2 Down......4 to go!!

The 2nd round of chemo was yesterday & mom did great. She did not get sick; was just a bit tired.  She went today for the dreaded white blood cell shot.  She is feeling weak & wobbly.  Her handwriting is "f" grade right now.  ha!  We have been asking her to let us write her thank you's (w/her dictating).  I think she's going to have to give in, because there is no reading her writing right now :O

Her blood count was great so they only gave her 1/2 the amount she got last time!  A HUGE praise!   The doctors think that it wasn't the shot that made her so sick but a combo of the shot, upset stomach(dehydration) & the chemo.  We'll be hopeful this time around.  She is also going back tomorrow for fluids.  Staying hydrated is the most important part & the doctors are making sure she stays that way.   We are prayerful & hopeful for a MUCH better few weeks this time !

Michiel was the only one brave enough to honor Mom's request to have her head shaved.  Mom said that no one else was in the room & it was special between the two of them.  He was very sweet & gentle & she feels much better having it gone.  Her scalp began hurting & the hair was everywhere, so she was brave & made the leap.  She feels much better.  I don't know that I could be so brave!  

She says to thank you for the prayers & every post, email & card you send.  They are the highlight of her days!  

Thank you Stephanie for your potato soup & Ann Ellison for the chicken n dumplings  recipes !!!

** Pray for minimal weak days & for this treatment to give her hope for the rest of the months ahead. Pray for no dehydration!!!! **

Anxious but good

One week from our last blog, Mom is doing much better. She is up and around the house. She could actually walk around Wal Mart but has no desire to do so, & I say that's perfectly fine. I am thankful for these good days! Thank you Lord for the small victories!

She is not eating much, but is wanting "comfort food". (If anyone has a fabulous recipe for chicken & dumplings, potato soup, etc... please send to me.)

Mom is doing well. 1000 times better than last week, but her hair is now all over anything she touches. She is thinking about letting Christie cut it short. Christie (Michiel's wife) cut her hair shorter last week when she cleaned Mom's house. It's cute but we've not taken a picture. I know that will be the hardest part (at least for me) because it's an outward sign of the inward battle. Not that hair is eveything, but it's always been the sign of tragic illness. Hard to think of MY mom being that ill. My girls have said how hard it will be to see their Nani without hair. It will be just another hill to climb, conquer and rejoice in!

Mom has chemo again this Wednesday. This will be 2 of 6! Two down!!!

She is VERY anxious about the white blood cell count shot! The doctors have said they would lessen the amount, but she is very scared. There is NO WAY it could be worse than last time. It's the unknown that is the worst. She is weary of being weary.

**Pray for Mom & Dad to stay positive & for the shot to have minor effects this time! Pray for Dad (nurse Mike) to continue to stay strong & healthy. **

Thank you for your prayers, calls, emails & cards. Mom still loves her cards! Thank you also for those of you that check on Mom & Dad each week, have shown up with food, done chores, etc...! You are angels! You know how special you are to me & how much our family loves you!

Hair Cut Day

Today the grandchildren braided Nani's hair & cut pieces to take to remember to pray. It was hard for Mom to sit up too long, so we only got a few cut, but Christie (Michiel's wife) is going to finish the "do". Mom is going to get a short cute cut before her hair starts to come out.

Today was better for Mom. Her stomach is better & she is able to carry on a conversation. Thank you for your prayers!

**pray for strength & getting "back to normal" before the 2nd round of chemo **

darn Dehydration!!!

Today was yet another bad day. Dad had called the oncologist office several times and the last time was told to bring Mom in to be checked. It turns out that Mom was dehydrated (because her stomach has been very upset) She's been drinking, but it wasn't enough to offset the stomach.

She is home after getting fluids & feeling better but still lousy. They told her that next go round, they would lessen the shot & give her drugs to help the pain that the shot causes. They have to figure out the right combination of everything & it takes a while to get it all right.

Obviously, Mom is not checking her email or facebook, but I do read everything to her every time I come over. She loves to read the comments on here also.

Please leave a comment if you have any inspiration to give. She would love to hear from you! (just doesn't want to talk to anyone :)

**praying for strength tomorrow & brighter days before her next round of chemo!**

Angels Among Us

Lots of tears for me today. It was a hard day for everyone.  Last night, Mom wouldn't talk to me on the phone, so I knew she was in a bad way!  I drove to her house today & it's difficult for me to believe that she could get much worse.  I've never seen her the way she was when I arrived; pitiful & miserable.  I managed to talk her into getting out of bed, into the shower & sitting up.  I can do the drains, scars, hospital, meds, etc....but it's excruciating to watch someone you love suffer and not be able to do one thing to help.    

Just as I was trying to hide my tears from Mom (my hands were covered with her hair when I helped wash it) an "angel" appeared at Mom's door.  She sat with Mom.....gave her eating  tips........offered an understanding shoulder; an ear to listen.....cried with her & prayed with her.  See...... the "angel" that came to Mom's door knows all about breast cancer & the bad days ahead for Mom because she's lived it.  She used her experience to support & love Mom.  Nothing compares to having someone that understands exactly what you need & the hurt you're feeling. 

