As the Chemo Drips...

After beating ovarian cancer once, I've been re-diagnosed. Here I'll share my journey of chemotherapy and surgery including the ups and downs, laughter and tears and everything in between.

Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Year

Just when things are going well it seems like something happens to mess things up. I'm very thankful that I have great health care insurance, the cost for all the treatments for this cancer is outrageous, and I only have to pay for a portion of the office visits.  However, blue cross has decided that they won't pay for the shot nuelasta,  which helps boost your white blood count.  They will pay for 3 shots of luekine, which means I have to go over to the office 3 consecutive days after receiving chemo to receive this shot.  Also the new chemo that I've been on for the past month, Avastin, seems to not be the wonder drug they thought.  On the news they are saying it only extends your life by about 4 months.  I'm hoping that when I see the Dr. on wed he will take me off of it, as the side effects are really starting to take hold, the worst is having constant acid reflux and a metallic taste in my mouth and not being able to swallow without choking and getting sick, and having a bloody nose everyday. 
We have family in from out of town to celebrate the new year, thou I'm usually in bed by 9:00pm.  Counting down the days to leaving for sunny Mexico and relaxing on the beach (24 days).  Wishing all a Happy New Year.  Peace & Love

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas

It has been a very busy past two days, and I have had a wonderful holiday!!! Christmas Eve was spent with family, aunts,uncles,cousins...47 of us plus a visit from Santa! Lots of great food and fun. I managed to stay till 10:30..way past my bedtime but slept in this morning so didn't feel too bad. Christmas morning was spent with Mom,Abby and Dan. There seemed to be LOTS of presents under the tree this year. I got a IPad which I'm writing on now,and will be learning how to use for some time...After breakfast everyone left and Beth came over and after more gifts we went to our annual Cmhristmas dinner at the Chinese restaurant. Tomorrow I'm meeting Abby at target to do some after Christmas shopping, then meeting up with my nephews and their families for lunch.. Ahhh...then the dreaded day Tuesday.....chemo day. It will be my short day only one hour, so not too bad. Also have my family coming in town for the New Year and most of all....one month from now I will be in Mexico!!!! Peace & Love to all

Friday, December 23, 2011

Happy Holiday's

When entering the cancer centers front door your greeted by a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and Christmas carols playing.  Somehow it didn't put me into the "Holiday" mood at all, knowing I was going to have 4 hours of chemo.  I see alot of the same people week after week, thou we don't know each others names, we smile and nod at each other, silently glad to see that were back for another round of treatments.  I have to give alot of credit to the nurses who work there.  Most are the same age as Abby and just a few years out of nursing school.  They are always positive and encouraging, readily to laugh with you or give you a shoulder to cry on. I was given a new anti nausea medicine which seems to be working much better than what I've been taking.  Extremely tired and in bed, but getting all the rest I can before the holiday.  I know I've said it many times, but THANK-YOU for your kind words and prayers. Peace & Love to All.........

Sunday, December 18, 2011

What a week!!!

Knowing that I will be having chemo tomorrow and not able to do much the rest of the week before Christmas, it has been a very busy week.  We have gone to dinner and celebrated early with many friends and family.  Bob and I also took a 2 day belated anniversary trip to Indiana, stopping at antique stores along the way, eating a great chicken dinner and visiting with our Amish friends Ben and Wilma. All the Christmas presents are wrapped and under the tree, cards mailed, cookies passed out to the neighbors,now I just have to make it thru the 4 hours of chemo and rest up for the big family party on Christmas Eve!  Love and Peace

Friday, December 9, 2011

Holiday's

Chemo on Tuesday didn't go too well...felt bad all day and finally ended up getting sick that night....Spent most of Wednesday in bed sleeping.  Thursday afternoon my good friend Dianne came over to help me make 13 dozen cookies for my family cookie party on Sunday.  Few presents left to wrap today, then going to relax and watch it snow outside!  So glad this is my "off" week of treatments and I feel more like myself and not just going thru the motions of getting thru the days, thou it will be tough as I have triple chemo on the 19th and I end up in bed for at least 3-4 days, hoping I will re-bound quickly to enjoy the family party on Christmas Eve and not need to leave too early.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Bob

I'd like to think that I have the greatest husband of all, but I'm sure there are alot of women who would disagree with me, so I'll say I have ONE of the greatest husbands out there.  Bob and I have been married for 29 years this past November, together for 32 years.  The constant joke between us was that he married a younger woman to take care of him when he got "old", as he is 13 years older than me.  Little did he know what he was getting himself into.  He has been by my side thru many illnesses, surgery's and life's bumps in the road thru the years.  However nothing has been harder than this journey thru cancer, not once but twice!!  He has been by my side every step of the way, making me laugh, lifting up my spirits and taking care of me.  He has taken over all the daily chores of running a house, cleaning, cooking,  grocery shopping, laundry etc...all without complaint. Our plans were to travel when he retired from Ford a few years ago.  So far we have kept to that plan, traveling to Mexico several times a year so he can scuba dive and I can sit on the beach and read.  We have plans to go to Europe in the fall, and a trip of a lifetime to Fiji next winter. Cancer is not going to keep us from our dreams, it's just making it alittle more challenging. We will continue to go to chemo and Dr. appointments, have good days and bad days, all the while knowing that the sun will shine down on us sitting on a beach somewhere in the world and all will be ok.   

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Thank-You

Thank-you Melana for the message you sent.  It was just what I needed as I've been in bed the past 3 1/2 days and getting very frustrated by being so in-active.  I know that it takes time for my body to heal and that it needs the rest that it's requiring, even thou my body is tired, my brain keeps going a mile a minute!!  I need to use the breathing techniques that I've been taught to slow myself down and relax and that I will get thru it.  Bob put up the Christmas tree and Abby came over and helped him decorate it yesterday.  Not planning on doing much more as we are not having any parties this year...only Abby, Dan and my Mom on Christmas Day. Looking forward to Abby coming over tomorrow and baking cookies, I have a great picture of her when she was little kneeling on the counter covered in flour eating the dough......great memories and fun times...and I still like to eat sugar cookie dough!  2 more chemo treatments till Christmas...only 5 till I leave for Mexico..................and that's a whole blog in itself coming up...................Peace & Love