September 12, 2012
Today I have my first, extensive visit with Dr. Melnyk, then my chemo class.
My appointment is at 1:30. Class at 3:00.
They said we will break away from my appointment so I can go to my class, then we'll finish up when it is over.
Looks like it is going to be a long afternoon!!
But one thing I know for sure,
Everything is going to be OK!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Fun Weekend and the Fair is in Town
September 8, 2012
It's Saturday and we have things to do!
Yes life goes on so we had to go have the inspection done on Frank's truck and a few other necessary errands that have to be done each month. We also decided to go to the fair hoping it wouldn't be too crowded earlier in the day. We had a great time. Mattie had entered two items this year, a necklace (fourth place) and a play-doh model of an ice cream truck (fifth place) and of course we had to have Aggie fries. We got to visit with a lot of people that we haven't seen in a while and just walk around.
We really didn't want any other "fair food" so when we left we went to Abuelos's for a great dinner. Then back home for a relaxing evening at home.
Katie spent the day with us and we had a great time.
We stayed up way too late watching a movie then off to bed. Church in the morning.
September 9, 2012
Church was great! I am loving this series Phil is doing on "The Story". If you haven't read the Bible as much as you should (just like me!) this is a great book. It is the Bible, only in chronological order. If you would like to hear his sermons, please go to the Southern Hills web site. Go to the "resources" tab and find the sermons. It is a great series and awesome to listen too even if you don't have The Story to follow along with.
Lunch was at Fazoli's with lots of friends and family from church. Not my favorite place to eat, but the fellowship make up for that!!! We had a great time.
Then of course it was Sunday afternoon nap day!! Football started this week and I sleep while Frank watches his most favorite sport ever!
We picked Mattie up from her dad's at 6:00 and since she hadn't been to the fair yet, we took her out to ride some rides, eat some food and check out her entries to see if they won (we never tell her!). She loves the rides and she gets really tickled when adults get sick on them and she doesn't. She wasn't disappointed tonight!!! LOL "Lolo! Did you see that guy barf?!?!" We had a great time and got home way to late for a school night, but this was the only night we would be able to go as a family.
So even with lack of sleep, as we start the week, we know that...
Everything is going to be OK!
Until next time, God bless.
It's Saturday and we have things to do!
Yes life goes on so we had to go have the inspection done on Frank's truck and a few other necessary errands that have to be done each month. We also decided to go to the fair hoping it wouldn't be too crowded earlier in the day. We had a great time. Mattie had entered two items this year, a necklace (fourth place) and a play-doh model of an ice cream truck (fifth place) and of course we had to have Aggie fries. We got to visit with a lot of people that we haven't seen in a while and just walk around.
We really didn't want any other "fair food" so when we left we went to Abuelos's for a great dinner. Then back home for a relaxing evening at home.
Katie spent the day with us and we had a great time.
We stayed up way too late watching a movie then off to bed. Church in the morning.
September 9, 2012
Church was great! I am loving this series Phil is doing on "The Story". If you haven't read the Bible as much as you should (just like me!) this is a great book. It is the Bible, only in chronological order. If you would like to hear his sermons, please go to the Southern Hills web site. Go to the "resources" tab and find the sermons. It is a great series and awesome to listen too even if you don't have The Story to follow along with.
Lunch was at Fazoli's with lots of friends and family from church. Not my favorite place to eat, but the fellowship make up for that!!! We had a great time.
Then of course it was Sunday afternoon nap day!! Football started this week and I sleep while Frank watches his most favorite sport ever!
We picked Mattie up from her dad's at 6:00 and since she hadn't been to the fair yet, we took her out to ride some rides, eat some food and check out her entries to see if they won (we never tell her!). She loves the rides and she gets really tickled when adults get sick on them and she doesn't. She wasn't disappointed tonight!!! LOL "Lolo! Did you see that guy barf?!?!" We had a great time and got home way to late for a school night, but this was the only night we would be able to go as a family.
So even with lack of sleep, as we start the week, we know that...
Everything is going to be OK!
Until next time, God bless.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Surgery Number Two - Medi-Port Insertion
September 7, 2012
All the antibacterial showers have been taken and now on to the surgery. So glad I've had my hair cut differently since the last surgery so even without makeup, my hair still looks cute!
We get to the hospital. My dad is waiting on us. I get signed in and pretty soon my mom gets there. I am not nearly as anxious about this surgery as I was the first. I think because it isn't my first surgery.
When I hear my name, I look up and see it is Meagan. YAY! Sweet young lady that went to high school with Katie. She is my nurse today! How exciting!!! I KNOW she has a great sense of humor and she can go head to head with Frank. Love her.
Again, because I am still of child bearing age, I had to have a pregnancy test. It doesn't matter that Frank has taken care of that, I could still be pregnant. Oh the joyous thoughts of not only having a baby when I have a six year old grand child, but having cancer and being pregnant?! Thank you Lord for not allowing that to happen! After this chemo, it might not be an issue. Dr. Melnyk said the chemo could throw me into menopause! It would be nice to get that out of the way!!
