Good news! Nothing has changed on my scans....Im still all clear! :) I have some fluid built up around my excission( sp?) site where I had my surgery. The Dr. said this is common, but I will have an appointment with Dr. Rosenthal to figure out what to do about it. Im not sure really anything will need to be done or not.
I went to my first radiaology treatment today....it took about 15 minutes and I was on my way.
( 1 down..29 more to go! ) I rewarded myself by spending the day with a dear friend and her sweet babies. I had a great day!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Follow up
Tomorrow I go in for my follow up CT scan and MRI of my chest, abdomen and pelvic area. I am trying to look at it as just a formality. But, tonight I told Joslyn I had to go have my scans tomorrow, and she said, " I hope it's all okay, Mom." UGh....I'm sure it is, but I am a little nervous. I keep thinking about the day I went to my general surgeon's office for my post op visit thinking it was "just a formality" and then getting the news that it was cancer. I would appreciate positive thoughts and prayers that my scans are STILL CLEAR. As soon as I know the results, I will post them. :) Thanks to the continued support of family and friends, I am feeling stronger everyday and finally getting some "normalcy" back in my life and it feels good!!!!
Love, Love.
Gina
Love, Love.
Gina
Monday, September 26, 2011
update 9-26-2011
Yesterday I spent the day getting over the wicked FLU BUG! It's no wonder I feel like I am catching everything that is going around lately, my WBC has been very low... but I am hoping I'm over the hump!My counts should go up from here.
Last week my hemoglobin(sp) was borderline for a possible blood transfusion, thank goodness that was up this week and a transfusion was not necessary! :) as those numbers go up....I will feel stronger and have more energy!!!
The good news is My chemo Dr. said checked out great today and cleared me to start radiation! I'm happy about that because I am ready to start this new chapter and start feeling better. I have my planning session tomorrow and will hopefully start radiation next week ( It seems like I have been saying that forever.....come on already!!!)
I have my follow up CT scan on my chest, abdomen and pelvic area next week to make sure I am still " all clear." so I appreciate prayers for a clear scan! I will have scans every 4months from here. Im sure that will prove to be a scary time for my family and I when I have to do that, but the longer I go with good news, the easier it will get.
Ya know, of all of the BAD things that my family and I have been through with this cancer, we are finally starting to be able to look back on all of this and realize this has given us such a different perspective on life, has brought us closer together, made us appreciate every moment I feel good, and has shown us what a HUGE support system we have in our family and friends.( The number of prayer lists I am on, and just the shear number of people I have praying for me..has proven to work in my favor!) SO THANK YOU!!! JD and I both feel overwhelmed by the kindness you have shown us and will continue to pay it forward!
Love, Love.
Gina
Last week my hemoglobin(sp) was borderline for a possible blood transfusion, thank goodness that was up this week and a transfusion was not necessary! :) as those numbers go up....I will feel stronger and have more energy!!!
The good news is My chemo Dr. said checked out great today and cleared me to start radiation! I'm happy about that because I am ready to start this new chapter and start feeling better. I have my planning session tomorrow and will hopefully start radiation next week ( It seems like I have been saying that forever.....come on already!!!)
I have my follow up CT scan on my chest, abdomen and pelvic area next week to make sure I am still " all clear." so I appreciate prayers for a clear scan! I will have scans every 4months from here. Im sure that will prove to be a scary time for my family and I when I have to do that, but the longer I go with good news, the easier it will get.
Ya know, of all of the BAD things that my family and I have been through with this cancer, we are finally starting to be able to look back on all of this and realize this has given us such a different perspective on life, has brought us closer together, made us appreciate every moment I feel good, and has shown us what a HUGE support system we have in our family and friends.( The number of prayer lists I am on, and just the shear number of people I have praying for me..has proven to work in my favor!) SO THANK YOU!!! JD and I both feel overwhelmed by the kindness you have shown us and will continue to pay it forward!
Love, Love.
Gina
Monday, September 19, 2011
The Downhill Slope
I feel like I'm on the downhill slope from here....
