2 1/2 years clean!

This past week end was my 2 1/2 year checkup. Me and Tyler and Lorelei flew out late Friday after meeting up with my parents in Boise. They went off to a week of spoilage at my parents and barely even said goodbye. we flew off hoping to have a good little traveler on our hands! She did amazing! We spent the weekend with Tyler's dad and Sisters family. they on Monday morning I headed to Stanford. Lets just say it was way to early. My blood sugar came back 101 (borderline prediabetic) and I feel asleep in the petct, first time I have ever done that! went and got my blood work done and then drove back to get Tyler and Lorelei for my doctors apt later on. Mind you after my Petct I wasn't allowed to hold or nurse Lorelei, very tramatic for me, and she sure didn't like to take a bottle at first, but we all got through it! We went and showed Lorelei off the the nurses in the ITA and then to Doc Advani. My blood work came back good and my PetCt was clean! We flew back that night and Lorelei was wonderful, slept the whole flight! We have been enjoying a very quiet hose since we got back, Lorelei is bored and is wondering where her entertainment is, (she smiles and laughs every time we get to see them on the webcam) and I miss my boys! We get to go get them on Friday! and the baby blessing is coming up! Aug 7, so I better go get to cleaning! One nice thing about the boys being gone, everything I cleaned yesterday is still clean! wahoo! :)

One Year Apt

So I flew out for my one year apt, had my petct, blood work and doctor apt like normal, although this time, my blood work came back funny, and my scan was not as clean as we would like. My blood work came back with thyroid issues, pretreatment my number was 2.4 normal is 4 and in november my number was 11, and at this apt it was down to 5.8.. what does that all mean you ask.. I have hypothyroidism, not a big deal it runs in my family and the radiation treatment I had can cause it, just usually 30 years later instead of 1. So now I am headed to my doctor hear to figure out the dose of pill I need to take everyday for the rest of my life to get it under control. The hardest part is the sluggishness, I just can't seem to get any energy, Tyler had actually mentioned it before I went to my apt so I know it isn't all in my head... of course as soon as you know something is wrong, and you read the symptoms list, you notice all symptoms.... I now have a reason for gaining all this weight back.. HAHA!
As for the scan, my thymus gland had a high uptake, which could mean a few things, could mean the lymphoma is back, could mean I have thymus cancer, could mean I have a thymus syndrome that can happen in young people, or it could be nothing (among other things it could be I am sure) So I go back in June for another Petct for another look.

9 months!

9 months and still Cancer free. I flew out early out of Boise yesterday, (by the way early is the way to go, no lines, the bathrooms had just been cleaned, and everything was quiet!) flew in a brand new plane, Horizons new Boise State bright orange plane, very cool, very quiet and a great flight. Then did blood work and a chest x-ray then headed to visit all the nurses in the ITA, very good to see all of them, they all remembered me and my kids and my PhD/teacher husband, that was cool. Then I headed down to see Dr Advani, loooong wait and I am cancer free! I was able to go to Olive Garden with Teri, Ben and the kids, seriously love that soup salad and bread sticks thing, even took two bread sticks for the plane... great choice by the way.. they don't serve snacks anymore, just a drink! Then when I got to the airport the plane was delayed an hour and 15 min... turns out that the plane that was flying from Boise, that we were gonna get on, had to turn around an go back to Boise because a passenger had a seizure about 1/3 of the way through the flight, scary! So it was my first really delayed flight that I can think of.. anyways, after flying home and the two hour drive home I was exhausted!.. the whole driving there in the dark and driving home in the dark made it seem like a really long day! I really wish that it didn't get dark so early, makes the days drag out! But when I asked the Doctor what my chances were, she said about 80%, that is an 80% chance that it won't come back! Wahoo!! love it! O and in February (my one year mark!) i get to have a PetCt.. grrr. o well it is better than a CT with contrast!

P.S. Tyler did a very good job being a "stay at home dad" yesterday, he carpooled a load full of preschoolers to and from preschool, took Cameron to speech, and went shopping and cleaned the house, I think I am gonna keep him! Thanks and Love ya babe!

I love summer!

Woohoo for being cancer free for 6 months...
Woohoo for being without kids for almost 48 hours...
Woohoo for shopping without my kids... in stores I never shop in... or have access to...
Woohoo for buying something...
Woohoo for coming back to my boys!...
Woohoo for Cameron getting a sense of humor, I asked him to come here and he laid down on the floor and pretended to snore...
Woohoo for the whole family partaking in swim lessons...
Woohoo for coming home to fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions, corn, etc...
Woohoo for having Tyler home...
Woohoo for decorating the house...
Woohoo for the whole "how do dinosours..." series of books.. (SEE HERE)
Woohoo for 25th birthdays...

Woohoo for Kevin's sense of humor... (on the way home for swim lessons)
Dad: So Kevin why did you have to have timeout? did you not listen to you teacher?
Kevin: I was standing up because my tail was hurting
Dad: You were supposed to be sitting on the step, why didn't you sit on the step?
Kevin: My tail was hurting...
Dad: Kevin you don't have a tail...
Kevin: I'm a DINOSAUR Dad! Some dinosaurs have tails, Dad.
Dad: (trying to hide his laughter) Kevin, you need to listen to your teacher and stay on the step when they ask you too...(more laughing)

Boo for freaky plane trips, where I almost pee my pants because I thought the bottom of the plane fell off when the landing gear came out... has no one heard of WD-40? (what do you mean they don't use WD-40 on planes?... it was loud and freaky, and sounded like the landing gear fell off the plane.. OK?)
but that is besides the point!.. I LOVE SUMMER!
'
*Kevin's new phrase of choice "you don't need the calories" stolen from Ice age 3.. always said at the most inopportune times!

3 months

Yep. I flew out of Boise Sunday afternoon, by myself, no car seat, no strollers, no children to loose. I have to say flying is much less stressful without children (still not my favorite way to travel, but much better!) had a small layover in Portland and then flew on to San Jose, the flights weren't bad, just loud small planes. Got into San Jose and got to hang out with some family (and family of family) got to stay up late reading my book, didn't have to change any diapers or feed any body but myself (very weird... and on mothers day!) Then I made my way to Stanford Cancer Center (the smell still bugs me) I went to the blood draw (I was fasting, made it hard to get a vein) so I was stuck twice, then I went the CT scan, ok.. probably the weirdest test I have ever had (and that is saying something) they injected this iodine based stuff into the IV and it gave you a hot flash and then made you feel like you peed your pants (not a good feeling when you are laying on a table and you can't move.. oh and don't swallow!) they had to do it twice, one to get a picture of my chest the next one was of my neck, then I could finally eat! I was able to go visit some of the nurses who gave me my Chemo (the one's that REALLY take care of you) Then I meet with Dr. Hoppe my radiologist and they couldn't find any "lumps or bumps" and they read the scan it came back clear! So at this point I only need scans once a year, but I still go back every three months, nest time is a chest x-ray(no big deal) and then I will probably meet with Dr Advani (my oncologist)... Then I flew back! So, here is to another clean three months!

Week 2

Only 5 treatments left! I just finished week 2 which went off without any issues. I have a sore throat and headaches, but my sore thoat should go away soon after treatment. I have been feeling much better. I actually went out and exercised: (think baby steps) walked on the tread mill and rode the stationary bike for a while yesterday and today... I know not much, but it is better than nothing! It feels good to get moving again.

Side note** Cameron got tooth number 13 last week, bottom third to his right!.. he is growing up to fast! (Could be because I feel like I have missed the last 4 months of his life)

Week one

So I just finished week 1 of radiation. Tuesday was my "mock appointment" where they really just did scans to make sure I was lined up correctly. Then I had three treatments wed, thur, and friday. They really are short I am in and out in 30 minutes or so. The actually time the radiation is on is like 8 seconds in front and 16 seconds in back. I have a little nausea, but really we all have a cold so I can't blame it on the radiation. Just 10 more treatments and I am done. And we can get back to life. Me and Tyler have decided that this little vacation has been fun but we really should be getting back to the real world now. We are excited to see my side of the family. We are gonna go stay with my parents until further notice (or when they kick us out.. whichever comes first... :) and Ken said he would even come visit us.

Big day

So yesterday was a big day. It started with an appointment with the radiologist Dr. Hoppe. He gave me all the risks of the radiation therapy I will be getting and more details. Radiation will be 13 days long with one "mock therapy" session where I won't actually be getting any radiation but they want to make sure ever thing will go correctly. My sessions will be short (5-15 minutes, monday through friday. Although radiation could cause other cancers later on, breast cancer being one, and hypothyroidism (because my thyroid will be in the radiation area) risks are low. I am getting a VERY low dose of radiation and because of it should have very many side effects. Mayby nausea for a few days at the begginging and maybe some skin irratation there at the end. I do have to start getting mammorgrams and the other test (forgot what it is called) in 8 years instead of when I am 40. and I do have to start thinking heart healthy becuase my heart maybe affected. If I ever get diabetes or high blood pressure I am suppose to treat those aggressivly. I should start eating right and exercising regularly and keeping my weight in check. This I am very excited about. It gives me a reason to make myself a priority. I have always put the money elsewhere... (should I take a class at the gym.. pilates, or yoga? or maybe a swim class at the rec department?) Yes I am still cheap, so of course I will start small.. but this could be fun! by the way half of this stuff I am just putting here so I can remember it later.

Then I got my picc line pulled out! Serious seperation issues here... that picc line had been though a lot with me and had saved me from passing out more than a few times! It was pretty cool to see them pull it out. All 22 cm of it. We thought it was a lot longer than that!- pics to come of my old friend.

Then I got my CT scan done... We went back to Stanford at 4 and got me all put together in radiation. I laid on this big linear accelerator and they made a pillow that is formed to my head, and then then put this mesh mask over my face and bolted me to the table so I couldn't move, then they gave me three tattoos! yes tattoos!.. ( I kept telling myself that this is not what the Prophet had in mind when he told us not to get tattoos!) they are three little dots, blue, all below my sternum one on each side and one in the middle (you would never know they were there with out me telling you) but I have to say that it was painful and that people are crazy for getting them! They use mine to make sure I am lined up in the machine correctly so the right parts of my body will get the radiation. I am hoping that the worst part of this radiation thing will be the whole bolting me to the table thing because it really sucks. Tyler asked me "so how ya doing?" and I couldn't move!.. couldn't move my mouth to talk, couldn't shake my head or anything. I was stuck to the table!.. yikes.. Oh well, I guess I can handle it for 5-15 minutes for 14 days. (but I will be counting down the days)

So all great news, low doses, only 13 short sessions, no more picc line, and I buzzed my hair!.. it is now 3/4 inches long, all over. It sticks strait up on top.. so hilarious and kinda lays down in the back. It was a very emotional experince but I really do like it a lot better now. (should have done it a while ago- pics to come) anyways... that was my very big day!

Week 7 day two

So this is going to be a busy week I had Chemo yesterday and today.. with some serious nauseousness. Then tomorrow and then next 4 days I come back for nupagen to keep my white cell numbers up. Even with all those shots and bone pain.. my numbers are hovering around 1000. normal people are around 5000 to 10000 when I got down to 300 they canceled chemo all thogether for another week to get my numbers up, if I am around 600- 700 they would decrease the amount of chemo I would get. Where they really want me to be is like 1500, but for some reason my body is being very difficult. But I only have one week left, ( if all goes as planned) Oh and they started weaning me off of my prednisone last week. I get to take 10mg less every time I take it (every other day) So today I get to take a half dose and next wednesday I will take my last dose! Woohoo! No more wanting of all those bad foods! Although most people swell while on prednisone, I think I have swollen more since the weaning began. Anyways, I am just sitting here trying to waste time while they pump me full of anti-nausea drugs. I am to the point where I wish I could vomit.. then I could juse feel better... Right?.. ok maybe not. but I have to say I would take pregnancy nausea over chemo induced nausea anyday (remind me of that in a few years) Atleast I would get a baby out of it! Hope you all had a wonderful new years eve (mine was spent sleeping.. heavenly) and that this New Years brings only happiness, fun and loving moments to you and yours. More to come, my news year resoulutions!..

Week number 6

Well, week 5 was horrible, the worst week but now we are onto number 6, so we can stop complaining now. they gave be benadryl so now I am just tired, but thank goodness I have enough energy to sit down to some good grub, Tylers mom asked what we wanted and we are getting it all! Twice baked potatoes, creamed corn, and tri-tip.. yum, yum! Thanks Mom! Good news, they are weaning me off of the prednisone and trying some new antacid, my left finger tips are now tingly and numb... no fun, we will see if I start to drop things becuase of it... other htan that, same old same old!
I do send lots of love this Christmas Eve!... I will take pictures of what Santa is leaving my little one's tonight. We will see how excited those faces will be tomorrow morning as they find what the Grinch was not lucky enough to grab! I am so excited this will probly be the first year Kevin actually gets it and enjoys!

There's no crying in baseball!

Ok, So I have heard some rumors that, people cry as they read my blog... "there is no crying in baseball!" (which movie, which movie?) I do not post so others can cry, I mainly post to document my journey, because, well, I am horrible at real journal writing. But to hear that others feel the need to cry...that just doesn't work for me, no way!... so now that I got that out of the way... No more crying!

I will tell you that this week has been the worst, so far, for something they say it "tollorated well",(cytoxan) it doesn't mix with me. Plus the 4 shots on top of it.. no fun for anyone. 4 hour naps are a very wierd occurance for me... I just wish that I didn't have to be so nauseated to get them :).. life as a Mom right? Husbands, go give your wives a 4 hour nap.. she will love you after-words and might give you a 45 min one later! ;).. It's only fair.

On a lighter note, can you believe it is the 20th of December?.. my jaw dropped as I saw the date on a newspaper in the cancer center... It can't be that close to Christmas! yes, I have shopped, I have wrapped, decorated, sung, but for some reason, I can't believe that it is the 20th!... does anybody else fell like it just isn't time yet? How to make it feel like it is time before time runs out?!? I need snow, a snowman, and a cup of hot chocolate!

Good news and stuff

So to start off, Cameron got two new teeth! for a total of 10. I know last time I reported I said he got number 9.. but apparently that tooth was a figment of my imagination becuase it can't be found. However, he has two huge 1 year molars on top and two very swollen gums on the bottom. If I had to guess he got them within the last 2 days because the fussiness factor has been off the charts and...they are bigger then when I usually notice teeth. They are his new toys, he has his tongue hung out of his mouth or his fingers are in his mouth chewing on them at all times. Cute kid I tell ya.

Then I had week 5 today, the worst week (1 & 5 are the same) for nausea and just generally feeling like crap. They upped my nausea medicine which is nice (I hope it helps). and good news, my PETCT scan showed... nothing!... no hot spots!... a few swollen lymph nodes, scar tissue, but no cancerous metabolic activity! yeah!.. that is good, that is where I should be at this point! So we continue on with 3 more weeks of chemo, two week break, and then three weeks of radiation. Great news!

I have 4 more days of neupagen shots this week to help keep my numbers up. Friday through Monday, and the following Monday I have a pentamadine apt in the pulminary lab... I am allergic to the normal anti-pnemonia drug so I get to go inhale junk from a nebulizer. Good news it is only 10 minutes long! This will be my second and last time. (and they even give you a flavored totsie roll if you are good :)

PETCT scan#2...check

So I just got back from my PETCT... didn't pass out this time.. they used my Picc line.. yeah! by the way, it is so much easier to do it in the morning.. I had to fast all day long...I literally ran for the van to have my wonderful husband waiting for me with Taco Bell and a 1lb box of See's candy... The Taco Bell I was expecting but, the See's was a wonderful surprise! Lets all hope that the Chemo has done such a great job that the cancer is almost hard to see on the scans... what do you think... am I that lucky? Well, good news is, I don't have to change any diapers tonight, bad news kids have to be at arms legnth.. looks like I will be locking myself in my room and enjoying a couple of episodes of Gillmore Girls...

Week 4 and some other randomness..

So week four went great today, I went running from appointment to appointment, and was out in like 4 hours! Chemo was just two drugs this week and they were both push... so that means quick.. I think the thing that takes the longest is getting the dressing changed on my picc line... have to keep that thing sterile... I don't think I will ever look at Saran Wrap the same way... having to use it to take a shower is wierd... but I haven't got my picc line wet yet!.. I did hear today they are scheduling me for another PETCT scan this week or monday to see how small the cancer has gotton.. so that is cool. I am now halfway through my chemo... party!

Here are a couple of pictures of my hair... for your laughing pleasure... it cracks me up. NEVER would I have EVER cut my hair this short but I enjoy 5 minute showers and my hair being dry in no time flat.. these pictures were litterally taken 4 minutes after my shower and it is DRY!! Will I lose it all or not?.. I don't seem to be plugging the shower any more, but maybe there just isn't enough left to plug it... or maybe it is to short.. I guess we will just have to wait to see.
Here are some pictures of those christmas gifts I sent off... I know for all the Jerome people these are nothing new.. but I sure like them.. I got the 6th (6 different colors too!) one done and now I just need to get the 7th done for Christmas morning. They can spell out like 87 different things, plus my mother in law found a new one "Servants of God" and my sister in law says they spelled out their name.. I swear it is like a mind exercise to find out what you can spell.
And here is a picture of my shelf in my room, our own little family Christmas tree set up next to my blocks!.. My own little piece of home!
Other than the picture I put in my header, here are some of our Christmas pictures. Cracks me up how a three year old and a one year old can have so much on their mind while I am trying to get a picture taken.

My day off...

So today was the first day since Tyler got here that I haven't had to go into the Cancer center. The four days of shots were short at least, in and out pretty quick, but those shots sting a little and they make my head ache, as well as my lower jaw bone, bone pain sucks I have decided... lol.(like any pain is good) Any ways, today is my day off and what have I done with it you ask.. nothing. Hung out with the boys, slept in, cuddled with my boys (which I can't get enough of for some reason) Oh another haircut!. Teri, cut it shorter, it is really thin now, but I still don't want to "buzz" it. So I sleep alot these days, but other than that I have gotton 5 of the 7 christmas gifts done. (I will post pictures later) but I am sending off these very cute, inexpensive, homeade gifts to four different states. I hope all my Sister in laws and my mother enjoy them. I know I am enjoying mine. I acutally have to get back to it.. One more to send off tomorrow!

Treatment 3b

So we got up early and had VP-16 this morning, this PiCC line really is great, just hooked me up and got it! woohoo! then Tyler took me out for Quizno's lunch.. wonderful! and I passed out for like 3 hours.... I can't sleep enough! on the bad news thing, the neupagent(sp) shots i need to keep my blood counds up are a 4 day series and becuase insurance won't pay for it at home, i have to go into have it done- 4 days in a row!... thank goodness gas prices have gone down.