The anesthetist comes in to tell me what to expect, just as he did last time. He tells me I will not be as heavily sedated as I was last time. He asked me if I had ever had a colonoscopy, which I have. He then tells me that I will be sedated like I was during that. OH NO WAY!!!! I think I have a bit of a panic attack. Frank said my face turned white as a sheet! The problem was, they told me I would probably sleep during the colonoscopy but I didn't, I watched the entire thing on the monitor they had mounted in the room. That was so totally not like me. I could have even driven myself home after! So you see why the bit of panic. I did not want to be awake during this procedure. I barely made it through the biopsy!!! I wanted to be under! He assured me that I would be completely under during this procedure. Frank winked at me and told me I could this, so I settled down a bit.
Dr. Yost came in soon after that and explained the procedure a little bit more. Another surprise! We thought the port would be put on my clavicle. Dr. Yost said he decided to put it in my arm. I just looked at Frank and he took over. (It is so nice having someone that can just look at you and know you need help). He and Dr. Yost discussed the placement and what Dr. Melnyk had said. Dr. Yost was just concerned about the port being so close to my lungs and the still there incisions from the mastectomy. Frank's biggest concern was he was talking about a PICC line and that is something I absolutely did not want. Dr. Yost explained that it was definitely a port and not a PICC line, so we moved forward.
The surgery went well, but my arm is very sore. The incision is right in the bend of my left arm which is still sore and healing from the removal of the lymph node. The bruising is terrible, which they said it would be. This too shall heal, just another hurdle I have to get over. I can't really bend my arm, at all!! So most of the rest of the day I sit with it propped up on pillows and wiggle my fingers to keep some circulation going.
The other new thing is blood thinners. I have to take blood thinners to keep from getting clots. Oh joy! I have to take a pill three times a week at the same time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Thank goodness for technology! I have my alarm set so I don't forget! I am sure that I will have more weekly and daily meds to be taking soon, so this will be good "training" for me!
And as I look forward to what is in my future, I must remind myself, God is in total control and
Everything will be OK!
Until next time, God bless.
All the antibacterial showers have been taken and now on to the surgery. So glad I've had my hair cut differently since the last surgery so even without makeup, my hair still looks cute!
We get to the hospital. My dad is waiting on us. I get signed in and pretty soon my mom gets there. I am not nearly as anxious about this surgery as I was the first. I think because it isn't my first surgery.
When I hear my name, I look up and see it is Meagan. YAY! Sweet young lady that went to high school with Katie. She is my nurse today! How exciting!!! I KNOW she has a great sense of humor and she can go head to head with Frank. Love her.
Again, because I am still of child bearing age, I had to have a pregnancy test. It doesn't matter that Frank has taken care of that, I could still be pregnant. Oh the joyous thoughts of not only having a baby when I have a six year old grand child, but having cancer and being pregnant?! Thank you Lord for not allowing that to happen! After this chemo, it might not be an issue. Dr. Melnyk said the chemo could throw me into menopause! It would be nice to get that out of the way!!
The anesthetist comes in to tell me what to expect, just as he did last time. He tells me I will not be as heavily sedated as I was last time. He asked me if I had ever had a colonoscopy, which I have. He then tells me that I will be sedated like I was during that. OH NO WAY!!!! I think I have a bit of a panic attack. Frank said my face turned white as a sheet! The problem was, they told me I would probably sleep during the colonoscopy but I didn't, I watched the entire thing on the monitor they had mounted in the room. That was so totally not like me. I could have even driven myself home after! So you see why the bit of panic. I did not want to be awake during this procedure. I barely made it through the biopsy!!! I wanted to be under! He assured me that I would be completely under during this procedure. Frank winked at me and told me I could this, so I settled down a bit.
Dr. Yost came in soon after that and explained the procedure a little bit more. Another surprise! We thought the port would be put on my clavicle. Dr. Yost said he decided to put it in my arm. I just looked at Frank and he took over. (It is so nice having someone that can just look at you and know you need help). He and Dr. Yost discussed the placement and what Dr. Melnyk had said. Dr. Yost was just concerned about the port being so close to my lungs and the still there incisions from the mastectomy. Frank's biggest concern was he was talking about a PICC line and that is something I absolutely did not want. Dr. Yost explained that it was definitely a port and not a PICC line, so we moved forward.
The surgery went well, but my arm is very sore. The incision is right in the bend of my left arm which is still sore and healing from the removal of the lymph node. The bruising is terrible, which they said it would be. This too shall heal, just another hurdle I have to get over. I can't really bend my arm, at all!! So most of the rest of the day I sit with it propped up on pillows and wiggle my fingers to keep some circulation going.
