Seventy-five percent complete!

Treatment 9 is over

If it feels like you JUST got an update from me, it is because you did. My “round 8 update” was just last week;-) However, treatment nine was on Monday so I am here again!

Every treatment starts with lab work, and more often than not an office visit with my oncologist or one of the nurse practitioners in the office. This week I was eager to meet with my NP to talk about my side effects and how to mitigate them. She ended up adding an additional anti-nausea med via infusion, a bag of hydration fluids, and a prescription pill to take at night for four nights. The additional meds meant I was at the cancer center for an hour longer than usual (~4 hours turned into ~5 hours), but we were eager to try more meds so I didn’t have a repeat of the previous cycle.

I’d like to say that I didn’t struggle with any nausea on Monday, but that would be a lie. I still felt queasy and unwell on Monday, but by yesterday morning most of those symptoms had passed, praise the Lord. I am in a much better place now than I was two weeks ago (I was really weak from all the throwing up/little eating I did for a couple of days). This afternoon I will get my pump detached and that always helps me feel a little better.

Looking ahead, I have three more chemotherapy treatments. My doctor ordered another Northstar test and we should know the results by my next treatment. My number was 27 last test and we are praying for it to be ZERO this time! If that is the case, there may be changes made to my chemo meds before I finish up. Whatever the results, we know the Lord is in control.

Upcoming this summer we have travel for Nathan, Georgia, and Baxter (the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando), camps for Baxter, Eleanor and Fuller, and a family trip to the beach in early August after my treatments are complete. We can see the finish line, and are praying for the strength and endurance to finish well and for there to be no evidence of disease in my body at the end of this process.

Praises:

• My white blood cell and neutrophil counts are within normal range, which allowed me to receive chemotherapy treatment.

• Nine treatments are complete! Three more to go, Lord willing.

• Adding additional medication seems to help my nausea stay under control.

• The Northstar test bloodwork has been drawn so we can have a better picture of how my body is continuing to respond to treatment.

• We had a delightful time at our friends’ lake house! It was a special gift during a time when it is hard for me to travel.

  

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Prayer Requests:

• Continued ‘normal’ WBC and neutrophil numbers throughout the rest of my treatment

• Less severe side effects (especially nausea) with my next treatment. Pray for me to be able to endure side effects, including any that come from medications that I have to take (some anti-nausea meds make me VERY sleepy).

• I have found myself dreading each treatment more and more with each round. This can make Saturday/Sunday before hand very anxious and stressful. Pray for my anxiety to ease, and for me to trust my doctors and nurses, and most importantly, my heavenly Father who is the ultimate Healer.

• Pray for my Northstar numbers to be ZERO. That would mean NO “free range” cancer cells. We know this can happen and are trusting God to work!

• Summer plans can be chaotic with travel and kids attending different camps and older teens working a lot. Pray that we find windows of time to connect as a family, and that we are able to take a long awaited beach trip right before school starts in August.

We are so appreciative of your love and prayers! Also, I updated my GoFundMe fundraiser and MealTrain calendar today, so please check those out if you feel so led. We are thankful for the support of many!!