Recovery Week One

I made a few changes to the header entries above.

Rhonda did have last treatment on Monday, 9/14, and a blood transfusion on Wednesday, 9/16, for good measure. We realized it had been several cycles since she was able to go straight through all four treatments without skipping a week. The total cumulative effect caught up a bit last week, and it was a rough one.

This week is better, just to check in and let folks know. We are still making it pretty well. Rhonda went to Wednesday night church dinner last two weeks in spite of everything. She also made it to a quilting class this morning but was used up after that hour. Energy comes in spurts. Stamina will be short for weeks to come. She is hanging in there.


Best regards,

David

Goodbye Chemo!

It's done. Today was my last scheduled chemotherapy treatment. I'm trusting God that it's the last I'll ever have. The past five months have been such a concentrated effort of putting one foot in front of the other that it's hard to believe this phase is really over. I keep reminding myself that I did have a treatment today and this week will still be lousy, but I can also think of it as the last low point. Anemia is still an issue and I'll be getting another blood transfusion on Wednesday. Fill 'er up, please!

Now it's on to Phase Three - recovery. I see the doctor in one month and I'm to have CT body scans before I go. If all the scans are negative I can schedule day surgery to have my portal cath removed. YEA! She's written orders for physical therapy to help with my balance. I have nerve damage, hopefully temporarily, on the bottoms of my feet and the tips of my fingers. Because my feet feel weird I sometimes have a problem walking straight. No nasty comments, please! It can take up to a year for that side effect to resolve, so hopefully we can keep me from looking like a crab when I walk. Remember when Brazoswood used to play the Calhoun Sand Crabs and we'd all walk around side ways, making pinchers out of our hands, as we made fun of them? Maybe it was just a band thing, but it's pay back time!

Enough medical information. Everyone keeps asking when the party will be, but it's still down the road. I don't have the energy to do much and it's going to be nice to have small, individual celebrations with all of you who have loved us, prayed for us and encouraged us for so long. Don't quit yet!

David, Katie and I had a celebration lunch today, although I didn't think about it that way at the time. We picked her up at one o'clock after her class and went to this little hole-in-the wall called Taqueria LuLu. The best Mexican food I've had in a long time, maybe ever. She and I had spotted it one day when were cruising her new area and she and a friend went back to check it out. Thank goodness it's only open for breakfast and lunch or I'd be unhappy about her going there after dark. Maybe it's the burglar bars on the windows! The music was blaring in Spanish and we were the only non-Spanish speakers in the place. Katie and I were the only females. You sat at one long, high table on bar stools and ate great food. I guess it reminded me of neighborhood delis and hot dog places we ate at in New York. I'll give you the directions if you're interested in giving it a try.

That's it for now. I'm awake in the middle of the night thanks to today's steroids, but I'm going to try to go back to sleep. Small victory - I won't have to take them next week!

Rhonda

Furniture Fiasco

I'm excited to say I only have one more treatment to get through! Hopefully my blood counts will be high enough to have it next Monday. This point in the 4 week cycle is when I've had so much trouble and have had to skip treatments. We're praying that doesn't happen this time and would appreciate your prayers, too. I see the doctor on Monday and have started my long list of "now what" questions. It's hard to believe that treatments really are going to come to an end. These have been some of the longest six months of my life and again we thank you for all the prayer and support.

Now on to the furniture fiasco. We've been renting a storage unit in College Station all summer and David decided that we weren't going to continue to do that. He borrowed a trailer and drove to CS on Monday to bring home what was left. Guess where it all is??? That's right, my living room. Again. Kevin went from an unfurnished house to a furnished apartment, so all his bedroom furniture came back. There's room for it in his bedroom, but it's on the second floor and the furniture just hasn't quite made it up there. Of course, I'm no help and he left his free labor in College Station. A recliner whose vinyl arms are cracked and peeling is sitting in the exact center of the room. I know this because it's directly under the ceiling fan! I've come to the conclusion that I'll never achieve feng shui and will just have to live in disharmony. I formally withdraw my offer of helping other attain furniture nirvana. It would be the blind leading the blind.

I could, however, teach you to quilt. Not quilt well, but quilt. I've struggled to keep up with my Block-A-Month class but this will definitely be know as The Chemo Quilt. I'm afraid I've been a little lax in my efforts and it's going to take a lot of trimming to make my squares all the same size. I do feel, however, that I now know enough to teach 7th & 8th graders basic quilting. Especially since I grade projects in the dark with one eye closed. Now if I can only get back to work to do it!

That's it for now. Hope everyone had a good holiday weekend.

Rhonda

Only one to go!

Mom had her treatment today. That makes next week her very last one! She's resting now and will have to update you tomorrow on how she feels. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughtful cards, meals, and kindnesses this summer. Our entire family appreciates your support during this difficult season.

Once chemotherapy is over, it will take about a month for Mom to feel somewhat normal. Its not over yet but the end is in sight!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Astros beat Phillies in a Nail Biter

This week has been a little difficult, but Rhonda rallied to attend last night's game with friends. We had a three to zip lead going into the 7th when the bullpen rolled in. By end of the 8th we were down 4 to 3. Our closer held it to that lead in top of the 9th. In bottom of 9th with two outs and bases loaded a walk-off single drove in two runs for an Astro's win. Rhonda had a great time even if she pays a price today. Late in the game, Carlos Lee fouled one high over our heads. Nice high arc caught by someone over her right shoulder about six rows back. That was a little extra excitement. By the way, the "sliders" at section 116(?) and the bbq baked potatoes at 125 are darn good. The sliders come with a really long qtr sliced dill pickle. I really do not know how good that one is, cuz my wife always beats me to it. :-) But, as of this season, don't ask for a Dr. Pepper in Minute Maid. Some management somewhere dropped the ball as far as I am concerned.

Usually, the third treatment comes off without a problem (short treatment scheduled this coming Tuesday). The fourth treatment has been delayed a week about 1/3 of the cycles. So, it is not certain we finish in two weeks, but we are hopeful for that.

I trust everyone has a great Labor Day Holiday.

Continued prayers are appreciated.

Sincerly,

David