News from the Doctor - April 22, 2010

My strength is even better today. We got a call from Dr. Soliman today concerning my next chemo treatment scheduled for May 6. Because of the reaction to the last chemo, she has decided to not give me the last part of my chemo which is the Carboplatin. She said there is a greater risk of another reaction verses the benefit of it. So it looks like my next chemo will be alot shorter. Praise the Lord! She said after the next treatment they will schedule CAT scan again (about 3 weeks after the last treatment)to check to see how things are and go from there. So the main concern for the next treatment is that they will be able to find a vein for the IV.

Wow, 5th Chemo Zapped Me! - April 19, 2010

Well, this treatment was harder on me than I realized. I wasn't up to going to church yesterday, I just laid around. I figured I would be OK going to work today. I worked all day, but Scott is making me stay home tomorrow to recupe. It is unreal how chemo works on me. For several days after chemo I can't stand to smell food cooking and my appetite is not very good. Also, I just feel like a rag doll. So please continue to pray for my strength and also for Scott with all he does for me.

What a Day? 5th Chemo Treatment - April 15, 2010

This picture on the left is my first shift nurse, Vangi. She was very sweet. As you can see by my 1st picture I was wearing my hat, that everyone loves and wants to snatch from me. On the right is one of the free scrafs I received from the MD Anderson volunteers. I received another one yesterday. They are home made and are reverseable. Praise the Lord for the volunteers.

We arrived at MD Anderson at 7:25 am to report for my blood work. Went on to my doctor's appointment which was scheduled for 9:00 am, but we got in early around 8:10 am they called me in. After about 30 minutes in the exam room, we saw the doctor and were out of there by 9:00 am and went up to the Infusion Therapy. We were excited that we were moving ahead in time since my chemo treatments are soooooooooooooo long. Well, when I got called into get my IV, the problems started. The first tech stuck me the first time on the left arm and the vein blew, so she proceeded to the left arm. That one was pretty painful as she was digging to find a vein. OUCH! I told her last time a tech stuck me twice she went to get Omar. She said he isn't in and went out to look for someone else, she wasn't gone long and stuck her head in and said Omar is here. Praise the Lord! So he found a vein on my left arm, but didn't put the needle all the way in because he said the vein was good and then got small. It should work. So we were on our way again. Headed to the Main building for chemo. We signed in around 9:45 am and sat down and waited. Got called in around 10:30-10:45 am. Got to my room and the chemo was started by 11:00 am right on time. Vangi left and I stood up and I looked at my arm and that vein had blown. We called Vangi in and she took it out and sent us up to the Infusion Therapy in the main building. We get up there and there were alot of people. So much for our good time. While waiting there is when I decided to call my neice Pam so she could get something posted, so the prayer chains could begin. So this tech found a vein on my right arm. So back to chemo we go. Vangi got my chemo started up again around noon. So I thought I better try to get some rest. But every 15 minutes for the first meds, she was coming in. After she got the 3 hour chemo started, I tried to rest again. Then it was lunch time and they came by so I could order. Alittle while after that time to empty trash. Oh well, we will try later to rest. My appetite was gone by the time the food came. Scott went and got me some fried rice from the cafeteria and we switched lunches. Shift change was at 3:30 pm and things were going well until around 8:35 pm and we noticed the rash starting on my forearms. So we called the nurse and she stopped the chemo and started the Benadryl and whatever else they give me. Blood pressure check every 5 minutes. The nurse called the doctor. We continued to watch the rash, well it started moving up my arm and onto my hands and alitte on my chest area. So the nurse called the ER doctor. It had been about an hour of the chemo drugs being stopped. The ER doctor advised her to give me a shot of Eppie (whatever) and not to continue the chemo. Now she had to observe me until the rash disappeared. Checked my blood pressure at 10 and 10:30 pm, blood pressure good. But still waiting for rash to dissappear. Finally around 11:00 pm we got to leave. We pulled out of the hospital at 11:10 pm. Ten minutes short of another 16 hour day.

It wiped Scott and I out. He called into the night dispatcher at work around 9 pm last night and told her he wouldn't be in for his first run. We slept in until 8 am. Moving slow again.

Well, my friends and family thank you so much for all your prayers and for sharing them with your friends and family. God hears our prayers and answers.

Time to Start Praying - April 10, 2010

Just wanted to remind you to start praying for me this week. On Wednesday, April 14th I will begin my pre-meds before chemo. My next chemo is scheduled for Thursday, April 15th at 11:00 am. This will be my 5th treatment, only 1 more after this one. Praise the Lord! The last one we were at MD Anderson for 16 hours, please pray it doesn't last that long. Pray that the blood work, doctors appointment and infusion therapy go quickly and maybe I can get in early for chemo. Then pray that everything goes well with this treatment. Last time there was just a slight reaction on both my arms, not enough to stop the chemo. I am so ready to have this over with. There are so many others out there that are worst off then me. Please pray for Mary Gray who has cancer and is really going through it. Her and her husband are missionaries to Papau New Guinea.