Let's Catch Up!!

Countdown to Friday!! My next round of chemo.

But, in the past few weeks I have gotten stronger and stronger. The weekend of chemo is very low key. Friday after I came home I was WIRED! My insides were racing for hours. I tore into dishes and laundry and minor housework I could do. By 11 p.m. my mind and body were exhausted, but my insides were racing. My dear friend Bethany suggested a heating pad on my legs. I put it under my calves and it felt great. I moved it up to my head and in seconds I was asleep...for two hours. I then woke up and the racing was still going on. Do you know how little good tv is on in the middle of a Friday night. Or it may have been my attention span was short....No! There was nothing worth watching on. So, when all else fails, watch taped episodes of Judge Judy!! I love the show! My favorite comment of hers is "Do you think I'm stupid? I can tell you that on my dumbest day, I'm still smarter than you on your smartest!" Nothing could be more embarrassing than that with 15 million viewers...unless it's the Jerry Springer show and you just found out you married your cousin and the wedding isn't legal and your 7 kids are the Schwann Man's!


Saturday found me in bed most of the day. My stomach churned and was hot all day and night and into Sunday. I had 4 nausea meds that I took as prescribed. So, come Sunday morning when I took the last of it, I thought I was over all of it. I had a craving for califlower so I steamed some with carrots for supper. Just before 2 a.m. I woke with the worst pain, (non-childbirt) I ever had. I looked like I was 13 months pregnant with triplets. I had a fear that the chemo was burning my insides. That's how severe the pain was. From that point on, I had no sleep. I walked the dogs outside. I piddled in the house. I tried to lay down and get comfortable and that was impossible. Finally I got up and went to work. I thought I was dying. I felt awful. After school I went to the Dr's office because I know have to get shots Monday, Wednesday and Friday to help produce white blood cells in my spine. Because you know, the chemo is killing everything good and bad. While I was there I told them about my pain. Actually, i think they saw it in my face before i said anything. Ends up, I had my first case of heartburn. All I needed was a little purple pill, Pepcid OTC!!!! Seriously?! Death was knocking at my door and I needed a purple pill! Go figure. After that Monday set back, life has been improving daily.

Of course, the best part of my day is at school with the kids. By the end of the day, my energy is null and void. I go home to take a nap and get up and do laundry and dishes and then go back to bed. But, the good news is each day I get stronger and sleep after school alittle less. This last week I actually did some work BEFORE laying down!!

But....alas....just as I am achieving my greatest strength....I head back to start all over again. But I will NOT have heartburn this time!!

Before I started my chemo, we met with the Dr to go over my scans. This was a good news/bad news meeting. Bad news is, the cancer did get into my blood system and travel to my spine. I have tumors on my spine, which causes back pain, that I have been chalking up to age and strain. The GREAT news is....ALL MY VITAL ORGANS ARE CLEAN!! And my heart is healthier than most of my age.

The chemo was planned for every week. But with the new evidence, a stronger plan of attack was made. That is why I go every 3 weeks for a stronger mixture. The hope is that the meds will take care of the tumors and any other questionable cells.
What doesn't kill you makes you STRONGER!!