Hopefully this will be my last post in this blog - a gesture of putting this past year behind me.
It's been five months since my last chemo treatment. I expected it would take a couple of weeks to recover from the effects of chemo, but the reality is that although I am feeling so much better, there are still lingering reminders of the effects of chemo therapy. Some have told me to give myself a year, others say there will always be some lingering side effects. Bottom line - I'm just grateful to be moving on with life. My lab values remain normal. A recent PET scan revealed a questionable 1 cm. lymph node but no obvious evidence of cancer. The lymph node was undetected on CT scan. So, the plan is to continue with labs and CT scans every 3 months.
The big news is that we have received a second chance to serve our LDS mission in Hawaii. We will enter the Provo MTC on March 7th and fly to Hawaii about 11 days later. This call has been nothing short of a miracle. One day I will document the events that had to fall into place for this to happen, but for now let me just say how grateful I am for this opportunity.
Our new house is nearing completion, but will not be done before we leave. We are blessed with adult children that will supervise its completion in our absence. I'll have to be content to view the progress through FaceTime.
So, as this blog closes, another begins. Check out tuftsalohamission.blogspot.com. A new beginning and a new adventure!
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Update
It's been almost 2 months since I finished chemo. That seems impossible. I am doing well and slowly recovering from its effects on my body. I feel good. My overall strength is still in recovery, as evidenced by my attempt to bowl. Even the lightest ball I could find was a challenge to roll down the alley. Thankfully there was no shortage of having a good time with the family. The neuropathy in my fingers and feet is still a challenge - no change there. My energy is returning. I am back working at the Family History Center one night a week, and going to work on humanitarian projects every Wednesday morning. I just finished piecing a quilt for our grand baby due the end of December and I keep busy with humanitarian projects I bring home to work on. I enjoy riding my bike when the weather is warm enough and often find a short nap in the afternoon very refreshing.
Medically speaking there is also good news. My CT scan showed no evidence of cancer and my latest lab tests are all returning to normal. Such a nice word - normal! My oncologist has given the okay for us to proceed with mission plans as long as I stay in the USA and stay on schedule with my scans and labs.
Work on our new house is SLOWLY progressing. Estimated date of completion is now the end of April, but who knows. The subcontractors are all very busy and there seem to be delays at every turn. We live close and drive by often to check on the progress.
It seems that cancer is everywhere. I know so many people in various stages of dealing with it - physically and emotionally. A friend from my childhood days has been an amazing support and example for me, and I am so grateful. Her motto is, "Have I done any good in the world today?" I don't know what the future holds - no one does. But today is a good day so why not do some good? I'm not grateful for cancer, but I am for the lessons I've learned and the love and support I've felt from both heaven and earth.
It's been almost 2 months since I finished chemo. That seems impossible. I am doing well and slowly recovering from its effects on my body. I feel good. My overall strength is still in recovery, as evidenced by my attempt to bowl. Even the lightest ball I could find was a challenge to roll down the alley. Thankfully there was no shortage of having a good time with the family. The neuropathy in my fingers and feet is still a challenge - no change there. My energy is returning. I am back working at the Family History Center one night a week, and going to work on humanitarian projects every Wednesday morning. I just finished piecing a quilt for our grand baby due the end of December and I keep busy with humanitarian projects I bring home to work on. I enjoy riding my bike when the weather is warm enough and often find a short nap in the afternoon very refreshing.
Medically speaking there is also good news. My CT scan showed no evidence of cancer and my latest lab tests are all returning to normal. Such a nice word - normal! My oncologist has given the okay for us to proceed with mission plans as long as I stay in the USA and stay on schedule with my scans and labs.
Work on our new house is SLOWLY progressing. Estimated date of completion is now the end of April, but who knows. The subcontractors are all very busy and there seem to be delays at every turn. We live close and drive by often to check on the progress.
It seems that cancer is everywhere. I know so many people in various stages of dealing with it - physically and emotionally. A friend from my childhood days has been an amazing support and example for me, and I am so grateful. Her motto is, "Have I done any good in the world today?" I don't know what the future holds - no one does. But today is a good day so why not do some good? I'm not grateful for cancer, but I am for the lessons I've learned and the love and support I've felt from both heaven and earth.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Done and done!!!
I haven't written anything in my blog for a while because we have been so busy! I'll explain later.
The big news is that chemo #11 and #12 are over. Just finished 12 today and turned my pump in. Such a good feeling. I'm doing well. The neuropathy in my feet, legs, and fingers is challenging and seems worse with each treatment. But, I'm told it will slowly go away...something wonderful to look forward to. My hair is growing and is so curly. It's exactly what I hoped for, but now that I have it I'm not sure what to do with it. It's still too short to do much, but people tell me it looks great. I'm sure compared to being bald it is a big improvement.
