Well, since I can't sleep, I decided to blog. It's been a while. I was recently told that my blog was down. My gmail account was hacked so I think that is what happened to my blog. But it's back now. I do have a new email address. It is kcmiddough@yahoo.com. I have more than likely lost your email in the change, so please send me an email so that I can add you to my address book.
My retirement party was great! We had a taco lady and my daughters-in-law made guacamole and Amity's special dip to go with them. There were many "old" friends along with the people I work with now and lots of family. I felt very appreciated and loved. I enjoyed myself and appreciate all the effort that went into planning the party.
At the party, my principal asked if I would like to participate in the promotion. Of course I said yes. It was so good to be able to say goodbye to the students and parents. Again, I felt so special and could feel the love and support from them.
June brought several problems. First, I could feel myself slipping into depression. It was a combination of several things including family issues, my mom's passing a year ago (and her birthday was in June), and realizing that I am not going back to a job I love. When I realized what was happening, I did go talk to a therapist and I am doing much better. I'm glad I recognized what was happening (although it took me a few weeks) and was able to get help. I have also been having a problem with hearing. I had to put phones on speaker to be able to understand. It sounded like I was in a tunnel with everything echoing. I was blaming it on my phones until one day I was talking on the phone and changed to the other ear. I could hear fine! So I finally realized it was my left ear. I went for a hearing test last week. I have definitely lost hearing in my left ear. I have lost a little in my right ear but it isn't affecting me as much. I am seeing an ENT doctor on the 12th. They do think that my left ear may be (at least partially) due to chemo. My next CT scan is scheduled for July 15th and I will see my oncologist on the 23rd to go over the results. My last round of chemo made me really sick. I have been having to tak an extra dose of nausea meds about an hour into the first med. Two times ago, I had to take a second extra dose. Last week, I vomited during the chemo. We set up a plan for next time to see if we can prevent that from happening again.
I am enjoying having Chuck home so much more often. He leaves on Friday night and gets back Monday afternoon. We are trying to make a point of having a date night every week. We are also planning some small trips for now. It was difficult at first to have him home because we were so used to him being gone for such long periods of time. But we are all adjusting now and things are settling into a routine.
We are down to only 2 dogs in the house. Josh & Angie's older dog had to be put down in June. My dog, Newton, was having difficulty with so many animals in the house so I found a new home for him. I miss him but I also know he will be better off in his new home.
I guess I'm gong to try again to go to sleep. I will post again when I get the CT scan results.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
May 16, 2013
Wow! It's been a long time since I posted. April was not a good month.One of the things I have been wanting to do for about 20 years was to go to the Easter pageant at the Mesa, AZ temple. This year, it so happened that Diana and some of her kids, and Pat and some of her kids were going so I decided to go. Jessica also met me there with her girls (Cole was up north visiting his other grandparents). I decided to drive which was my first mistake. I went to Blythe on Friday, spent the night with Pat, and then went to the pageant. It was wonderful and I am so glad that I went. But it was also very hot (98)! The heat really took it's toll. But it was nice to see so much family and to spend time with them. We all went to lunch together and had quite a nice day. As I said, the pageant was beautiful and very moving. It also brought back fond memories when several of my sisters and I took our families camping at the Manti temple to see their pageant many years ago.On the way back to Blythe, I stopped with Jessica and the girls. Jason had picked Cole up from the Phoenix airport so I got to see him for a little while. I went back to Blythe, spent the night, and then went to church with the Boltons before heading home.
After my return from Mesa, my cold got worse. I have not had to skip any chemo since I began the neupogen but I was sick almost all of the time in April. I did not do much except rest and sleep. I am feeling better now. In fact, I had chemo last Wednesday and was only sick on Wednesday (the day I had it) and Saturday. But I went to Ella's soccer game on Saturday and it was very hot so I think that's why I felt so bad then.
I am now officially retired. I am looking forward to being able to go see my class. I am taking lunch to the staff at school tomorrow because they have been so helpful and supportive. I feel so blessed that when Las Flores closed I made the decision to go back to Ramona. I am so lucky to have worked with such dedicated teachers.
