Hello All!
I wanted to get on today and give a quick update, but my main reason is that yesterday in my daily devotional I read some amazing words of encouragement and I just wanted to share them with everyone.
I am feeling great today. I had my CBC, blood counts tested, yesterday and all my numbers looked great. I even had some numbers that were within "normal" range. So, I am very excited that my body is taking this so well and pray that it continues to rebound between each treatment. It is very important to stay on schedule with treatments to get the best results.
I noticed something interesting the other day while eating, when you can no longer taste foods you really hone in on textures. I bit into a cherry tomato and it was awesome! Now I know we all know what it feels like, smooth on the outside and when you crunch through the skin it just bursts in your mouth, but when you can not taste it the contrast is even more amazing. I have now decided to eat foods that excite my sense of touch, instead of taste. That may sound strange but I thought it was really cool.
Ok now to my devotional... Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
It is so great that I am just going to type it just as she has it in her book. I pray that this lifts your spirits in hard times the way it did for me. This book is scripture based and it is written as if Jesus is speaking to us:
Give up the illusion that you deserve a problem-free life. Part of you is still hungering for the resolution of all difficulties. This is a false hope! As I told My disciples, in the world you will have trouble. Link you hope not to problem solving in this life but to the promise of an eternity of problem-free life in heaven. Instead of seeking perfection in this fallen world, pour your energy into seeking Me: the Perfect One.
It is possible to enjoy Me and glorify Me in the midst of adverse circumstances. In fact, My Light shines most brightly through believers who trust Me in the dark. That kind of trust is supernatural: a production of My indwelling Spirit. When things seem all wrong, trust Me anyway. I am much less interested in right circumstances than in right responses to whatever comes your way.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have over come the world." JOHN 16:33
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man...
He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. PSALM 112:4, 7
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Round Two
Ok, Ok I know I am a terrible blogger! Not sure how to change that it is just how I am.
Round two of chemo went a lot better than the first. The nurses changed the order of my meds around and started me on them earlier and even though I did still get nauseous it was no where near the first round. I was even able to walk/jog the bridge the day after chemo and it felt GREAT! I know that sounds crazy but it is so nice to get outside and exercise. It is part of my day that relaxes me and helps me feel good about my health.
So, I shaved my head last week and then on Friday the hair just kept coming out so I called my sister-in-law to come shave it closer to my scalp. It is a little uncomfortable when it is falling out. It kind of feels like someone is plucking the individual hairs out, and I have a lot of hair. It continued on Saturday to fall out even more so I used my razor that I shave my legs with and just shaved it completely, which is still not all gone. I do not understand how I still have random patches of hair. Initially I said that I felt surprisingly beautiful with a shaved head, well now that I have a partially shaved partially bald head I am not feeling so pretty, with a hat or wig off. As long as I cover up the weirdness I am wonderful.
Another interesting thing happened to me this weekend. I woke up Sunday morning got a bowl of cereal and realized I have no taste buds! Strangely enough things that you would consider comfort food, usually terrible for you, still bring comfort you are just never satisfied because you can smell the yumminess and not taste it! What a cruel cruel joke. So, I have resorted to eating mostly soup because I like the warmth. I wonder how long my taste buds will be gone for, I would like those back ASAP.
Other than hair loss and taste bud loss I am feeling great! Thank you to everyone for the continued prayers! God Bless!
Round two of chemo went a lot better than the first. The nurses changed the order of my meds around and started me on them earlier and even though I did still get nauseous it was no where near the first round. I was even able to walk/jog the bridge the day after chemo and it felt GREAT! I know that sounds crazy but it is so nice to get outside and exercise. It is part of my day that relaxes me and helps me feel good about my health.
