Hello Friends -
Sorry for the long gap between posts. I'm alive, but very busy enjoying life ... abundantly!
To get you up-to-date, I've now had three "lovely" dates with Mr. Chemo.
The first date went as normal as getting toxic, cancer-busting chemicals pumped through your body can be these days. However, the after chemo side effects were a little bit different than first time around. This time, by the next day, I had a horrible taste in my mouth. The foods I love had no taste or flavor at all. I switched to a bland diet of toast, English muffins, scrambled eggs, & soup. Great for losing weight!!! And again, my legs not only had the excruciating pain between my knees and my ankles, but I had a type of restless leg syndrome. Sleep was hard to come by and I felt like a zombie!
On top of all that, I was planning & packing to travel to my company's home office in Birmingham, Alabama for 2 weeks to train for a new account. My flight was scheduled to depart on Sunday afternoon. Thankfully, food was tasting better by then and my Mom made a big dinner before I left. After de-icing the plane, we flew to Chicago O'Hare where I would connect to my next flight. I should have had an hour and 20 minutes to not only switch gates, but terminals. Plus I was hoping to grab something to eat and use the restroom. Unfortunately, when we arrived, our gate wasn't ready, so we sat on an auxiliary runway for about 35 minutes. Well, there goes my dinner break. I got off the plane, pointed myself in the right direction and walked as fast as I humanly could go with wobbly legs and carrying a bag that was probably a good 30 pounds on my shoulder. I made it to my second flight with about 10 minutes to spare. Huffing & puffing!!!
Sunday night, between a new place and the restless leg thing, I slept horribly. I was wide awake at 3am checking my phone for a link between chemo and restless leg syndrome and were there any quick remedies. The craziest remedy I saw was to place a bar of soap between my feet. Really??? I didn't try that, but I did try prayer and listening to music and that seemed to help. The next morning, I got up and had a wonderful breakfast of eggs & bacon. Then it was off to the office with my co-workers. However, my body decided that it wanted to purge everything in my system. So over the morning, I think I spent more time in the bathroom than at my desk. By noon, I felt so much better. And from then on, it was like night and day. Work was busy with a lot of overtime, but eating in the hotel restaurant most nights and by myself was quite boring, too.
At the end of the 2 weeks, was our company's annual meeting in Atlanta. Over the 2 weeks, I could tell my hair was slowly beginning to get thinner & thinner. I was just praying that I wouldn't need my hats until I got home. Thankfully, I got through all my training and the meeting with no major hair loss. Of course, I was home for a day, and poof it started to go. But I praise the Lord that it stayed in my head while I was away!!! During the meeting, I was shocked to learn that I was the #8 government producer for 2015!!! Yeah me!!!!
The new account I work on is super busy, but I'm so thankful for the job. The company has even allowed me to work while I'm getting my chemo which is a super blessing.
My 2nd date with Mr. Chemo went much better. My CA125 number went down and miracle of miracles, my platelet number went up a little bit. Answered prayer, I say!!! And the side effects weren't quite so bad due to a little change. Although I still had the bad taste in my mouth and we brought back the bland diet, it seems that my addition of doing calf stretches throughout each day kept the little men who liked to set off explosions on my legs away!!! And it also relieved me of the restless leg symptoms, too!!! WooHoo!!!!!!!!
March 1 was my 3rd date with Mr. Chemo!!! 3 down -- 3 to go!!! Again, my CA125 number was down, however, my platelet count was also down, too. We'll have to pray hard that the platelet number doesn't get too low. If it's too low, they postpone treatment and we don't want to go any longer than absolutely necessary!!! Start praying now my prayer warriors!!!!!!
Here are some pictures from my first 2 dates ~~
Date #1:
Date #2:
I've been thinking about my one word for 2016. In fact, I knew it back in January, but then, life got crazy and busy and crazy busy. My one word for 2016 is SOAR. When I think about soaring, I think of the majestic bald eagle soaring high above the trees in the pristine wilderness of Alaska. According to baldeagleinfo.com, "to help them soar, eagles use thermals, which are rising currents of warm air and updrafts generated by terrain, such as valley edges or mountain slopes. Soaring is accomplished with very little wing-flapping, enabling them to conserve energy."
The verse that I am clinging to this year is Isaiah 40:13, "but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." And Meredith Andrews has a wonderful song called "Soar" which is has this one line in it which just hits me, "Your name is greater than anything I've faced." Did you hear that??? Anything!!! God is greater than anything I have faced, am facing, or will face!
So where are you? Soaring with the eagles or scratching around on the ground? It's time we wait on the Lord, renew our strength and SOAR!
Prayer Warrior assignments:
* CT scan & doctor appointment - March 16. Pray that the scan will show that the nasty little fluid-filled cyst on my liver will be gone or significantly reduced in size and that I'll have another good doctor's report.
* Blood work on March 21. Pray that the platelet number is up or at the same level as chemo #3 & the CA125 number is down.
* Next date with Mr. Chemo - March 22. Pray that the side effects will not be too bad.
* And please pray for my friends who are also dealing with cancer: Ray B., Milt W., Ed S., Corinne A. (who is extremely critical), and Kathy B.
