Just some thoughts ...

One in Eight　
As I gaze out the window at the world I know,
I recall the date that it changed so.
The date is emblazed and is one that I hate,
It’s the date I became the 1 in 8.

The words that I did not want to hear,
The words that I had come to fear.
The words that sealed my very fate,
The words that I was 1 in 8.

With strong support of family and friends
I started the road to the other end.
I had to start - I could not wait
I wanted to survive the 1 in 8.

My body marred with surgical scars
My hair falling out like exploding stars
So tired, so tired, so very sedate
Is how I was as a 1 in 8.

I look to my God so way up high
I look for a promise in the sky
A rainbow He shows me as my fate
I have HOPE I will survive the 1 in 8.
　
By ~ Linda Sullivan
1 in 8
　
　
　
　
　
　
　

Just when I think I'm out of the woods .....

Well, today, I got up with a fever ... again.  Tom and I drove down to Region's (after calling the oncologist) and they did blood work and my white blood count is 300 (normal is 4,000 - 11,000).  They put in "isolation" at home for a few days.  They are worried I'll get something.  I'm not to come in contact with anyone  for the next 5 days.  My temp was 100 when I called the dr. and when we got down there it had gone down to 99.7.  By the time we got home it was down to normal.  Thank you God.  I'm so scared I'm going to have another hospital stay .... and next Tuesday I have chemo again.  I guess I can look forward to a lot of time feeling fatigued.  Keep those prayers comin'!!!! 

So far, so good!

Well, today is Saturday, January 22, 2011.  It has been five days since my chemo treatment and it is going extremely well.  I haven't gotten sick, I have only had to take one pain pill, and it worked, and I have a good appetite.  The only effects so far is that I start to lose my voice and I feel a little fatigued.  I feel like I have taken a pharmacy of drugs, but hey ...... they're working.  If these chemo sessions keep up like this, I'll be on the road to recovery in no time flat!  I'll have to start taking my temperature and be sure that it stays under 100.5, but so far I think that's under control too.  Keep the prayers coming because they are working!

Okay, Let's Try this Chemo Thing Again

Yesterday, January 17, 2011, I made the trek to Regions Hospital (seemingly my home away from home) and had another MUGA (heart scan).  Everything turned out fine, that is, normal.  Had blood work done and my creatine was in the normal range again (yipee!) and everything else is in the normal range.  Could use a little calcium and potassium, but have pills for that so that should come up into the normal range too.  Today, January 18,  I went to see the oncologist totally NOT expecting to have chemo yet, but he looked at all my "numbers" in my bloodwork and decided I was ready for it.  I am on a different regimen than the first time and hopefully that regimen will be "nice" to me.  One huge thing they are doing differently than the first time is that I will be getting a booster shot of platelets tomorrow.  That way the platelets shouldn't drop so low that it will  leave me vulnerable to infections like the last time.  Please pray that I will get through this session of chemo uneventfully.  No fevers, no dramas.  If this works out, I will go back in two weeks for the next chemo session.  I should be done with all my chemo by mid-May.  That seems like a long time now, but at least I'm getting some behind me.  I'm not sure if they will even count the first session, but I hope so.  Starting in May I will have herceptin (every three weeks for 9 months), but that isn't chemo.  It is a cancer blocker and it doesn't have the effects of chemo.  My hair will start to grow back and it usually doesn't cause nausea.  So ... I'm thanking you for the prayers and support.  I have asked God to hold my hand, carry me or drag me .... whatever it takes .... to get through this chemo!!!!  The journey continues ... thank you for coming along.

Never Underestimate the Power of Prayer!!!!

Yesterday, January 7, I went to the oncologist and kidney doctor.  I got the best news.  Kidneys are back and functioning normal!!!  No more renil diet!!!  Everything looks good except for some low potassium and I will be taking some potassium pills for a while.  They are weaning me off the prednisone and going to watch my kidney function for a month.  My oncologist ordered me to take another MUGA scan (look at the heart) and if that is all okay, I will begin chemo on January 18.  I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared stiff to start chemo again, but I trust my dr. and he will not do anything that will harm me and they will be watching me very closely.  For one thing, they will not let my platelets drop to a one ... the day after chemo I will go in and get a "booster" shot for the platelets so they will not drop like they did before.  I don't know the exact schedule of the chemo because he hasn't exactly mapped it out.  Please, please keep the prayers coming.  I pray for an uneventful round of chemo and then I can work on getting better and getting past this.  I am so thankful to God for bringing me through this last ordeal and I trust He will bring me through everything else that plops in my way.

Road to Recovery

Well, it's a week since I've been home and today I feel really really good!!  My legs are coming back (I've been a bit wobbly because of 21 days in the hospital) but I feel stronger every day.  When I went to the dr. last week, my creatin level was 2.1 and I'm hoping when I go on Friday,January 7th, they will be back to normal which is below one.  I'm doing what they want me to do, eating low sodium diet, drinking 60 oz. of water per day, etc.  I want to get better so that we can get on with the business of taking care of the chemo.  I see the oncologist on Friday also and I'm not sure what he's going to say or do.  I suppose he'll set up a schedule for the chemo.  I have now lost all my hair and brrrrrrrrr .... below zero weather sure is chilly with a hairless head.  I have also found that being bald is very humbling.  I never really thought about my hair that much before, but boy I think about it now that it's gone.  I wear little caps all the time because when I look in the mirror and I'm feeling good ... and then see my bald head, I look sick .... too much contrast.  This has been a rollercoaster ride that really put a speed bump in the road, but with all the love and support that has surrounded me (my God and my family and friends) ... the road to recovery was bound to come.  Happy 2011 to all of you ... keep the prayers coming.