So, I shaved my head last week and then on Friday the hair just kept coming out so I called my sister-in-law to come shave it closer to my scalp. It is a little uncomfortable when it is falling out. It kind of feels like someone is plucking the individual hairs out, and I have a lot of hair. It continued on Saturday to fall out even more so I used my razor that I shave my legs with and just shaved it completely, which is still not all gone. I do not understand how I still have random patches of hair. Initially I said that I felt surprisingly beautiful with a shaved head, well now that I have a partially shaved partially bald head I am not feeling so pretty, with a hat or wig off. As long as I cover up the weirdness I am wonderful.
Another interesting thing happened to me this weekend. I woke up Sunday morning got a bowl of cereal and realized I have no taste buds! Strangely enough things that you would consider comfort food, usually terrible for you, still bring comfort you are just never satisfied because you can smell the yumminess and not taste it! What a cruel cruel joke. So, I have resorted to eating mostly soup because I like the warmth. I wonder how long my taste buds will be gone for, I would like those back ASAP.
Other than hair loss and taste bud loss I am feeling great! Thank you to everyone for the continued prayers! God Bless!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Round One
"LLLLllllet's get ready to be nauseous!"
Ok, I am officially a blog slacker! Sorry, I intended to blog earlier about my first round of chemo. I received my first dose on January 4th, it took a little over three hours for the whole process. I think my infusion took 2 1/2 hours. The infusion was truly no big deal. They give you some anti-nausea medicine before they start the infusion along with some medicine to calm your nerves. My nerves did not really need calming but I figured they know what they are doing. I am such a light weight and never take any kind of medication so I fell asleep. Which is probably why the infusion was not a big deal to me. I was told that the anit-nausea meds they gave me should last through the day and I could start on the five different pills they gave me the next morning. Well anyone who knows me knows that I had Hyperemesis gravidarum, extreme nausea and vomiting, during my pregnancies, so needless to say I started feel sick about three hours after my infusion. All the meds I am on are great at keeping things in but not so great at making me feel better. So the nausea lasted until Saturday and I basically slept off and on between Tuesday and Saturday.
I was given a booster shot on Wednesday to help increase my WBC count and was told that this would make me feel like a horse had kicked me, mostly in the big bone areas that would produce the most WBCs. I did not experience any horse kicking but did have times of random bone pain, mostly in my low back and pelvis.
All in all the experience was not too bad, I pray that it stays like this. I realize that the further I get into this the less my body will be able to help me out.
Enough about chemo. I find it strange that people are sooo amazed at how well I am "taking" all this. Really, what benefit would I have from sitting at home on the couch crying all day. It is not that I don't think this stinks, but it is my life at this point and I try to be a joy-filled individual at all times. So to all those out there that just do not get it. It is ok, but I am just going to keep on with my positive attitude and be grateful for everyday I wake up!
Oh by the way, I still have my hair. I am at day eleven and just this morning started to see a little extra falling out in my shower. I do not have anxiety about losing my hair, but apparently I have anxiety about when I am going to lose it. I had many dreams the night before last about losing my hair in the most awkward places and at the most inopportune times. It actually is quite funny! I go today to get my synthetic wig and hope to get a real hair wig shortly.
I pray that you all have a blessed day and hope to blog more often. God Bless!
Ok, I am officially a blog slacker! Sorry, I intended to blog earlier about my first round of chemo. I received my first dose on January 4th, it took a little over three hours for the whole process. I think my infusion took 2 1/2 hours. The infusion was truly no big deal. They give you some anti-nausea medicine before they start the infusion along with some medicine to calm your nerves. My nerves did not really need calming but I figured they know what they are doing. I am such a light weight and never take any kind of medication so I fell asleep. Which is probably why the infusion was not a big deal to me. I was told that the anit-nausea meds they gave me should last through the day and I could start on the five different pills they gave me the next morning. Well anyone who knows me knows that I had Hyperemesis gravidarum, extreme nausea and vomiting, during my pregnancies, so needless to say I started feel sick about three hours after my infusion. All the meds I am on are great at keeping things in but not so great at making me feel better. So the nausea lasted until Saturday and I basically slept off and on between Tuesday and Saturday.
