I apologize for the delay in posting this blog. Between Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, more shopping on Saturday and most of us having colds...we're just a little bit lacking in energy. Melanie got her fourth treatment the day before Thanksgiving. Rebekah got to go with her and has provided the text below. Melanie got her white blood cell booster shot on Thanksgiving day and has been a little sickly since her treatment, but over all, we think she is doing good.
I went with Melanie to her chemo on Wednesday (26th). I'd really wanted to go with her, and finally I was able to because I was off school this week. I got to meet Dr. K. He asked Mel how she was feeling, she said she thinks she's getting used to the whole routine.
After meeting with the doctor, we went into the chemo room. We sat in the back corner, which Mel said she likes because it's not as busy and noisy, which I can totally understand. It was pretty crowded that day because of all the people who wouldn't be able to receive treatment the next day (Thanksgiving, of course).
They gave her all her pre-meds, which took about an hour or so. Mel slept through a lot of that. After that the nurse came over to give her the two chemo drugs by syringe through her port - one of which was aptly nicknamed "the red devil." After that she got the rest of her chemo through the IV bags, and slept through most of it.
When she woke up her last IV was almost finished. We talked and ate some snacks, and then I went down to the cafeteria to get her a sub. When I came back she was all done with her treatment, and we just had to wait to schedule her next appointments. The whole thing took about 3 and a half hours, so this was her shortest treatment.
I was really impressed with how nice everyone was. Sometimes you have to deal with unnecessarily mean, negative people at things like this. But all the people we came across were really kind and helpful and optimistic. Mel's white blood cell count was really good, too! She said it's the best it's been since this whole thing started. I think this is a sign of more good things to come. My sister is definitely one of the strongest people I've ever known, and I'm glad I got to go with her to one of her treatments finally. It takes a lot of courage and bravery to do all these treatments and tests and everything, and there are things that go along with it that I didn't even realize. I'm really proud of her for that.
Four down, eight to go!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A Great Week!
Other than Melanie being sick for about 4 days after chemo, it has been a great week! Terry and Jeff's wedding took place on Saturday. Catie was an adorable Flower Girl and Jake was a handsome Ring Bearer. Our Denver family and Charles was here. We had a great time being together and Melanie felt well enough to attend some of the reception.
Melanie went in for a blood check today and her white blood count was high - whoo hoo! Probably part of the reason she has been feeling good these last few days. Even the nurses commented on how good she looked and that she must be feeling better. That Neulasta shot last week worked really well. (It's a white count booster that lasts for 14 days.) While she hurt some, it was nothing compared to the Neupogen shots she was getting every other day for a week. She said she would take that shot again. Achy bones like the flu is better than your bones feeling like they are going to explode.
Her red blood count was low again, but that is a shot of Aranesp in her port and doesn't cause bone pain. Her platelets were a little low too. But over all, she is feeling good. So good in fact, that she went outside today without her head wrap on. She completely forgot she wasn't wearing it. Her neighbor saw her and asked what happened to her hair. Embarrassed, she immediately put her hand over her head trying to cover it. But she had no tears and was able to laugh about it. It was good to hear her laughing.
Today also marks this journey as 1/4 of the way over. But who's counting....WE ARE! If all continues to go well, come Christmas, Melanie will be at the half way point.
You know God is so good. He supplies all our needs, even when you don't know what they are - He provides.
Psalms 118:1 - Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever.
Melanie went in for a blood check today and her white blood count was high - whoo hoo! Probably part of the reason she has been feeling good these last few days. Even the nurses commented on how good she looked and that she must be feeling better. That Neulasta shot last week worked really well. (It's a white count booster that lasts for 14 days.) While she hurt some, it was nothing compared to the Neupogen shots she was getting every other day for a week. She said she would take that shot again. Achy bones like the flu is better than your bones feeling like they are going to explode.
Her red blood count was low again, but that is a shot of Aranesp in her port and doesn't cause bone pain. Her platelets were a little low too. But over all, she is feeling good. So good in fact, that she went outside today without her head wrap on. She completely forgot she wasn't wearing it. Her neighbor saw her and asked what happened to her hair. Embarrassed, she immediately put her hand over her head trying to cover it. But she had no tears and was able to laugh about it. It was good to hear her laughing.
