Day 30-Day 40 / May 4, 2017-May 14, 2017

UPDATED PRAYER REQUESTS

• That this ugly cancer is SHRINKING and going away
  
• That my counts are up when I go to chemo on Tuesday
  
• That I stay well so my chemo stays on schedule

I am so behind on posting, I am going to try and catch up in a really long blog post.

Day 30 – May 4, 2017 

I woke up that morning somewhere in the 7 o’clock hour, took my medicine, fell back to sleep, and then woke up around noon.  My friend Gretchen was my mama sitter that day. The Thursday after chemo I sleep A LOT!  I think I ate some potatoes and fell back to sleep.  I know she and I chatted a little, but I think I mostly slept.  Before she left that evening, I was starting to move around a little more.  I did get this picture of us before she left.

My mama sitter, Gretchen

Thursday evening, Keith went to see a new movie that just came out with his friend.  I will add here, we have lots of couple friends. A lot of our friends, we are friends with both the husband and wife. Just like Gretchen, that was my mama sitter during the day on Thursday.  She and her husband have walked the journey of when we lost Kate, to the birth of E, and now my unexpected cancer journey with us.  The friend that Keith was going to the movie with, again we are all friends, and they too walked the same journeys that Gretchen and her husband have walked with us.

We are so grateful for all the friends God has placed in our lives over the years.  I have said this before on here, they say it takes a village to raise a child…well, I think it also takes a village to walk through a cancer journey…and I am so thankful for our village…the prayer warriors that are praying for me, the mama sitters that each take a day out of the week to come sit with me, the friends that help with E and those that are on call to help out at a moment’s notice, the friend that has helped out another friend with her son so she can help me…the people sending cards in the mail….and the list goes on and on and on….

Anyway, I digress…Alesha sent Keith a text and told him she would come over and stay with me and get E to bed if he wanted to go to the movies.  So, Alesha and her family stopped by, Keith came in from work, Gretchen left, the guys left and Alesha’s boys went with them, and that just left us girls at the house.  E had so much fun playing with C.  I think I dozed on and off but Alesha and I chatted some during the evening too. Again, Wednesday evening through Thursday evening I sleep ALOT.

My Mama Sitter, Alesha

Day 31 – May 5, 2017

May 5, 2017 marked ONE MONTH since I had been diagnosed.  It was a busy Friday.

My mama sitter for this day was my friend, Susan.  She and I have known each other for a number of years!  We actually even worked together at my church for a while too….we had a lot of fun working together.

They had decided that we would try my fluids on Friday this time rather than Monday to see if it helped me feel better over the weekend.  This was only my second round of chemo, so my second round of fluids, but both times that I have gone in for fluids I have also seen my oncologist.  I was excited when she told me that she feels like this UGLY tumor is SHRINKING.  I thought I was going to have my sonogram after the second round of the chemo I am currently taking but I think it is going to be more toward the end of this month.  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE continue praying that this just continues shrinking more and more. After my appointment with my doctor, I went back to the waiting area Susan was in and we headed to the infusion lab (chemo room) to get my fluids.  I believe this took a couple of hours.  I actually fell asleep while I was getting the fluids. They usually give me some nausea meds while I am in for fluids too.  Susan told me after they gave me one of them, I fell asleep.  Thank goodness that she had her phone with her so she had something to do since I was sleeping and not talking.

After we left there, we stopped by Chick Fil A, so I could have a salad and then headed home.  I fell asleep again at some point after we got back to my house.  I woke up I believe when Keith got home.

My Mama Sitter, Susan

I had ask the PA when she walked through the infusion lab if I could possibly go to the school carnival that night since they had said my counts were up that day.  She said that would be ok…so Friday evening we headed to the carnival.  This was one of my first times to wear my wig out in public where there were quite a few people that knew me.  E was excited that I got to go.  If you have kiddos in school, you know how it seems that there is something going on every week in May until school is out!