I have one other big announcement. Chuck found a new job. He will drive Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from here to Vegas and back each day. He will be making deliveries for Trader Joe's. There may be other days added on some weeks but just working the 3 days he will make more thatn he was making driving cross country. He got a new manager at his old job and the last two times he was supposed to be home, they got him home a week later than he had requested. Last time he had wanted to be home for the LB Grand Prix. We had flown Cole here and he was taking Cole in place of me taking Cole back East for the Williamsburg trip I had planned. Josh ended up being able to take Cole, thankfully. And Cole extended his stay with us so that he could spend some time with Grandpa. They had fun going to Boomers and doing things around the house. Cole seems to really enjoy helping Grandpa with projects around here. Anyway, it will be nice to have Chuck around more often and he really enjoys being here.
My other news is not so great. I had my CT scan and got the results. Now, my doctor reminded me that the scan was done in December and I didn't start chemo again until February so the results may be different than if I had already been on chemo. But the tumors in my liver have grown a little. Also, they are seeing some spots on my spine. So far, I have no symptoms for the spine. But those spots may lead to radiation after I finish the next 6 rounds of chemo. I will do another CT scan in July and hopefully the results will be better. Please continue to pray for my well-being.
I am skipping chemo next week for two reasons (with my doctor's blessing). I am flying to AZ for Bailey's promotion. I don't know how this happened, but she is going into high school! She will then fly home with me and stay probably until her family comes for our annual 4th of July celebration. Then, on Saturday, my dad and all my sisters will be here along with their spouses and some nieces and nephews. I am so excited to see them! We haven't all been together since my mom passed last June.
My school is having a retirement party for me on May 31. That is also Hannah's birthday. She tells everyone that her birthday is going to be special because she is sharing it with Grandma's retirement and we will get to party all day and all night. She is also excited that all of her cousins will be here. I am excited to have all 9 grandchildren here and hopefully Jessica will be able to get a great picture of all of them for me to put on my wall.
My class sent me a special poem for teacher appreciation day. It was so sweet. I have it posted on my wall to cheer me up when I need it. They have also been very sweet about texting me and calling me to check on how I am doing. When they were testing I sent in posters of encouragement.The substitute called me and put me on speaker phone and they all shouted out to me. I so appreciate their kind thoughts. I am really looking forward to seeing them again.
Well, I guess I covered everything. Hopefully it will not take me so long to post again.
After my return from Mesa, my cold got worse. I have not had to skip any chemo since I began the neupogen but I was sick almost all of the time in April. I did not do much except rest and sleep. I am feeling better now. In fact, I had chemo last Wednesday and was only sick on Wednesday (the day I had it) and Saturday. But I went to Ella's soccer game on Saturday and it was very hot so I think that's why I felt so bad then.
I am now officially retired. I am looking forward to being able to go see my class. I am taking lunch to the staff at school tomorrow because they have been so helpful and supportive. I feel so blessed that when Las Flores closed I made the decision to go back to Ramona. I am so lucky to have worked with such dedicated teachers.
I have one other big announcement. Chuck found a new job. He will drive Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from here to Vegas and back each day. He will be making deliveries for Trader Joe's. There may be other days added on some weeks but just working the 3 days he will make more thatn he was making driving cross country. He got a new manager at his old job and the last two times he was supposed to be home, they got him home a week later than he had requested. Last time he had wanted to be home for the LB Grand Prix. We had flown Cole here and he was taking Cole in place of me taking Cole back East for the Williamsburg trip I had planned. Josh ended up being able to take Cole, thankfully. And Cole extended his stay with us so that he could spend some time with Grandpa. They had fun going to Boomers and doing things around the house. Cole seems to really enjoy helping Grandpa with projects around here. Anyway, it will be nice to have Chuck around more often and he really enjoys being here.
My other news is not so great. I had my CT scan and got the results. Now, my doctor reminded me that the scan was done in December and I didn't start chemo again until February so the results may be different than if I had already been on chemo. But the tumors in my liver have grown a little. Also, they are seeing some spots on my spine. So far, I have no symptoms for the spine. But those spots may lead to radiation after I finish the next 6 rounds of chemo. I will do another CT scan in July and hopefully the results will be better. Please continue to pray for my well-being.
