Confused

I have wanted to post for a few days and just am not sure how I want to post the new information. I don't want to sound negative or overly positive or forget some of the information. So I will try to give correct information about how things are going.

We were getting really excited at our house to be almost done with chemo. Two more rounds!! But the timing for this round stunk. I was to have my first dose of round 9 on Tuesday. Not so good timing because it is the kid's spring break. I wanted them to have a fun spring break. So we had planned lots of little things to go and do this week. I was hoping that I would be able to have the energy to keep up and help make it a fun vacation for them. We tried to pack in a lot of things on Saturday before chemo.

On Monday I had my doctors appointment with one of the nurses in the office. I have to say I really, really liked her. She was so good! Anyway we talked about how tired I have been these last two rounds and how hard it is on a daily basis. We also talked about some side effects I have been having numbness, tingling, sores in my mouth, pains in my breast and under my arm. I also told her Dr. Kris doesn't want me to do two more rounds just one more round. Then we talked about my CA2729 counts. (Oh, yes my counts I forgot they were 62 yes that was a shock for us.) The count was 36 the time before and now it bounced back up. We were thinking this round would make two round after a hopefully normal number. With them up that doesn't seem good? Anyway the nurse took all my information and went and talked talked to Dr. Rado and he said lets take a BREAK. Yes, a break. I couldn't believe it a break. I was really hoping to push through and be done at the first of May. He said he wants my body to have a break. He thinks maybe the chemo drugs aren't working again. So take a break and run CA2729 counts again in three weeks and see what they show. Then maybe done for a while, a scan or maybe a different chemo. So again we are back to waiting to see what test will tell us. I am sure you know what I am hoping for (that I am done and for some strange reason they jumped up). I am so glad to have a break so I have felt good this week to be able to do some things with the kids. We have been on the go since last Saturday and enjoying being all together.

So to sum it up we are waiting until Friday the 24th for blood work and then Monday the 27 for the doctor visit to see what he has to say or thinks should be the next step. While we wait I am trying to be more faithful about taking my vitamins from Dr. Kris and hoping that helps with the numbers.

I hope everyone else is enjoying their spring break too.

Most of the family visited Dr. Kris!

Well I thought I would update a little. I have still been pretty tired it comes and goes through out the day. Family life has been busy but with the help of friends and family I am doing good with resting. So thank you so much to all who have been helping with meals and helping with the kids. I know I say it everytime but I really couldn't get well without all the help that I have had so thank you.

I wanted to also take a minute to let everyone know that DSHS has picked up most of my medical bills. We have to meet a spin down every six months. But thanks to all those who helped raise money we are able to meet the DSHS spin downs. We have other medical cost that that money will also cover. I just wanted you to know that things are working out. So thanks to everyone who helped and thank you for your kindness.

We are so greatful to Chyerl, Ryan's boss who has given Ryan a job. And we are so grateful that his job can pay all of our other bills. We want you to know that the fund raising money doesn't go to our family it is just for medical. And we are very greatful to all who helped with the fund raisers. You have help make my fight with cancer so much easier. I have not had to worry about my medical bills. So far things have worked out well.

Now for a Dr. Kris update. This week has been my week off kind of. Today I went down to see Dr. Kris. Ryan and Carter went down to see Dr. Kenzie with me. Dr. Kenzie is a doctor that is in Dr. Kris's office that both the boys saw today. I saw Dr. Kirs and the visit went well. They always go well. I have been having some pain in my ribs that I forgot to talk to him about two weeks ago. So he checked that out today. He said they were sore and out. That it could be from a few different things. Anyway my back was really out and twisted. So he worked on my back. We talked about how many more rounds I have left. We talked about what he thought about me doing two more rounds. He said he wasn't sure my body could take two more rounds. So we are going to wait for my blood work. I have a blood draw tomorrow and will get the results on Monday. He said I would probably be o.k. this round but we would talk about and check me out to see about the next round. I think we might be done after this round of chemo (round #9). He thinks my body is at it's breaking point. So I am hoping the CA2729 number look good and I can be done after this round.

I have a doctors appointment on Monday with one of the other oncologiest nurses. I am not sure how much they can answer questions and set up treatment but we will see. Then I see a different oncologies in the office for the following round because Dr. Rado and Mitra are out of town. So I am curious to see how things go. It seems like ever time Dr. Rado and Mitra are gone I have some sort of complications. So I am hoping that everything goes well this time with them gone.

I had some one ask me if I wasn't happy with Dr. Rado. I am sorry if it sounded that way. I think Dr. Rado has done a great job with me and my treatment. I really don't have any complaints with Dr. Rado or Mitra.

Two more rounds!

This is the kids in their Easter outfits.

