Wow! Is July over already? What a busy but great month we have had! We had a month of family visiting which meant fun, games and lots of food! My brother and his family came the first week of July and it was the first time we saw our niece since birth. Elizabeth is a little dolly and we had a great time having them here! My Aunt flew in that Friday and stayed for 10 days so she overlapped with my brother's family (she had never met Elizabeth) and then at the end of her stay overlapped with my sister's family. Phew! Busy, busy, busy but loads of fun. We taught everyone our new favorite game "Farkle" so that was quite a hit! 70+ pix are on facebook but I included a few here for you to enjoy.
Richard (my brother), Aunt MarleneAngela (Richard's wife)
Elizabeth (18 months), Ben (age 14), Uncle Richard, Lil Rc (almost 16)
Katelyn (age 12)
Cousins Katelyn
Krystal (age 8), Kayla (age 4)
Sisters Cathy and Carole
Cancer/Chemo updates: In the middle of my family visiting I had to have a CT of the abdomen and chest and a few days later we got the results. HUGE PRAISE that all cancer sites were stable or better so that was huge! This is the first time since starting chemo that I will be on a chemo cocktail longer than 3 months--usually that scans show spread so we have to switch treatment. Not so this time! We really like this regimen, with only going to see the doctor every three weeks. But, it couldn't be all good news....like the doctor said, I'm usually a mixed bag of news. My left lower lung was collapsed on the scan--there was fluid around the lung.....hmmm might explain my shortness of breath! And there is some concern with my liver--not sure if it is cancer spread or just a reaction from chemo but it is early, whatever it is, so we are going to sit on it and not worry about it right now. You know, there just comes a point where there is so much stuff going on that you have to choose what to be concerned about, and what to let go...for now, anyway. The next week I went and had a thoracentesis (they numbed my back and put in a needle and drained the fluid) and they took off a liter! Unfortunately I had no change in symptoms which was quite disheartening. Usually people have immediate relief, but not me. Surprising? No....because its me--yikes! So this last Monday I had an x-ray before chemo and it showed that the fluid is back and the lower lung is collapsed again. The doctor came and spoke with me during chemo and confirmed the fluid they removed is malignant--again, no big surprise BUT it might mean a change in chemo regimen...not sure yet--and that is an UGH! The doctor isn't in a hurry for me to have the lung drained again so I am just monitoring my shortness of breath and if it gets worse we'll have to do something. Unfortunately the day after IV chemo I got up and couldn't walk! The bottom of my feet were red and soooo sore! This is a side effect of the pill chemo but I finished that the Saturday before! So after two days of soaking in cold water, basking in bag balm, and barely walking, and LOTS OF PRAYERS, they are better! JR was convinced they were blistering but nothing ever came to fruition....no cracking or peeling, etc.... But yikes, how scary to not be able to walk! Yet another complication of the lovely chemo. And then there's the hair issue, or lack thereof. Starting July 4th I was going without a wig or hat and had about 2 inches of curly hair (as pictured to the left top of this blog). All my family got to witness the curly hair but unfortunately chemo took it away again so we're back to cute caps (my sister and I found a new style for me--see pix). Please continue to pray for our spirits-- it is quite demoralizing to have complication after complication and it beckons the question "how much suffering can one person take?" Not sure if I want to know the answer to that question.
But to end on a BRIGHT note, I have to share that lil RC turned 16 on the 22nd and he got his driver's license! Yahoo! We are so excited and this is a huge blessing to our family. What a wonderful young man he is becoming. Can you tell I'm a proud Mama? One of the things he wanted for his birthday was a purity ring. He has made a covenant before God and us that he will remain abstinent til marriage, and the ring is a symbol of that covenant. On his wedding day he will present that to his wife (and it can be made into his wedding set) as the culmination of his promise before God. Are we proud of him? You bet! Love you son!