I am skipping chemo next week for two reasons (with my doctor's blessing). I am flying to AZ for Bailey's promotion. I don't know how this happened, but she is going into high school! She will then fly home with me and stay probably until her family comes for our annual 4th of July celebration. Then, on Saturday, my dad and all my sisters will be here along with their spouses and some nieces and nephews. I am so excited to see them! We haven't all been together since my mom passed last June.
My school is having a retirement party for me on May 31. That is also Hannah's birthday. She tells everyone that her birthday is going to be special because she is sharing it with Grandma's retirement and we will get to party all day and all night. She is also excited that all of her cousins will be here. I am excited to have all 9 grandchildren here and hopefully Jessica will be able to get a great picture of all of them for me to put on my wall.
My class sent me a special poem for teacher appreciation day. It was so sweet. I have it posted on my wall to cheer me up when I need it. They have also been very sweet about texting me and calling me to check on how I am doing. When they were testing I sent in posters of encouragement.The substitute called me and put me on speaker phone and they all shouted out to me. I so appreciate their kind thoughts. I am really looking forward to seeing them again.
Well, I guess I covered everything. Hopefully it will not take me so long to post again.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
March 17, 2013
Happy St. Patrick's Day! It has been an unusual week. First, due to scheduling problems and not being able to get chemo the week i was supposed to, I did chemo on Monday. That meant I had to do my labs that day aw well so it made for a very long day. The nice part was that Jessica and her children came to visit so Jessica and Bailey came to chemo and sat with me through a majority of the time I was there. Today I seem to have the beginning of a cold so i am taking it easy. I don't have a fever, but I don't want to take the chance of getting sick.
This round makes me a lot more nauseated, even while in the chair. Luckily the meds my doctor prescribed do help, and they help quickly. But I have to take them for more days than I ever did with the last round. I do have more energy, although the first few days I do need to sleep a lot. I am now giving myself Neuprogen injections for 3 days following chemo. This is an injection that goes to your bone marrow and helps to build white blood cells. The down side is that it causes your bones to ache (kind of like when you have the flu). So far I haven't had that side effect but I think it will be worth it if we can keep my white count up. I also do not have the neuropathy that I had with the last round. I still have some residual effects from last round but it isn't getting any worse and I can drink cold things any time.
As I said, Jessica and her children were here to visit from Monday to Thursday. We met Jennifer and her children on Wednesday at the Columbia Space Memorial in Downey and then had lunch and ice cream. It was nice to be able to spend time with them. I then went and had my pump d/c'd before coming home. Bailey, Cole, and Lindsay spent quite a bit of their time helping me with things around the house. I am still trying to get all of my scrapbook stuff organized into my room and Lindsay helped me reorganize my closet so that I had more room. I have been going through pictures and organizing them into years. It has been a loot of fun and brought back so many good memories! Now I just need to finish organizing and get busy on scrapbooks!
My sister, Diana, was here visiting my dad from St. George. We decided to invite my sisters (Linda couldn't come) and my dad for dinner on Friday night. It was a lot of fun! I don't get to see my sisters often enough and we have such a great time when we are all together. Everyone brought something for the meal and we made homemade lemonade from the lemons on my trees. I wish we could do it more often. We are hoping for all of us to get together in June again and maybe Linda and Bob will be able to make it then. My sisters are such a support to me through this journey. They are always there for me and I love and appreciate them so much (way more than I did when we were kids ;)!) My dad is doing well for 84 years old. He keeps very active and I know that helps him.
I have to say, too, that moving into this house has been a huge blessing. It is very nice to have Josh, Angie, Ella, and Hannah here but it would be very crowded in the old house. We have lots of space and everyone has room for themselves. Four dogs can be challenging but even they are fun most of the time. The dogs enjoy nightly walks with all or part of us. I am so thankful that my friend needed someone to rent her house at just the time I needed it. It has been a great blessing. The house has tons of windows so it is sunny and cheerful. Josh and I have been working on the front yard planters, weeding, planting more flowers, and just enjoying the nice weather. Josh hung bird feeders and we have had lots of birds. In the back, we have put a small gazebo on the balcony. I still need to buy furniture, but it will be a nice place to sit and read when I am up to it and want to enjoy the outdoors.
