LIVE A LIFE OF NO REGRETS!!: Latest News from the Doctor

Quote from "Stepping Heavenward" by Mrs. E. Prentiss

"She says I shall now have one mouth more to fill and two feet the more to shoe, more disturbed nights, more laborious days, and less leisure or visiting, reading, music and drawing.

Well! This is one side of the story, to be sure, but I look at the other.

Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which dwells is worthy of all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other dear darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers! Oh, how rich I am, how truly, wondrously blest!"

Friday, May 4, 2012

Latest News from the Doctor

4 LITTLE MONKEYS HANGING FROM A TREE

Met with the surgeon this week and I will see him in two weeks to see how I am healing. I told the receptionist I couldn't believe I was making an appointment to be violated and that she would probably even have the nerve to charge me for it. Unbelievable!! She said, "oh it's probably not ... well, I don't know, maybe it is that bad." I assured her it was.

Today was the oncologist. Looks like a busy, not too exciting, summer ahead. My chemo begins again on May 21st. It's very different from last time. I will spend 4 hours in the chair. At first I will receive calcium, magnesium, and nausea medication. The next chemo medicine is Oxaliplation. This medicine can cause nerve problems and I may be very sensitive to cold, including drinks, a/c too high, etc. Have a feeling it won't be hard to keep warm this summer in GA! I'll also receive Leucovorin. This helps decrease the toxic effects of the chemo drugs on my bone marrow. Finally, I'll also receive the Fluorouracil that I got last time while in the chair and also take the bag home for 2 days. I'll need to stay out of sunlight and will again have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tiredness, fatigue and chance of hair loss.

My schedule will look something like this: Spend Monday at chemo, go back Wednesday to get bag removed. Come back in two Monday's to repeat for a total of 8 treatments. So, I'll be dealing with 16 weeks of "stuff". Then once I recover from chemo and radiation, I should have my ostomy reversed in October. I'll also have some scheduled scans to check on the cancer. When this is over, I'll have scans every 6 months for three years. If everything shows up good in those three years, my chances are excellent of not getting this cancer again. I'll get yearly checks for two years after that and then considered cancer free again :D.

My blood tests today showed my white blood count is still low, my hematocrit level is low, lymphocytes are low (which put me at a greater risk for infection). My pulse and RDW levels are high. To help my body, I'm going back on my prenatal vitamins with iron tomorrow. I'm also going to take extra B12 (which may be what I need to get my RDW in the right range). I am going to work back up to at least 30 minutes a day of walking and back to decaf tea to see if I can get my pulse back into the normal range. Looks like I'll be on a bit of "restriction" until I get my levels up high enough to be around people without getting sick.

We are so thankful for all the support we have found through family, family of Jesus, and friends. The way the Lord has met so many needs has been nothing short of amazing. Despite our income being reduced two months before this discovery, we have paid our monthly bills including lots of doctor appointment copays, wisdom teeth removed on our oldest son, glasses for a younger son, repairs and replacements for needed appliances, and so much more. Prayer requests:

not be ill
miraculous healing or more grace to get through it again
surgery to have been effective and my body to heal right from the surgery
my skin to do better with ostomy....has a hard time with the sticky stuff that keeps things on and with recovering from home health nurse damage from cutting my cover too large and exposing too much skin to "poop"
One of the side effects of the chemo medicine is to develop Leukemia later...pray against that.
Grace and strength for my husband and children.
To feel well the day of the Golf tournament they are putting on for our family (6/9)
Rusty enough side work to replace air conditioner this summer so we can keep our power bill down. We are using room units now because it died last summer.
We've had to replace dryer, refrigerator, lawn mower, weed eater, element in year old stove, tires, car parts, and more since I've been diagnosed. The enemy sure has been at work to discourage us so pray we won't have anything else unexpected to break down.
Children to finish school well this summer and to sell enough books to buy the few needed things we need for next school year.
Cindy to finish nursing school well despite her sick mama....she will graduate in December, woo hoo!
John Russell to get more hours or a better job while he studies for his Personal Training exam.
Nicholas & Timothy to get enough side work (yard jobs, building swords, bird houses, whatever needed) this summer to play football next season.
Praise & Michael would like to earn money for soccer next year. They are great organizes, house cleaners, and babysitters.
To glorify the Lord Jesus through it all.