I have had a few appointments since I have last blog. So I will try to updated what has been going on the last few weeks. A couple of weeks ago I saw Dr. Kris and we mainly talked about how tired I have been and a little blue. We figured out I am not so blue as just very tired and not enough energy to be peppy. So we talked about resting. Of course he also adjusted my back and neck when I was there too.

I had an appointment with Dr. Rado before this last round of chemo (8). It was a long wait to get in but a short visit. I told him how tired I have been. He told me we could go ahead and do this next round and then if I was too tired we could stop for a while and then come back later. Ryan and I talked it over and we don't want to stop and then have to go through this again. I decided it is better to be tired and just get through it now and be done. He was excited and thinks there is a really good chance it will be gone instead of maintaining the cancer. I asked Dr. Rado what my CA2729 count was and he said he never got it. That is wired because I had blood work done on the Friday before. He said he had the blood test just not the CA2729 counts. So that was pretty much all for that visit. My appointment this time was on Tuesday the same day as chemo so I went in later for chemo. We went in for chemo at 2:30 and we were done by 5:30. That was the fast chemo day that we have had since we have started. We are still trying to figure out how we got out so fast. Before we started chemo I asked them to run a CA2729 counts so we could have that before we started round 8. Dr Rado forgot to order it with the last blood work that is why he didn't have it at the appointment. So two days later the results of the CA2729 counts were in and the number is 36. Yeah and a little sad. Yeah because it is down but we were hoping it would stop going down and start to level off so we could have the last two rounds of chemo.

All last week I had my shots and then on Monday this week more blood work and then Tuesday was chemo day again this week. This Tuesday was to be a short day of chemo we are usually there an hour to an hour and a half. We were there 2 and a half hours. I kept getting air in my line so it took a little longer than normal. We really enjoy going and seeing the nurses and being able to play games and visit and have lunch or dinner. We figured since the week before was shorter than normal that it was only fair that it was a little long this week. So I have been doing shots everyday this week. Next week will be my week off. So two more rounds of chemo we are getting there.

I have to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has been bringing in dinner and helping drive and watch the kids so I can rest. It has really helped! I seemed to be getting some energy back. It is really hard to have other people help so much. I feel guilty. I am trying to learn that it helps me and is good for people to help me and that I am not a burden. I am a very slow learner when it comes to this. So please know if I don't tell you all enough how very thankful I am to all of you who help me so much. I am so grateful to you all. I know I could not fight this without the help that I have been getting. So THANK YOU!

We had a really nice Easter. It was so wired to have it so early in the year. I was a little behind in getting Easter decoration out and talking to the kids about Easter. We were able to read our 12 days before Easter and the kids did such a good job this year helping with the story. I love this time of year the warmer weather and trees blooming and the flowers. I love the opportunity to think about the Savior and the beautiful gift he has given me. I love the Savior and all he has done for me. I hope that I am able to teach my children how important this season is and how much their Father in Heaven loves them.

I know I mentioned how much I love this time of year. I also love it because it is baseball season. For those of you who don't know me well. I love softball it is my favorite thing to do next to going boating. Cole and Kamden are both playing this year and Ryan decide not to play this year. I felt bad for him but life just is to busy this year for him to play. He was so kind to give it up this year to help me out.

I don't think that I have posted this but my baby sister Jillian is getting married on May 3. We are so excited for her. She is marrying someone from here. So hopefully when they are all done going to school they will comeback here to live. I am a little jealous of the the Knight family and other families that are able to have all or most of there family live here in town. I would love to have all my sister live here with their families.

What is normal?

So a lot has been going on but not so much in the cancer/chemo department. The only big thing that has happened is that I had a blood draw the week before I saw Dr. Rado. When I went to see Dr. Kris my CA2728 count was 54 which is so good it is coming down which means chemo is working. Well just over a week later I went in and saw Dr. Rado on the 25th of Feb. He said he didn't have the CA2728 counts so I told him a week ago it was 54. Well last Tuesday when I went in for the second dose of chemo for round 7 I asked for my blood work. So they gave me a copy of the CA counts which were run before I started this last round, round 7 it was 41. That is right you read it right 41!!!!! Can you believe it 41. Wow, remember normal is 0-40. So that means I was at normal or very close to normal before this last round. I can't wait to see what my new count is next Tuesday. Hurry, hurry to wait I know. Anyway I am suppose to have 3 more rounds of chemo but I am hoping because of the numbers maybe not 3 more rounds?

Really nothing else going on the cancer/chemo department. Everyone always asks how I am doing. I am doing really good if I could shake being tired all the time it would really help with getting things done and keeping up with me kids. And other than that I can't complain about anything that has to do with chemo or cancer. Now if we were to talk about other things in my life you might hear some rumblings.