Good, good, not good

MRI results - good
Blood work - good
Start chemo tonight at 350 mg. - not good

Well, that is basically it! Thanks!

Who am I... I am Yours!

The following song brought much encouragement to me driving home tonight.

Who am I
by Casting Crowns

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VU_rTX23V7Q

I hope to see you tomorrow after my doctors appointment. Depending on my days events.

Appreciate

Tomorrow morning at 10:30 I will be having a MRI. I would appreciate your prayers. It is the doctors desire along with us that there will be no change from the previous scan. I honestly cannot remember when it was. I lose track after a while. Unfortunately I have so many.

My labs will be drawn at this time as well. If you remember this past cycle was an increase in my chemo dosage. I did 300 mg for four days then 180mg on the fifth day due to lack of pills in the home. Yes, prescription dilemma. I will most likely take 350mg. (already in the closet waiting) the next cycle (Friday eve) deem the doctors approval of my lab findings. My follow up doctors appointment will be on Friday at 11:30.

O the joys of cancer,
Thanks
k-

Coming to a close

School is about over for the year. The last day is Friday ending with closing chapel and a family picnic.

This afternoon the second graders are having their poetry reading. Cole is looking forward to us attending. He informed me that there will be a surprise. "Can't really tell you but it has to do about you, Mom and a poem." Hmmmmm. : ) You can be sure the video cam will be running.

Sorry I have been delinquent with my postings. It is the same ole story- my lack of multitasking since surgery. I have been distracted lately. I felt it to be unnecessary to be at the computer with things to be done in the home. Dave has been staying up late and helping with the laundry, dishes, etc. I stayed up late with him last night to help. Also for me,resting is becoming more important. It is noticable by the end of the day if I overdo it I just crash by 8:30 pm with a mild headache and good fatigue. Many thanks to my hubby for picking up the slack.

An update on Joe. I received an email last week from his neice, Kay.

"The recommendation is not to do anything at this point since Uncle Joe is not having much, if any pain. They will do a repeat PET scan in 2 months. He said the radiation onocologist expects the lesion in the lung to "decrease" in the next 2 months instead of increase. I do not know where he is pulling that knowledge from (maybe prayers). The family all seemed to be in agreement with the decision." Joe called me as well with an update. He seemed to be in good spirits. Prayer is powerful and effective.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15

FYI - If you read an obscure comment post Saturday eve into Sunday. It was good ole Spam. It ended up being 21 pages ten point font after being deleted forever.

My next MRI is Wednesday, May 28 at 10:30 in the morning. My follow up doctors appointment is Friday, May 30. I start my five day chemo regimen as well on Friday. Most likely I will do the full 350 mg if my labs looked okay from this past cycle. I am assuming they were fine.

Have a great Memorial weekend holiday.

We are so ready for summer days at the pool.

k-

A Waiter & Chef on Mother's Day

This morning was a first as I was treated to breakfast in bed. I think the idea came about last Wednesday morning. The older boys wanted pancakes for breakfast and were told that I didn't have time. It was a busy morning due to getting ready for Bible study (CBS). Unbenounced to me, Carter ended up making the pancakes all his own while Cole prepared their school lunches. What a surprise blessing for that day! I highly encouraged this behavior and told them how much I loved what they did on their own. Marbles were earned for their Gotcha jar. Carter is a great chef. He is a great in the kitchen for being nine and and a half.

On to this morning... I had a tap on my shoulder with two boys handing to me papers. They were menus for the morning. I had some choices.

Carters Menu Choices

1. pancakes

2. eggs overeasy

3. scrambled eggs

4. egg sandwich / overeasy or scrambled

5. bacon

DRINKS

1. Ornge juce

Cole's Breakfast Menu with its own cover

1. Eggs & Pancaks

2. Egg sandwhich

3. Baken and Pancaks

4. Fruite corN Pancakes

5. bakon

drinks

smothe

ornge peach mago ( for orange peach mango juice)

ornge juice

It was so cute to see the menus. I had a handsome waiter (Cole) in his robe with his specialty tablet. He was told that he is the cutest waiter I have ever had. One side of the tablet read "Hi Mom" for me to view. He took my breakfast choices. I said pancakes he said plain or chocolate chip. I was surprised by the chocolate chip option for it wasn't on any menu. "Well, chocolate chip then - just a few." He did great in serving me my orange juice in our new ice cream sundae glasses from grandpa's house. He said Opps I made a mistake. It was pretty. Though hard to drink out of in my bed. He was the one who was given the opportunity to display the food on the plate since Carter was the chef. The presentation was magnificent. I think you'll agree.

ON a side note...

Last night Dave and I were discussing what our needs were for a SAM's run later this week. I mentioned Bisquick. His ears perked up and said "We are out of Bisquick?" Yes was my response. He later stated he needed to make a Schnucks run (grocery store). I asked why and figured it out. He and I both agreed to be pleasantly surprised. I am so glad I knew for I was awake earlier than they were this morning and would have gone downstairs to the kitchen for my eats.

Dave told me today that they planned the whole thing from menus to food. He had nothing to do with it except...accept it. He said This is Happy Mother's Day not Happy Wives Day.

Carter wondered when there will be happy kids day. I laughed. That's all the time in our home. Cole when being affirmed was just beaming. Stuart thought it was either my birthday or Dave's. He wanted to eat my strawberries in my bed with me.

