Just 3 more to go!

I went with Melanie to her chemo on Wednesday. We got off to a late start; Tyler was sleeping in the back seat and we forgot to drop him off, so we had to go back.

She had her labs; they showed a low white blood cell count, so she will have to have a shot tomorrow. Her pre-meds started at 9:30, then the first chemo medicine. She got the red devil booster after the first bag, around 11. There was a problem with the 3^rd bag. It leaked chemo meds all over the monitor and floor when the nurse tried to hook it up, so she had to get a new IV pole, regulator, and bag of chemo drugs. Got that last bag going, finally, about 12:30. I managed to stay out of the way of all that; chemo drugs will burn the skin if it gets on it.

Mel had befriended one of the patients there; she was getting her chemo next to us. She and Mel were having a nice chat, a real nice lady. After she left, Mel told me that this lady has terminal colon cancer. She’s opted to continue the chemo treatments anyway; very sad. Like before, I brought along my sketchbook to sketch out some ideas for a small project I want to do. Like before, I was unable to focus enough to do anything at all. Wearing an immobilizer on my right arm and shoulder doesn’t help either, but it wasn’t that.

The chemo finished about 2:30, seemed to go much faster than the last time I went in spite of the late start. Melanie has just 3 more to go. She would like nothing better than to not have to do even one of them, but Dr. K is adamant about having them. Each chemo adds another safeguard to remission, and Melanie is aware of that. But like before, the chemo combined with the white cell shot has made her sick and hurting the rest of the week. We always say a prayer that each treatment won’t have these bad side effects that she’s been suffering with.

We continue to be thankful that she is in remission, that in spite of the pain and sickness, a happy ending is in sight. It has been a long, rough road; there are still a few bumps ahead, but we take comfort knowing that everything will be good soon.

REMISSION

Melanie had her 7th chemo treatment yesterday. As always, she sees the doctor first, then goes to the chemo room. We were anxiously waiting for the doctor to give us the results of her PET scan. He comes in and sits down and starts talking about how nice it was to meet Aaron, how was the holidays, how's everything going, etc. Melanie tells him about her itchy palms and feet...a side effect to one of the chemo drugs....she can try an antihistamine. She tells him about how it feels like she can't take a deep breath...another side effect to one of the chemo drugs...he wants her to do a pulmonary test to see if there is a decrease in her lung capacity. He also said its time to get another ECHO done...one of the chemo drugs can cause heart problems. Then he tells her to sit on the table so he can examine her. I finally ask "do you have the results of Melanie's PET scan?" He said, he didn't know, they usually put that in the folder, and he didn't see it... so he'd have to go check. He checked the chart one more time, and found the report...

Finally after waiting the whole doctor's visit...we hear the news our hearts have been waiting to hear (already believing it to be so)...Melanie's in remission. He said this was very good news. The earlier you go into remission, the greater the chance of the cancer NOT reoccurring. What joy! She still has to finish her chemo treatments, but she only has to have a total of 12 treatments instead of 16...so she has 5 left.

The actual chemo treatment went well, we were out in about 3 hours, which I think is a record. It was also very crowed in there...I finally saw another young person getting chemo. Usually the patients are 30-40 years older than Melanie. It's really sad to see a room that holds about 50 "recliners" filled with cancer patients, with their loved one sitting next to them.

I am very thankful that Melanie is in remission...although I was beginning to think it was bad news when the doctor started talking about everything else but her results.

Our God is an AWESOME God!

Update: Jennifer is finally home after spending about 2 1/2 months in the hospital. She has a lot of rehab to do, but everything has pretty much healed....she just has to get it back in working order.

Prayer needed: As most of you know, almost 2 weeks ago, Jim fell while jogging and fractured his right shoulder in 2 places, which also tore his rotator cuff and another muscle. He had to have surgery. He's in pain, can't go to work, can't drive, hates being in the house all day, and has to be in an sling that pretty much keeps his arm in one place. He starts physical therapy in about 2 weeks, while it will be a good thing, it will also be a painful. To answer the number one question on how it happened... No, he did not have a seizure. He has not had any signs of symptoms of a seizure since before the (brain) surgery...and may begin the process of reducing those meds as soon as next week.

No News is Good News

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas. We all did. It was filled with lots of blessings. It all started with Aaron FINALLY making it home.....after his truck broken down, he left it at a coworkers house and got on a bus. It took him a day longer to get here, but he made it safe and sound. He got here on the 13th and will have to leave on the 1st. But it has been nice for Melanie and the kids to have him home.

Aaron went with Melanie to her Chemo treatment on Christmas Eve which went well AFTER they got her port working. For a while there, Melanie thought they were going to have to use her veins to draw blood and give here chemo....but she sent out a text message prayer request and we all started praying that it would work. About 30 minutes later, it did!!...after the nurse had her do everything except stand on her head...it started working for no apparent reason. The nurse said she didn't think it was a blockage, just something "weird". I call it an answer to prayer and a reminder that all we have to do is ask.

The oncology center had a very nice surprise for Melanie and Aaron. They had adopted their family for Christmas. There were bicycles for Catie and Jake and 3 Christmas bags FULL or presents for them. It was overwhelming and all Melanie could do was cry. There were a few other people that adopted them too by sending cash and gift cards. The love of God's children really shined for ALL of us this Christmas and reminded us that the true spirit of Christmas isn't in the material items we receive, but in the many unselfish acts of love, kindness, and hospitality of strangers, friends and family.

Melanie opted to wait a week to get her white blood cell shot, since she would have had to go in on Christmas Day between 8 and 10 AM to get it. This means, she when she goes in on Wednesday for her blood check, they will give her the shot in a series of 3 or 4 (2 days apart)...if you remember, this is the one that really causes her a lot of pain. But she said it would be worth it to be able to spend Christmas morning with her family and to be able to attend the Christmas Day service at church. I'm praying that her white blood cell count is high enough that she won't need the shots this time.

Matthew 7:7-8 - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds: and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.