Checking in

I don't really have a particular theme to this post, but since it's been awhile since my last entry, I'm just going to do a bunch of randoms.

This past Thursday was my 3rd treatment which means I'm halfway done! On treatments that is. Never far from my mind is the fact that when the treatments are over I have a gigantic surgery which will take forever to heal from and then the same kind of surgery after that with a few more minor surgeries. Is that scarier than the treatments? I don't know. The treatments aren't too bad; I just sit there while poison courses through my veins, but it doesn't feel like anything to be honest. What I dread way more is the 'booster shot' I get the following day which is designed to prompt my bone marrow to rapidly produce white blood cells. The shot is pretty painful, at least to a baby with needles like me, and I liken it to the sting of 1,000 hornets (a Teague-ism). This trip for my booster shot included Miss Presley since the nurse has been asking to see her. I told her that I was the only one that was allowed to be whiny and fussy at this clinic and she obliged. Such a good baby :)

My sweet friends, Ronni & Nicole, took Dylan and Presley for the day and I am so appreciative! They were headed to Thursday morning Women's anyway, so Ronni just picked the kids up and dropped them in the nursery as I would have done. Afterward, they got to have a playdate at Gage's house until I was finished. I got good reports on their behavior and feel so blessed to have such wonderful women in my life as I go through this time-consuming ordeal. I love you Ladies!

Luckily the day after treatments (Fridays) are pretty low-key for me...just getting Maddox to & from school & laundry. I feel pretty successful if I can get food in my kids also. I'd say the medication makes me really tired, but I'm not sure if it's the anti-nausea drugs I'm prescribed or if the poison is still doing stuff in there. Even though by Sunday I stop taking the nausea medication (so I can drive to church), I'm still pretty spacey and incredibly wiped out. My precious Hubby showed his support by lounging around this weekend as well.......watching football. The sacrifices he makes for me :)

I feel led to say that I'm still incredibly humbled by the show of support from everyone around me. Not a week goes by that I don't receive a heartfelt card in the mail (thank you Donna!), an anonymous gift, countless Facebook check-ins, and so many prayers being said for me. I thank you all and can't express enough how much it means to have you all on my side and for you to know that God is hearing everything and making it so. I had never prayed not to have cancer, but everything I've asked for since has been answered. Who can argue with that??? Yesterday's sermon at my church was about missions. The definition of missionary work was made very simple and very clear to me as I listened: it is telling others what Jesus has done for you. You've been reading my blog.....have I been doing my job? If not, please call me as I'm more than happy to shout it from the rooftops!

Next step: Treatment #4 on Thursday, Feb 8th w/ a booster shot (yuk!!!) the next day

Specific prayers: my potassium is low and I'm anemic. I think the potassium is under control for the most part, but the anemia scares me. I've always been borderline during pregnancy so I've always taken an iron supplement. At Treatment #2 the doc told me to take 2 iron pills per day. Before this last treatment it seems that the problem hasn't resolved itself and the next step would be a transfusion. That doesn't sound good. Not just the fact that I don't want whatever that would entail, but I wouldn't want it to delay my treatments. So if you could please pray that my iron levels are up and that my treatment plan won't deem radiation necessary, I would appreciate it.

ps...side note: the tumor that kick started this whole thing was the size of a large walnut.....now it's the size of a Skittle and barely even detectable. While that is amazing for me, it makes me nag you ladies out there to keep up your monthly checks!!!! If I can't feel mine, would you be able to feel one yourself? Please keep yourselves healthy!

Have a wonderful day :)