Sorry it's taken me so long to update. It's been such an emotional journey we've been on that it's taken me a few days to decompress and gather my thoughts. So, you can tell by the blog title that everything went well last Thursday.....and "yay" it was the last time!
The day started bright and early. Kaitlyn had to be at the infusion center by 9:30 and, of course, we had to get breakfast out of the way first. Since it was the last time for the potent chemo drugs the girl wanted to look her best. So, that meant anything and everything orange. Lorraine Severns helped the cause this go-around with some beautiful orange straps for Kaitlyn's switch-flops. For those of you not familiar with those sandals I recommend a visit to Flirt in downtown Rochester. Not only did Lorraine provide the orange straps but she also made Kaitlyn some gorgeous orange earrings. So along with those items, she also sported a pretty orange scarf on her head and a nice orange top. Her Dad and I got her an orange bead for her bracelet from Flirt as well. It was to celebrate the last of the grueling chemo drugs.
We decided a head of time that we wanted to celebrate so we brought two dozen cookies to the nursing staff at the infusion center. Those gals have all been super and have the most compassionate hearts. They sure made it easy for us every time we went. Not to be out done, Kaitlyn's friend, Andhra brought a nice chocolate cake with a big "No More Chemo" written on it and a great orange and pink balloon bouquet. The nurses were in heaven and promised to share with the other patients that were due in that day.
Kira Jump Kimmel, a high school friend, stopped in for a visit with us as well. It was sure good to have her with us! She's had some medical problems of her own due to a hit and run that she was involved in in Indy. We are wishing her all the best and including her in our prayers. Love you Kira!
Other than those two gals, we ended as we began....with Scott, Kaitlyn and I. It seemed appropriate to do it this way. Scott said Kaitlyn's lab results still looked pretty good despite the double infection she had been fighting for a week. Her platelets were a little low but we knew about that ahead of time and it didn't stop the chemo process from taking place. At just a little under four hours it takes along time for those drugs to get pushed thru and by the end Kaitlyn was pretty tired and sick. All I can say is that after watching that girl go thru this process this summer, I don't think I'll complain about a headache ever again in my life. I probably don't say this enough....but really she's my hero.
So now we wait. Her immune system has to get back on track and then we will meet with Dr. Kennedy's office to discuss surgery. In the meantime, Kaitlyn will still go every three weeks to the infusion center for herceptin. It's a twenty minute infusion and everyone tells us that there are no side effects from it. We're holding them to their promise:)
It feels good to know that this part is behind us now and maybe, just maybe, there might be a light at the end of this tunnel we've been in. To try and tell you all in words how much your prayers and comments have meant to us.....well there just aren't enough to do that. Seriously, without all of you we don't know how we could have done this. Evey time that girl started to feel down or a little depressed...one of you would send her a card or a message on facebook or comment on this blog. We just know that it was God making sure she knew how many of you cared. Thanks so much for caring and praying and sending cards and care packages. You all will just never know what it has meant to us. That's enough rambling for one night, so you all know the drill....you keep praying and she'll keep fighting. God Bless you all!
Peace, Love and Hope,
Lisa
I am starting this blog to give my phone and mind a break :) Though I truly appreciate all the love and support I have received over the past couple of weeks, I am feeling a little overwhelmed with it also. So I wanted to have a place where I could update everyone on whats going on and you would have a place to write me comments of love and encouragment.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The Chemo Cave
I'm coming out of my chemo cave and back into the world of real life. The chemo cave is where I hang out and watch movies while the chemo moves through my body killing the cancer and continually shrinks the tumor. This time my brother Scott got to hang out with me in my chemo cave. I'm very blessed to have the best brother ever. Not only did he make sure I was eating, he also watched movies with me all weekend and made me laugh at times when I really needed to laugh. Also the poor thing will probably end up getting pneumonia. One of the side effects from having chemo is hot flashes. Our apartment feels like walking into an igloo, in my room alone I have 2 fans that blow on me at night plus the air conditioner runs like every 5 minutes. Let me just say hot flashes are not cool, I've never had more respect for my mom and aunt then I do now after experiencing them! :)
If you have heard the song "Stand" by Rascal Flats this is around the time when I get up from the ground brush my hands off and stand. (I suggest googling the lyrics or listening to the song) I listen to that song everyday after chemo for encouragement to get through the day. Today is the day that I start to feel my energy level increase and I start feeling just overall better.
When I started this blog it was suppose to be a way for me and my mom to update family and friends on my appointments and treatment, but Ive gotten so many messages and cards saying how inspired they are by me or how I'm making cancer not scary. That is my new goal with this, cancer isn't scary, and it doesn't mean an instant death sentence. Even having chemo doesn't scare me, what does scare me are the days after when the chemo is coursing through my body and I don't have any energy to get off the couch or move. But, I also know that if I can just make it through those days 1 day at a time that its one more day that the cancer didn't win and its one more day closer to days like today. So I will continue to get up from the ground, brush my hands off....and stand!
My plan is to head home this weekend and spend time with my family. I continue to be amazed by the number of people praying for me. Thank you all so much....I know those prayers are working!
Peace, Love and Hope,
Kaitlyn
If you have heard the song "Stand" by Rascal Flats this is around the time when I get up from the ground brush my hands off and stand. (I suggest googling the lyrics or listening to the song) I listen to that song everyday after chemo for encouragement to get through the day. Today is the day that I start to feel my energy level increase and I start feeling just overall better.
When I started this blog it was suppose to be a way for me and my mom to update family and friends on my appointments and treatment, but Ive gotten so many messages and cards saying how inspired they are by me or how I'm making cancer not scary. That is my new goal with this, cancer isn't scary, and it doesn't mean an instant death sentence. Even having chemo doesn't scare me, what does scare me are the days after when the chemo is coursing through my body and I don't have any energy to get off the couch or move. But, I also know that if I can just make it through those days 1 day at a time that its one more day that the cancer didn't win and its one more day closer to days like today. So I will continue to get up from the ground, brush my hands off....and stand!
My plan is to head home this weekend and spend time with my family. I continue to be amazed by the number of people praying for me. Thank you all so much....I know those prayers are working!
Peace, Love and Hope,
Kaitlyn
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