Initially it was quite emotional to think that my chemo was over. Suddenly I'm left alone to wait and see if the cancer returns. It's a little bit scary after the security of knowing I was doing something to fight it. I will be having close surveillance with CT scans every 3 to 4 months. The first one will be in 2 weeks. I'll see my oncologist every 2 months and my surgeon has me also on his follow-up list. So I'm in good hands.
I must give a big hooray to the nurses and staff at the South Jordan Huntsman Infusion Center. I couldn't have been better cared for or more loved anywhere else. We all hugged, and I cried saying goodbye to these amazing nurses. I'll be stopping in to see them for sure when I have my oncology appointments. They are special people in my life.
Now for the whirlwind that we've been dealing with. We listed our house and had 2 offers 3 days later - one an all cash offer that we accepted. Final settlement on the house is October 9th. We have been so busy purging and packing, but it looks like we'll make the deadline, thanks to lots of help from our family. We will be house sitting for some dear friends who are away a lot with his work. It is a win win for us both, and we're very grateful to them for their generosity. Most of our belongings are stored in PODS and a couple of storage units. They have barely begun construction on our new house. It's not expected to be completed until April (not sure why it will take so long). Anyway, we are excited to have this move completed and watch our new house grow.
Your prayers and messages of support have sustained me, and I thank you for taking the time to send them. I'm so grateful I didn't have to do this journey alone. Most of all I am grateful for the loving and constant support of my Heavenly Father and His Son. They have carried me through the hardest parts, and planted hope and faith in my heart. I will continue to place my life in their hands - it's the best place to be.
I haven't written anything in my blog for a while because we have been so busy! I'll explain later.
The big news is that chemo #11 and #12 are over. Just finished 12 today and turned my pump in. Such a good feeling. I'm doing well. The neuropathy in my feet, legs, and fingers is challenging and seems worse with each treatment. But, I'm told it will slowly go away...something wonderful to look forward to. My hair is growing and is so curly. It's exactly what I hoped for, but now that I have it I'm not sure what to do with it. It's still too short to do much, but people tell me it looks great. I'm sure compared to being bald it is a big improvement.
Initially it was quite emotional to think that my chemo was over. Suddenly I'm left alone to wait and see if the cancer returns. It's a little bit scary after the security of knowing I was doing something to fight it. I will be having close surveillance with CT scans every 3 to 4 months. The first one will be in 2 weeks. I'll see my oncologist every 2 months and my surgeon has me also on his follow-up list. So I'm in good hands.
I must give a big hooray to the nurses and staff at the South Jordan Huntsman Infusion Center. I couldn't have been better cared for or more loved anywhere else. We all hugged, and I cried saying goodbye to these amazing nurses. I'll be stopping in to see them for sure when I have my oncology appointments. They are special people in my life.
Now for the whirlwind that we've been dealing with. We listed our house and had 2 offers 3 days later - one an all cash offer that we accepted. Final settlement on the house is October 9th. We have been so busy purging and packing, but it looks like we'll make the deadline, thanks to lots of help from our family. We will be house sitting for some dear friends who are away a lot with his work. It is a win win for us both, and we're very grateful to them for their generosity. Most of our belongings are stored in PODS and a couple of storage units. They have barely begun construction on our new house. It's not expected to be completed until April (not sure why it will take so long). Anyway, we are excited to have this move completed and watch our new house grow.
Your prayers and messages of support have sustained me, and I thank you for taking the time to send them. I'm so grateful I didn't have to do this journey alone. Most of all I am grateful for the loving and constant support of my Heavenly Father and His Son. They have carried me through the hardest parts, and planted hope and faith in my heart. I will continue to place my life in their hands - it's the best place to be.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Moving along...
Chemo #10 is history. My platelets are steady at 78. It's not stellar, but stable. The previous result was 75. #10 was the same reduced chemo dose as #9, so I expect to continue on course until it's done. Hopefully the dose is enough to wipe out any remaining cancer cells hiding in my body. Time will tell. The side effects are tolerable and predictable - nothing I can't handle. So many have much worse side effects. I am blessed! The neuropathy is a little worse. My oncologist says it will disappear about 6 months after the completion of chemo. So, something to look forward to.
In other news, we listed our house on September 1 and were under contract by September 5. That was sure quicker than we expected. It means we'll have to find a place to live while our new house is being built, and it's not expected to be finished until mid April. So many have generously offered us a place. Things will all work out I'm sure.