My other bit of news is that I have decided to retire. I met with a counselor about it and it will work out well. My first date of retirement is May 14. I will be out of differential pay at that point. It also means that I can go to my student's promotion which will give me and them some closure. I happened to pick up my last pay check on the day they returned from 6th grade camp. The checks weren't ready when I got there so I had to wait around. It gave me the opportunity to talk to several parents and also some of the students. They were all so sweet and supportive. It was good to see them. I just feel like I can't keep going back, be there for a few months, and then go out again. It's not in the best interest of my students and I care too much about them. They are so blessed (and so am I) that they got back the same substitute that started the class in September. She car3es deeply about them and we were able to meet before I left and talk about where I was going with the class, what still needed to be done, and any other situations that were pertinent. We have kept in touch and I know my class is in good hands and love having Ms. Perez back. I also got to become part of the elite Ramona retired teachers group. They all get together once a month and invited me to join them in March. I look forward to each month and meeting with them. When I have finished chemo, I plan to volunteer both at Ramona and at Gompers (Ella's & Hannah's school). That will keep me busy and I will still be helping students.
Again, (I can't say this enough), I appreciate everyone's thoughts, prayers, cards, and phone calls.It really does help. I have the best friends in the world and I am blessed to have all of you in my life. For those of you that I play games with, I'm sorry I sometimes don't play right away. It's usually cause I am sleeping or too tired to think but it does help to have the games to occupy my time.
This round makes me a lot more nauseated, even while in the chair. Luckily the meds my doctor prescribed do help, and they help quickly. But I have to take them for more days than I ever did with the last round. I do have more energy, although the first few days I do need to sleep a lot. I am now giving myself Neuprogen injections for 3 days following chemo. This is an injection that goes to your bone marrow and helps to build white blood cells. The down side is that it causes your bones to ache (kind of like when you have the flu). So far I haven't had that side effect but I think it will be worth it if we can keep my white count up. I also do not have the neuropathy that I had with the last round. I still have some residual effects from last round but it isn't getting any worse and I can drink cold things any time.
As I said, Jessica and her children were here to visit from Monday to Thursday. We met Jennifer and her children on Wednesday at the Columbia Space Memorial in Downey and then had lunch and ice cream. It was nice to be able to spend time with them. I then went and had my pump d/c'd before coming home. Bailey, Cole, and Lindsay spent quite a bit of their time helping me with things around the house. I am still trying to get all of my scrapbook stuff organized into my room and Lindsay helped me reorganize my closet so that I had more room. I have been going through pictures and organizing them into years. It has been a loot of fun and brought back so many good memories! Now I just need to finish organizing and get busy on scrapbooks!
My sister, Diana, was here visiting my dad from St. George. We decided to invite my sisters (Linda couldn't come) and my dad for dinner on Friday night. It was a lot of fun! I don't get to see my sisters often enough and we have such a great time when we are all together. Everyone brought something for the meal and we made homemade lemonade from the lemons on my trees. I wish we could do it more often. We are hoping for all of us to get together in June again and maybe Linda and Bob will be able to make it then. My sisters are such a support to me through this journey. They are always there for me and I love and appreciate them so much (way more than I did when we were kids ;)!) My dad is doing well for 84 years old. He keeps very active and I know that helps him.
I have to say, too, that moving into this house has been a huge blessing. It is very nice to have Josh, Angie, Ella, and Hannah here but it would be very crowded in the old house. We have lots of space and everyone has room for themselves. Four dogs can be challenging but even they are fun most of the time. The dogs enjoy nightly walks with all or part of us. I am so thankful that my friend needed someone to rent her house at just the time I needed it. It has been a great blessing. The house has tons of windows so it is sunny and cheerful. Josh and I have been working on the front yard planters, weeding, planting more flowers, and just enjoying the nice weather. Josh hung bird feeders and we have had lots of birds. In the back, we have put a small gazebo on the balcony. I still need to buy furniture, but it will be a nice place to sit and read when I am up to it and want to enjoy the outdoors.
