The count down begins! #10 is over and done with :)

The chemo suite was empty when we walked in for our #10.  Or at least I thought it was until I looked around and saw a little Hutterite lady in the corner hooked up to her liquid buddy. She was asleep so I left her alone :) I did however say a little prayer for her as I waited for my 'goods' .   I slept nice and peacefully until I heard a whole bunch of German (?) chatter somewhere in my adavan induced coma. The little lady had a whole bunch of friends that came to visit her while she sat in her recliner.  :) nice.
Nurse Deanna was of course great and so were her nurse buddies. The time went quickly and Mark and I were able to go have a little lunch and go home and sleep til 3:30!  
This week I didn't  need to have any blood drawn because Dr. M said last week that my blood looks good NOT perfect but good.  Was a little concerned about a bladder infection that keeps trying to sneak in. He does not like any kind of infection in my compromised system so he gave me some antibiotics for it.  
I had been taking some natural stuff from the health food store (bladder and urinary system flush) and it has seemed to be working just great.  
Dr. M said that he wants to have my port taken out as soon as possible after my last chemo so that there is no threat of a blood clot forming and my side swelling from it. yikes...does not sound like that would be any fun.  
I get a 2 or 3 week rest after chemo and then we start the radiation.  He said that they don't want me to get radiation while there is still chemo in my body because that can sometimes be a challenge.  I did not ask what the challenges could be because I am dreading radiation almost as much as I dreaded the mastectomies.  My over active brain does not need anymore ideas to form awful scenarios with.  Know what I mean?
Over all Flashlights, I am blessed and very grateful for the huge support that all of you have been to me in one way or another.  
I have made a conscious effort to surround myself with positive people that speak blessings not curses. 
I was digging in some boxes from our move and I found this book that I have not read yet. It is called the Gift. It sounds like this man has Tourette's syndrome.  He calls it his gift from God.  I will read this AFTER I am finished with Jonah's baby blanket.  I am halfway finished with that...90 little squares made....only 90 more to go! 
A little tired now so I think I am going back to bed for a little bit.
I like this from one of my readings this morning...IT SEEMS THAT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN OUR LIVES HAPPEN WHILE WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENING....
No worrying today...deal?  God is totally in control! 
This for sure calls for an AMEN!


 

# 9 and feeling fine ( a little more cheesey )-from Summer Goodan

Another chemo session over with!  
The young man that I spoke of last week was not there but the lady that was new a couple of blogs back was there.  She had a nice freshly shaved head.  She said that her grandson had done it.  She was very smiley and happy to visit with us.  Then she went over to the nurses to get 'hooked' up.
Nurse Deanna visited with us for a little while and then I slept the time away.  It was very nice.  I think that I needed it because my body just said 'good night' and I woke up when it was over.  Mark stood guard over me like he does every Wed. while I get medicated. :) I am so blessed.
I have to stay in our 'digs' and not go upstairs because my little Julianna and now Logan have a cold. 
I have escaped any illnesses since this journey has begun.  God is good!
Wanna hear a funny?
I have started parking way out in the parking lot of what ever store I go to so that I can get in a little more walking ....I was hustling along minding my business with my hood up over my head because it was cold out.   A young native looking young man yelled something at me and then ran over to catch up with me and started 'chatting ' with me. Then he asked me if I was from (naming a couple of reservations) and I politely said 'no, I am from here' ( I never stopped walking as he talked).  Then he lowered his voice as he kept up with me " hey, you want some food stamps?) HA! Hahahaha! A belly laugh and then I stopped dead in my tracks and looked right at him and said 'FOOD STAMPS? No I don't want food stamps!"  He mumbled " Sorry, I thought you were native." He turned on his heels as he walked away and I said a little too loudly I think " yeah, I get that alot"! He said with out looking back, "yeah I bet you do"  He never even came into the store.  I guess I will not wear a hoody to Walmart anymore and definitely not park out in the south 40.


Dr. M thought I was Colombian yesterday. He said that I probably would not lose my hair if I have not lost it by now. Nurse Deanna would not say yes or no. She said that it is beautiful today.  Hmmm, so I guess I will enjoy having my God given head covering one day at a time.
My life is peace filled and I pray that yours is today as well.  
We are all on a faith walk.  It's ok, we can TRUST HIM. 
Amen, do I hear an amen!




