Jaime's Blog
Family & friends joined me for my “Last Supper” before they shipped me off!
Jamie’s Personal Journey Blog: Steak, homemade mac & cheese, au gratin potatoes & more… don’t mind if I do.
Zora and I planning my health intervention
Zora and I planning my health intervention, lol. Health retreats are expensive!!!!! However, thinking if it’s life changing and greatly improves your health it is probably worth the money. Operation get healthy starting the first week of New Years!!!! My mom brought me carrot juice over since I don’t have any Squeezed juice right now frown emoticon ~ Jamie...
Surgery postponed
Surgery postponed and chemo today frown emoticon Just got home about an hour ago after another day at MD. Yesterday I was there most of the day also, little tired and worn out from being up at the hospital/doctors sooooo much lately, but think I will now have a little break!!! The decision was made to keep me on antibiotics longer and to schedule the surgery in the next 8 weeks (but has to be 4 weeks out of treatment)…. So looking like next year, was a little bummed about the possibility I will be dealing with infections again soon, but hoping with the right antibiotics and close follow up of other specialists I will kick these infections for good smile emoticon One of the concerns discussed with my team is the risk of being off of treatment too long and my cancer going out control, which is always scary!!! Over the last few days I have regained a lot of energy, in fact I can’t even remember the last time I have woken up and got out of bed so easy (which happened today)!!!!!!!! Hoping to continue to feel better…. so the next 1-2 weeks will be a big test to see how I feel after chemo kicks in again (was 4 weeks out until today so not sure if my increased energy is due to chemo leaving my system or antibiotics killing bacterial infections). Had a great nurse today and received treatment in a section of MD I had never been in. Thought I had received chemo just about everywhere up there and seems like I have...
Had a little surprise today by my man!
Super sweet, was definitely a BIG surprise that he willingly entered the medical center chaos, lol…… so made it that much more special smile emoticon ~...
Infections, infections, infections…..
Infections, infections, infections….. & more infections frown emoticon And maybe a little Christmas surgery. Cindy was my wheelchair driver today, after leaving late last night she stayed the night at our house (her Hubbie, Adam joined her at our house) and we had to head back to MD Anderson for another looooong day. Left around 7am for my 8am appt with Head & Neck where I had an appt with my original surgeon, Dr. Eduardo Diaz… who I absolutely love!!!! He was my doctor almost 13 years ago that was going to remove my cancer when we got the news morning of my operation I was pregnant, if it wasn’t for his decisions my daughter may not be here today. He examined my PET scan & swollen jaw and did not believe there was any reoccurrence of disease in my head and neck area smile emoticon From there we headed to Integrated Medicine where they were able to see me for physical therapy for my extreme fatigue, which I actually did notice an improvement after deep breathing exercises. Then last was the bad one, have had issues going for quite some time now (had ongoing dental problems as a result of radiation and also one of my current treatments can cause boneloss) with my left back teeth, X-rays confirmed 3 infections!!! 2 cultures done and tested for MRSA, so now waiting on all results for Friday. They are planning an Intervention aka “surgery” if it is possible with my treatment and cancer (dental & ear canal possibly). Super tired, only a few hours of sleep last night with increased...
Worker Bees
smile emoticon Walked out of my PET scan to find Cindy and Amanda working have to love them!!!!! Amanda trying to get a little work out in, sure she will love my pic, lol. Then we all had a little nausea from driving in circles up and down 2 parking garages, but finally out and on the way home. Exhausted!!!!!!Round 2 tomorrow frown emoticon...
Amanda can’t drive a wheelchair!!!!!!!!
Good thing I don’t have any foot injuries as many times as Amanda had ran me into a wall, lol smile emoticon Now testing Cindy’s wheelchair driving skills!!!! Been here since early this morning with Cindy & Amanda, completely exhausted but so thankful they are here trying to see what kind of resolutions we can come up with!! Since I am on treatment it complicates the situation since you have to be off of certain drugs for a certain amount of time before you can have certain medical procedures, dental work, etc. done. Included a pic of my ear (been getting infections over and over again). Getting it cleaned out with a tiny vacuum and doing another ear culture. Now at our final stop for today… PET scan was bumped up a couple days so we can take a look at my problem areas along with my usual areas in my hips (for evaluation of my cancer and treatment). Wish me luck! ~ Jamie...
Struggling during the Holidays with cancer ❄️ The Reason Angel Tree Started ❄️
Jamie’s Personal Journey Blog: Going through cancer treatment for me has been a great struggle to keep up with everyday duties and especially during the holidays. Every single day…
Toro pic with our auction winners from the Masquerade!!
Jamie’s Personal Journey Blog: Houston Texans Toro pic with our auction winners from the Masquerade…
Thanksgiving Day… Lots to be thankful for!!!!!
Jamie’s Personal Journey Blog: Lots to be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day!! …
Woohoo!!!!!!! My Makeup by Wendy (my favorite lady of course) made it to day 2!
