9/12 - 3/4, 75% Complete - We Think!

So, I didn't have time to post yesterday after I got the pump removed. I actually had to go to work. We are hosting a big golf tournament on Monday and I am right in the thick of it. We have executives coming in from KC and customers from all over the valley. I'm the coordinator. I'm not a marketing executive, but I'm handling it this year. Kind of.

Anyway, I had another allergic reaction on Wednesday, so I they didn't give me one of the drugs this time around. We are facing a couple of options and we'll meet with Dr. Parikh the next time I go in to determine what we should do. Option 1 is to finish the last three treatments with some different drugs up front. They won't be as aggressive as what I've been taking, but should be fine, as long as my body can tolerate them.

The other option is to say we're done. I say "we", but that would really be based on the doc's advice. If he says he thinks I've had enough, I'd choose that option in a heartbeat! Anyway, keep us in your prayers as we figure out what needs to come next.

The best part? The drug that my body no longer tolerates (I think it's called Aloxatin) is also the drug that causes my cold sensitivity, so I've been enjoying popsicles for the past few days. Gotta love that!

8/12 = 2/3, 66.7% Complete

I can't believe I'm at the two-thirds mark! Happy day, just four more to go.

This particular treatment was not without incident, however. For the first time, I had an allergic reaction to one of the chemo drugs that I get at the Cancer Center on Wednesdays. I was sitting in my lovely recliner getting ready to answer some emails. I had even told my boss I could be on a conference call - I'd never had any issues before. Well, about 10 minutes into the treatment and 20 minutes before the call was to start, my mouth started itching and I got really warm. Then my whole body was itching and the puking began. Awesome! I felt really bad. They had to stop the chemo and give my Benedryl to stop the allergic reaction. The Benedryl knocked me out for about 90 minutes, and when I woke up, I was fine.

When I went in to get the pump removed today, the nurses said that after a certain number of doses of that particular drug, you body reaches a tolerance and that's when the reactions can begin. So, for the last four treatments, I'll have to take a big dose of Benedryl first to counteract the allergy. That means sleepy time! But, it also means I can't drive myself home, so Leah will be accompanying me to the last four treatments.

But, like I said, only four left. Of course, I'm not looking forward to the next 36 hours of feeling like crap, but hopefully I'll be feeling pretty good by Sunday morning, especially since I'm teaching the Gospel Doctrine lesson again this week!

So, that's it for now. Time for a nap!

Happy Birthday to Kate!

Yesterday, Kate turned 8. We were in Utah for her baptism and didn't get home until late, so this is the first chance I've had to post. Being in Utah was so fun and we loved seeing Kate and Cami baptized together. It was a wonderful day.

Kate is an amazing little girl. She's growing up so fast and some days I feel like I can't keep up! She is great a making friends. We can go to the park and when it's time to go home, she'll say, "That was Emily. She's my best friend now!" It is really an amazing gift.

Kate is very smart and has a phenomenal memory. She can remember so much and works so hard in school. She is very focused on keeping the rules and making good decisions. She makes me so proud to be her dad.

Happy Birthday, Kate!

Great News!

So, we found out today that I DON'T have Hepatitis C. I've had two blood transfusions in the past six months and when I went in for my last chemo treatment, the levels in my liver were a little high. The took a new blood sampel last Wednesday, but Quest lost it. So, they took more blood on Friday. The results came back today and the nurses called with the good news.

We were a bit worried there for a while. We didn't want to get everyone excited yet until we knew for sure what was going on. The blood transfusions are nerve racking. They basically make you sign your life away saying you won't sue if you get sick or die because they can't confirm that the blood is 100% clean. They are 99.9% sure everything is good, but that last .1% is cause for concern.

So, the news was good this time. Yeah!