April 14, 2012

This has been a great week!  We had all of Chuck's sisters and their families and his mom over fo9r Easter dinner.  Amity cooked the ham and twice baked potatoes (a huge hit with everyone!) and then everyone else brought the rest of the meal. The weather was gorgeous and we ate outside. Our new little great-niece, Raelyn, was delightful and it was fun to see how she's grown.

I met with Dr. Yap, my oncologist, on Tuesday.  We went over how poorly my chemo treatments have been going and discussed different options.I tend to get neutropenia about 10 days after my treatment.  This means I am anemic, have a very low white cell count, no appetite, and sometimes a fever. After reviewing everything and discussing the last week, Dr. Yap decided we would continue as planned this round as scheduled.  I am working really hard to keep my count up by drinking protein shakes on top of my meals, being sure I get enough green leafy vegetables, not eating any raw vegetables or fruits, and staying away from any crowds.  My protein count has also been low, and gets lower each treatment.  I don't mind the protein shakes but sometimes it's just hard to eat enough to keep me healthy. I think I miss being able to eat salad the very most!  If I get sick again, we will 1) cut my dose again, 2) drop one of the medications, or 3) cut the number of treatments.

Tuesday night I met with the support group  had found.  It is a really nice group of women and it was great to be able to just talk about everything.  One of the women in the group has a friend who has the same cancer I have (the women in the group al have different kinds of cancer).  She asked if she could give this woman my number. Of course I said yes and that woman called me the very next day.  It was great to talk to her because her experience was very similar to mine.  She has now been cancer free for 4 1/2 years.  She did have to drop 2 rounds of chemo but the fact that she is still cancer free gives me hope.

Wednesday was another round. As of today, I have had no problems.  I think  am learning to recognize the signs my bod gives me more and so I know when to stop and rest.

Yesterday I met friends from Las Flores for lunch.  It was so nice to see all of them and to catch up.  Some of them brought their children (it's spring break) and it was really nice to see the children and how big they've grown since we all worked together 2 years ago. It rained most of the day and I actually enjoyed being out in the rain for a wile.  I ran a few errands while I was out but then recognized my body had had enough and came home to nap.

Life is good.  I believe God has a plan for me and that he is guiding me all the way.  He has put so many new people in my life to help me with this journey and I am grateful for the new friends I have met.  I have had so many offers of help from my Ramona family!  I feel truly blessed. I appreciate the prayers and support I receive from all of you and I truly feel your love and support. It's what gets me through each day!