Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Almost Over! - wk 11

The end of my three month course of chemo treatment is almost over!  My weekly bloodwork will end soon and so will my frequent oncology visits.  I have continued to feel good and gain strength. 

Week 11
Aug 18, Sun
Church

Aug 19, Mon
Matt, Zach and I went to Santa Cruz to drop off Zach for college! He will be staying at my sister and her husband's house, Bev and Jim, and commuting to San Jose State on the Hwy 17 commuter bus. 


Zach and Josh
(before we left home)

Lunch on the wharf
Mom and Matt

Zach and Aunt Bev

Aw, the ocean

Boardwalk


Aug 20, Tues
Scott and Josh stayed home because school starts for Josh today. My baby is a senior in high school!  He already started marching band practice two weeks ago.

Matt and I came home from Santa Cruz today.

Aug 21, Wed
School started for Zach.

Aug 22, Thurs
Since Zach only has classes scheduled on Monday and Wednesday, this was a short week for him. He rode the train to Sacramento today and I picked him up at the train station.  He'll go back on Sunday. This has been a week of buses, trains and automobiles for sure!

Had to get my blood work done.

Aug 23, Fri
A dip in the pool!

Aug 24, Sat
Another day!

**********
Keep praying for us!!!  Thanks

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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

It's the most wonderful time of the year! - wk 10

Despite the warm weather we still endure, a new session is quickly approaching - the start of school!  The Staples commercial from the mid 90's is still one of my favorites.   When Zach was young, he would go around singing it and believed every word he was saying.  How quickly they grow up!



Week 10

August 11, Sun
Josh and I ran the cameras at church.
Zach and I went to small group.

So this is what Josh and I do about once a month at church.  We are upstairs in the tech room overlooking the auditorium, but we basically just look at the monitors.  It's actually kind of fun!


My job switching the cameras on Sunday morning.

Josh using the robotic camera, Camera 2.

It's usually more like this,  "Enough all ready Mom!"

Our Pastor, Greg Fairrington

From behind the scenes.

We often have Danny Gokey leading worship.  He is a former American Idol contestant.


More from the Camera Monitor


 


Sunday evening our small group met.  This is just some of us girls!  Thanks friends for being there!

Dayna, Pam, Kristi, Barb


August 12, Mon
Not feeling so well.  This is day 4 after chemo.  It's not my best day. Kristi brought dinner.

August 13, Tues
Still not my best.

August 14, Wed
Feel much better.
Blood work

August 15, Thurs
What do you know! - My neutrophil numbers are good, so I don't need neupogen shots this round!

August 16, Fri
Janelle brought dinner.

August 17, Sat
Helped Zach get ready for college.  He's going to San Jose State next week.

*******
I continue to feel good each day and am on my way to good health! All I need is my hair to grow back!

Scott is still on his job search, but it looks promising. I know God will take care of us!

If you would like to follow me on this journey, subscribe to My Breast Cancer Journey by Email. You will be notified by e-mail when I make a new post. Thanks, Pam


Saturday, August 10, 2013

Last Chemotherapy!!! - wk 9

I am smiling!  I am extremely happy.  I might go so far as to say I am ecstatic!  My last chemo session is over!  Even though things went better than I had expected, I am glad this part of my treatment is over.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have been extremely blessed! God has been my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.  He has been my Anchor of Hope! (Hebrew 6:19)

Psalm 18:1-3
 I love you, O LORD, my strength. 
 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; 
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. 
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 
 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, 
and I am saved from my enemies.

As I was gathering up my things and listening to my last set of instructions from the nurse at the infusion center on Friday, it did strike me that I really was one of the lucky ones.  I only had to go through 4 rounds of chemo.  A fellow patient congratulated me on being done and I found out that she has a total of 16 rounds, and then radiation.  Only God knows what lies ahead for each of us.

. . . But right now, right in this space I feel blessed and thankful !

Week 9
Aug 4, Sun 
I went to church today.  I've missed some Sundays recently, last week when I was itching my skin off and the week before when Scott wasn't feeling well so I stayed with him.  It was good to be back!  It was the first time I wore a scarf and hat and not my wig to church. The first few weeks of thinning hair and then baldness, I guess I didn't want to embrace the fact that yes indeed, I am a cancer patient.  Wearing a wig didn't make me seem as sick.  If I wore a scarf and or hat, people would "know" that I am going through chemo, and maybe feel sorry for me.  I guess I didn't want that. (We humans are so strange sometimes!) After a while it didn't matter anymore.  When the wig got hot or gave me a headache, I didn't care what others thought. . . Hey you know what?  I am a cancer patient!  So just another lesson learned.

Aug 5, Mon
Had an appointment with my oncologist this morning.  Everything looks good.  My last chemo is this Friday! Yay!!!

Aug 6, Tues
Lazy Day!  Thinking about the start of school soon. Josh starts his senior year in 2 weeks from today and Zach will start San Jose State 2 weeks from tomorrow.

Aug 7, Wed
Just thinking of the end of chemo, end of summer, end of a chapter. New beginnings.

Aug 8, Thurs
Blood work

Aug 9, Fri
MY LAST CHEMO SESSION!!! Yippee!


A place that was good for me, but I'm glad I don't have to go anymore.
Here we are!  Just a couple of fun lovin people at the ol infusion center!

This is what I'm doing.
 

This is what Scott is doing!
 

Some of the nurses celebrating my last chemo!
Not me having chemo anymore!
My successfully completed chemotherapy award!

Aug 10, Sat
Would you believe I feel like I'm starting to itch a little bit.  I hope that's not a bad sign.  Other than that, I'm feeling good still.

(I will still continues updates on my chemo summer for another 2 or 3 weeks until I finish my last blood draws and I think I still have to get shots again.)

*********

Last week, I mentioned that Scott is changing jobs and I have to admit, I was a little concerned, but I'm giving this burden to God.

Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 
and I will give you rest. 
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, 
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
 and you will find rest for your souls. 
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

It is no surprise then to know that God sees us, loves us and takes care of us. Scott has started the interview process at 2 different companies this week and at least one more lined up for this next week.  I'm looking forward to letting you know what Scott's new job will be, as soon as he gets it! Continue to pray for us! Thanks!  Love you!

If you would like to follow me on this journey, subscribe to My Breast Cancer Journey by Email. You will be notified by e-mail when I make a new post. Thanks, Pam