Ain't No Mountain High Enough

I am glad I feel good enough to Blog!  I think the last time I blogged I mentioned that I was going for a PET Scan.  I did, and the results came back very good.  The first 2 rounds of chemo did a great job of killing the cancer, not gone, but good enough to put me back on track to keep fighting this disease!  I was so discouraged after what happened with the emergency bowel surgery.  I thought my chances of beating the cancer were gone.  My oncologist said my recovery from the surgery has been more than what he expected.  I am getting stronger every day.  The weight is so hard to put on, even with pasta, bread, ice cream, chocolate milk, etc.  I get discouraged every time I look at the scale!  But, I feel good and my physical therapist is the best!  I can now go up and down the stairs, sounds easy to all of you, but believe me after a month or more in bed, my muscles and endurance were just shy of Zero!

Here is my schedule for the chemo and beyond, pray for everything to go well!  I have my third R-CHOP chemo this Thursday, May 10.   Then 3 weeks later, another R-CHOP and if all goes well about 8 days after that we will go to Greenville, SC (about 60 miles) away from home to start the Stem Cell Transplant process.  We will have to stay in a hotel near the Cancer Center during this time, off and on for about 4-5 weeks.  I hope it does not beat me up too bad.  I am afraid and hopeful all at the same time.  I know this fight will not be easy.  I am a determined person and with God in the driver's seat and all God's angels out there praying for me, I can reach the finish line to beat this disease.

I put on a sundress and hat yesterday and Bill took my picture outside by my flowers.  We have had some beautiful weather lately.  I poured my chocolate milk in a wine glass and enjoyed all my blessings!

I thought about the Kentucky Derby yesterday.  I always love to watch the race each year on TV.  Maybe I will be like the long shot that won (I think the horse's name was I'll Have Another) and come from behind and be a miracle survivor for my family and friends!

Another picture to close this blog.  See how happy and encouraged I look, see I made you smile too!

Don't forget your prayers tonight.  God Bless Each And Every One Of You! 
All my love,
Glenda

Wasted Days and Wasted Nights

Boy, after my last blog, things went down hill fast!  I keep finding these black holes to fall in, what's up with that???  You would think after starting antibiotics I would start improving, WRONG!  This past week has been a really tough one for me.  My head never left my pillow very long except to run for the bathroom.  I know every speck on my ceilings, so tired of laying in the bed.  Bill had to make another emergency call to the Cancer Center to get something better than Phenergan for nausea.  He ran to the pharmacy to get Zofran.  It worked for awhile then back to the bathroom.  I felt like a sick baby, with Bill doing everything for me.  I turned the corner Tuesday and when I went to the oncologist Wednesday, he was pleasantly surprised.  I even put on blush and earrings for him!  Lost the few pounds I had gained, so now I am on a mission to gain them back, very hard on a soft bland diet!  I can't have any milk products yet, so no ice cream, ugh!

I go for a PET Scan on Tuesday in Greenville.  I see the oncologist next Wednesday for those results, labs, and a discussion on what is the next course to treat this dreadful cancer.

I have been laying on the sofa this afternoon just resting, looking out the window of our front door in amazement at the energy my Bill has.  He cut the front lawn, took trash to the recycling center, washed the front porch, came in and cleaned bathrooms and is now vacuuming the kitchen.  I feel like the kid that is trying to escape her chores, guilty feeling!!

And oh did I say, my labs showed I was very low in Magnesium and Potassium.  So I am taking those pills.  You should see the size of the Potassium horse pill.  Bill has to cut it in half just for me to swallow the darn thing!

Now, did you really think I was going to post a picture of me this past week, not happening!  This is a watercolor I did several years ago.  Raggedy Ann's face is just about how I felt last week!  Although I have no hair, maybe my hair will come back in red like Miss Raggedy Ann!

Okay, I'm looking for greener pastures, so keep praying for me all my fellow bloggers!  God Bless each and every one of you.

My comfort in my suffering is this:  Your promise preserves my life, O Lord.~~Psalm 119:50~~

The Devil Visited Last Night

I went to the oncologist yesterday morning and he put me on two antibiotics to combat the fevers I have suffered with since coming home from the hospital last week.  He sent me back to the infusion center and I spent an hour and a half getting IV fluids for my dehydration.  He told me to gain some weight before I see him again next week.  Bill is going to make me some milk shakes.  I am drinking a carnation breakfast drink right now for my snack.  I have been thin my entire life, hope I am up to this challenge.  Dr. G said I need to get stronger before we can start back fighting the cancer.  I felt good after his visit.  I went to bed around 7:00 p.m. and woke up a few hours later with a migraine headache.  I have wonderful meds for the headaches but the Devil must have took one of my "reasoning marbles" out of my brain because I did not take any meds and suffered all night.  Finally got up at 6:30 a.m. and I woke Bill up and got a lecture from him.  Great, now my caregiver was upset!  Thanks DEVIL!  Bill gave me my meds, made my breakfast and in an hour I was a new girl.  If I ever see that DEVIL again he will be beat senseless with my cane.  He is not welcome at Weeks Way!