I couldn't ask for a better day... breakfast in bed then sweet handwritten love notes. I also loved the salmon colored geraniums to plant under our mailbox later. Todays weather has been quite wintery. YUCK! We even had to get out our winter coats for church - No thank you.

I didn't have much time Friday to post about CCS Field Day. The event was a thrill for both boys. The shirts turned out wonderfully. Stuart even had fun in the childcare department while I served. He was estactic to receive a cupcake. Yes, the joys of a three year old. Enjoy the following pics.

Update time

Before taking the time to update ya'll on the chemo increase the past five days I should not have read the previous comments. My mom aka: Soccer Gram posted a sweet remembrance comment on grandpa that I cried upon reading it. I have been sad since his passing. A normal emotion I know.

On to blog business:
Last night I completed my fifth night of chemo (Temodar). It was thought that I would do roughly 340 mg. of pills. I ended up taking 300 mg. for four nights and 180 last night due to lack of pills. If you remember we have the Temodar mail ordered. It did not come in time for the last days. I am grateful for the "easing into" the 350 mg. dosage. Since the increase dosage I noticed a good headache one night . 500 mg. of Tylenol helped. I also had mild constipation that was somewhat remedied. My first mouth sore arrived. I was given by Stuart's CBS children's leader a cancer specific mouthwash for patients taking chemo and radiation. I have yet to use it till now. With the mouth theme... After 4 hours or so I would wake with a cotton mouth/ dry mouth. I have also noticed acne on the side of my face not clearing up as quickly as it used to. I guess I need to be thankful that I am even getting acne. There has been some fatigue. It wasn't any more noticeable than previous times. I take naps daily so it was just in the evenings when I totally faltered in my energy. Unfortunately, Stuart is growing out of his naps. This has always been a hard stage for me with the older boys. Quiet time has always been enforced in our home. I just am so tired by the time I lay down my head that the enforcement is lacking. Ho hum. He did take a nap the past two days. A time of Halleliuah. (not sure I spelled that correctly)

One night during this cycle I didn't want to take the pills at 10:30 (the correct time for that night). I fell back asleep till midnight and awoken to the thought "I'd better go in and take the pills so I won't get sick due to the Zofran wearing off". I had to pray for courage at the bathroom sink to take the pills at midnight.

I told the above story to one of my friends at Cole's Monday night ball game. I received a postcard in the mail today. It brought me to tears. She was so sweet to send it to me. Her emphasis were in All caps. Thanks Melissa L. for the encouragement.

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed,

but will have SUFFICIENT COURAGE so that now as always

Christ will be exalted in my body...
Phil 1:20

Happy Twelve

Happy 12 Years

Dave!

Joe & my pity party

Most of you who have followed my story from the beginning know about my friend Joe whom I met down at Siteman. If not see blog post December 29, 2006 "Joe" also check out January 10 and 11.

Anyway we have kept in contact with each other. We spoke to each other at Christmas and he left a message while we were in Florida. I returned his call this past Monday finding out he was going to have a CAT scan on Tuesday. He has had some back pain that felt like "pleurisy". The doctor felt it necessary to have it checked out. Since our time together at Siteman, Joe had a second cancer come to his other ear (L) . It was a different cancer than the right side. He called today at noon to inform me of Tuesdays CAT results. A spot was found on his lung. He is to see a lung doctor next Tuesday , May 6 at 8 am. I tried to be strong for him on the phone yet failed. I cried. I could tell he was trying to be strong as well. He is my friend. I feel so bad for him.

Even with his news he was able to tell me the good parts of his day. First being the sale of his home and driving to the bank to deposit the check. (Big deal as you remember driving was not going to happen post surgery at one point) The third good part of his day was that he getting together with his friends at the local Hardees. We have talked about this often- Funny stories. Lastly was that his nephews were coming for a visit/ meal. He even took the time to ask how I was doing. I told him about the chemo increase.

Here I was having a pity party about my chemo increasing today when he called. Life has been put into perspective. I need to be thankful and look for the blessings for what God has and has not allowed me to go through. Does that make sense? I am not trying to dimish Joe's pain. Here he called to give me the news and also his thankfulness of his day. Whew!

I found comfort in the following scripture today.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Psalm 32:7


Please pray for me to trust God's ways and also for Joe's new journey.
kate


Also a good quote:
Don't put tomorrows clouds on todays sunshine.

Increase Dosage

Yesterdays oncologist appointment with Dr. Needles brought a change in my chemo dosage. The Temodar (chemo) regimen has been increased from 260 to 350mg starting tonight. Continue the five days on, twenty three off. The previous 260mg. was a maintenance dosage. My labs have done well with them for the past three cycles. The 350mg increase could mean an increase in side effects expecially fatigue. Tonight I will be doing a little less than 350 due to not having enough pills in the home. We normally have the Temodar mail ordered. Dave will be helping me to calculate the five day dosage with the remaining pills. It most likely will be 340 each night.

I am fearful with the increase. I dread taking chemo. My heart is not in it. I only take the Temodar because I promised Carter long ago that "I would do whatever it took to combat the cancer if that meant chemo then so be it".

I am scheduled to have another MRI prior to May 30 when I see Dr. Needles again.

Thanks for listening to my concerns.
kate