Today also marks this journey as 1/4 of the way over. But who's counting....WE ARE! If all continues to go well, come Christmas, Melanie will be at the half way point.
You know God is so good. He supplies all our needs, even when you don't know what they are - He provides.
Psalms 118:1 - Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Quality time
Yesterday I spent the day with Melanie at the oncology clinic while she had her 3rd chemo treatment.
She came over to our house around 8:15. The day didn't start out good, as she was very sick when she got there. We took Tyler to Sharon's mom's house and then left from there to go to the Oncologist. The big concern was if her blood cells were still too low for chemo that day. We got to the oncology office about 9:30. After signing in she was taken to a room for her blood pressure check. A woman was there who had just finished having hers checked; she asked Melanie if she had lost her hair and so Mel told her she had. This nice lady, who had long, wavy hair past her shoulders, had lost all of hers because of chemo and she reassured Melanie that it would all grow back prettier than it was before. Hers had. Reassurance and compassion from people we had never met never ceases to amaze me, and it's one of the many little things that lift us up when we really need it.
After a visit with Dr. K at 10, we went back to the chemo room to get started on the rest of the day. I'd been in this room a couple of times prior, but they were short visits with only a couple of people (counting the staff) in there; today was much different as it was very full, very busy. They drew blood (from her port) to test her red and white blood cells. Her white cells were still low, but thankfully not enough to postpone treatment. She began her saline drip and premeds around 10:30. The chemo medicine didn't begin until about 11:30. There were 4 chemo's administered, 3 of them through the IV. At 12:30 she was administered the "Red Devil", a very large syringe that slowly injected a red-colored medicine into her through her port. This was called a "push" not an injection.
I went down to the cafeteria around noon and got Mel a turkey sandwich. She ate it all...after having munched on Ritz crackers and peanuts all morning. She was eating a lot of food and what a happy sight that was to see, as she hadn't been eating at all to speak of. She drank a lot of water, she slept a lot. Around 2:00, they came around with sandwiches and Mel ate another one. She doesn't remember that too well. Under any circumstances, this is what we would call a truly good day for her. Eating and sleeping are as important as anything else right now for her to go through this.
3:00, she still had a bag and 1/2 to go...boy these drips are slow. Around 4:30 her last chemo medicine was finished.
Today, she got a shot to get her white blood cells up. This is the one that lasts for 14 days (so she'll only have to get one) and will cause the intense pain in her bones; if you can, please say a special prayer that this won't be like the last one.
Spending a day in a large room with about 24 people getting chemotherapy treatment is a very sobering - and moving- experience. I'd brought my sketch book with thoughts of drawing some creative thoughts I had the past few days. Sharon usually brings a book to read. Other than jotting down some thoughts and occasional 30-second sketch, I did nothing other than doze, think, and chat with Mel when she was awake. It's very hard to focus on anything in there. It reminded me a little bit of the NICU.
It's not depressing in there or anything like that. Actually, I felt that there's a feeling of optimism and hope in this room, not the gloom and despair one might think. I felt that it mirrors our feelings to a degree. We don't feel the gloom or despair either. What we do feel is Melanie's pain and wish every day that we could take some of that on ourselves and away from her. We also believe the Lord will heal Melanie, that this Hodgkin's will be cured through the means He has given, the medicine and care that I saw today. He has given us the blessing of our families and also our friends, some of whom we never knew we had. These are the good things, for which we will always be grateful. More than once Mel thanked me for spending the day with her...I reminded her of our week hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Today was a "quality" day in it's own way too, and there was nowhere else I wanted to be but there with her.
