Cycle 4 - Full Report

I have learned a couple of valuable lessons. Number 1, every week of treatment brings new surprises. Number 2, if I don't go straight to bed when I get home from treatment, I am doomed!

Oh, one more thing...I start out feeling good and looking alright, but I age ten years by the end of the week.

Monday - This is always the easiest day. I try to get some work done while in treatment, I am fine to drive myself there and home. No problems. As usual, I went home after treatment and right to bed. I soon learned the hard way that I must go right to bed if I am going to recover – as you’ll see from the next day.

Tuesday - I had training on my new Video Equipment (it's so cool!) and it was a very active day without breaks. Aunt Kay picked me up from the school and we rushed off to Chemo, barely getting lunch down before I left. But, when I got home that night, I didn't go right to bed. I stayed up a bit with the family. We were playing our own version of the Family Feud Game Show. "100 Misty's were surveyed. The top 3 answers are on the board. What benefits does Chemo have?" Each person takes a turn as the Host, the person surveyed and gets to make up the questions and the answers. We played and laughed for an hour. Then I tried to do something on the computer for school. Suddenly, at about 9 PM, I could feel a temperature coming on and I went downhill fast. I didn't act quickly enough with Motrin or Tylenol and my fever climbed to 100.6 by midnight. (I am supposed to call the Doctor when it hits 100.5) -I was in a lot of pain all over and couldn't sleep. I knew I had to call in sick but our substitute system is automated and I couldn't remember my ID number or my pin number to save my life. As soon as I thought I knew it, I couldn't type it - then I got locked out of the system!!! We can all sleep at night now, knowing how hard it is to hack into the School Substitute System. I think I spent an hour trying to call in a sub - I was so upset yet, it all worked out! By 12:30 my temperature started to respond to the medicine and began to drop. I still had to call in sick, I felt like I had been run over by a truck and I slept all of Wednesday.

I barely got myself up and moving in time for Uncle Jim to pick me up for treatment.
We were greeted by Sam Reynolds, who volunteers at MD Anderson on Wednesdays, and we have known through church for a long time. I told the nurse about my rough night and she responded with sincere concern and lots of ideas on how to help me feel better. She loaded me up with Zophran (as usual) and added Ativan, a sedative, and Tylenol to help me with the pain and to sleep through the night. Then we had the 'changing of the guards.'

Michelle came with Starbucks in hand! Yumm! We get to vent about school stuff and actually try to give each other ideas and inspiration to get us through the school year! We find a lot to laugh at!

I made it to work Thursday, but struggled to get through - maybe I was hung over from the Ativan. I couldn't talk without getting out of breath and I had zero energy. Thankfully, I had planned to have Mom pick me up and take me! Thursdays they have tea, here we are with our cute little tea cups.
But, let me warn you of a dangerous combination. An under-the-weather Chemo patient and a bad nurse. This was my 19th time going in for treatment and I have to admit, I have expectations! I am all that matters and I expect to be spoiled and nurtured by my nurse as if I am the only one there. If I'm not, well, I get snippy! If my nurse forgets to give me medicine to comfort me, wants to argue with me about my blood work they forgot to do, looks at the wrong patient chart while talking to me or simply ignores me, well, let me just say - you wouldn't want to see this side of me! It's not pretty! (My son says, he has seen this side of me and "He knows - beware!"

But, then to my surprise, I woke up on Friday feeling great! It was a record for the best treatment Friday I have had since starting treatments. I was able to work, felt fine and didn't feel myself melt down until after my treatment. This week was everything but what I had expected. Go figure.

I had the pleasure of being picked up by Dr. Kate Clark. This is the Principal that first hired me and gave me the opportunity to teach TV Production! I am glad I was feeling more sociable and we had a terrific visit. I have to add that we were treated like Queens from the moment we walked in for treatment. Two people attended to us immediately asking if they could get us something to drink, a snack or if we needed a blanket, etc...this is what I was used to! They made up for Thursday!

You may not know this, but when you are being pumped up with lots of fluids, you either blimp out or pee a lot or both. In order to go to the restroom, you have to do a dance with your Chemo thing (which probably has a name), I just call him, "Moe". Moe goes with me everywhere and I get tangled up sometimes, its pretty funny.