My blood work today showed that alot of my counts were low, but the one to be most concerned about is my hemoglobin (sp). The nurse said I was" borderline" for needing a blood transfusion. SO....I am hoping with more rest this week, my body will make the red blood cells it needs to bring that up so I wont have to do that. :) There isn't a whole lot I can do about that except rest when I get fatigued. I had a great day today and got out more than I have been in the past three weeks ( besides my trips to chemo treatments) and I was even able to make it to one of Joslyn's cross country meets! I enjoyed that so much! She had a great race! This week I need to really rest up so I can make it to her softball games. I'm happy today- I feel like every little thing I get to do just makes me that much happier. I admit that I have had some sad moments the past couple of weeks, but I'm working on keeping a positive outlook. I've finally shed some tears over the loss of my hair. I think its a little odd that I didnt cry about losing it until its time for it to start growing back,a little backwards, I know. But, I think I am just realizing that its going to take a long time to get my hair back the way it was. The nice thing is, JD always lets me cry about things I feel like crying about so he let me cry and feel sorry for myself for a little while....then as always, he gave me some good advice. So my goal is to not dwell over the things I don't have control over ( like how long it takes to grow my hair out) but to focus on the things I can control and work on those. :) Good advice hu!? So that's the plan!
On the 26th, I see Dr. Myron ( My Chemo Dr. ) I think he will tell us when my next scan will be, but Im not really sure what else. I have to wait three weeks after my last chemo session before I can start radiation. On Sept. 27th I have my planning session and should start radiation the next week ( 1st week in October I think). I know I am rushing everything....but I am ready to get radiation started. I just feel like the sooner I start that part of my treatment, the sooner I can get on with my life.
My blood work today showed that alot of my counts were low, but the one to be most concerned about is my hemoglobin (sp). The nurse said I was" borderline" for needing a blood transfusion. SO....I am hoping with more rest this week, my body will make the red blood cells it needs to bring that up so I wont have to do that. :) There isn't a whole lot I can do about that except rest when I get fatigued. I had a great day today and got out more than I have been in the past three weeks ( besides my trips to chemo treatments) and I was even able to make it to one of Joslyn's cross country meets! I enjoyed that so much! She had a great race! This week I need to really rest up so I can make it to her softball games. I'm happy today- I feel like every little thing I get to do just makes me that much happier. I admit that I have had some sad moments the past couple of weeks, but I'm working on keeping a positive outlook. I've finally shed some tears over the loss of my hair. I think its a little odd that I didnt cry about losing it until its time for it to start growing back,a little backwards, I know. But, I think I am just realizing that its going to take a long time to get my hair back the way it was. The nice thing is, JD always lets me cry about things I feel like crying about so he let me cry and feel sorry for myself for a little while....then as always, he gave me some good advice. So my goal is to not dwell over the things I don't have control over ( like how long it takes to grow my hair out) but to focus on the things I can control and work on those. :) Good advice hu!? So that's the plan!
On the 26th, I see Dr. Myron ( My Chemo Dr. ) I think he will tell us when my next scan will be, but Im not really sure what else. I have to wait three weeks after my last chemo session before I can start radiation. On Sept. 27th I have my planning session and should start radiation the next week ( 1st week in October I think). I know I am rushing everything....but I am ready to get radiation started. I just feel like the sooner I start that part of my treatment, the sooner I can get on with my life.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Bye Bye Pick Line!
Yesterday I was so happy to get rid of my pickline! I still hadn't been feeling much like celebrating my last week of chemo....or any of the great stuff that comes with it the last few days. I had a hard last few days and last night was full of alot of emotions. Thank goodness for JD, who was there with lots of hugs and encouragement. I get down because I feel like to world is moving on without me as I recover and try to regain my strength....well, in a way, it is but that doesn't mean people have forgotten than I am going through this, and the support continues to flow.....I just spend 20 wonderful minutes sitting on my front step ( after getting the mail- a big deal for me!) reading cards from friends who are just reminding me that life will be back to normal soon and that they are thinking of me! One of my friends called today. just to talk....and that was nice too! Today is really the first day I have felt like talking at all. I got up this morning and took a real shower. ( without wrapping my pick line arm in plastic wrap!) and washed my head with conditioner.:) aaahhhhh
So The past week or two I have taken a few pictures here and there and thought Id share....Im on the way to feeling better and will continue to feel better and stronger each day! Im looking forward to "being there" for my kids in the evening and working a little bit around my house. I know I cant do too much too fast ( per JD and Doctors) but I'll be happy just to feel like lifting my head up off my pillow every day! :) Here's some fun pics!!!!
