Chemo #3

Halfway done!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

After chemo #2 I felt pretty terrible for a full week. After that, I really felt like myself for the first time since all this started! I got 2 amazing weeks full of sunshine, family and friends! I couldn't have asked for a better 2 weeks! I also got another wig. I was missing my long hair. I love both my wigs! It's fun to mix it up!

New wig!

Chemo #3- Done

Friday was my third round of chemo. There have been a few ups and downs. When I got to the hospital, they went to access my port and couldn't. They thought it might have flipped. After several attempts (ouch!) to access it they settled on an iv in my arm. This is not optimal. Veins in your arm are much smaller. So, everything takes more time. Next, off to meet with the oncology nurse. Good news! My tumor has shrunk again! She had a very hard time feeling anything (yay!) and said what she could feel was not well defined. She believes what she could feel was most likely dead cells (yay again!). She didn't want to do an ultrasound because I will have another MRI in about 2 weeks. The MRI will give us a very clear picture of what's going on in there: how much of my tumor is left, does it have clean margins, are the dead cells being absorbed by my body (gross I know but I hope so)? Everything was very positive and optimistic in the oncology office! Then, time for an X-ray to verify port placement (has it flipped).  It was quick and easy. I viewed the images and it looks fine to me. Perfectly symmetrical. Then it was time for chemo... so much time for chemo! Since we were doing it through an iv they could only do so much at a time. I also couldn't use my right arm to do anything. If I moved it I would get shooting pain. But, if I kept it perfectly still, under a blanket and didn't move the pain was tolerable. 7 hours later we were able to leave and go home! That's a long time to be at the hospital!

Port Update

Since chemo, I have met with a surgeon about my port.  It has not flipped and is fully functional!  But, it is too small.  We have decided to keep the port I have.  The surgeon suggested having another surgery to switch out the one I have for a bigger one.  But, my days that I feel good are just too important to spend them fixing something that is not actually broken. It may be difficult to access going forward, but; I'm ok with that. 

Being halfway finished with this kind of chemo seems like a milestone.  It has been harder than I thought at times.  We appreciate all of your support so much!  The boys are doing ok.  But, if they are being really honest I think they are SO sick of me being sick!  They just want me to do the things I normally can with them. 

Cheering on KU!

This picture was in my timehop of Facebook.  8 years ago Jim and I were at the beach we talk about going to when I'm all well.  Keeping my eye on the prize... health!