After having such a bad reaction on Saturday and Sunday when the cancer center is closed (and I was fighting  going to the ER even though I probably should have), I called the cancer center on Monday morning to see what I needed to do.  I had an CT scan Monday morning (5/6) , and while driving back home after the CT scan, my doctor called me to discuss the weekend.  She confirmed that we probably should have gone to the ER, and then said she was requesting that I come in for some major blood work to see if the fever was more than just a tumor fever.  She also confirmed that she was very glad to see my cancer antigen levels were all continuing to go down and was hopeful the scans would show a positive result.  We made an appointment for Tuesday (5/7), to get the blood work done at the cancer center prior to going to nuclear medicine for the bone scan.  I talked with the nurse who was doing my blood draw.  She recommended that we change my treatment day from Fridays to Tuesdays so if I had a reaction again, the cancer center would be open and they could work on making sure I was okay (she understood my hesitations to go to the ER again).  That evening, I sent a message to the doctor requesting to move my treatment day, and the next day they changed it.  My new treatment day will be on Tuesdays.  This means that my next treatment is Tuesday, 5/21 instead of Friday, 5/17.  This will give me not only a new treatment day, but an extra four normal days before treatment (which will be nice).

 

We received my CT results on Monday night (5/6).  That CT scan indicated my liver was again showing mild decrease from the January CT scan - once again great news.  My bones were stable and everything else seemed to show stability or positive results.  We were so thankful to God for this report.  My bone scan from Tuesday, 5/7 also showed stability.  While the treatment is difficult, the results are showing positive results, so we just need to keep praying for healing, and pray for less physical reactions to the treatments.

 

I was doing better this past week, and my energy is slowly returning.  I did have issues with the Nivestym shots - major back spasms and pain (one day where several muscles seized up causing me to literally crumble to the floor).  That pain lasted for about 2 days following the last of my shots, but I was so thankful when the pain subsided after praying about it.

 

It seems like this past week Russell has been asking me a lot of questions about what has been going on - what is cancer, and why Mommy has it.  He sees me crying, or sees the pain that the treatment is causing or the reactions, and he asks why it is happening.  I’ve started explaining more to him.  I tell him that Mommy has cancer and that is causing pain and will make Mommy cry sometimes.  We talk about how Mommy’s medicine for her cancer can make her very tired or very sick for a couple days.  I have to explain to him why it takes Mommy longer to go upstairs because the cancer and medicine makes it tricky for Mommy’s strength in her legs or feet.  We’ve talked about how Mommy’s hands are not working right because of the cancer and the medicine.  This past week, there have been lots of questions from Russell, but there are also lots of times that my sweet little boy prays for me when he sees me crying, or hurting.  Or he takes the time to ask Jesus to heal Mommy so that Mommy can pick up Russell.  But I also see that little boy come and cuddle when we are both having a hard time, or he comes running in to tell me he loves me so much.  He’s such a sweet, smart, caring, and empathetic boy who already knows how to love others well and tells me how much he loves Jesus.  So while the weeks are hard and I feel like I can’t do anything physically, I get these sweet moments that show me that I can still point this little one to Jesus and teach him about the truths of God and Jesus, and love him well.

 

 

• Please pray for continued healing in my body and the ultimate goal of complete healing of my body.
• Please pray for our family.  We are almost at the 2 year anniversary of finding out I had cancer.  It is a difficult time (emotionally, mentally and physically), and it also means that for 2 years my family has been working through all the emotions and results of my diagnosis.  Please pray for calm and peace for all my family.  Please pray for opportunities to make memories for us all.  Please pray that the stress and emotions that come with each treatment or scan or appointment do not overwhelm their lives.
• Please pray for Monte.  For all of the same above mentioned things, but also pray that there will be joy filled moments for him as well.  Being a caregiver is hard, and he has done it so well over the almost two years.  Please also pray that there will be moments of refreshing for him, and opportunities for him to have time with friends and others too.
• Please pray for Russell.  Please pray that as we answer questions for him, that he will be able to understand them, but that he will also continue to turn to Jesus like we pray each night for us to do. Pray also that his little heart will stay soft to Jesus, and that any hurt or emotions that will happen do not harden his heart or attitude.
• Please pray that I will be ready for and have positive results from treatment on 5/21.  Please pray the shots do not have pain or spasms, and that there will be no negative reactions (including fevers).
• Please pray for my dear friend Nella.  She started chemo on 5/3 (the same day I had my last treatment). Please pray she tolerates her treatments without adverse reactions, and all of her treatments will do what they need to do.
• Please pray that we will figure out a way to be able to get insurance to approve trying for a clinical trial at MD Anderson. They have already sent one rapid denial because it was out of network and suggested we try for a clinical trial at Fred Hutch (which we did but I didn’t qualify for it) or Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill.  We know that MD Anderson has the most options available, and we would like to try for a clinical trial there.