Mom had told me moments before the doorbell rang that she didn't want to see anyone or talk to anyone, but God knew better.  He sent someone at EXACTLY the right time to offer all She knew to help.  God is so good & amazing in His timing.  Mom was given a dose of love and support that could ONLY have come from someone that had lived it.  I know it touched Mom & gave her the strength that she was missing.  The "angels" among us are the ones that share their own valleys & trials in life to help lift others up & tell us that we CAN do it ; that we WILL make it to the other side.  

Thank you to Mom's "angel" today (you know who you are!) & to all the "angels" that bring food, send cards, clean backyards, clean the house, offer a word of encouragement, and most of all pray!  You are "angels" in the life of a special & precious lady! 

**Praying tomorrow will be a better day with no bone pain. **

What a blessed day because our Lord rose!  

Not been such a great day for Mom today.  She has been miserable all day long.  After the injection to increase white blood cell production, she has been achy.  They forewarned her, and she feels like she has the flu.  She can't sleep, has no interest in television or reading and doesn't like to stay out of bed too long.  She is worried because of the amount of sleep she is wanting, but I keep telling her that's her body's way of healing.  I told her we'd get out in the sunshine this week when she begins to feel better.  Dad wakes her up for medicine and to eat.  He's trying to keep plenty of fluids in her also.  It's hard to see her so miserable when there's nothing I can do to help. 

If any of you have been through this and have some good tips, we'd love to hear them.  She gets frustrated with the nurses that tell her to walk around the block when she barely has the energy to walk around the house.  Please pray for more energy and for her spirits to remain high.  Thank you for your support, cards, meals and prayers!  You are a blessing. 

1st day of chemo

Today was the first day of chemo for Mom. She received three meds including the "red devil". More than the medicine, she was very upset about the fact that she'd not lost any weight.....ha!

This was a very emotional day for her. She woke at 3 a.m. and had a meltdown. She has not shed a tear to this point, so it was about time. I think the weight of it all finally settled in her mind. The reality of the yuk of everything! She was shaking, crying and just needing hugs from Dad.

Chemo went as well as it could go. Her doctor is very proactive with preventing nausea and she's had gobs of meds for that. Prayers were answered and she did not get sick. She ate before and during chemo (took Brenda Avance's advice and got a cold slushy drink) She loved her cherry limeade cream slush from Sonic. She felt sleepy during the almost 4 hours we were there but no sickness. She's home and has eaten a little bit more. She is about to settle in for the night and hopefully get a good nights rest. She has to go back to the doctor tomorrow for a shot to keep her white blood cell count elevated. An interesting note: the pharmasist told us today that shot was one of the most expensive meds. Guess how much???? $7,000 for one shot! I should have pursued a career in drug development. Ha!

She is going to stop with the "filling" of her expanders for now. The doctor said they needed a rest. That will be great for Mom, because they are what give her the most pain. Her port is very close to the expander on the left side and it needs time to let the swelling go down.

We are taking one day at a time and praying and hoping for sick free days. We've been told that her hair would be falling out between now and three weeks from now at her next appointment, so all your gifts of hats and scarves will come in handy soon.

She asks that you continue to pray for no swelling in her arm and no sickness. You are a blessing to our family with your cards, emails, prayers, calls and food! How do people make it through the valleys of life without God and friends of faith on their side? He is the reason we are able to have peace about anything and everything. He is in charge and holds us all in His hands.
"Praise the Lord and never forget the good things he does for us..."Psalm 103: 3-5

Carolyn's Cause for Survival party

Sunday afternoon, we had a surprise party for Mom at her house. I invited her entire email list, so there were many names I did not have that I would have liked to have had. Funny enough, there were also names on her list of people from high school and as far away as Alaska. There were those she had not seen in decades and all of a sudden, they got an invitation. She was embarrassed, but there was no other way because I was not familiar with several of the names on her list. I couldn't ask her or she would have known about the party. I had no expectations for people out of town to be able to come...I was just hoping for cards of encouragement. But, there were so many friends and family that were able to come and Mom was overwhelmed. She was very excited and touched by the outpouring of love and support. She had fun opening hats, scarves, and sweet notes of scripture and encouragement. She was especially touched by the effort and love of several friends from the past. Friends that Mom and Dad had not seen for years and years; some college friends traveled many miles to share in celebrating Mom. Mom and Dad had a great time visiting and reconnecting. It was a surprise for both of them. I appreciate everyone, near and far, who came to support and love on Mom and Dad! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Laurie, Christie and Stephanie for all their hard work in planning Mom's party. It was perfect because of you! Thank you to Kimberly for the aweseome video!!! That is a one of a kind special memory for the rest of Mom's life. We can never repay you for that!

Thank you also for the many many prayers being said for Mom all over the country. She loves to tell her doctors that she has people praying for them/her literally from Alaska to Florida. She feels your prayers and will need them more than ever in the weeks to come.

She's a bit anxious about the first chemo treatment. Having never done this before, she has no idea what to expect. As always, she faces the challenge with optimism and resolve.

She learned today that she did not get the side of the clinical trial that she was hoping for. There were two possible treatments plans......the old tried and true (with three harsh drugs) and a new treatment being tested (with only two drugs). We were disappointed when we learned that she will be having the treatment with three drugs. Mom had so been hoping for the treatment without the drug known as the "red devil", but maybe God has a reason for the three drug route....it may be better for her in the long run.
Mom says all things happen for a reason....