Dirty Dozen Completed

(I have finished my chemotherapy treatment!)

It is done! Twelve chemotherapy infusions and twelve millstone/pump detachments have been completed. Pictures of my ringing the bell are below, but first I want to share a bit about this week.

I have been so blessed to have many MANY people praying for me, cheering me on and supporting me. The excitement of my friends for the end of my treatment has exceeded my own, if I’m being honest. Excited is not the word I would use to describe my feelings about this week. There was some apprehension (did this course of treatment work?), some anticipation (no mo’ chemo!), and a LOT of relief. My infusion days have been interesting the past few rounds, so the relief that those are behind me is palpable.

On Monday I tried to get the infusion chair in the corner by the window when my sweet nurse firmly insisted that I sit on the other side of the room so the nurses could keep a close eye on me. After my blood pressure bottomed out at the end of my last treatment, the nurses wanted to make sure I was within eyeshot of them the entire time. The nurse also told me that the moment I started feeling bad, she would stop my chemo medicine and switch to iv fluids only, then start the chemo again. It didn’t take long for me to feel queasy and sick, so she paused the meds, gave me fluids and I perked back up and chemo restarted.

Then the strangest thing happened. I started to shiver and thought I was cold, so I asked for an extra blanket. The shivering would not ease, though, and my teeth began to chatter uncontrollably. The nurses quickly checked my vitals (all were normal) and talked to the doctors about how to proceed. I was given several different meds to stave off my reaction to the infusion, which calmed my shaking and put me to sleep pretty quickly. According to my nurse, this was not a side effect but a reaction to the drug. Thankfully, it happened at the end of my treatment instead of at the beginning, or I would not have been able to continue on that prescribed course of treatment. Once my body settled down, the nurses slowed my infusion rate (instead of two hours, it would be four) to avoid further complications. By the time I left the cancer center, I had been in the infusion room for over seven hours!! I felt groggy from my meds all day and slept ten hours uninterrupted that night.

Twelve infusions were complete on Monday, but I still had my pump attached for 48 hours, so yesterday we returned to the cancer center for pump removal, iv hydration, and to ring the bell. Though I would say I hadn’t felt excitement about ringing the bell, I was so HAPPY to do it. Nathan was there cheering me on, and it was so precious to see my sweet nurses leave their stations to support me when I rang the bell.

(I have a video but can’t get it to load— maybe I’ll have a separate post about it later)

Praises:

• Chemotherapy treatment is OVER!!!

• My CT Scan is scheduled, as is my post-scan appointment with the oncologist. Both will be the last week in July, which means we can go on vacation without those appointments hanging over our heads. It also means we should have definitive news about the efficacy of my chemotherapy treatment by the end of the month.

Prayer Requests:

• CT Scan and doctor’s appointment: July 28 and 30

• Pray for there to be no evidence of disease when all of the test results come in!

• We have planned a trip in early August to our favorite beach spot. Pray that it will be a time of rest, recovery and sweet family ‘togetherness’ before the fall semester starts.

• We have no idea what life looks like on the other side of cancer treatments, and how to adjust back to normal (what is normal anymore?). Pray for us to have wisdom as we shift back to life without chemo treatments. Pray that I will give myself, my family and my friends grace as we navigate new things together.

• In the weird and wild world of insurance, I have yet to receive a bill for my chemotherapy (I know I WILL receive bills, thanks to the explanation of benefits I have received). The Lord has provided for us financially through this whole process (through many generous friends!), so pray that we will continue to trust Him in this.

We are so appreciative of your love and prayers! Please check out my GoFundMe fundraiser if you feel so led. We are thankful for the support of many!! To God be the glory, great things He has done.