So The past week or two I have taken a few pictures here and there and thought Id share....Im on the way to feeling better and will continue to feel better and stronger each day! Im looking forward to "being there" for my kids in the evening and working a little bit around my house. I know I cant do too much too fast ( per JD and Doctors) but I'll be happy just to feel like lifting my head up off my pillow every day! :) Here's some fun pics!!!!
Monday, September 5, 2011
My LAST WEEK of chemo!
Finally! Tomorrow begins my last week of chemo! I'm excited but nervous that this week will be hard. Since today was Labor Day....they will start me tomorrow, and "concentrate" the drugs so I will get the correct amount. That sounded good to me at first, but then I started thinking....concentrating the drugs to fit them into 4 days instead of 5??? on second thought...that sounds like its gonna suck! :) But....JD reminded me that I have been through 10 whole days of chemo....I can get through 4 more! After all, I STILL have the best support system...and wonderful friends and family who continue to be there for me! So....here we go! My last week....then they will wait three weeks to start radiation. I have an appointment on Sept. 27th for my planning session for radiation, and then we will get started! The nurse at Menorah told me that radiation will be nothing like chemo. I will have some discomfort in my hip area where they will do the radiation, and I will experience some fatigue. I worry when they say that....because before chemo, I thought I knew what fatigue was...Um, I was wrong! BUT, she did promise me that the fatigue I will feel from radiation will not be as bad as it is with chemo. That sounds a little more promising!
Although I am ready to go back to work and meet my class, and see my friends....I am worried about going back before I am ready physically and mentally after this ordeal. Even two weeks after chemo I am able to get out during the day and do fun things, those times are short lived and I am usually down for the rest of the afternoon and evening. So...I have to be sure I take enough time to recuperate and rest so I am 100% when I go back! I cant wait for that day! :)
Thanks for reading!!! I will do my best this week to update my blog...they might be short and sweet, but i will try! Thanks so much for reading!
Love. love,
Gina
Although I am ready to go back to work and meet my class, and see my friends....I am worried about going back before I am ready physically and mentally after this ordeal. Even two weeks after chemo I am able to get out during the day and do fun things, those times are short lived and I am usually down for the rest of the afternoon and evening. So...I have to be sure I take enough time to recuperate and rest so I am 100% when I go back! I cant wait for that day! :)
Thanks for reading!!! I will do my best this week to update my blog...they might be short and sweet, but i will try! Thanks so much for reading!
Love. love,
Gina
Sunday, August 28, 2011
The Weekend
Well good grief! This weekend was nothing like I had planned. Friday night was my 37th birthday. I had plans to go to breakfast with friends ( which i enjoyed) to take lunch to friends at school in my grade level ( Loved it!....but wasn't feeling well at all!) Then I was hoped to enjoy a date with my husband. We did go to dinner at one of my favorite places to eat! ( BD's Mongolian BBQ) but I just couldn't make it to the movies. :( Earlier that day I had started coughing so hard I couldnt breathe. I was losing my voice, and my energy level was plummeting! so we came home watched TVin bed ( party ON!) Thank goodness my husband is okay with whatever we do....he didn't get any sleep the night before either since I was up coughing the nite before!
By Saturday morning i was so sick i could barely speak and my Temp was rising. When you are going through chemo anything above 100.5 is concerning. Every time I took mine it was higher and higher. I'm not sure what i was waiting for...but by the time it got to 101.9, I decided it was time to call the Dr. on call. He sent me to the ER concerned that my WBC count was too low. So....we headed to Menorah about 7:00pm. They did chest x rays and blood work. My blood work
By Saturday morning i was so sick i could barely speak and my Temp was rising. When you are going through chemo anything above 100.5 is concerning. Every time I took mine it was higher and higher. I'm not sure what i was waiting for...but by the time it got to 101.9, I decided it was time to call the Dr. on call. He sent me to the ER concerned that my WBC count was too low. So....we headed to Menorah about 7:00pm. They did chest x rays and blood work. My blood work
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