Friday, January 29, 2010

WINTER STORM!!!

It is sleeting here in Hot Springs...supposed to get snow also. I don't mind the snow...so pretty around the pond over here. I don't care for the ice...because of the driving conditions for people and the possibility of the loss of electricity....that is never a good thing! Whatever we get, hope it is gone by Sunday. I want to go to church and afterwards see my "sister friend" Lisa, for some ya ya fun...seems like it has been months since we have seen her! Plan on spending the night at Kimberly's on Sunday, then Round #3 of chemo on Monday! Still have my bumpy cuttle bug head, but looks like it might be getting a little better!

Bill and Judy are coming down from Illinois next week to visit...it will be good to see them...wish the grandkids were on Spring Break so they could come too...maybe they will be able to come down later!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

CUTTLE BUG HEAD!!!

Well, I must say that Round #2 of chemo has been much easier than the first round....I am sure that this is due to receiving the Neulasta shot the day after chemo. I have been tired, had a little of my "out of body" feelings...but no bone aches or extreme dizziness. I was beginning to ask myself if the chemo was still working.....it really is true that you should be careful of what you ask or wish for. I think God sent me a sign that it is working! My head is now covered in bumps! I look like my head has been put through the cuttle bug using the dotted swiss embossing folder LOL! Thank you God, for sending me a sign that the chemo is working! I called the nurse and she said that is probably from the Taxotere...my chemo drug! She said to put cortizone cream on it, which I have been...bumps still there, but not so red! How weird....but I guess I have always been a little weird or "special" should I say, when it comes to health issues. I have one more week, then I start with Round #3! The time sure goes by fast...but I am so blessed that the side effects this time around have been easier! I keep "fighting like a girl"!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Great Weekend

I got home yesterday from having a great weekend! My Aunt Toots from Tyler, Texas was here for a visit. I picked her up Sunday morning at her friend's house and she went to church with me. She really enjoyed the service and told me that she felt like she had really been to worship. Aunt Toots is 87 years old and is truly amazing.....she looks wonderful and was very happy that she could come. Her friend was going to Fayeteville, so she rode to Little Rock with her. We were very happy to have her here and spend some time with her.

Sunday after church, we had some good crafting time at Kimberly's and Anne and Stacie came by to tell Aunt Toots hello. It is always good to be able to visit with them.

On Monday, Charlotte came over and took me to get my lab work done...blood count is okay...YAY!!! After lab, Charlotte, Aunt Toots and I had a wonderful lunch at MiMi's Cafe.
Went back to Kimberly's for more crafting and then I started my new Women's Bible Study on Monday night....it is going to be an awesome study...1John.....very excited to get started on it...it is good studying and having fellowship with such awesome women!

Aunt Toots went back to Tyler on Monday and I came home to Hot Springs. Kimberly was the perfect hostess, of course....what would I do without her? Can't even imagine how I would make it.

Tomorrow hubby goes for cardiology check up and I go for lab....so another trip to Little Rock...but it will be good for us to be able to spend the day together!

It is supposed to be 67 degrees here today...maybe a little more rain...but still warm enough to bring on the Spring Fever bug....at least for a couple of days! Winter isn't over, for sure, but thoughts of flowers are popping in my head....hope to have lots of flowers and vegetables this year!

I am really feeling well this week...even feel like eating without having everything taste like metal...think the Neulasta shot really helped this round of chemo!

The dogs are happy that I am back home....you would have thought that I had been gone a month to see their excitement when I got home yesterday!


Off to start on laundry and get some cards ready for the mail!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Recipient of a new Purple Titanium Power Port!!!

I arrived in Little Rock at the surgery center at 6:30 this morning and was on my way back home to Hot Springs by 10:15. I got my new Purple Titanium Power Port...Yay! Dr. Hagans is the greatest ever. He wasn't sure that he would be able to get it in because I had already had two ports previously. He didn't get it in on the left side because of scar tissue, but he did on the right..thank goodness, because if that hadn't worked, I would have been taken to Radiology and had it put in my neck!



When I went to sleep, I had my IV in my hand...when I woke up, the IV was in my foot! Thank Goodness my awesome sister treated me to a pedicure on Monday after chemo! She must have known...huh? I have really ugly feet!



Dr. Hagans says my new port will be ready to use for my next chemo on February 1st!

Pretty sore today...having to have two incisions....but am very thankful that it is in and that is one more thing I don't have to worry about. The nice thing about having the Power Port is that it is CT approved so that will help with my scans!

Still have my gloves on Fighting Like a Girl with God as my coach!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Finished Round #2 of Chemo!!!

Round 1 of chemo didn't go as well as I excpected. My blood count dropped extremely low and had to get three shots to bring it up causing bone pain and for me to be pretty well isolated! Had round 2 yesterday...will get an injection today that will hopefully keep my blood count up. Had a hard time getting IV started...almost had to postpone the chemo until after port placement tomorrow, but finally got it in! YAY!!

Kimberly, my awesome sister and chemo buddy, spent the day with me. We had a great day...and she treated me to my first manicure and pedicure....awwww felt soooo good! She is the greatest sister ever! We got to visit during chemo and met alot of other wonderful cancer patients...met one lady who had breast cancer twenty-five years ago at age 31..and now she is fighting colon cancer...another lady that had inflammatory breast cancer like me..four years ago and now it came back in her chest wall. We are all fighters and have such a bond already.

Dr. Sneed answered mine and Kimberly's questions. He said that I should go to church and Bible Study...he wants me to live my life while going through this. He said just be careful with hand washing and not be around people that I know is sick. He said I will stay on the Taxotere for awhile and if we find it not to be working, we will try another drug. He was very nice and encouraging.

Looking forward to getting my port tomorrow and having that behind me. One less thing to worry about!

Aunt Toots is coming for a visit this week...it will be wonderful seeing her.

I am facing this week with my gloves on and fighting like a girl!