and my imagination is getting as thin as I am! Needless to say, I'm not eating like I should because NOTHING tastes good. What I would give for a true good tasting grilled cheeseburger! When I finish all of this mess in the fall, look out "all you can eat buffetts" I'm coming your way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)