June 26th & 27th At CTCA

Wow the 3 weeks go by fast! Seems I get to feeling really good and its time to go back for another does of chemo. This is why it is so important that I have quality of life. With the radiation and the first dose of chemo I had no quality. The talk I had with my doctor really helped me understand why I need to go through all that. When we visited with her Monday she told us that my blood cancer indicator markers have dropped significantly. That is why I had to go through all the difficult doses and pain. So as I prepare for my next visit I pray that the markers continue to drop. My next visit is Jul 18-20. This visit I will be having a CT scan and a PT scan. I'm excited to hear and see the results for myself. One thing about this hospital is that if you need to be more involved you can be. I have been in the doctors tiny office that reads these scans and it is amazing!!! He reads these all day long. Not sure I could do that. Anyway, the day after the scans I will see the doctor and she may possibly raise my dose of chemo and give me the zomada along with the chemo. That combination is what made me so sick the first time. So I am very leery of this. My doctor says that she will be able to tell if my body is ready for the higher dose so I have to trust that she will do what is necessary. I will be doing this until the first of October. Then I get a chemo vacation for up to 3 months. That will be so nice!! Today I am feeling like I was hit by a truck. I know it is all the poisons they put in me and that it will quickly go away. Usually on the 4th day after chemo I get really achy, blotted, weak, and just miserable. That lasts for 2 days. It will take about 2 more days after that to get back to normal. I try to push harder and some days it works some days it doesn't. I'm not one for sitting around....seems I have to be doing something productive. I thank all of you for all the prayers and thoughts that come my way. I feel every one of them and know that God is my healer! He is an awesome God!!! Love to all.

June 6, 2011 Trip To CTCA

I really need to get everyone updated with my treatments. As the third day came, after my first new chemo treatment, I got the sickest I have ever been. My muscles where sore and so weak I couldn't walk. Robbin had to get me food and water and do everything for me. Being the independent person that I am, this was so hard to do. But after 5 days, yes 5 days of not being able to walk, I got some energy to get up and do a few things. Robbin has been so good to do everything that needs done and he just keeps going. We made another trip on the 5th of June and I was determined to let the doctors know how much I had suffered with the dose of chemo they gave me. My oncology doctor felt bad but also told me that we have to find a dose that will work. This is the best chemo I can get and she wants me to stay on it. She did lower the dose by 20%. So I had another dose on the 6th but this time she did not give me the zometa. This drug gives me bad muscle aches and with the combination, I'm sure that's why I couldn't walk. I have felt better this time and only have a few muscle aches and weakness. My appetite is not good but I am thinking it will get better soon too. My hope is that I can take this chemo every three weeks with the zometa ever 6-9 weeks. The doctor wants this schedule for 6 months. Then I can have a chemo vacation!! That sounds good!! Just in time for Patti and Rob's wedding in the Dominican Republic. Thanks once again for all the prayers and support!