Emergency Room
Adam and I are on our way to take Jamie to the ER. She has a fever so we are forcing her to go even though she does not want to. Please pray for her. -Cindy-
Fever
Awesome, just took my temp and fever 101.1, been resting all day but started getting the chills a few hours ago and was thinking my head was hot Garrick is in bed with a fever too, so we are both down My Dad and Paulette came over today to help at the house thank god!!!!! Def needed them, the pic below is my dad taking our tree out, lol...
PET Scan Results, Update, Visited Jennifer at MD, Chemo
Haven’t blogged in a while, the last 2 months have been very challenging. I have noticed when I feel good I push myself to the point of exhaustion and then crash for days. The hardest thing I am trying to learn is to slow down and that I’m not superwoman anymore, lol. This is my most challenging struggle with cancer, since I hate laying in bed and sitting around and resting and not feeling productive. Hopefully, I can find a way to manage my energy better so I don’t have the down days where I can’t move at all. Next comes my PET scan results!! Last week was my off week from chemo, so the last 2-3 days I have felt like myself once again My PET scan was last Thursday and I received results yesterday before chemo. According to the scan my SUV went down on all tumors by a little and this was my first positive test result. The report stated “Mild Positive Response to Therapy”. After discussing this with my doctor we wanted to know what my long term goal is and if surgery is in my future. She said the goal is to get me to a baseline and if we can get there to try to switch me to less toxic therapies for long term. Surgery is nowhere in my future at this time, it is two dangerous and my disease is too advanced at this time for that to be an option. The ultimate goal is to get my disease under control where it’s not spreading, growing or active and then we hope...
Newtown, Connecticut
Tired Woman!
My sister was soooo tired she went straight to bed tonight! I love you Jamie -Cindy- thank you everyone!!!! For coming out tonight to support Jamie’s Hope and our Angel Tree Mission 2012. I can’t wait to help our...
Mission Angel Tree 2012
On a roll, Garrick doesn’t know it yet, but now he can be my twin...
Mission Angel Tree 2012
Getting Christmas Decor ready for tonight and just found my...
Blood Clot
At MD Anderson today with Garrick to see Cardiovascular Surgeon. After discussing the clot busting procedure with the doctor we all decided I am going to try to manage the pain for the next 2 weeks and hope for improvements. The procedure risks are bleeding in the brain and you also have to stay in the ICU after the procedure. If things do not get better we discussed moving the location of my port. My clot goes from about 3-4 inches above my elbow area to all the way to the port which is in my right upper chest area. Hoping after another few weeks of my daily blood thinner injections it will begin to improve. We are also adding Celebrex back in and I am hoping it will help with the inflammation. ~...
Deep Vein Thrombosis
I was called in this morning to MD Anderson to evaluate my port area after my chest X-ray from Wednesday came back normal. I have been doing my daily Fragmen injections for almost 2 weeks and things seemed like they were getting better. This past Sunday I started having pain which progressed into severe pain. I can barely put a shirt on because it hurts to move. Pain medication helps a little, but it is still very painful to move my right arm and shoulder area. The pain is in my port area, underarm, right upper back and right shoulder and a little below. I have tenderness in my right lower neck as well, swelling and bulging veins. It sounds bad, but as long as I don’t move around too much I am doing okay :). After my assessment today, I am being referred to a Vascular surgeon. They are going to do a procedure called Thrombolysis also known as clot-busting. I meet with the specialist on Tuesday at MD Anderson. I am a little nervous about the procedure, but am happy to know this will likely improve my condition....
Thanksgiving Day
Just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone that has supported me & Jamie’s Hope over the last few months. I am so blessed to have the family and friends (new & old!) that have stepped up to help in so many ways. Once again friends and family stepped up today and did all the hard work. My only contribution was our house, decorations (which I delegated), and I plugged in the food warming trays …..also cheered on the Texans from the couch!!!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving & remember to cherish those who cherish you!...
Blood Clot Confirmed / ER
Pictures above all show blue veins popping out that appeared on my right arm and this arm is more swollen. Large blood clot over 3 of my large veins around my port area. This is my arm on the other side. As you can see my veins are not seen here and this arm is smaller. Me in ER in my UGG snow boots today. After ultrasounds finding was sent to ER, but was released and got home about an hour ago. Ultrasound today New medication added. I have to give myself an injection everyday for the next 6 months Also I will be seeing a hematologist next...