My other bit of news is that I have decided to retire. I met with a counselor about it and it will work out well. My first date of retirement is May 14. I will be out of differential pay at that point. It also means that I can go to my student's promotion which will give me and them some closure. I happened to pick up my last pay check on the day they returned from 6th grade camp. The checks weren't ready when I got there so I had to wait around. It gave me the opportunity to talk to several parents and also some of the students. They were all so sweet and supportive. It was good to see them. I just feel like I can't keep going back, be there for a few months, and then go out again. It's not in the best interest of my students and I care too much about them. They are so blessed (and so am I) that they got back the same substitute that started the class in September. She car3es deeply about them and we were able to meet before I left and talk about where I was going with the class, what still needed to be done, and any other situations that were pertinent. We have kept in touch and I know my class is in good hands and love having Ms. Perez back. I also got to become part of the elite Ramona retired teachers group. They all get together once a month and invited me to join them in March. I look forward to each month and meeting with them. When I have finished chemo, I plan to volunteer both at Ramona and at Gompers (Ella's & Hannah's school). That will keep me busy and I will still be helping students.
Again, (I can't say this enough), I appreciate everyone's thoughts, prayers, cards, and phone calls.It really does help. I have the best friends in the world and I am blessed to have all of you in my life. For those of you that I play games with, I'm sorry I sometimes don't play right away. It's usually cause I am sleeping or too tired to think but it does help to have the games to occupy my time.
Monday, March 4, 2013
March 4, 2013
The last few weeks have been great. I did start chemo on the 20th of February. This is different medications and I wasn't sure how things would go. I was very nauseated while i was getting the meds. Because there were 2 new meds, I had to wait in between each one to make sure I didn't have any reaction. That lead to a very long time in the chair. I was nauseated the next few days and had a lot of headaches (normal side effect for one of the new meds). I slept a lot for a few days. I would sleep, get up for about 30 minutes, and go back to sleep. But since then I have not had any other side effects. I can drink cold drinks (something I couldn't do last time) and my energy level has been great. It's almost scary how well I feel! But I am not questioning it; just enjoying it.
I put in my letter of intent to retire. I found out I only get paid until May 13 (even at the lower rate) so I decided it's time to retire. I have been feeling so peaceful since I made the decision.
Because I still have so much energy, I have been able to get a lot done around the house. I have been going through all of our pictures and getting them sorted into years. It has been so fun to look at pictures of my children growing up. There are so many good memories. I found pictures of my mom and grandma and also pictures of Chuck's dad. My kids are excited to be able to go through them and have some for themselves. Today Josh and I did a lot of gardening. We weeded and planted flowers in the front yard. He hung bird feeders and it is very peaceful out there.
We are all getting adjusted to living together. It is going very well. It is nice to see granddaughters each morning. Just as Randi cheered me up before, I have two to cheer me up now. And Saturday night, we had a movie night with Jennifer and her children. It's been lots of fun.
I am looking forward to next week. Jessica and her children will be here for their spring break. And then on Friday the 15th, my sister Diana will be visiting Dad and she and Rich will bring him to see my house. Hopefully a couple other sisters will be able to join us for a family dinner.
I will go for my blood work tomorrow. As much energy as I have, I would be really surprised if I can't do chemo on Wednesday. I am hoping the side effects will be the same as 2 weeks ago but I've been warned that they may not. Whatever the outcome, I am working to keep a positive attitude and just give it all to God.
I put in my letter of intent to retire. I found out I only get paid until May 13 (even at the lower rate) so I decided it's time to retire. I have been feeling so peaceful since I made the decision.
Because I still have so much energy, I have been able to get a lot done around the house. I have been going through all of our pictures and getting them sorted into years. It has been so fun to look at pictures of my children growing up. There are so many good memories. I found pictures of my mom and grandma and also pictures of Chuck's dad. My kids are excited to be able to go through them and have some for themselves. Today Josh and I did a lot of gardening. We weeded and planted flowers in the front yard. He hung bird feeders and it is very peaceful out there.
We are all getting adjusted to living together. It is going very well. It is nice to see granddaughters each morning. Just as Randi cheered me up before, I have two to cheer me up now. And Saturday night, we had a movie night with Jennifer and her children. It's been lots of fun.
I am looking forward to next week. Jessica and her children will be here for their spring break. And then on Friday the 15th, my sister Diana will be visiting Dad and she and Rich will bring him to see my house. Hopefully a couple other sisters will be able to join us for a family dinner.
