Just one more to go!

Just got back from chemo and as usual it was long and icky. I already feel a little queasy and promptly ate a lemon as soon as I walked in the door. Gonna be a rough patch for a few days now. Hope it goes by quickly.

So I have 3 weeks until my next and LAST treatment. Then a couple weeks after that, I'll get scanned again to see if I can be through or if I need more treatment. I'll say it right now, if he suggests I continue chemo I'm gonna need a straightjacket - because that will absolutely send me over the edge!!!!

But I am trusting in God to show me my path and I know he will protect me on my journey whatever it may be.

I'm attaching a picture for your enjoyment. Rachel Rose drew it - it's me and her and Penny, the dog! Don't you like my scarf!!

By the way, we are looking for a home for our other dog, Cisco. He and Penny together are just too much for me to handle. I'll attach his picture, too. Please feel free to pass his photos around along with my email, young1710@comcast.net

Thanks so much! Hope everyone is enjoying this lovely fall weather!

Plugging along . . .

Good news - my CA125 cancer marker is down. It is now 34.5 which is technically in the normal range! It has been as low as 6, so I don't think I'll feel totally reassured until it gets lower. But for now, it's something to celebrate. I wish I could say I felt great, but not so much. I cannot STAND chemo!!! My last treatment was Thursday and I was nauseous the whole time I was getting infused. I'm beginning to think it's a psychological thing because the minute I enter the the building, the wave hits. I can't even stand to watch the same shows that I normally watch during treatment. I used to enjoy "The Doctors" while I was in the chair. But now, even on normal days when I'm home, if I happen to see it while I'm channel surfing, a nausea wave hits. Even the bag I carry on chemo days has to be hidden away or it triggers me. I will be SO GLAD when I never have to have chemo EVER AGAIN!

This last treatment was number 8, but technically it was 4th in the 6-round series. I only have 2 more to go, which would seem like nothing. But uuuggghhhh, I can't think about it right now! I had the chemo on Thursday and Friday was okay in the afternoon, then in the evening the ickies hit. I had to have a Neulasta shot to keep my white counts from dropping and it has given me horrible leg aches. I'm still dealing with those. So Saturday and Sunday were spent writhing on the couch trying to get comfortable, making a mess in the kitchen trying to find foods that tasted normal, and popping pills to try and stay asleep. Thankfully, Mom and Jan took the girls for me and they actually got to enjoy the long weekend. Monday wasn't much better, but Tuesday things started looking up. Finally, today I am able to eat in small portions and not gag, and more importantly, drink something. It has been horrible to be so thirsty, but not able to taste anything good. Water with lemon is about all I can swallow. Unbelievably, though, I'm gaining weight! Something about chemo makes you blow up!! Bleh!!

Sorry for all the whining. It's just hard to stay positive at this point in the process. Chemo has a cumulative effect, so by now I'm pretty much hitting rock bottom. Even good days are dampened by the impending doom of the next treatment. I'm going to try to stay in the moment and appreciate the good stuff, not think about the bad. I need some mental endurance - cancer is more than the physical.

But I do want to continue saying thanks to everyone who is helping me out and is offering to help! I hate to think where I would be without my supporters!!