Day 32 – May 6, 2017

E had asked if she could go watch her friend play soccer.  If you recall, I have mentioned before that I want to try and keep as much normalcy as possible for her.  Keith was going to take her, and I decided to try and go with them.  I knew it was warm outside so I decided I would just wear a scarf rather than my wig (with E’s permission because she has told me she wanted me to wear my wig when we were at school activities. Even though this was not a school activity, some of her school friends play on this team.)  Keith took a big umbrella for me to sit under, and I took water!  It was HOT.  I quickly realized how fast the heat can drain me.  We had fun though watching her little friend and then ran an errand afterwards.  Once we were home I took a nap!  That evening I started not feeling well.

Day 33 – May 7, 2017

Sunday morning I woke up and realized I was still not feeling well.  Keith volunteers on the tech team and runs lights at our church. It was his Sunday to run lights.  I told E that we would try and go even though it was the Sunday after chemo, and it would probably be best for me to stay away from large crowds I thought maybe we would go.  We ended up staying home though and watched part of the service online.  I felt bad all day Sunday. The feeling bad brought on fear.  I cried…I cried I think because I felt bad but also it was a reminder that I am sick and then fear tries to start taking over.

Day 34 – May 8, 2017

It was the Monday after chemo.  I called my doctor’s office and left the nurse a message.  They ended up calling in meds to see if that would help me feel better.  So far it has helped.  I worked on Monday for a while too.  Keith and I also went for a short walk that morning before he left for work.  The doctor and/or PA have told me that walking is good…and the more I move, the more energy I will build back up.

Day 35 – May 9, 2017

I got up and walked with my neighbor and friend, Stephanie.  I worked some and then my friend Lexie stopped by.  We got to visit for a little while.

Day 36 – May 10, 2017

Wednesday was a lot like Tuesday.  I got up and walked with Stephanie again.  This time I was able to walk even more.   I worked some on Wednesday too. I am glad that both my oncologists said to continue working because I do think it keeps my mind busy.

Day 37 – May 11, 2017

I worked again on Thursday.  I was hoping my “halo” wig would be in on this day because I really needed it to attempt to go on E’s field trip on the 12th.  I called and we set up an appointment for me to go in and hopefully it would be there…the only thing, the appointment time they had was way too close to school dismissal time.  My friend, Stephanie told me she would help me with pick up, so I took the appointment.  When Amy Jane found out I was going and planning on just going by myself, she asked our friend Heidi to help out with school pick up for her and she went with me.  Thankfully, the “halo” wig was in!!

If you are wondering what in the world is a “halo” wig, it is kinda like a wig except there is no hair on top.  You wear with a cap or hat.  I am really excited about this because I think it will be a lot cooler than my wig for the hot summer days! Here is a picture of it the day I picked it up.

Day 38 – May 12, 2017

Friday was E’s field trip!  We have known about this field trip since before I was diagnosed.  I had already filled out the form to be a chaperone when she first brought it home.  Once I was diagnosed and had to send it back in, I had taken my name off as a chaperone. I decided if I felt like going when May 12th rolled around, I would just tag along with the group that E was in.

My friend Stephanie had already told me I could ride in the van with her and several other moms.  As much fun as that would have been, I was a little nervous that I might not be able to keep up with everyone if it was really hot that day.  I ended up talking Keith into going.  So he and I drove down and knew if I needed to leave we could.  It ended up be an absolutely beautiful day!  One friend texted me on Saturday and said the Lord knew the kind of day I needed to make it. 🙂  We had a great time, and I was able to stay the whole time too.  I did take a nap Friday afternoon but told Keith I just wanted to have a normal day.  We went to dinner that night and ran an errand afterwards.  It really was a good day!

Day 40 – May 14, 2017

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone!  We had a very relaxing day.   We went to church, had lunch, and spent time at home  My friend Delores came over Sunday evening for a while and we had a great visit!  I am now beginning to gear up for chemo week.  Chemo is Tuesday.

I know this has been a very long “recap” of the past 10 days.  I am sure I have missed details that I had planned on blogging about.  I have got to figure out a better way to keep the posts current so I do not miss some of the details I want to share. My friend, Amy Jane and I have briefly talked about a way to keep me from getting so behind on chemo week….so we may try it this week…I may let her post for me those few days that I sleep a lot and am really tired.

Thank you for walking this journey with us,
Amanda

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:29-31