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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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. 

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!