Jamie’s Personal Journey Blog: Feels so great to have eye lashes and eyebrows even if it’s only 2 days! …
Drug exchange
Drug exchange going on at the #Texans game!! Amanda slipping me the green tea!!!! LOL… Super healthy herbs anyways thankfully they helped me make it through another day of my usual NO energy!...
Angry hips Friday night. Super elevated pain and extremely exhausted…
Jamie’s Personal Journey Blog: However, I was happy to be out at my favorite place (Texans/NRG stadium) supporting the #FridayNightLights event hosted by…
Staph Infection?????
Jamie’s Personal Journey Blog: All Red, Not Good 
Keep getting ear infections (since February), have a hole in my eardrum, lost part of my hearing…
The Dreaded Needle
Sat there and stared at the dreaded needle (shot) I had to give myself today for my post chemo low white blood cell count Always sits next to me for a while before actually injecting myself, HATE needles (never imagined I could actually give myself a shot, lol)!!!!!! Had visitors today (Cindy, Adam, Amanda, kids) at our house to work on foundation stuff. Soooo happy they all showed up to get work done and hang out I have been SUPER low on energy, nothing new but I did get some interesting test results back that I hope to post tomorrow about my results for my ear culture (infection again). ~...
Dress Accomplished by H. Harloquin!
Finally got my dress accomplished!!!! The owner Haley of H.Harloquin dressed me for the event and was AMAZING!!!!! I was worried about chemo/treatment making me fluffier this year For the first time I dreaded dress shopping and put it off hoping I would drop a few pounds after I started working on major changes to my diet. Since last year I gained weight likely due to all of the wonderful medication that goes along with cancer. Soooooo my plans got put on hold for a short amount of time due to us recently putting a contract on a house finally (so moving, trying to sell our house, I am also the broker which means more work and closing might actually fall on Friday or Saturday, complete CHAOS!), Chemotherapy + Targeted Therapy, a recent severe pain episode that almost sent me to the ER our HUGE annual Gala, and of course life!! So……. my future goals to make changes to all areas of my lifestyle to help fight my cancer, severe fatigue, energy, etc… is right around the corner and I am excited and hopeful!!!!!! I am soooooooooooo SICK OF BEING SICK!!!!! So everybody will see the puffier version of Jamie this year, but what I am really excited about is seeing everybody in the future after I have changed my life Anyways…….. I was unusually surprised by how wonderful dress shopping ended up being considering how insecure I was feeling about myself. I never imagined I would find a gown this easy (or actually Haley found, lol). She already had several in mind making it super easy for...
All decked out
Our beautiful Jamie all decked out for the @HoustonTexans game
A Little Family Support Getting My Beet Juice Down
Up at the office trying a new juice flavor by Squeezed with my mom and sister. Always love the support trying to get the much needed nutrients down. I was expecting the worst when Amanda handed me the Beet juice (Beet, Carrot, Orange, Pineapple flavored) but was pleasantly surprised to find it was actually very good and easy to drink!!!!!!!! Getting close to my 3rd year of chemotherapy/targeted therapy which has kept me stable and is awesome, but I am SOOOOOO SICK of not feeling good!!! I have finally had enough and have been working on plans to completely change my lifestyle. First on the list is nutrition, which believe it or not I have an enormous amount of education and training behind me so I know what I have to do and already know the challenges I face. Jamie...
Never Ending Chemo, Down Today
Down for the day, wiped out and can hardly make it to the bathroom. Attempted to try to get up around 4 pm, hoping to get something accomplished today. Had a bowl of cereal, which was very hard to do and still 0 energy so back in bed. Same chemo (few dose adjustments over years) I have been on forever (June 2012). Peppy, my cancer kitty in pic with me always by my side!!!!!!! Hoping tomorrow will be a better day ~...
Working On The Masquerade
Working on...
Lost Keys – Chemo to Blame??
Been on a hunt for my car keys for well over an hour. For a second there was thinking…… Hope this isn’t chemo brain and I am losing my mind Then finally found my spare but the alarm keypad doesn’t work. So… I walked outside and found them in the street in front of my car!!!!...Chemo Wednesday, PET Scan Results & Golf Tournament Work
Spent chemo Wednesday and PET scan test result day with Nancy. I was EXTREMELY NERVOUS about my results since my previous scan 2 months earlier was not looking to good. During my last appointment we discussed the possibility of changing my chemo back to more frequent but lower doses. Thank God the results were STABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After a very long day at MD Anderson I still had energy, so we went on a Jamie’s Hope Golf Tournament mission. There was a flyer explosion in the waiting areas!! Flyers on the first floor by the ballon heart. Flyers for the coffee drinkers on the 2nd floor waiting area where you check in to Chemo. More flyers here!! Flyers over there!!! Then last spot finally Nancy leaving flyers on the ATM machine on the way out of MD Anderson ~...Better spirits = productive chemo time ;)
Jamie’s been feeling better (yay!!), praying her strength lasts through this round of chemo (fingers crossed). Working on her medical bills today, doin’ the dirty work12 hour chemo day brightened by my favorite MD Anderson volunteers!