Just so you know, the rest of the day has been great.  I took a shower all by self.  I know you all think so what, but that is a major accomplishment for me at this point.  After lunch, Fed Ex delivered a nice gift from Michael and Keith in Atlanta, goodies to help fatten me up!  Thanks guys!  Here is a picture.

The Home Health nurse came this afternoon and gave me a good report.  She said next week if I am still good she will discharge me, hallelujah!  I still have the Home Health physical therapist.  She is really good and working hard to build my muscles and strength back up.

Just so you know, I still have my humor and can laugh at myself, I am posting a picture of me in my "biker cap," as Bill calls it.  I put a tattoo on my forehead; this is for my granddaughter Katie!  I want her to know that her Mama G can still have fun.

God Bless every one that reads my blog.  I do enjoy connecting with every one.  Love you all!

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

I wish I could say I have been away visiting Walt Disney World Resort for these past few weeks, but sadly not so.  After my last post of a beautiful day working in my garden, I did a little laundry on Saturday and that night after supper I got an excruciating pain in my abdomen.  The pain increased very fast, so Bill called the Cancer Center and they advised us to go to the hospital emergency room.  I could not walk, so Bill called our good friends Jean and Serge and they helped get me in the car.  After a CT scan at the hospital, the scan showed that when I had Chemo on the previous Wednesday, the Chemo did what it was supposed to do by killing a tumor on my upper bowel, unfortunately when the tumor fell off it pulled a hole in my bowel, causing all that "poison" to come out!  I had emergency surgery at 5:00 a.m. Sunday morning to cut out the bad portion of bowel and sew the good pieces together, I think it is called a bowel re-section.  Anyway, I spent 5 days in the critical care unit and 4 days in a step down unit before coming home.  We were home for 3 days and the pain came back with fevers, so back to the emergency room.  Another CT scan showed a pelvic abscess.  Admitted back to the hospital with more antibiotics and to perform a CT guided drain into the abscess.  Our local hospital was unable to perform the procedure, so an ambulance ride to Greenville Memorial Hospital, about 60 miles away took place.  They successfully put the drain in and we stayed there 4 days.  I am finally home, the drain came out yesterday, Yipee!  I am slowing recovering, but very weak.  My caregiver Bill is not only my husband but what you would call a Saint!

The picture above was taken by my son Michael when he came over from Atlanta to visit me in the Critical Care Unit.  He brought me this hat and some other beautiful gifts.  It was a good few hours for me.  But this is a RIDE I don't want to ever take again!

I wish I could say hospital food is that good, but when you are sick and only on Jello, applesauce, tea, soft peaches and/or clear liquids, it is not what I would call Five Star.  The hospital food was good according to Bill.  He would eat some of the food on my tray.  Bill has done an outstanding job of making my food at home, which is still a soft bland diet.  That's okay though because my appetite is not quite up to what it was before this FRIGHTFUL RIDE!

I want to thank everyone who has been praying for me.  I enjoy all the beautiful cards.  My family has given me some beautiful gifts as well.  I enjoy talking with my Mother in Florida, it means as much to me as to her.  I even got to talk with my son in Maryland on his birthday as well as my granddaughter on her birthday.  God Bless all of you, I could not do this with out God's help.  I won't lie, I have had many discouraging moments with tears, but I know that He is always there to lift me back up.  Love to each and every one of you.

Cancer Hit The Curb Today

What a beautiful day God gave me today!  I was really expecting to have a lousy day going on past experience with the Neulasta injection I get the day after chemo.  The injection is for boosting my white blood cell count.  The only draw back is the side effects are lots of bone pain.  On Wednesday, the day I got chemo the nurse said, "don't forget to take your Claritin (yes, that is what I said, the over the counter allergy medicine), one hour before you come in on Thursday to get your Neulasta injection."  Well, Dr. G also told me to get the Claritin when I saw him.  I am always such a "Doubting Thomas," but thought, what the heck I am going to stop second guessing my doctor and nurses, they are always right.  So I did just what they said and took the pill yesterday.  I am to take it for two more days.

I woke up this morning and took those 5 awful Prednisone pills, yuck!  Ate my breakfast and said, I am going outside to pull weeds and clip around my perennials.  God gave us a beautiful rain last night, so the weeds were easier to pull up than usual.  Bill was busy with a workman.  We had to get a new hot water heater, so it was best I was not around anyway.  Bill kept me supplied with lots of water and even threw me a package of peanut butter crackers for energy!  I did do what I am supposed to do though; wore a hat, glasses, mask and two pairs of gloves, long sleeves, long pants and even my back brace!  I worked outside for several hours, with a few breaks on the porch.  I was having such a good time, my Mama and Grandma would be proud of me.  I love my flowers out in the yard.  I am amazed every year how they reward me with such beauty.  The peonies are coming up, love them!  The last thing I did before coming in the house was clean the bird bath.  Here is the proof, okay so this is not the best picture, but hey, I worked in the yard today!!