She came over to our house around 8:15. The day didn't start out good, as she was very sick when she got there. We took Tyler to Sharon's mom's house and then left from there to go to the Oncologist. The big concern was if her blood cells were still too low for chemo that day. We got to the oncology office about 9:30. After signing in she was taken to a room for her blood pressure check. A woman was there who had just finished having hers checked; she asked Melanie if she had lost her hair and so Mel told her she had. This nice lady, who had long, wavy hair past her shoulders, had lost all of hers because of chemo and she reassured Melanie that it would all grow back prettier than it was before. Hers had. Reassurance and compassion from people we had never met never ceases to amaze me, and it's one of the many little things that lift us up when we really need it.
After a visit with Dr. K at 10, we went back to the chemo room to get started on the rest of the day. I'd been in this room a couple of times prior, but they were short visits with only a couple of people (counting the staff) in there; today was much different as it was very full, very busy. They drew blood (from her port) to test her red and white blood cells. Her white cells were still low, but thankfully not enough to postpone treatment. She began her saline drip and premeds around 10:30. The chemo medicine didn't begin until about 11:30. There were 4 chemo's administered, 3 of them through the IV. At 12:30 she was administered the "Red Devil", a very large syringe that slowly injected a red-colored medicine into her through her port. This was called a "push" not an injection.
I went down to the cafeteria around noon and got Mel a turkey sandwich. She ate it all...after having munched on Ritz crackers and peanuts all morning. She was eating a lot of food and what a happy sight that was to see, as she hadn't been eating at all to speak of. She drank a lot of water, she slept a lot. Around 2:00, they came around with sandwiches and Mel ate another one. She doesn't remember that too well. Under any circumstances, this is what we would call a truly good day for her. Eating and sleeping are as important as anything else right now for her to go through this.
3:00, she still had a bag and 1/2 to go...boy these drips are slow. Around 4:30 her last chemo medicine was finished.
Today, she got a shot to get her white blood cells up. This is the one that lasts for 14 days (so she'll only have to get one) and will cause the intense pain in her bones; if you can, please say a special prayer that this won't be like the last one.
Spending a day in a large room with about 24 people getting chemotherapy treatment is a very sobering - and moving- experience. I'd brought my sketch book with thoughts of drawing some creative thoughts I had the past few days. Sharon usually brings a book to read. Other than jotting down some thoughts and occasional 30-second sketch, I did nothing other than doze, think, and chat with Mel when she was awake. It's very hard to focus on anything in there. It reminded me a little bit of the NICU.
It's not depressing in there or anything like that. Actually, I felt that there's a feeling of optimism and hope in this room, not the gloom and despair one might think. I felt that it mirrors our feelings to a degree. We don't feel the gloom or despair either. What we do feel is Melanie's pain and wish every day that we could take some of that on ourselves and away from her. We also believe the Lord will heal Melanie, that this Hodgkin's will be cured through the means He has given, the medicine and care that I saw today. He has given us the blessing of our families and also our friends, some of whom we never knew we had. These are the good things, for which we will always be grateful. More than once Mel thanked me for spending the day with her...I reminded her of our week hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Today was a "quality" day in it's own way too, and there was nowhere else I wanted to be but there with her.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Footprints
We've completed another cycle. I say 'we' because Melanie is not doing this alone. Her family and friends are with her every step of the way. And if you think of the Footprints picture, you'll know the Lord is there carrying her through.
Tomorrow, if her blood counts are back up, Melanie will get her 3rd chemo treatment. These "off" weeks are turning out to be harder than the chemo. Last Wednesday she got a white cell booster shot, another one on Thursday, another one on Saturday, and another one yesterday. Just as the pain starts to subside, she gets another shot and it starts all over again. Lets pray the shots have done their job and her counts are up. The key to a successful outcome is to have continuous chemo treatments. A week delay, could set her back. And she's fighting too hard to have setbacks! We only want to do this once, not that we want to do it at all!
Another thing to pray about is the headaches. Pray they go away or they figure out why she has them. It seems to be always there, then spike periodically.
Our Church, Bay Pines Lutheran, is hosting a Benefit Brunch on November 23rd (after church) for Melanie, Jennifer (my friend who is still in ICU and making very slow progress, but its progress) and Aaron (not Melanie's Husband) who was in a car accident the day after Melanie was diagnosed and spent (I think) 6 weeks in the hospital, 5 of them in ICU. All three family's have high medical expenses and our church hopes to help defray some of those costs. All donations are being match at a 3 to 1 rate by Thrivent Lutheran Financial.