I will go for my blood work tomorrow. As much energy as I have, I would be really surprised if I can't do chemo on Wednesday. I am hoping the side effects will be the same as 2 weeks ago but I've been warned that they may not. Whatever the outcome, I am working to keep a positive attitude and just give it all to God.
Monday, February 18, 2013
February 18, 2013
Well, I did not get to start chemo last week. I had gone to the dentist the week before to get my teeth cleaned and I knew I had lost a crown. There had also been a crown the dentist had wanted to replace last year and I couldn't get it done due to the last chemo round. The x-rays showed that there was now decay under that crown. The dentist determined that I probably needed a root canal on that tooth. So when I saw the oncologist, she said I needed to have that work completed before I could start chemo. My dentist referred me to an specialist who was able to get me in the next day and complete all the work in just one day (4 hours sitting in the chair with a bite opener in my mouth). I expected the worse because I've never had a root canal before but it wasn't bad at all. I didn't even have pain after (and I hadn't had any before). So now I am ready to start chemo this Wednesday.
In the meantime, I had a great week last week. I got to see all of my grandchildren. Jennifer and her 3 met Chuck and I at the park for a few hours. We followed that up with some Coldstone ice cream. Then I went to Arizona for the weekend. Bailey had her regional spelling bee while I was there and finished 5th. The boy who won was incredible! He just rattled off the spelling of words that most adults would find difficult. Then we went on to her All-District Honor band performance. It was fantastic and I am so proud of the effort she puts into her music. She is looking forward to playing in marching band when she starts high school next year. We went out to dinner and on Sunday, my friends, Mike and Patti, drove to see us. I left Arizona and went home by way of Anza to visit Jordan, Amity, and Randi. Their new home is so cute and cozy! Randi loves having the big yard to play in. They had snow the week before I was there and are expecting more tomorrow.The view from their porch is spectacular.
When I returned home, Chuck got home for a few days. We got more accomplished around here. Hannah's and Ella's rooms are looking great. They had friends sleepover this last Saturday and had a great time. Everyone is adjusting quite well. If I go upstairs to my room and close the door, it is very quiet, even if the girls are upstairs in the family room. I am so thankful that I moved into this house! We all love the neighborhood. Probably the biggest adjustment is the 4 dogs and 1 cat. The 3 little dogs can get pretty rambunctious!
I;ve also had several friends come by to visit and I've gone out with friends for dinner a few times. I appreciate all of the cards and visits. I've also met friends from school for lunch a few times when they've been at district meetings and go out to lunch. It's nice that I am so close to school so that I can do that at the drop of a hat.It helps to keep my spirits up and I am working hard to do that.
One last item of news to share. I got a call from a surgeon at the Sunset hospital. He had looked at my scans and thinks surgery may be a possibility. Usually if there is more than 1 tumor they won't attempt surgery. But mine are clustered together so it would be possible to take a piece of the liver and get rid of all of them. There is also one (the larger one) on the other tip so he would cut that off as well. He wants me to do 4 rounds of chemo, do another CT scan and then we'll meet again to decide if he will do the surgery. If the chemo is working and the tumors shrink, he will proceed. It gave me a lot more hope and encouragement so if you are praying for me, please add that to the list!
Thanks again to all of you for your love and support. I could not be doing this without all of you!
In the meantime, I had a great week last week. I got to see all of my grandchildren. Jennifer and her 3 met Chuck and I at the park for a few hours. We followed that up with some Coldstone ice cream. Then I went to Arizona for the weekend. Bailey had her regional spelling bee while I was there and finished 5th. The boy who won was incredible! He just rattled off the spelling of words that most adults would find difficult. Then we went on to her All-District Honor band performance. It was fantastic and I am so proud of the effort she puts into her music. She is looking forward to playing in marching band when she starts high school next year. We went out to dinner and on Sunday, my friends, Mike and Patti, drove to see us. I left Arizona and went home by way of Anza to visit Jordan, Amity, and Randi. Their new home is so cute and cozy! Randi loves having the big yard to play in. They had snow the week before I was there and are expecting more tomorrow.The view from their porch is spectacular.