I feel the change in seasons coming. The air has a crispness to it. I don't tolerate cold very well, so it will be sweater time for me pretty soon, but that's all good. It's so wonderful to have plans and dreams and things to look forward to.
Chemo #10 is history. My platelets are steady at 78. It's not stellar, but stable. The previous result was 75. #10 was the same reduced chemo dose as #9, so I expect to continue on course until it's done. Hopefully the dose is enough to wipe out any remaining cancer cells hiding in my body. Time will tell. The side effects are tolerable and predictable - nothing I can't handle. So many have much worse side effects. I am blessed! The neuropathy is a little worse. My oncologist says it will disappear about 6 months after the completion of chemo. So, something to look forward to.
In other news, we listed our house on September 1 and were under contract by September 5. That was sure quicker than we expected. It means we'll have to find a place to live while our new house is being built, and it's not expected to be finished until mid April. So many have generously offered us a place. Things will all work out I'm sure.
I feel the change in seasons coming. The air has a crispness to it. I don't tolerate cold very well, so it will be sweater time for me pretty soon, but that's all good. It's so wonderful to have plans and dreams and things to look forward to.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Progress at last...
Last Tuesday my labs were checked and my platelets were up to 75. It's improvement, but still low. Thankfully my oncologist decided to proceed with chemo #9. The trade off was to give a decreased dose of both chemo drugs. Hopefully this new dose won't cause too much havoc with my platelets. The rest of my labs are good and even up a few points.
Chemo went smoothly. I can tell the dose was decreased as some of the side effects are less. There is one new side effect - neuropathy in my fingers and feet. It's a tingly, numb feeling caused by nerve damage that is pretty much expected with this chemo routine. It is not a matter of if you will get it, just when. I've been fortunate to get this far without symptoms. It does seem to be decreasing, so that's a good thing.
Probably the biggest challenge these last few weeks has been an unusual amount of stress in my life. It seems one thing after another has popped up: the garage door broke, we had to replace a water heater, trying to get our house ready to list between chemo treatments, our kitchen sink became unattached to the granite countertop and fell into the cupboard below (I've never seen that happen). Could there be more? Yes there could! But you get the picture without more details. My stomach was constantly in knots and I couldn't sleep. I felt like it was affecting my very well being and knew I needed to find relief.
I poured my heart out to my Heavenly Father and expressed a desire to be relieved of these feelings. First came counsel reminding me about what is really important in life, then instruction about what I needed to do, and next reassurance that all would be well. Slowly the stress is dissipating. It's not totally gone, but I have more moments without it than I do with it. My family has been unbelievably loving and supportive, and I have an overall feeling that I'm on the right track. Sometimes things are just not easy. But enlisting heavenly help always produces more results than we can accomplish on our own.
I can't thank you enough. The knowledge of so many family and friends who take the time to pray in my behalf and express their love and support is powerful in my life. You truly light up my life!
Last Tuesday my labs were checked and my platelets were up to 75. It's improvement, but still low. Thankfully my oncologist decided to proceed with chemo #9. The trade off was to give a decreased dose of both chemo drugs. Hopefully this new dose won't cause too much havoc with my platelets. The rest of my labs are good and even up a few points.
Chemo went smoothly. I can tell the dose was decreased as some of the side effects are less. There is one new side effect - neuropathy in my fingers and feet. It's a tingly, numb feeling caused by nerve damage that is pretty much expected with this chemo routine. It is not a matter of if you will get it, just when. I've been fortunate to get this far without symptoms. It does seem to be decreasing, so that's a good thing.
Probably the biggest challenge these last few weeks has been an unusual amount of stress in my life. It seems one thing after another has popped up: the garage door broke, we had to replace a water heater, trying to get our house ready to list between chemo treatments, our kitchen sink became unattached to the granite countertop and fell into the cupboard below (I've never seen that happen). Could there be more? Yes there could! But you get the picture without more details. My stomach was constantly in knots and I couldn't sleep. I felt like it was affecting my very well being and knew I needed to find relief.
I poured my heart out to my Heavenly Father and expressed a desire to be relieved of these feelings. First came counsel reminding me about what is really important in life, then instruction about what I needed to do, and next reassurance that all would be well. Slowly the stress is dissipating. It's not totally gone, but I have more moments without it than I do with it. My family has been unbelievably loving and supportive, and I have an overall feeling that I'm on the right track. Sometimes things are just not easy. But enlisting heavenly help always produces more results than we can accomplish on our own.
I can't thank you enough. The knowledge of so many family and friends who take the time to pray in my behalf and express their love and support is powerful in my life. You truly light up my life!