“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints in your heart.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Tomorrow, if her blood counts are back up, Melanie will get her 3rd chemo treatment. These "off" weeks are turning out to be harder than the chemo. Last Wednesday she got a white cell booster shot, another one on Thursday, another one on Saturday, and another one yesterday. Just as the pain starts to subside, she gets another shot and it starts all over again. Lets pray the shots have done their job and her counts are up. The key to a successful outcome is to have continuous chemo treatments. A week delay, could set her back. And she's fighting too hard to have setbacks! We only want to do this once, not that we want to do it at all!
Another thing to pray about is the headaches. Pray they go away or they figure out why she has them. It seems to be always there, then spike periodically.
Our Church, Bay Pines Lutheran, is hosting a Benefit Brunch on November 23rd (after church) for Melanie, Jennifer (my friend who is still in ICU and making very slow progress, but its progress) and Aaron (not Melanie's Husband) who was in a car accident the day after Melanie was diagnosed and spent (I think) 6 weeks in the hospital, 5 of them in ICU. All three family's have high medical expenses and our church hopes to help defray some of those costs. All donations are being match at a 3 to 1 rate by Thrivent Lutheran Financial.
“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints in your heart.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Blood Checkup
First, I'll start off by saying Monday was a really good day for Melanie. Her mouth sores were gone (PTL!) and she felt good (double PTL!). Things started declining on Tuesday. She was a little sickly in the morning and by early afternoon, she was very sick. Nothing would stay down. She called Nanny to come help her with the boys. Mom stayed with her until I got there at 5:30 to bring her and the kids to our house.
Today, I took her in for her blood work. I'm glad I went, she didn't get good news. White and red blood counts were low, very low and because she was dehydrated and felt nauseated, they decided to give her a "Happy Meal" along with the white and red boosters. The "Happy Meal" consists of anti-nausea, steroids, zantx, and 1 IV liter of fluids....so 3 hours later, we were leaving.
She has 3 more shots of Neupogen to get before next Monday in hopes of raising her white count high enough for chemo on Wednesday (12th). Thankfully, she only has to get one shot a week of Aranesp, to boost her red blood cells. Low red blood cells is called anemia and in Melanie's case - Chemotherapy-related anemia. Both shots will stimulate blood cells in her bone marrow...it'll be a painful few days. If her red count had been any lower, they would have given her a blood transfusion. Now THAT thought has never occurred to either of us.
As a preventive measure, they prescribed an antibiotic for her to take for 5 days...added protection against illnesses. Please be mindful of her condition and keep those yucky germs away!
We love you all, and thank you so much for your prayers. She's only been getting chemo treatments for a month, but it seems like A LOT LONGER. We hope this next month is a lot better.
Romans 12:12 - Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Today, I took her in for her blood work. I'm glad I went, she didn't get good news. White and red blood counts were low, very low and because she was dehydrated and felt nauseated, they decided to give her a "Happy Meal" along with the white and red boosters. The "Happy Meal" consists of anti-nausea, steroids, zantx, and 1 IV liter of fluids....so 3 hours later, we were leaving.
She has 3 more shots of Neupogen to get before next Monday in hopes of raising her white count high enough for chemo on Wednesday (12th). Thankfully, she only has to get one shot a week of Aranesp, to boost her red blood cells. Low red blood cells is called anemia and in Melanie's case - Chemotherapy-related anemia. Both shots will stimulate blood cells in her bone marrow...it'll be a painful few days. If her red count had been any lower, they would have given her a blood transfusion. Now THAT thought has never occurred to either of us.
As a preventive measure, they prescribed an antibiotic for her to take for 5 days...added protection against illnesses. Please be mindful of her condition and keep those yucky germs away!
We love you all, and thank you so much for your prayers. She's only been getting chemo treatments for a month, but it seems like A LOT LONGER. We hope this next month is a lot better.
Romans 12:12 - Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
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