When I returned home, Chuck got home for a few days. We got more accomplished around here. Hannah's and Ella's rooms are looking great. They had friends sleepover this last Saturday and had a great time. Everyone is adjusting quite well. If I go upstairs to my room and close the door, it is very quiet, even if the girls are upstairs in the family room. I am so thankful that I moved into this house! We all love the neighborhood. Probably the biggest adjustment is the 4 dogs and 1 cat. The 3 little dogs can get pretty rambunctious!
I;ve also had several friends come by to visit and I've gone out with friends for dinner a few times. I appreciate all of the cards and visits. I've also met friends from school for lunch a few times when they've been at district meetings and go out to lunch. It's nice that I am so close to school so that I can do that at the drop of a hat.It helps to keep my spirits up and I am working hard to do that.
One last item of news to share. I got a call from a surgeon at the Sunset hospital. He had looked at my scans and thinks surgery may be a possibility. Usually if there is more than 1 tumor they won't attempt surgery. But mine are clustered together so it would be possible to take a piece of the liver and get rid of all of them. There is also one (the larger one) on the other tip so he would cut that off as well. He wants me to do 4 rounds of chemo, do another CT scan and then we'll meet again to decide if he will do the surgery. If the chemo is working and the tumors shrink, he will proceed. It gave me a lot more hope and encouragement so if you are praying for me, please add that to the list!
Thanks again to all of you for your love and support. I could not be doing this without all of you!
Monday, January 21, 2013
January 21, 2013
Well, I always intended to post another blog after my follow-up colonoscopy and seeing my oncologist. This just isn't what I thought I would be writing about.
My colonoscopy turned out fine. There was one small polyp that would not normally be sent out for biopsy but because of my history, it was. It turned out not to be cancer. I had a CT scan at the end of December. I was feeling great. I am starting to get back my energy and feel like my old self. I have been exercising and doing what I should be doing.
I met with my oncologist last Thursday. It seems like there are now multiple mets to my liver. Because there are multiple spots, I am not a candidate for surgery. She tried to get me in a study but I am not eligible because it came back so quickly. The liver does not react well to radiation so the only thing left is chemo. I will be on the same regiment but with a different medication. I am working until 2/1 and begin treatment on 2/13. I guess it's a good thing I didn't have my port taken out.
Josh, Angie and the girls will move in with me. Getting this 4 bedroom house is really looking like a blessing. They will use the rooms downstairs and I will keep my room upstairs unless it comes to a point where I can't manage the stairs. There is a nice, big balcony upstairs where I can go to sit outside in nice weather. Of course, that's also where I fell and broke my wrist in December (but it was raining and the tile was slippery). My family, as always, has been amazing! They are so supportive. Also, Chuck was supposed to go to Phoenix on Thursday but for some reason, when the trip came through, the pick up wasn't until Friday morning. So he got to come home on Thursday night and I was able to tell him face to face. It really wasn't something I would have wanted to tell him over the phone! Then, the delivery wasn't due until last night so he got to spend the weekend with me and we were able to get all of these plans in motion. Also, the ward I am in now is awesome! I feel like I have so much support there. I really feel like God's hand guided me getting this house. And my landlord is a coworker so she has also been very supportive of having another 4 people move in.
I am still pretty numb about the news but I just ask for all of your prayers for my strength and to guide the doctors. I am so thankful for all of you in my life and it is truly a blessing to feel your love, support, and prayers. I will be blogging again soon.
My colonoscopy turned out fine. There was one small polyp that would not normally be sent out for biopsy but because of my history, it was. It turned out not to be cancer. I had a CT scan at the end of December. I was feeling great. I am starting to get back my energy and feel like my old self. I have been exercising and doing what I should be doing.
I met with my oncologist last Thursday. It seems like there are now multiple mets to my liver. Because there are multiple spots, I am not a candidate for surgery. She tried to get me in a study but I am not eligible because it came back so quickly. The liver does not react well to radiation so the only thing left is chemo. I will be on the same regiment but with a different medication. I am working until 2/1 and begin treatment on 2/13. I guess it's a good thing I didn't have my port taken out.
Josh, Angie and the girls will move in with me. Getting this 4 bedroom house is really looking like a blessing. They will use the rooms downstairs and I will keep my room upstairs unless it comes to a point where I can't manage the stairs. There is a nice, big balcony upstairs where I can go to sit outside in nice weather. Of course, that's also where I fell and broke my wrist in December (but it was raining and the tile was slippery). My family, as always, has been amazing! They are so supportive. Also, Chuck was supposed to go to Phoenix on Thursday but for some reason, when the trip came through, the pick up wasn't until Friday morning. So he got to come home on Thursday night and I was able to tell him face to face. It really wasn't something I would have wanted to tell him over the phone! Then, the delivery wasn't due until last night so he got to spend the weekend with me and we were able to get all of these plans in motion. Also, the ward I am in now is awesome! I feel like I have so much support there. I really feel like God's hand guided me getting this house. And my landlord is a coworker so she has also been very supportive of having another 4 people move in.
I am still pretty numb about the news but I just ask for all of your prayers for my strength and to guide the doctors. I am so thankful for all of you in my life and it is truly a blessing to feel your love, support, and prayers. I will be blogging again soon.
Monday, November 12, 2012
November 12, 2012
Well, I am back to work. It was great to see all of my students. So many of last year's 5th graders came up to me to welcome me back. As the word got out that I had returned, students who had moved on to middle school also came back to see me and welcome me. Last Thursday night was our parent meeting about camp. Many of my parents from last year were there and were also very welcoming. And of course, the staff was amazing. It feels good to be back at work although I was grateful for the 3 day weekend this week.
I have done well with both the move and being back to work. I realize that I am tired out much more easily so I try to remember not to push myself. I have gone to bed early each night and do very little once I get home from work. On the weekends,
Last weekend, Pat and Ray came to go to their grandchildren's games. Ric also came with his kids. I spent my Saturday going to games. Ella happened to be playing near my Dad's so I picked him up to go watch Ella's game. After taking him home, I went to see Alisa play softball and then to Robert's football playoff. I ended my afternoon by going to Hannah's soccer game. When all the games were done, we all met up for pizza. The grandkids (both mine and Pat's) had a great time together. It is always so fun to spend time with any of my family.
This weekend, I got to see Ella score her first goal for this season. The best part was that her team won the game, 1-0. They will be going to playoffs on December 1. Hannah also had a game.The pee wees are always fun to watch. They just love playi8ng and really don't care about the score.
My house is coming along. I have not touched the scrapbooking boxes at all and don't plan to for a while. But my room is completely put together and the kitchen is done except for finishing up the desk. My legs are getting used to the stairs and I am remembering to take everything either up or down with me so that I don't have to make a lot of extra trips. The neighbors are very nice. At first, only Einstein would go up or down the stairs in the house. It took Newton about 4 days to figure it out. Neither dog would use the stairs from the balcony to the yard. Newton mastered those first and I had to take Einstein up and down a few times before he would go alone. That has made it easier because before I had to put them on their leashes and take them out the driveway to the yard. They seem to be adjusting well to the new surroundings.
I have done well with both the move and being back to work. I realize that I am tired out much more easily so I try to remember not to push myself. I have gone to bed early each night and do very little once I get home from work. On the weekends,
Last weekend, Pat and Ray came to go to their grandchildren's games. Ric also came with his kids. I spent my Saturday going to games. Ella happened to be playing near my Dad's so I picked him up to go watch Ella's game. After taking him home, I went to see Alisa play softball and then to Robert's football playoff. I ended my afternoon by going to Hannah's soccer game. When all the games were done, we all met up for pizza. The grandkids (both mine and Pat's) had a great time together. It is always so fun to spend time with any of my family.
This weekend, I got to see Ella score her first goal for this season. The best part was that her team won the game, 1-0. They will be going to playoffs on December 1. Hannah also had a game.The pee wees are always fun to watch. They just love playi8ng and really don't care about the score.
My house is coming along. I have not touched the scrapbooking boxes at all and don't plan to for a while. But my room is completely put together and the kitchen is done except for finishing up the desk. My legs are getting used to the stairs and I am remembering to take everything either up or down with me so that I don't have to make a lot of extra trips. The neighbors are very nice. At first, only Einstein would go up or down the stairs in the house. It took Newton about 4 days to figure it out. Neither dog would use the stairs from the balcony to the yard. Newton mastered those first and I had to take Einstein up and down a few times before he would go alone. That has made it easier because before I had to put them on their leashes and take them out the driveway to the yard. They seem to be adjusting well to the new surroundings.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)