 

# 8 went great! (a little cheesey I know ;)

I think it was last week that I said that I hoped I did not lose my hair and that I was losing my eyelashes.  I should have included my teeth in that.  Saturday I was emptying boxes from our move into our new digs and in one of them I found a box of caramel corn....it had been opened (for how long I do not know) and some of it was stuck together.  I decided to take a chomp out of the clump of sweet forbidden sugary stuff and lost a big chip out of one of my front teeth!!!  OMG the horror!!! No pain, just a gaping hole in my tooth.  Of course it was the week end but my dentist took me in on tue. and gave me a temp. 'fill' job.  Thank goodness because Summer takes some awfully close pictures!
So anyway, yesterday was # 8 and it was nice and mellow.  The doctor was running late but no worries. Summer and Dominic showed up just as I was getting hooked up. He is so gorgeous! He and papa Mark had a great time while my eldest child and I got caught up on stuff.  
There was a new young man getting his treatment....have never seen him before...hmmm.  His wife and daughter were working on the community puzzle and he slept.  He has testicular cancer.  He gets his treatments daily! I can't remember for how long but I think I heard that he has been coming there for a week.  
My hair seems to be getting thicker and longer.  I blew it dry yesterday to see if it would puff up a little but nope.  I am amazed at all of the crazy cow licks. Holy moly, when it gets longer I hope that it does not just stick straight out.  Oh well, I think I can pull that look off ok.  Crazy seems to suit me ;)  
I have started a baby afghan for baby Jonah and I love to crochet and pray for him while I sit and relax.  I did the same thing when I made one for Autumn.  I like to think that every stitch was a prayer for her and I am doing the same for Jonah.  After that I will make one for Julianna, Logan, and Dominic.  Looks like I will be relaxing ALOT this winter.  
This afternoon I am making tamales.  I always think of my mom when I make them because I watched her like a hawk as she made hers.  She could not tell me measurements only a little of this and a little of that and a whole lot of lard!!!  I guess I am only cooking the pork this afternoon because I can't find my corn husks.  
Lots a whole lot of nothing in this blog...EXCEPT  that my Lord is faithful and has kept me cradled in his mercy.
PS  Mark's mom, sister and her husband AND David (his brother) were here to visit and we had a wonderful time with them.  We are blessed to have great family.  Thank you Roy and Sandy for driving all the way from New York to pick up your mom and David in South Dakota AND THEN drive them here!  Wow.  True servers.
Next week # 9!!!!!

Pictures

Round two #8

Look at all this hair!

Bling shoes!

Bling earrings and wavy crazy hair...with black bangs!

All done for the day, time to unhook the port.

they have a good system and a great relationship with Nurse Deanna, it all goes real smooth.

A pink bandaid for Breast Cancer? Number 8 in the bag!

Dad and Dom have a system too, they walk and walk while we visit:)

# 7 down only 5 more!!!

Well, this is how good I have felt since my treatment yesterday...I forgot to blog this morning before I went to do a few volunteer things.
Yesterday was very uneventful (not complaining) but last night was a very restless night.  I am not sure if it was because Dr. M tweeked the anti nausea cocktail because I was getting some pretty nasty headaches.  He thought that it might be because of one of the meds in the chemo because other people were complaining of headaches.  Whatever it was, I did not sleep much and have not felt the need for a nap today.  So maybe it will be early to bed for me tonight.  
Yesterday I finally asked the good doctor if I was in remission or what?  He answered that he did not like to say remission but that he felt that I am cured (healed?)  He said that we are really just making sure that 'we' get any stray cancer cells that had gotten out of the breast area and into my body in other places. 
He was very pleased with how well my battle scars are healing and how well I am doing myself.  The dark days that sometimes visit me are normal for the regiment that they have put me through he explained.  
He said that the ladies that have breast cancer , stage 1, may come in for a lumpectomy and take a pill and say 'that was no big deal' are right!  Mine was stage 3B and so I got the whole enchilada! That sounds like the old one upping doesn't it?  Kinda like comparing child birth stories. OMG!
The lady that was there last week was in fact there yesterday and she glanced over at me when she walked into the waiting room but she did not look at me again.  I said 'Hi" anyway.  She had a friend with her and it did my heart good to see that she was not alone this week.  
I am feeling a little sad that my weekly visits to such great people are almost over.  I have a tendency to attach myself to people and so sad when it is time to say good bye.  See, I am already getting out of today.  I will see them all again for my 3 month visits.  
I am thinking that I will become close to the next group of people that will take care of me during my radiation.  Dr. M keeps warning me that THAT will be the time that I will be very fatigued.  Maybe not!  Keep praying all ya- all! 
My hair is getting so much longer and wild cowlicks are starting to make an appearance so I will have to learn how to use hair gel.  My eyelashes have pulled their vanishing act again except for the out side edges.   I am sure hoping that my hair does not fall out next.  I have so enjoyed not wearing a wig or a baseball cap.
I am really hoping that my energy is this high as we are expecting Mark's mom, brother, sister and her husband this Sunday for a little visit.  They will be here until Tue.  Have plans for bbq and just visiting with them while they are here.  
Thank you for your prayers and comments and I will keep up on my blogging.  I am very blessed to have you all out there praying for me and sending me good thoughts.  
BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU!