Blessed

I am doing well.  At least until I do chemo again this week.  :):)   We had a fun week end.  We made a super quick trip to UT.  We left on Saturday and came home on Sunday.  In that short amount of time we got a baby blessed, a Priesthood ordination done,  lots of loves and hugs, a session with the foot zoner, and a trip to Cafe Rio.  :):)   Earlier last week I really worried that I would not have the stamina for the trip but I did extremely well.   Yay!  Sweet memories.

Zoning the feet helps stimulate the nerves and increase blood flow to the organs connected to the nerves in the feet.  I love this foot zoner.  She used to be a hospice nurse and years ago she cured herself of cancer.  She is so knowledgeable.   I learned from her that the chemo accumulates in the outer extremities because the body is trying to protect the vital organs from the chemo, so, because of the damage and chemo in my feet the whole experience was extremely painful.  After one foot I joked that maybe that was enough, we could skip the other foot.  She thought there was some improvement from my last visit to her in July. This could simply be results from the chemo treatments.

I was able to ride my bike this morning.  I think we ride at least 7 miles.   I can't believe I am able to do these things during this heavy chemo.  I pray it will continue.  I do feel very blessed.  Tired, but blessed. :):):)

Super Chemo #2

Last week I really struggled with whether or not to continue treatments.  I am so worried about the chemo induced neuropathy becoming debilitating.  (Chemo came about from the use of wartime Mustard Gas when it was discovered Mustard Gas helped kill cancer cells.....lovely, huh?)  I prayed and prayed but was so emotional about it that I had a hard time getting an answer.  Finally on Sunday,  I felt peace, and I felt that I should continue treatments for now.  A few days earlier I had concluded that I would just need to ask the doctor a lot of serious questions before making a decision.  (Questions that I really did not want to ask or hear the answers to.)  On Sunday, once I felt that peace, I felt no need to ask him all of the questions.  I had my answer.

I saw the doctor today.  I have mentioned before that he is an extremely kind Middle Eastern man.  I have always loved him.  Today I loved him more..  Dell told him about my "about face" from wanting to quit on Saturday to feeling peace about continuing treatments on Sunday.  The doctor asked me what made the difference.  I told him that it was prayer.  Up until this day I have not been sure if he was a praying man or not.  Today I discovered that he is full of faith and prays morning and night.   I was so grateful to hear him express his belief and faith in a supreme being.

I finished super chemo #2 today.  After round #1 I had my ups and downs but managed to go to lunch with friends a couple of times and even rode my bike several times!  The appetite seems to be intact :):):)    Life is still good!

Hanging in There

It has been a week since I had my "super chemo".  It is definitely harder.  We have the kinks worked out from the first time I had it so the nausea is mostly under control.  My biggest worry is the neuropathy damage.  The treatments are every other week so this has been my off week.  My blood came back to normal ranges without the help of the shot that helps restore white blood cells.. Eventually I will likely have to have the shot as the chemo accumulates and the body gradually bounces back less and less.  It truly is hard to know if it is really worth it.  I am currently doing ok for the record but my antigen numbers are high.   Hanging in there.