All The Wild Things

I cannot believe it. I can count my rounds on ONE HAND!!  Monday I had my labs drawn to make sure my platelet levels were high enough to receive chemo. They have to be over 100,000. Last week they were at 79,000 but Monday morning they were at 175,000!!! That week off really did my body good, as much as it’s frustrating to have a delay and end up with chemo on Christmas week. Chemo was reduced by 25% because my body is just maxed out on the amount, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected. Treatment went great on Monday and then on Tuesday I went in for hydration. They were able to use my port site by splitting the line I didn’t have to get poked!! I got to see my favorite nurse and just rest for about 90 min. Today (Wednesday) I went in for my pump removal and the extra tubes. I also found out while I was there I was to get another Neulasta shot to help my bone marrow stay up. I’m guessing that might be a regular thing the rest of these rounds to avoid any dips in my WBC’s and avoid becoming

So thankful I was able to get this round done. The extra week off allowed my platelets to go up. The normal range is 140,000-450,000 or somewhere in there. Last week mine were 79,000. To have chemo they have to be over 100,000. Today they were at 175,000!!! 🙌🏼  Since I’m doing hydration twice this week I didn’t have to have it today so it was much quicker. No delays. I took a great nap (thanks IV Benny) and am now home resting. But also Sleighing Cancer 

If you follow me on social media you know that my chemo got cancelled this week because my platelets were too low.  Normal range is 140,000-400,000 For chemo the have to be over 100,000 and mine were at 79,000. So pretty low but not so dangerous I’m at risk for bleeding. My doctor said that basically we’ve maxed my body out with the chemo and I need a week break in addition to reducing the drugs by 25%.  It was such a bummer to get this news. It means my treatments will go into March instead of being done in February. It means chemo on Christmas week which really stinks since we started my treatment on a specific date so I wouldn’t be having it on the week of Christmas. So I go in next Monday for blood work and if it’s better I will have chemo that day. I will then go on Tuesday for hydration, Wednesday to get the chemo pump removed and Christmas Eve for more hydration.  We shed tears. But my Mom picked me back up with her encouragement like she always does and I’m trying to find the s

6 months  ago today I got the sucky news that I have cancer. It’s weird how the body keeps track of things. Yesterday I was going through all my pics and posts since I shared and remembering and feeling it all. It was only after awhile that I thought “hmm, I wonder how long it’s been since I found out?” 6 months of endless medical bills. Seriously, endless.  6 months of driving back and forth multiple times a week to the doctor and or hospitals.  6 months of trying to work, do distance learning with 3 kids, and be as present of a Mom and wife as I can be. 6 months of blood draws. 6 months of retelling the story over and over. 6 months of fighting massive fear and anxiety.  But also..... 6 months of encouraging cards coming to our mailbox at regular intervals.  6 months of notes and gifts for our boys to remind them they are “seen”. 6 months of front porch coffee drop offs. 6 months of meal gift cards and meals being donated or made. 6 months of fundraising to help us pay for the endles

I am halfway done with chemotherapy. The truth is, these last six are going to be tough. I’ve been warned by my doctor, my Mom and other survivors that the days you feel good in between treatments aren’t as many and the length between the bad and the good days is much shorter. I’ve got new side effects popping up, my body is showing through lab results that this is getting tougher (having a low white blood cell count and needing extra hydration etc). I now have this terrible taste in my mouth all the time, and food doesn’t have the same flavor. The tip of my tongue is numb and the days where cold doesn’t bother my hands or feet are gone. I wish I could explain how painful it is but just imagine trying to hold or step on dry ice. That’s what it feels like just to touch something cold.  I have major chemo brain. Ask me how well I’m doing balancing my financial statements for work.... (thank goodness for help from coworkers). I’ve also repeated the same things to my friends via text on mu

I had two colon polyps that popped positive for cancer. The thing is, they were in such different places they are considered two different cancers. Colon stage 3a and Rectal stage 3b . What’s more sexy than that?  My 5 weeks of radiation and oral chemo was to kill off any remaining cancer cells in the rectal area because even though my surgeon (while tactless) actually did an amazing job by literally remaking that whole area internally and avoiding any sort of colostomy bag- you can’t guarantee you got it all. So standard practice is always pelvic radiation for that area.  The chemotherapy infusions are to make sure every last naughty cell in my body is gone. Because I had it in one of the lymph nodes they removed, it showed this cancer was able to travel which is how cancer spreads to your other body parts. If it wasn’t in the lymph nodes yet chemo wouldn’t have been necessary. So glad we caught this when we did and that I actually had symptoms to warrant a colonoscopy. Often times th

I am working my way through Matthew slowly, focusing in on how Jesus responds and interacts with others and how to model life after him. In Matthew 9 Jesus is seen hanging out with non religious people. In fact, it wasn’t just that they weren’t religious but scripture says they were sinners, and tax collectors. While we might not love the IRS, the place tax collectors had in Jesus’ day were on a whole other level. Tax collectors often taxed people extra just to line their own pockets and were often labeled as traitors because many were Jews who worked for the Romans. Not people you’d want to be hanging out with. In addition to the tax collectors mentioned in this passage, it says Jesus was hanging out with sinners. The NLT version calls them scum. Yikes.  To make this more applicable think of someone among us today that is considered disdained? Who is seen as someone you wouldn’t want to be around because of their beliefs, their lifestyle, their orientation, or their livelihood? Put th