I was given a booster shot on Wednesday to help increase my WBC count and was told that this would make me feel like a horse had kicked me, mostly in the big bone areas that would produce the most WBCs. I did not experience any horse kicking but did have times of random bone pain, mostly in my low back and pelvis.
All in all the experience was not too bad, I pray that it stays like this. I realize that the further I get into this the less my body will be able to help me out.
Enough about chemo. I find it strange that people are sooo amazed at how well I am "taking" all this. Really, what benefit would I have from sitting at home on the couch crying all day. It is not that I don't think this stinks, but it is my life at this point and I try to be a joy-filled individual at all times. So to all those out there that just do not get it. It is ok, but I am just going to keep on with my positive attitude and be grateful for everyday I wake up!
Oh by the way, I still have my hair. I am at day eleven and just this morning started to see a little extra falling out in my shower. I do not have anxiety about losing my hair, but apparently I have anxiety about when I am going to lose it. I had many dreams the night before last about losing my hair in the most awkward places and at the most inopportune times. It actually is quite funny! I go today to get my synthetic wig and hope to get a real hair wig shortly.
I pray that you all have a blessed day and hope to blog more often. God Bless!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Happy New Year!!!
So, I am back from Colorado and had a blast with my family. We flew in on Sunday and drove into Steamboat Springs. The next morning was awesome! The weather was nice, high of 37 F, and the kids were ready to get out and play in the snow. The couple in the condo next to us lent us her plastic snow sleds and we sent the kids down the hills near our condo. They were so cute, barely able to move because we had them so completely bundled up. There was no way they were going to get cold, in fact they were hot most of the time and proceeded to eat snow constantly!
Tuesday the weather report was pretty much the same so we all decided to go skiing. Yes I am aware that I was advised, really instructed, not to go skiing, but I stayed on the green, beginner, slopes the entire day. This was almost as torturous as not skiing at all since I have been skiing since I was five and do not ever even venture towards "those green slopes." Unless to teach someone else how to ski.
Olivia went to ski school on Tuesday and Wednesday and loved it! She is a natural. She does just as her instructor tells her... point your skies down hill, go for a little while and then stop by making your skies into a slice of pizza. She shows me this over and over and every time she comes to a stop she puts on hand on her hip and turns and poses. Oh do I have my hands full! I loved it, it is so cute.
Gavin spent Tuesday skiing with my Dad. They had a great time and although I was not able to see Gavin ski my dad was able to capture an awesome picture of him skiing.
Josh and I spent Tuesday skiing together and had a great time.
The rest of the trip consisted of playing in the snow, discovering an igloo and finding some jumps to take the sleds down.
We returned to Panama City on January 2nd, I donated my hair on the 3rd and started chemo on the 4th.
My next blog will talk about the fun times of chemo.
God Bless!
Tuesday the weather report was pretty much the same so we all decided to go skiing. Yes I am aware that I was advised, really instructed, not to go skiing, but I stayed on the green, beginner, slopes the entire day. This was almost as torturous as not skiing at all since I have been skiing since I was five and do not ever even venture towards "those green slopes." Unless to teach someone else how to ski.
Olivia went to ski school on Tuesday and Wednesday and loved it! She is a natural. She does just as her instructor tells her... point your skies down hill, go for a little while and then stop by making your skies into a slice of pizza. She shows me this over and over and every time she comes to a stop she puts on hand on her hip and turns and poses. Oh do I have my hands full! I loved it, it is so cute.
Gavin spent Tuesday skiing with my Dad. They had a great time and although I was not able to see Gavin ski my dad was able to capture an awesome picture of him skiing.
Josh and I spent Tuesday skiing together and had a great time.
The rest of the trip consisted of playing in the snow, discovering an igloo and finding some jumps to take the sleds down.
We returned to Panama City on January 2nd, I donated my hair on the 3rd and started chemo on the 4th.
My next blog will talk about the fun times of chemo.
God Bless!
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