Monday, September 3, 2012

Labor Day

Happy Labor Day,

Thank God for a day off, right?  I'm sure I'm not the only one who needed this extra day!  We had a wonderful weekend at the lake again.  The weather was perfect and it was a good end to summer!  We headed up Friday evening after Chemo and came home this morning.  Justin played with friends in the water and sand and Ryan just hung out and was an awesome baby like usual.  I was able to get a nap in on Saturday and go to bed early both Saturday and Sunday night.  We all usually sleep better up there, probably due to the abundance of fresh air, but I really slept good this time around....Without the assistance of my Ativan.  This is a first since June!

Chemo was somewhat uneventful on Friday.  They ran my blood work and discovered my Hemoglobin is a little low.  It was not low enough on Friday to require a transfusion, but they know it is coasting in that direction so we are prepared for a blood transfusion this Friday:(  I'm nervous and scared.  I know people donate all the time for exactly this purpose, which makes me feel great, but it is just another scary first for me that I really never thought I would ever have to go through!  Other than that, the chemo itself was uneventful.  The drugs took another 2 hours and the blood work about a 1/2 hour.  I always quiz my nurse to see from start to finish what time we are looking at being done.  I just can not relax and I think this helps to get me through, but then when it takes longer or we get held up, I get a little annoyed.  Just once, they should give me a completion time a little longer out so they aren't on my bad side when I leave there!

I have already prepared for this Friday.  I guess with a transfusion they do the chemo first (2 1/2 hours) and then the transfusion (4 hours!)  YIKES!  I am in for a long day on Friday!!   To speed this up, even if it is just a 1/2 hour going forward, I will start to do my blood work the day before.  The cancer center is by my work, so I can get there over lunch to give blood if that means the following day I don't have to sit for a 1/2 hour to an hour waiting for my blood results.  The problem is, they can't start anything until they get my blood results back, so it is literally just sitting around waiting.  I don't have time for this and if it means less time there, I am willing to do this!

I'm feeling pretty good, I am wiped out, but this fatigue is a little different than what I experienced with the first set of drugs.  I actually feel worse when I just wake up in the morning or from a nap and then gradually feel better.  They did warn me about "under-doing it", which I do not think I even come close to this with 2 kids and a full time job, but they did say that sometimes you feel worse if you nap, but I need my naps!  And again, I think their idea of under doing it has to be a lot less than what I manage to fit in during a given day. Tomorrow will be the test when I return to work.  If I feel better without squeezing in a nap, I guess I will admit that I "under did it" this weekend!  Other than that, I still have an appetite, I can taste, my fingers and toes have not become numb and I have not had any return of heart burn.  These are all the nasty side effects of this drug and so far, I have not experienced any besides 1-2 days of heart burn.  So I have a lot to be thankful for!

Please keep up the prayers this week!  I would love it if my Hemoglobin bounced back, but I do not think that will happen being hit with chemo weekly and I have come to terms with it.  Just pray the drug is working and doing what it needs to and that my little body can keep up!  And of course for my family!  They are my rock!

Love,

Amber

2 comments:

  1. I, like Rose Ann, have never wanted time to pass so quickly for you, as I do this year. Each week is a little step closer, a little more shrinkage, a little less cancer, a few more positive thoughts, a few more prayers, and a few more hugs sent your way. Take those naps, enjoy those weekends, breath in that fresh air. It's all going to help you through this. Always thinking of you and wishing for good news every Friday! Love, Tam

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  2. So glad you had a relaxing weekend with your family. We are praying continually for you that you continue with the strength in your body and mind. You are doing an amazing job of fighting this and can't wait for it to be over for all of you. We love you all so much. Sam and Myrl

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