Chemo / Possible Blood Clot
Chemo day 1 of 3rd cycle yesterday. Pain in right arm, possible blood clot and not able to use my port. 1 Iv miss yesterday (small blueish swollen spot), had to use baby needle and got it near the wrist. Chemo took a little longer since they had to slow the drip. One of the meds burns the veins when it goes in when using veins in my arm and not the port. However, got out in time to make it to the Paul McCartney concert with Michael and...
After Biopsy Updates
Pictures from recovery room and leaving after the biopsy. My wheel chair driver was speeding and driving crazy, had me laughing I was sedated (completely out) for the procedure with propofol. Woke up starving, had a snack in the recovery area to hold me over. Discovered a bandage in my butt crack (lol), they must have went in sideways with the needle to get access to the tumor on my right side. Had one of my favorites the snapper at Churrasco’s on the way home!! Got home and went to sleep immediately and just woke up thinking it was the morning. Hips are a little sore when I just got up, but not too bad. Also, white blood cell count was a little low and had to get a Neupogen shot this morning. Met an awesome couple today in the waiting area in Targeted Therapy, she originally had breast cancer in 1992 and in 2005 it came back with a vengeance in her bones and many other locations. She exhausted all standard treatments and was only supposed to live for 2-3 years with her diagnosis. She has been on a trial for 18 weeks in Targeted Therapy on one of the same chemo therapies that I am on, she is bald like me and doesn’t wear hats or wigs She could barely walk, but was soooo positive. Her husband said he would catch her with her walker vacuuming the house. Love meeting people like this!! Going back to bed, lots of work to do tomorrow!!!...
Biopsy
Getting ready for biopsy Hungry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...
PET Scan Results, IV, Etc….
Veins were running away from the IV on Monday, still bruised this morning. I went to the iv specialty area this time to get it started, spent 20 minutes laying down, hyperventilating and almost blacking out when the IV did not want to go in. Next time i will make sure to take something to knock me out (aka xanex). Thank god for ports!!! Unfortunately they cannot use a port for a PET scan, but luckily those don’t happen too often. PET scan indicated stable disease, which is the same results from my last one. Was really hoping to see a little reduction in size since this was the first full cycle I completed without any cancellations. The 1st cycle had a lot of cancellations due to low white blood cell counts. After a pattern was noticed, Neupogen shots (that I give myself at home) were added to my protocol 3 days following chemo, so the 2nd cycle was a lot more intense. Regardless, stable is good Side Effects / symptoms : Neuropathy (can’t feel fingers and toes) Daily nosebleeds (when I blow my nose) Body temperature is completely off, waking up several times in the night sweating and drenched and then freezing cold later (annoying) Skin: major breakouts Hair: gone Stomach: behaving at the moment Hip Pain: about the same -manageable Congestion/head: sounds like water is trapped in my ear and at times I can’t hear out of my left hear (a problem I have had since radiation to head and neck years ago). Sounds like a lot, but it’s really not that bad. It could be a...
PET Scan Today
Been at MD Anderson this morning for labs and echocardiogram. Now I have about a 2 hour break before I check in for my PET scan and luckily Reliant Stadium is close At the Texans Store looking for boots for our upcoming Chicago trip for the Bears vs Texans game!!...Chemo / Side Effects
Another side effect I have been experiencing over the last 3-4 days is waking up in the middle of the night drenched from sweating. Usually, around 4 am and I get up to check the ac, today it was on 70 degrees. Typically before I started chemo I would have been freezing at 70, I was always the person wearing sweaters at 78 and cold all the time. ~...
Chemo / biopsy / Toro
-Finished chemo about 20 minutes ago, long day 8 am to 8 pm. -Skin irritation in pic is new, weird -Elevated white blood cell count, I have been feeling like I was getting sick and guess I was (prescribed Levofloxacin) -Biopsy cancelled- may have enough tissue left over from last biopsy -Did a little shopping at the gift shop -Toro (thought I had everything until I saw this) and slippers to keep my feet warm during chemo!!...
Texans / Chemo Day
Look what I found in the gift shop at the Mays Building at MD Anderson. I’m thinking they might like the Texans Anesthesia assessment this morning, radiology consult, labs (Jewels always gets my blood and has helped me get over the fear of having blood taken), doctor appointment and possibly chemo to be determined shortly...Donate Here
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