Prayers for peace

Today as I was getting my chemo, I couldn't help but overhear the patient next to me as she was talking to the nurse. She was sounding a little frantic because her numbers had been going down and were starting to go up. My numbers are down again... they're at 171. I am very aware of my blessings. I wish I could bring comfort and peace to the woman on the other side of the curtain...

Coming Up

My mom is currently at a girls camp, for our church, as a guest speaker. She was feeling well enough to go! I can not believe the progress she has been making since January, it has been incredible to witness.

In July I moved to Charlotte, North Carolina and it has been hard being so far away from her. I have been home since the beginning of it all and not being able to see the day to day has been...an adjustment. It is comforting to know she is feeling good!

I would still prefer to be closer to her.

Her next big appointment is another CT Scan on August 6th,

three days from now.

Let's pray those tumors have shrunk lots more!

I am still in shock how widespread the cancer is. It is hard to believe. But as along as she is still responding to treatment, it is good news and things are continuing to look up...right?

Still Coming Down!

Yes, they reduced my dosage. Let's hope this does it. Although I enjoyed adding a few extra days to my week "off" it is important to keep going and kill those tumors.
More good news...my cancer markers are now down to 254! Yay! I am feeling really good. Like my old self.
I need to get some excercise though. I started going to the Y for water aerobics. I'm in the advanced class. Don't get all excited and think I'm such a trooper, they're all advanced... in age. ;)
I may be starting out slow but it does feel good to work those muscles and I fully intend to work up to more and more. I would LOVE to be able to run again.

Prayer. When life gets too hard to stand...kneel.

Family Visits and Cancer Updates

Mom's brothers took turns to come see her.

She has 6 brothers and 1 sister.

5 out of 6 brothers came and

her sister is coming at the end of this month

Uncle Lee with Mom

Uncle Dan with Mom

Us with Uncle Dale, Uncle Tom, Aunt Angela and Uncle John

Cancer Updates

Mom had her third treatment this week and everything went well! She is feeling good. It amazing me how with all of the chemicals they are pumping in her, she can feel the way she does.

I expected so much worse (and it can be).

We are all feeling the strength of your prayers.

It really makes a difference! In more ways than you think.

_______

From Mom's blood work there are numbers called cancer
counters that represent how much cancer is in her.

She started off with 16,000 and was down to 11,000.
The doctor called today to say it is now down to 6,000!

To give some perspective...normal is 5. Not 500 not 5,000 just 5.

It seems to be working but we have a long way to go.

April 6th is a CT Scan that will tell more of the progress of the

treatments and will determine future treatments.

Feeling Good

Mom's second round of chemo went a lot better than the first. She still had an ER trip though. This time it was because of chest pain. Cancer patients can develop blood clots easier so with the chest pain we were told to go in and have it checked out.

Thankfully, everything turned out just fine.

Mom was able to keep food down and had good energy. (She still gets tired a lot, but she found herself doing more things this time) She did not feel nauseous at all either! It was a really good week...especially compared to her first week on chemo.
Her first week she was very sick and nauseous and just all around uncomfortable. She had fevers which could lead to infection so we would go to the ER to have that checked out. She always turned out to be ok. Just long nights at the hospital. She could not keep anything down and had to get rehydrated through an IV. Not easy at all, but she leveled out and made it through.

Thank you for all of your prayers! We are definitely feeling them.