Love these ladies! They’re here almost every Wednesday, donating they’re time to help brighten the day for so many chemo patients
That’s A Wrap
Jamie’s family and friends are our Guardian Angels at work! Thank you for helping Jamie. Jamie has had some very hard times lately so we have been teaming up more to make sure she always has someone with her while battling this horrible disease. Please pray for continued support, relieved stress, less pain, and for a cure! We love Jamie so much and we can’t imagine this world with out her. #JamiesHope #CureCancer #Hopeforacure #killcancer#bluecure #mdanderson @jamieshope That’s a wrap – leaving md Anderson – we’ve been here 12 hours total today – Jamie’s a trooper @jamieshope #jamieshope #curecancer #beatcancer #cancersucks #mdanderson #killcancer #bluecure — feeling tired withJamie Gilmore at MD Anderson Cancer...154 Pounds of Laundry – The Weigh-In / Battling Extreme Fatigue / Chemotherapy Side Effects
Chemotherapy comes with so many unwanted side effects and finding ways to deal with it can be challenging. Life has become a constant roller coaster, extreme fatigue for days followed by days running crazy to catch up. I have finally accepted that it is impossible to keep up with everything I could when I was healthy. Laundry is one of the many duties that I am constantly fighting to keep up with. Last month I tried a wash and fold service for the first time for our clothes only. I loved it sooooo much that this month I included our towels and sheets as well. Our laundry collection, possibly a record breaker weighed in at 154 pounds!!!!!! Rather than spending countless hours in the laundry room with what small amount of energy I do have, I can now use this time in areas I actually do enjoy ~...Good Laugh Today – Vodka in the Office?
So….. finally back in the office for a few hours today and first on the agenda was a phone conference. I shared a computer screen with Amanda our Executive Director, who took a swig from the bottle in the picture. I looked at her and thought surely she is not drinking vodka straight out of the bottle this early in the day??? Then quickly realized after looking at the label it was not vodka. Somehow the bottle ended up being the topic of a conversation and Amanda had agreed that she had thought the same about the look of the bottle. Definitely had a really good laugh today, lol...Still Alive & KICKIN it, lol!! Chemo & MD Update From Yesterday
Back to blogging again and have lots to catch up on with treatment, life, etc……. Late night yesterday at MD, but got home around 9 pm which is actually earlier than most chemo days!! Volunteer services stopped by to say hello and see if I wanted a hat, pillow, etc….. There are 3 ladies that always man the cart and they are always so wonderful to talk to. I included a picture of my newest hat, which reminded me of Jamaica because it is super colorful. Then that lead the volunteers and I into a conversation about the Jamaican bobsled team, which unfortunately I missed on tv I made it home in time to say goodnight to my daughter, who was wearing one of my hats that I was given by the volunteers previously She tried to take my new colorful one but told her she could borrow it anytime as long as her hair was dry (hair was still damp from her shower). Woke up today and was a little more tired than usual, but headed to the Jamie’s Hope office anyways to work with Amanda and Samantha today. Always fun working up there and so thankful for all of our wonderful volunteers that none of this would be possible without. Amanda, our volunteers, sponsors, MD, etc… keep me motivated and trust me when you have been on chemo this long you need all the motivation you can get, lol (and family also). I plan on posting some of my past photos and updates as I have time, have soooo much to update and talk about and just...
PET Scan Results a little disappointing :( – FUNKY HAT / Getting my Christmas Cocktail yesterday “aka” Chemo
Yesterday was a loooooooooong day, just now finishing update for yesterday. First appointment at 9:30 am (labs), got there around 12:00 since first doctor appointment was at 1:30 pm…. Then left at 10:37 PM… Picked up angel tree items I had on hold on the way home….. Arrived home right at midnight finally!! I received my PET Scan results yesterday, included picture of my report below. My last scan we received positive results (first week of November) and the decision was made after our discussion that we would try doubling my chemo (same overall dosage) but I would not come every week. Yesterday was my first scan since trying this and many of my tumors SUV (activity level they use for monitoring my cancer) increased and in the report a new area of concern to watch was mentioned My last several scans reported stable but the SUV level was going down on a very slow decline and this was the first scan in a long time that went significantly the wrong way. We are giving it 2 more months until my next scan and if it does not improve then back to every week. The last 1-2 months of my life have been some of my most stressful months over the past year, so praying that stress played a role. Poor Amanda, our Executive Director communicates with me almost everyday due to foundation and we have been friends forever so she has to listen and deal with me, lol. What many people don’t realize, when I don’t blog I am not always doing to good. On top of my...