Only by His strength,
Sandy
Sorry for the long gap between posts. I'm alive, but very busy enjoying life ... abundantly!
To get you up-to-date, I've now had three "lovely" dates with Mr. Chemo.
The first date went as normal as getting toxic, cancer-busting chemicals pumped through your body can be these days. However, the after chemo side effects were a little bit different than first time around. This time, by the next day, I had a horrible taste in my mouth. The foods I love had no taste or flavor at all. I switched to a bland diet of toast, English muffins, scrambled eggs, & soup. Great for losing weight!!! And again, my legs not only had the excruciating pain between my knees and my ankles, but I had a type of restless leg syndrome. Sleep was hard to come by and I felt like a zombie!
On top of all that, I was planning & packing to travel to my company's home office in Birmingham, Alabama for 2 weeks to train for a new account. My flight was scheduled to depart on Sunday afternoon. Thankfully, food was tasting better by then and my Mom made a big dinner before I left. After de-icing the plane, we flew to Chicago O'Hare where I would connect to my next flight. I should have had an hour and 20 minutes to not only switch gates, but terminals. Plus I was hoping to grab something to eat and use the restroom. Unfortunately, when we arrived, our gate wasn't ready, so we sat on an auxiliary runway for about 35 minutes. Well, there goes my dinner break. I got off the plane, pointed myself in the right direction and walked as fast as I humanly could go with wobbly legs and carrying a bag that was probably a good 30 pounds on my shoulder. I made it to my second flight with about 10 minutes to spare. Huffing & puffing!!!
Sunday night, between a new place and the restless leg thing, I slept horribly. I was wide awake at 3am checking my phone for a link between chemo and restless leg syndrome and were there any quick remedies. The craziest remedy I saw was to place a bar of soap between my feet. Really??? I didn't try that, but I did try prayer and listening to music and that seemed to help. The next morning, I got up and had a wonderful breakfast of eggs & bacon. Then it was off to the office with my co-workers. However, my body decided that it wanted to purge everything in my system. So over the morning, I think I spent more time in the bathroom than at my desk. By noon, I felt so much better. And from then on, it was like night and day. Work was busy with a lot of overtime, but eating in the hotel restaurant most nights and by myself was quite boring, too.
At the end of the 2 weeks, was our company's annual meeting in Atlanta. Over the 2 weeks, I could tell my hair was slowly beginning to get thinner & thinner. I was just praying that I wouldn't need my hats until I got home. Thankfully, I got through all my training and the meeting with no major hair loss. Of course, I was home for a day, and poof it started to go. But I praise the Lord that it stayed in my head while I was away!!! During the meeting, I was shocked to learn that I was the #8 government producer for 2015!!! Yeah me!!!!
The new account I work on is super busy, but I'm so thankful for the job. The company has even allowed me to work while I'm getting my chemo which is a super blessing.
My 2nd date with Mr. Chemo went much better. My CA125 number went down and miracle of miracles, my platelet number went up a little bit. Answered prayer, I say!!! And the side effects weren't quite so bad due to a little change. Although I still had the bad taste in my mouth and we brought back the bland diet, it seems that my addition of doing calf stretches throughout each day kept the little men who liked to set off explosions on my legs away!!! And it also relieved me of the restless leg symptoms, too!!! WooHoo!!!!!!!!
March 1 was my 3rd date with Mr. Chemo!!! 3 down -- 3 to go!!! Again, my CA125 number was down, however, my platelet count was also down, too. We'll have to pray hard that the platelet number doesn't get too low. If it's too low, they postpone treatment and we don't want to go any longer than absolutely necessary!!! Start praying now my prayer warriors!!!!!!
Here are some pictures from my first 2 dates ~~
Date #1:
Date #2:
 |
| This is Karl - My Chemomeleon |
I've been thinking about my one word for 2016. In fact, I knew it back in January, but then, life got crazy and busy and crazy busy. My one word for 2016 is SOAR. When I think about soaring, I think of the majestic bald eagle soaring high above the trees in the pristine wilderness of Alaska. According to baldeagleinfo.com, "to help them soar, eagles use thermals, which are rising currents of warm air and updrafts generated by terrain, such as valley edges or mountain slopes. Soaring is accomplished with very little wing-flapping, enabling them to conserve energy."
In the same way, your prayers, good thoughts, hugs, cards, and encouragement are my thermals. They keep me from crashing to the ground and feeling sorry for myself. And some days ....
So where are you? Soaring with the eagles or scratching around on the ground? It's time we wait on the Lord, renew our strength and SOAR!
Prayer Warrior assignments:
* CT scan & doctor appointment - March 16. Pray that the scan will show that the nasty little fluid-filled cyst on my liver will be gone or significantly reduced in size and that I'll have another good doctor's report.
* Blood work on March 21. Pray that the platelet number is up or at the same level as chemo #3 & the CA125 number is down.
* Next date with Mr. Chemo - March 22. Pray that the side effects will not be too bad.
* And please pray for my friends who are also dealing with cancer: Ray B., Milt W., Ed S., Corinne A. (who is extremely critical), and Kathy B.
Only by His strength,
Sandy