Thank you everyone for the dinners! Connie, David, Diane, Aunt Kay, Barb & Lauren! I hope you know how appreciated they are! Hey, I forgot to get your picture Barb & Lauren!!! Good to see you though!

This weekend has been uneventful.(which is good) I have rested lots, taken Motrin and Tylenol off and on as a preventative but no fever!!! My legs below my knees are a little tender but I have been putting on lots of lotion and I think keeping the fever away helps. My stomach is fine and the prescription for nausea came in handy once. Other than that, my appetite is good and I have felt alright. Just trying to get my energy back - which seems to be the hardest part.

Finally, I saved the best news for last. As I was examining my right forearm Sunday(which I do often - to check the numbness), I literally choked up and cried tears of joy. My numbness is gone and even deep down below the skin, I have feeling! My outer skin also feels the same on both arms! I suspected changes were taking place over the last few weeks but I was afraid to say too much in case I was mistaken. All other symptoms still remain but, I really think it is working! AMEN!

Round 4 - Here we go again!

Counting down with this chain from my friend Michelle S. Each chain represents one treatment day. Since I do mine 5 days in a row, she changed colors for each week of treatment. We tear off a chain every time I complete a treatment! Isn't this a cool idea? It gives you a visual count down. We can watch the chain get shorter and see the end as it approaches. My kids like to help me tear them off. Tabby makes sure I don't forget. This is a gift that keeps on giving.

So, I am starting out round 4 feeling great! The last round was a little tough and I went into it with a cold. I also had many significant side-effects and both my doctors decided to lower my dose back to 150 instead of the 170 I was on last time. I am happy with that decision and am sure this week will be fine. My blood work is still good, and my energy is up. I actually decided last week, "Out patient Chemo is doable". It took me this long to decide that but I am feeling like I can do this, work and be Mom all at the same time. OK, I'll take a break from all that once a month but that is just how it has to be.

We've had a little bit of fun around our house these last couple of weeks. The boys built a fire pit - to code - for any firemen out there. David is a good researcher and followed the best safety precautions he could find. Although we laugh when we are sitting by the fire and we hear sirens. We joke that they are trying to find our fire that may have been reported by a neighbor from across the green belt. For those of you who don't know what our back yard is like: we are backed up to a green belt. It is bigger than a football field in size yet, we wonder if the people on the other side see our flames. Its not easy to get to and we picture the fire department running in circles looking for us. Hee Hee Hee. The weather has finally cooled off in the evenings and we have been eating a lot of marsh mellows! Did you know how many types of marshmallows you can get now? It's amazing! And delicious. Yes, we've made s'mors and even cooked hot dogs on sticks. Next we'll be popping up a tent in the back yard. Who needs a camp ground when you have all this? :)

Tabby and I also had a weekend to ourselves a couple of weeks ago. We got a hair cut and had our nails done. Fun girly time. Then - BUM BUM BUMMMM - are you ready for this? She went on her first audition! This was all her doing, her idea, her everything. I was so proud of her and learned so much about her. She has said that she wants to sing and act but I knew she wasn't ready because she was still so reserved in front of other people. Well, not anymore. She is breaking out of her shell and I am really impressed. We were told that she was in the top 3 for her 10 year old girl category and they saw 1200 kids from 6 to 18 that day. She made up a monologue which she performed and received an "Excellent" rating. Go Tabby! Looks like we'll be doing acting classes, more performances at school and church and anything we can get her into so she can get more practice. I know I am her mom but look at this picture and tell me she wouldn't stand out in a crowd of kids. This is her Halloween costume as a Rock Star. David took her shopping while I was sleeping on the couch recovering from my treatments. They both did a great job! For the audition, she had black boots for kids, not silver heals from the 70's, and she left the hat and gloves at home. But she was still cuter than ever.

By the way, I think the Chemo is working. My right arm that has been numb for 4 years is starting to get feeling back. The last couple of weeks, I thought it was changing but wasn't sure. As of last week, I am pretty sure. In fact, yesterday, my arm had some sharp pains deep inside which I just realized has to be great news! It must mean the feeling is coming back because, - well, - I felt it!!!! All other symptoms seem the same but not worse. Well, I have a full week ahead. Visitors everyday! I even think I have all my meals covered. Work is going along smoothly and I just can't complain.

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers!
MLG