If any other cancer survivors are reading this blog and they take Neulasta, try the Claritin, it may just work for you as well.  I'm not saying that tomorrow might not be as good a day as today was, chemo has a way of systematically creeping up on you.  But, for today, I gladly accept each good day God decides to give me with all the Grace I can muster up.  So how about it Cancer, stay on that curb a little while longer!  Love to all of you that support me with your prayers!

aller faire du shopping

After a rough night with nausea, the morning brought me sunshine and I felt great!  The cancer center had already done their job by giving us RX's for just about any crisis.  I used the Phenergan and yes it works!  We had to be at Bill's shoulder replacement therapy at 10:00 a.m; I dropped him off and said see you in an hour.  That was the best hour I have had in a long time.  I went immediately to Belk's Department store and bought a few things, I felt like I was in a race.  I had my mask on and the shoe sales lady asked if I am having trouble with allergies.  I said no, and raised my hat to show my bald head, oh well folks are just curious.  She said God Bless You, so it was worth it to answer back.

I bought a little white cotton sweater to wear over a sun dress I bought last year but was too sick to ever wear it.  Also, I bought a white top with smocking, just right to wear to chemo day, they can access my port easily.  And, I just had to buy another hat to wear with my Capri's and jeans!  I found the best yellow hand bag for summer also, I felt like I got everything I needed today, except could not find some white sandals, oh well.  The jewelry I already had.  The scarf my Michael brought back to me from a trip to Paris, ain't it gorgeous?  I am curious, Ann would you ask Mama the history of the Ivory bracelet, I think it is Ivory or maybe bakelite.  I think she got it when we lived in Japan, anyway she gave it to me many years ago.  It is too large for my wrist so I always wear it with scarves.  I just love it!

I have always believed that "shopping" is one of women's natural rights, agree??  It makes life bearable, but then having a will of my own helps!  Someday I might just have to give up chocolate, but never shopping!

I'm eating a delicious homemade peanut butter cookie and having a cup of tea, just need some friends to join me!  My sweet neighbor Gloria made the cookies and brought them over yesterday, Yummy!
God Bless everyone and hope this good run will last awhile for me.

Wings Of A Dove

Today was chemo day and I did not start off with a body full of perkiness.  Missed my second cup of coffee, not good.  Just a few minutes shy of reaching Westminster the violins started playing in my head and the river of tears started.  On any other given day in the past Bill would have chocked the emotion up to PMS!  But, oh no not today.  He is the best, started talking to me and walked me out of the river of tears.  Chemo went good today, no problems.  We walked out the door of the cancer center at 2:30 p.m. after starting at 8:45 a.m.!  Anyway, an amazing thing happened after lunch.  A young man, my guess he was in his early 40's, came in and sat in the chemo chair facing me.  The nurse hooked him up with his chemo and he proceeded to listen to his i-pod.  His wife left but came back later when he was finished.  He looked at me as I rolled myself and machine to the bathroom and back.  I smiled at him as I went by.  I know ya'll are saying okay already get to the point!  Okay, here is the point.  He finished before I did and he walked over to me and said, "May I ask what kind of cancer you have, so I told him."  He then told me he had a cancerous brain tumor, you could see the scar on his bald head and that the doctor told he had 6 months to live.  He then said that was 2 years ago!  This is what he said next, "Are you a Christian?"  Of course I said yes and he said he was listening to the Gaithers (gospel group) on his i-pod and he felt a strong urge to come over and tell me that I was going to be all right because  God was not through with me yet!  I told him thank you and God Bless You.  I did not even get that "Angel Messenger's" name, what was I thinking!  I did ask my nurse a little about him (but you know they won't volunteer much info because of HIPA and I get that), she just said they are a very nice couple.  Bill told me later that the "angel's" wife was standing to the side where I could not see her, smiling at her husband.  Brought tears to my eyes, but this time they were happy tears!  Here I am in my chemo chair.

I felt so good and it was such a beautiful sunny day.  Bill suggested we go outside for a few minutes to soak up some Vitamin D.  I put on my shorts and shades and beat him out the door!

I know what all of you are thinking, is that a beer she is holding, well yes, but it is a ROOT BEER!

So the message today is simply the words of WINGS OF A DOVE:
When troubles surround us, when evils come,
The body grows weak; The spirit grows numb.
When these things beset us, He doesn't forget us.
He sends down His love, On the Wings Of A Dove.

Hey, one last note, remember when I was griping about the 104 pounds, well today I weighed in at 104 and 1/2 pounds!  I guess those lead weights I put in my pockets worked!  Ha, Ha, just kidding I would not do that, but I even made myself laugh at the thought of doing it!  Love you all, sorry if I was a little chatty today, but you know when the thoughts are there they must come out.  God Bless You All!