8 down, 4 to go!
Treatment #8 is in the books! That sounds so good. One moment I say, "Yay, I only have 4 more to go," the next "Oh goodness, I still have 4 more to go." The days right after are rough and I must admit I'm getting a little tired of being sick and tired every two weeks. Oh well, one thing is for sure. It will be over soon!
Thank you for all your prayers concerning my platelet count. They worked!!! I'm sure the good diet and essential oils played a part as well. Last time my platelet count dropped by 29 points. This time it only dropped by 10. I would rather it didn't drop at all, but hey, 10 is certainly better than 29. We proceeded with chemo. My oncologist thought it best to slightly decrease both chemo drugs. She feels it's better to stay on schedule with a lower dose than risk missing a treatment with the higher dose. If my lab results are good next time, I assume we will continue with that dose. I can't tell much difference in the side effects. It still knocks me down for a few days.
During my good days we enjoyed a wonderful weekend at Bear Lake with Marianne's family. Through a dear friend's generosity we had a lovely cabin (picture beautiful house) to stay in. It was so relaxing and refreshing. And yes, the fresh raspberry shakes are as good as they say!
A sister at church today spoke about the power of prayer and the blessings of the wildernesses we sometimes have to endure. I have experienced both these past few months. My journey through the wilderness of cancer has taught me so many things - especially about faith and hope and enduring with optimism. These are lessons I'm grateful for. It is a hard journey, for sure, but the peace and joy in my life are stronger than ever, and I know more than ever how much God loves and tends to His children.
Thank you for sharing this journey with me.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
No new surprises
Treatment #7 went well and I am finally feeling better again. The only problem is that my platelets took a significant drop – from 120 to 91 (that's happened before). Cut off is 100, but they gave me the chemo anyway. Now the challenge is to try to produce platelets so it doesn’t drop any lower. I could use some specific prayers in that department. If they go lower I’ll have to delay the next treatment, and I don't want that to happen. So, I’m eating more leafy green vegetables, Omega 3’s, and even trying some essential oils. I’m on the fence about the value of essential oils. My education is traditionally based, but hey, they can’t hurt, and who knows…maybe they’ll help. At least they smell good.
We've had a wonderful few weeks. We enjoyed a short camping trip up Ogden Canyon with my sisters and their husbands. It was wicked hot during the day and beautifully cool at night. So during the day we put our camp chairs in the river, under a tree and sat there for hours visiting. It was glorious. We also had our annual Tufts Family Cherry Hill Reunion. It was hot there, too, but we were in the water most of the time and were able to stay cool. I was blessed to be feeling good and really enjoyed both these outings. I even did the waterslide a few times and loved it!
I think I slept more after this last treatment than any of the previous ones. What a sweet blessing to sleep through the worst days and still be tired enough to sleep all night. Maybe some of that was carry over from our busy week at Cherry Hill, but it was wonderful. Blessings come in all sizes and shapes. It's easy to get used to them and not recognize them. And if that happens, then we miss the opportunity to express gratitude. So my goal is to pay attention to the little things that bless my life. There are so many!
Treatment #7 went well and I am finally feeling better again. The only problem is that my platelets took a significant drop – from 120 to 91 (that's happened before). Cut off is 100, but they gave me the chemo anyway. Now the challenge is to try to produce platelets so it doesn’t drop any lower. I could use some specific prayers in that department. If they go lower I’ll have to delay the next treatment, and I don't want that to happen. So, I’m eating more leafy green vegetables, Omega 3’s, and even trying some essential oils. I’m on the fence about the value of essential oils. My education is traditionally based, but hey, they can’t hurt, and who knows…maybe they’ll help. At least they smell good.
We've had a wonderful few weeks. We enjoyed a short camping trip up Ogden Canyon with my sisters and their husbands. It was wicked hot during the day and beautifully cool at night. So during the day we put our camp chairs in the river, under a tree and sat there for hours visiting. It was glorious. We also had our annual Tufts Family Cherry Hill Reunion. It was hot there, too, but we were in the water most of the time and were able to stay cool. I was blessed to be feeling good and really enjoyed both these outings. I even did the waterslide a few times and loved it!
I think I slept more after this last treatment than any of the previous ones. What a sweet blessing to sleep through the worst days and still be tired enough to sleep all night. Maybe some of that was carry over from our busy week at Cherry Hill, but it was wonderful. Blessings come in all sizes and shapes. It's easy to get used to them and not recognize them. And if that happens, then we miss the opportunity to express gratitude. So my goal is to pay attention to the little things that bless my life. There are so many!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)