10 miles!

Biked 10 miles today - seven on the trainer, and then three with the family for a family bike ride. Feeling awesome.  Love my chemo off weeks!

One Mile Down, Many to Come

Today is a day to celebrate.  I ran my first mile today since chemo started!!  I am stoked!  Only a 9:45 mile, but I ran it and probably could have run another one.  My port didn't bother me for the first time, and I feel like I overcame a big obstacle today.  I laughed out loud doing pull-ups today - does it really take chemo for me start going to the gym with Bryce?  Guess I have to show my body who's boss.  :) Only one mile today, but there will be more!!! 

Race Day

What a day to remember!  We raced for the cure in the pouring rain in Salt Lake City today - and afterwards saw there were many others supporting elsewhere.  We love you and are strengthened and encouraged by you.

Week 1

Day 2 (Saturday May 2nd)

Felt like I was going to throw up most of the day; same nauseous feeling from yesterday.  Maybe having surgery and chemo on the same day wasn't such a good idea after all.  

Had a package from Clara and her family and some friends from Iowa.  Great timing and the kids loved it too.  Thank you!  How blessed we are to have wonderful friends. 

Day 3 (Sunday May 3rd)

I walked to church.  I decided Friday I was going to go to church.  Chemo wasn't going to stop me. Walking is nice, and I felt MUCH better than Friday and Sat.  I think this is what chemo must feel like, surgery aside.  Still on pain meds for my surgery.  The nausea meds don't seem to be working and just leave me feeling groggy. 

I took a 30 min. snooze in the van second hour of church, and was ready for our Primary class 3rd hour.  The bishopric asked if I wanted to be released from my calling, but I told them to please leave me in. Children heal the soul.  

Day 4 (Monday May 4th)

Woke up this morning feeling gross, like I was in a different body.  It was hard to get up, or to even want to get up.  I didn't feel like doing anything.   I hate waking up. It's like a foggy brain and waking up in a different body. Creepy and disturbing are the best words I can come up with. 

Day 5 (Tuesday May 5th)

Woke up feeling awesome - the best I have felt yet.  I took two Tylenol this morning because I had a killer headache.  Had our morning walk and didn't take any drugs the rest of the day.  Still had a nudging headache all day, like if I jumped up and down my head would hurt, and I still feel a little pull on my neck from surgery but no nausea. Wahoo!!!

Jenny stopped by for a quick visit and it was so great to see her.  She cleaned my kitchen while we chatted, and I haven't gotten tired yet talking about cancer.  She brought over a cute journal titled "One day at a time" and a head wrap (is that even what you call it?) for me to wear.  Dakota tried it on and it looked super cute.  I loved it - still terrified to wear it.  What if it looks awful and then I can't do anything about it?  Maybe I'll just wear them and not look in the mirror.  (Side note - I put it on this evening and Bryce and the girls said I looked cute.  I looked in the mirror and I think I will be ok with them.)  Btw - love it Jenny...just still getting used to the idea.  :) 

Mindy is here!  So fun to have her and Nate and the kids here.  They met us at Tay's soccer game.  It's fun to watch cousins play.  Mindy made me sit tonight while she did all the work.  Felt really weird...but it was kind of nice at the same time. 

Tips to remember: Curry always sounds good, and I think mint-flavored gum will help with nausea.  (At least Camryn's bubblicious flavored gum does (actually it's my gum that she gifted to herself, but she shares so willingly).  :)

Day 6 (Wednesday May 6th)

Tried today and feeling weak. I wonder if I over exerted myself yesterday but I didn't do anything too strenuous. I think I'm feeling this way because of my lack of sleep last night. I hard a hard time going to sleep, woke up a few times, and had a hard time going back to sleep. I finally realized why. Sleep was easy when i was on my pain killers and nausea medicine which are both sedatives. Now I'm off, and one of the side effects of chemo is difficulty sleeping (not sure why). Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight. Feeling a little nauseous but I feel so much better being off of all this medication so I think I'll stick it out a bit longer. Besides smelling peppermint helps. :)

Mindy is awesome. She takes care of me and my family while still taking care of hers. Thanks Nate and Mindalon. You are my heroes. 

Day 7 (Thursday May 7th)

Mindy introduced me to a song today (Fight Song) - it's my new theme song.

Feeling good today. No drugs, no headaches. Just sore on my neck and left side from my port. Not sure if port surgery and chemo in the same day was a good idea. Both docs (oncologist and surgeon) said it wasn't a problem and people do it often. But I've wondered when and how I'm supposed to heal from my surgery with such a low immune system. I wish I had thought about that last week. Hope it heals soon. I'd like to hug my kids and have them sit on my lap without being careful. I didn't expect this until my real surgery later.  

Keeping up my 6:30am walks. My best time of the day. I feel the best, I enjoy the time with Bryce, the air is refreshing, and I start my day fighting. Wish I would have been this diligent in exercise when I actually had the strength to run. Guess i just needed a little motivation. :)

Round One - Surgery and Chemo

I had surgery to have my chemo port put in.  Driving to the hospital in American Fork we were able to see Mt. Timpanogas Temple lit up for the entire end of the drive.  It was like driving home, but to my home; His home.  I love the temple.  It is my other home.  Seeing the temple helped calm me because I woke up feeling anxious about surgery.  Just as we were pulling in to the hospital, Mindy texted over the perfect scripture: John 14:27.  "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  With the temple just behind me and the scripture in my hand, my fear left and I was ready.  

I was grateful to have Bryce with me all day.  I am so appreciative of him and the support he has been.  He is my constant and I don't know what I would do without him.  

I felt nauseous the minute I woke up from surgery.  The only time I didn't feel nauseous today was when I was being pumped up with the chemo drugs, which is really backwards.  I took some of the nausea drugs the oncologist gave me, but that didn't change anything.  Must be from the anesthesia during surgery.  

Mal and Kaylee met up with us in the execution room (chemo room) as I am nicknaming it.  There are about 10 chairs in a big room, you pick a chair, and they hook you up to the drugs that hopefully don't kill you.  It all kind of seems wrong.  It's like a dying room, and I'm still kind of creeped out about it.  

I came home and slept for the rest of the day.  As I was climbing in to bed, I realized my bed was made.  Still foggy from surgery, I realized I hadn't made it and Bryce couldn't have either because he was with me the whole time.  And my house seemed a lot cleaner when I walked in then when I left. Come to find out, Kaylee had stayed home from work and cleaned like crazy so I could come home to a clean house.  I love you Kay!!