Friday, August 14, 2015
Good news and another delay
I had a chest CT this week and found out that the "mass" found in my lung a couple of months ago has decreased in size - very good news. It confirms that it most likely is not cancer but rather scar tissue caused by the pulmonary blood clot after my first treatment. Also good news is that my hair is growing in. It's about 1/2 to 1 inch all over my head. Most of the time I don't even cover my head anymore. A few weeks ago a cute little girl in Costco told me I didn't have any hair, but that's changing.
But, once again my treatment was delayed another week due to low platelets. They are up to 61, but it's not enough to proceed with a regular dose of chemo. So the decision was made to wait another week. I'll be back on schedule next Tuesday...hopefully. The good part about no chemo is that I feel so good. I've been riding my bike and enjoying the beautiful weather.
I think not having chemo this week has been a blessing in disguise. We have decided to sell our house and move about 2 miles from here to a 55+ community. We really needed to get this house listed and finalize floor plans for the new house. If I had chemo I wouldn't have been able to do any of it this week. Once again, the Lord knew what we needed to get done and made it possible for us to do it. Making this move is full of mixed feelings. I love where we live, but I know it is time for us to make the change. Together we struggle through taking care of this half acre yard, but if it was just one of us there is no way he/she could handle it alone. Moving is the practical and right thing to do and Heavenly Father will help us accomplish it.
I had a chest CT this week and found out that the "mass" found in my lung a couple of months ago has decreased in size - very good news. It confirms that it most likely is not cancer but rather scar tissue caused by the pulmonary blood clot after my first treatment. Also good news is that my hair is growing in. It's about 1/2 to 1 inch all over my head. Most of the time I don't even cover my head anymore. A few weeks ago a cute little girl in Costco told me I didn't have any hair, but that's changing.
But, once again my treatment was delayed another week due to low platelets. They are up to 61, but it's not enough to proceed with a regular dose of chemo. So the decision was made to wait another week. I'll be back on schedule next Tuesday...hopefully. The good part about no chemo is that I feel so good. I've been riding my bike and enjoying the beautiful weather.
I think not having chemo this week has been a blessing in disguise. We have decided to sell our house and move about 2 miles from here to a 55+ community. We really needed to get this house listed and finalize floor plans for the new house. If I had chemo I wouldn't have been able to do any of it this week. Once again, the Lord knew what we needed to get done and made it possible for us to do it. Making this move is full of mixed feelings. I love where we live, but I know it is time for us to make the change. Together we struggle through taking care of this half acre yard, but if it was just one of us there is no way he/she could handle it alone. Moving is the practical and right thing to do and Heavenly Father will help us accomplish it.
Friday, August 7, 2015
Another delay...
Treatment #9 has been delayed. My platelets dropped from 81 to 44 - my lowest level so far. Thankfully the rest of my labs are adequate. The plan is to wait a week, recheck my labs, and hopefully proceed with #9. It throws my schedule off but I can deal with that. I believe with everything there is a silver lining, so I'll enjoy the week by trying to rest and let my body heal. I am not feeling too bad. Fatigue and occasional nausea are the major issues, but hey who doesn't love a good nap!
We have enjoyed some quality family time and a little culture. We went to Logan to see "Man of La Mancha," and "The Little Mermaid" at the Hale Center Theater. Both were excellent and quite different. I think I like "The Little Mermaid" the best. We've been picking blackberries from our garden and I think we have enough to make a batch of jam (with Devon's help).
So life is good. I know this will pass, but have to admit it was discouraging to have the delay. So please keep your fingers crossed and prayers coming that next Wednesday I'll be well enough to proceed. Then I'll only have 3 more to go...YIPPEE!
Treatment #9 has been delayed. My platelets dropped from 81 to 44 - my lowest level so far. Thankfully the rest of my labs are adequate. The plan is to wait a week, recheck my labs, and hopefully proceed with #9. It throws my schedule off but I can deal with that. I believe with everything there is a silver lining, so I'll enjoy the week by trying to rest and let my body heal. I am not feeling too bad. Fatigue and occasional nausea are the major issues, but hey who doesn't love a good nap!
We have enjoyed some quality family time and a little culture. We went to Logan to see "Man of La Mancha," and "The Little Mermaid" at the Hale Center Theater. Both were excellent and quite different. I think I like "The Little Mermaid" the best. We've been picking blackberries from our garden and I think we have enough to make a batch of jam (with Devon's help).
So life is good. I know this will pass, but have to admit it was discouraging to have the delay. So please keep your fingers crossed and prayers coming that next Wednesday I'll be well enough to proceed. Then I'll only have 3 more to go...YIPPEE!
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