Good Days

 I met with my oncologist, Dr. NP on Thursday and she is very optimistic about this second line of chemo. She has many patients who remain on it for quite a while. When we were speaking, it brought me so much peace and also I pictured Jesus standing behind her because - ultimately - God will decide what happens. 

I am walking with the cane at this point but I think my legs are strong enough that I can walk without it. I was excited to attend our oldest's back to school Mass and picnic and I could walk the stairs to our downstairs to help put the boys to bed. It has been a weekend of big steps so far. 

I did freak myself out at how skinny I've gotten. I didn't realize until I was able to get myself in front of a mirror. 

It made me think of those old TV shows where they finally revealed the girl with anorexia in a mirror.

Lastly, My brother and his wife and her mom all came to stay for about 6 days. It was amazing. 

Chemo #3 update after 1 treatment

 I realize it's been a while since I updated. Mainly, we've been working through the side effects of the new chemo - diarrhea and possible rash. The hits just keep on coming! 

My walking has gotten better as my legs get stronger and I've graduated to a cane from the walker (praise God). I will most likely begin radiation on my right leg soon because if any of the cancer in my joints grows, it will make the surgery void (which would be bad). 

My last IV chemo went pretty well. I was very fatigued but felt ok over all. 

A few of Shawn's colleagues from Houston flew up to have meetings and visit and brought frozen meals to us! What a blessing Shawn's co-workers are! We got a little teary at their generosity. 

Overall, it has been a good two weeks. 

We are gearing up for all three boys to attend "in-person" school over the next two weeks, but I will only believe it when I see it. 

Shawn insisted on the Tebow shirt. Really? 

Changes tomorrow

 Just a very quick post to say that my hip is healing well and Im walking with a cane sometimes, which is nice and better than a walker.

After meeting will all of my doctors, we've mutually decided to change the chemo I am taking. Tomorrow, I will have a 3-hour infusion and I will await any side effects. These will be totally new chemo drugs for me, so I'm off on another adventure. The docs all agreed that I need a stronger dose to get things going.

In a heart/soul sphere, I've been trying to hear the voice of God more than the TV I seem stuck in front of. I am encouraged that everyone agreed on the new chemo and I just trust that everything will work out as it should.

Never A dull MOMENT

Hip surgery went well. Honestly, it went great and was fast and the (different than regular) hospital was nice and the nurses were all in their 30's, so it was calm and enjoyable actually. My parent stayed with the boys, which was great and so we didn't need to worry. I was discharged without any issues on Thursday (just one night). After my last hospital stay, this was nothin' 

Here's me after my surgery! I can eat whatever I want (A Mary Beth Diet Coke cheers!)

Of course, nothing can just run smoothly around here ;) Friday before bed, I began running a temp of 102 degrees (on our little home thermometer - honestly, it never registered that high again). "Over 101" was the direction to return to the hospital. We couldn't get the temp to go down, so we started debating which hospital to go to....the one where Id had surgery an hour away or my "home away from home" Hospital right down the street. 

Eventually, we settled for the emergency room down the street. I wasn't even sure what was wrong at this point, so I wanted to "go where I know. "

Well, after a few hours in the emergency room - where I got a CT scan, a sonogram of my leg and every blood test you can think of- they still couldn't figure out where the infection causing my temp spike was coming from. 

Seriously, this is cancer, my friends. All this weird, unexplained stuff. 

What the ER doctor did decide is that I had to at least stay 24 hours while they grew cultures of any infections in my blood. 

So, I was off to the 8th floor. 

You know the one - I spent 2 months there in March and April? 

Because God is good, my GI specialist was on call and came to see me right away. The nurses recognized me one after the other ("Bridgette! You're back!") and I didn't have a blockage or weird pains...just a fever and explainable leg pain 

Oh, and Shawn could STAY! As long as he wanted. Which turned out to be until about midnight because he really did need some sleep.  But he was able to come back around 7am on Saturday morning and we were able to chat and call doctors to see what everything meant. 

Eventually, Dr N (my GI specialist ) pulled a few strings and got me out on Sunday. There was nothing anyone was doing in the hospital. Fr. Nathan did stop by and say Mass and we were able to chat and discuss what it all means. Because I might need to change my chemo plan again...but we're not sure. I am just so happy to be home and to hang out with my boys and Shawn. plenty of time for meetings about cancer, but I'll keep you posted. 

Jesus, I trust in You.