Week 3.. A

So I had my first chemo treatment this week.. and it was a VERY LONG DAY! My first appointment was at 8:00 this morning to have my PICC line put in. It is wonderful and so far I love it. She got it in on the first try. It is a catheter on the inside of my bicept and it extends up into a vein above my heart, it is like 5 feet long. The best part is there shoudn't be any more needles, they draw blood and put my chemo in through it so it will save a lot of time! From there we went to the blood draw, very easy, and then we had a while until my doctors appointment so me and Ty headed to the van for a nap, I havn't slept that good in a while. Then I went to see the doctor, saw a new fellow this time, and good news my numbers were much better. I found out that my count last week was 300 (hence, no chemo) and this week I was back to 5000. very good. but I do have to get a shot friday to keep my numbers from dropping to much again. then we went back up for chemo which was adrimycin and vinblastine again (same as week one) and then VP-16 ( a new one) which was a drip. I have to go back tomorrow for another helping of VP-16. Should be a much shorter day though. 10 hours is way to long! Oh, my potassium is low.. I need to eat more, but the rest looks great! Tomorrow will be be treatment 3B. by the way, if this doesn't make any sense, they drugged me, benedryl, I can never think strait on that stuff!

He's Here!

No not Santa... not yet!... Tyler is here with us! Woohoo, we drove over to pick him up at the airport, Kevin feel asleep on the way, but Cameron was awake and gave Tyler the best welcome ever! He grinned and smiled and said "hi". He was just plain adorable. Kevin when he finally woke up said hi Daddy and held his hand the rest of the way home and was very excited to show Daddy his room, and Daddy's room and Cambria's room.. then they played forever wrestling on the floor, I think Kevin really missed that. So we took our pictures, that lasted about 30 seconds, the kids were more interested in the plane flying by and the birdie, birdie, birdie than taking pictures.. Maybe we will try again tomorrow after Chemo.
My hair was still here this moring but then I took a shower and lets just say I have "cancer patient hair"... it is very very thin and I can't move with out strands just falling out. I think if Iwashed it tonight it would all be gone. I have heard people say that it is easier to just buzz it but for some odd reason, I really don't want to do that. They say it is more tramatic this way. Who ar "they" anyways. I think the only trama was when Kevin went to play with my hair today and a whole lot found out on his arm, he had the weirdest look on his face and asked me why it did that... Poor kid.
Tyler is actually combing my hair as I type, he thinks this is funny, watching it fall out like this..lol he says this is too time consuming. Where is the buzzer?...lol. Well we will see how long I takes for me to buzz it or just let it all fall out!

hmm...

Ok so, I am losing my hair.. and it sucks and it funny all wrapped into one. It is a funny feeling because, it is scary to loose that much hair.. you feel like you should be dying if you are loosing that much hair.. well I am not dying but I am loosing a LOT of hair. Number two, (was there a number one?) I wonder, what will I look like without hair, do I have a good shaped head, will it be lopsided or bumpy? Will I have any femininity left? or will I look like a boy? Weird questions, all becuase I clogged the shower drain with my hair. It sure is a good thing I started with a lot of hair other wise I would be bald by now. We will see if I can make it to my goal, Tuesday, I just want to have enough hair to take a family picture for our Christmas card, Tyler gets here Tuesday afternoon and has an online class before he can take pictures... so wish me luck on keeping my hair until tuesday evening! Other wise we are all wearing hats in our picture. :) (now you all want a Christmas card from us don't you!)

Week 3?... not

So we went in early today becuase I had some (what I call) severe swelling in my right knee, not knowing if it was infection, they wanted to see me before I went in for my pic line. Well it doesn't look like it infected, they don't know why it would be so swollen but when they did my blood they found... issues. My white blood count it to low to do chemo this week, Neutrapenia, it is from my first week of chemo, which I also get weeks 3,5, and 7 so it looks like I will have to give myself shots on those weeks to boost white blood cell production. Me shots?!? So good news, I don't have chemo on Christmas anymore, and I will get to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow! Bad news, I am at a higher risk for infections and chemo will last a week longer. Before we left I went and had a ultrasound of my knee to check for blood clots, none found, but I am supposed to stay off of my knee but not become imobile (i know, funny) anyways, it if funny to be at a learning hospital, my ultrasound was done by a resident learning the ropes of the ultrasound machine.... she was a lot of fun to watch find different veins and arteries...