California Here We Come!

Bryce had a work trip to Los Angeles (on my birthday) and he surprised me with a ticket to go too. He packed my bag and everything! (In less than five minutes btw - and didn't forget a thing). #heisawesome. We left straight from chemo and had a great 2-day trip.

 Day 1 - I went to the Los Angeles temple while Bryce had his work presentations and meetings. He finished early so we were able to meet up and go to the beach before dinner and ice cream. So fun to walk in the water and see and hear the ocean. If you ever need a good calf workout - try walking on dry sand for awhile. :)

 Day 2 - Slept in and drove to the Newport Beach temple. (This temple was announced while I lived in CA and would have been the temple closest to me, however my family moved to Colorado before construction started so it was meaningful to see it finished and operating.)

After Newport we we drove to the San Diego temple. (Can you tell I love the temple?) :). The San Diego temple has a special place in my heart because as an 8-year old girl when my family attended its open house, I decided inside that I would be married there. While I ended up getting married in the Provo temple, (does life ever go as planned?!) :) it was in the San Diego temple that my decision to be married in the house of the Lord was cemented, and became a moment in my life that I referenced and reflected on often growing up.  Dinner was amazing at an restaurant on the harbor (seafood and my pick btw. I know, I have come a long way) :).

All of the temples we attended were beautiful inside and out and I am grateful we have houses of the Lord all over the earth. Our lives, as well as those who have passed away, are blessed as we attend, and it is my favorite place on Earth to be. I feel the strength and power of the Lord and His Spirit and I know with absolute certainty that He loves and is aware of me.  It was a wonderful trip - fun to be surprised, with Bryce, and in temples from my childhood.

 (To learn more about these temples visit https://www.lds.org/church/temples?lang=eng)

Week 2 of 12

I told my oncologist about the tingling and he was surprised because the weekly treatment plan is supposed to reduce tingling and numbness. Makes me grateful I went this route instead of 4 treatments at a high dose every two weeks.

He said the standard of care is to continue with chemo treatments until there is pain. He said he tended to cut back on dosage a little earlier than the standard guidelines which was comforting but that this week we should push through and keep dosage and treatment the same.

I asked if the Benadryl reduction was reason for feeling the numbness and tingling (its dosage was the only thing that changed last week) but he said Benadryl has no impact or effect on the tingling.

Now off to California to celebrate my birthday and our 10-year anniversary!!

Spoke too soon

I spoke too soon. Lots of numbness and tingling this week. It feels like my feet and hands have fallen asleep and are waking up. Kind of annoying but the scary thing is that this numbness and tingling means nerve damage and it could be permanent. Oncologist was going to skip seeing me next treatment and just give me the drugs because last week was so awesome but I made an apt with him to figure out my options.

Good news is I feel awesome!!

Week 1 of 12

Had an awesome week. Like I'm not on chemo. No side effects, no nausea, no numbness and tingling. I couldn't help but think that maybe they gave me a placebo. :). When I jokingly told my oncologist he informed me my blood counts showed I had chemo. :) I'm liking taxol a lot better than dose dense AC.

I talked my oncologist into reducing my Benadryl dosage (I compromised at 50%) :) because I had no allergic reaction last week and that was the reason for the Benadryl. No need to come home sleepy for the rest of the day.

Still came home and took a three hour nap. Couldn't go to bed until 3:30 in the morning even though I was tired. Those steroids...(side effect is difficulty sleeping). My nap prob had something to do with it too. :)

"Cruising Through Chemo"

I was optimistic today leaving the hospital after receiving my first round of taxol.  (No allergic reaction by the way.  Just feeling sleepy from the Benadryl, but that has worn off now, and I'm feeling awesome - like I haven't had chemo yet.)  We will see what the other days this week bring, but if this is what the second half of chemo is like, I'm excited.  No headache, no nausea, no chemo brain cloud - wahoo!

As I met with the oncologist today, he said - "You cruised through the first treatments of chemo.  It may not have felt that way to you, but if everyone responded to chemo the way you did, I'd be out of a job and chemo would be an over the counter drug." Don't know if he was just trying to make me feel good, but the first 8 weeks went pretty smoothly and were much better than I anticipated.  Such a blessing.  He said the next 12 weeks should be even better.  Hopefully I can keep cruising.  :)

And PS - my tumor is shrinking.  Glad this is starting to work!  (I was worried - and skeptical- for the first 6 weeks.)

Time Flies

I can't believe I have finished my first round of treatments.  It's been 8 weeks since I started chemo.  Here's to 12 more weekly treatments of a different drug!  Side effects with my new drug, taxol, are supposed to be minimal since the dose is weekly but include neuropathy (damage to hands, fingers, and toes), bone pain, rash, and I could have an allergic reaction but I will know that in the first few minutes of receiving the drug.)   Hope the next 12 weeks go as fast as the first eight.  Still fighting strong!!

The Curse of the Cough

I have had a cough for the last 4 weeks.  Had it shortly after my 3rd round of chemo, then it got better.  Then a few days after my fourth round it came back.  Cough syrup, humidifier, and allergy meds didn't help it.  Oncologist said it was nothing to be concerned about because I didn't have a fever and mucous was clear (TMI).  Probably a virus I picked up.  It's been annoying more than anything and unfortunately has made sleeping difficult, as it gets worse when I lay down.  Fortunately I can sleep sitting up on the couch after a coughing fit that lasts a couple of hours. :)  Could be worse, right?  Only one night was especially bad when three different children woke up at different times in the night and I had to start my bedtime routine again. Thank goodness Emi is here and I can make up for lost sleep during the day.  I'm over the worst of it again (i.e. I can sleep in my own bed), so hopefully that cough stays away!