The other new thing is blood thinners. I have to take blood thinners to keep from getting clots. Oh joy! I have to take a pill three times a week at the same time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Thank goodness for technology! I have my alarm set so I don't forget! I am sure that I will have more weekly and daily meds to be taking soon, so this will be good "training" for me!
And as I look forward to what is in my future, I must remind myself, God is in total control and
Everything will be OK!
Until next time, God bless.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
The Third Leg of the Journey Begins With the Story of a Weed
September 4, 2012
So the third leg of the journey is about to begin.
I had my first visit with Dr. Melnyk this morning. I think I really like him.
He started our visit with the story of a weed.
When a weed grows in your garden, you want it gone. So you pull it. Will the weed come back? It all depends. Did you get all the roots? Did the weed drop any seeds before it was pulled? We don't know. What do we do to make sure the weed doesn't come back? Well we certainly don't give it any fertilizer! We cover it with weed killer and include the surrounding soil to prevent it from spreading.
So...what does gardening and pulling weeds have to do with your cancer you ask. EVERYTHING!
Cancer is a weed that grows in our body and we want it gone. The first thing we do is pull the weed, mastectomy. Then we look for is the fertilizer and in my case, with breast cancer, that fertilizer would be estrogen and progesterone. It was neither one of these. He is not sure what is feeding my cancer. So now we have to kill any seeds or remaining roots with weed killer or chemotherapy.
Again, not exactly what I was wanting to hear, but this is the journey God has me on.
The cancer I have is a type 3, pretty aggressive and not very nice. So I will be getting chemo that is even stronger than the cancer. I think he said TAC. (I have my notebook started with questions to ask before we start treatment so I will be getting clarification on that.) He said that this chemo will have every side affect there is; sores in the mouth, nausea, hair loss! I will have to have six rounds of this chemo.
This Friday, I will be going in for day surgery to have my medi-port inserted. Not real thrilled about that either, but better that as being stuck for everything!!!
I will have my first round of chemo in about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks.
September 6, 2012
Last night, we talked with Mattie about me having to have chemo. It was pretty easy. We told her how the doctors want me to get better and get all of this cancer out of my body, but to do that, they will have to give me medicine that will make me sick. We talked about how it's funny that I will have to get sicker before I get better. I showed her where they will be putting the medi-port and why they have to do that. She really understood that part! She is about as big a fan of needles as her Lolo is!!!
Tonight and in the morning I get to take that wonderful antibacterial shower and then the day surgery at 8:45. Katie will again be keeping everyone posted with text and FB updates. You will hear from me again as soon as I can.
As you remember me in your prayers, also remember, this is God's journey for me and, yes...
It is all going to be OK!
Until next time, God bless!!!
So the third leg of the journey is about to begin.
I had my first visit with Dr. Melnyk this morning. I think I really like him.
He started our visit with the story of a weed.
When a weed grows in your garden, you want it gone. So you pull it. Will the weed come back? It all depends. Did you get all the roots? Did the weed drop any seeds before it was pulled? We don't know. What do we do to make sure the weed doesn't come back? Well we certainly don't give it any fertilizer! We cover it with weed killer and include the surrounding soil to prevent it from spreading.
So...what does gardening and pulling weeds have to do with your cancer you ask. EVERYTHING!
Cancer is a weed that grows in our body and we want it gone. The first thing we do is pull the weed, mastectomy. Then we look for is the fertilizer and in my case, with breast cancer, that fertilizer would be estrogen and progesterone. It was neither one of these. He is not sure what is feeding my cancer. So now we have to kill any seeds or remaining roots with weed killer or chemotherapy.
Again, not exactly what I was wanting to hear, but this is the journey God has me on.
The cancer I have is a type 3, pretty aggressive and not very nice. So I will be getting chemo that is even stronger than the cancer. I think he said TAC. (I have my notebook started with questions to ask before we start treatment so I will be getting clarification on that.) He said that this chemo will have every side affect there is; sores in the mouth, nausea, hair loss! I will have to have six rounds of this chemo.
This Friday, I will be going in for day surgery to have my medi-port inserted. Not real thrilled about that either, but better that as being stuck for everything!!!
I will have my first round of chemo in about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks.
September 6, 2012
Last night, we talked with Mattie about me having to have chemo. It was pretty easy. We told her how the doctors want me to get better and get all of this cancer out of my body, but to do that, they will have to give me medicine that will make me sick. We talked about how it's funny that I will have to get sicker before I get better. I showed her where they will be putting the medi-port and why they have to do that. She really understood that part! She is about as big a fan of needles as her Lolo is!!!
Tonight and in the morning I get to take that wonderful antibacterial shower and then the day surgery at 8:45. Katie will again be keeping everyone posted with text and FB updates. You will hear from me again as soon as I can.
As you remember me in your prayers, also remember, this is God's journey for me and, yes...
It is all going to be OK!
Until next time, God bless!!!