Day 4 Round 4

80% done with this round, 95% done altogether! I haven't had a fever since yesterday afternoon and my appetite has gone up a bit so that is good. The bacterial infection that I had in my intestines the last round, I've managed to get again - that's not so good. We'll see how I feel after this last bag of chemo runs in but I have faith that I won't feel as bad as the first 2 days. If all goes well and my cell counts cooperate, I'll get to go Sat am (WBCs are too high now, imagine that). Plan is to stay with Mom and Dad for several days until I get my energy back and feel like cooking for myself!

DAY 3 - ROUND 4

Yesterday was another rough day. Janna started out about 4:00am with 104.5 fever and her blood pressure dropped to 82/40. The doctor thought it was from the chemo but ordered antibiotics, to be sure it wasn't an infection. The fever is slightly lower today with blood pressure closer to the normal range. They are continuing the chemo, so hopefully she will be finished with that on Friday...counting the days...

"When you pass through the water, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Promises made through Isaiah 43:2 surely also include the challenges of chemo!

God bless you for your continued prayer support of Janna during this long journey.
Ida May

"Get on the Line"!! - Round 4, Day 1

After a weekend of rest and hanging out with friends, my blood counts looked better this morning - good enough to start the 4th and FINAL round! I should be excited, but as I sit in the hospital, I'm feeling more nauseous than excited. In my heart, I know that I have to start if I ever hope to finish, but that doesn't make the path any easier. I've decided that it's like the end of a grueling 3 hour basketball practice and all you have left are the stingers (suicides for you non-Hornets). All you really want to do is lay down or find a trash can, but you know that there's no way coach is letting you out of the gym without running. So that being said, I'm taking a deep breath and going to the line. Not only will I finish, I plan to be first. And I keep telling myself- this will prepare me for success.
"I trust in you O Lord; I say "you are my God." My times are in your hands."
~Psalm 31:14-15a

More waiting, more patience

Well, looks like my labs still aren't good enough to start round 4 of my chemo. My platelets are just a bit low so they want to wait a few more days and recheck Monday morning. I am soooo ready to get this over with, but have to believe that there's a reason it keeps getting delayed. I have to trust in that or I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Will let you know Monday how things turn out. Until then - God Bless us all!

Not good enough

Just got back from the clinic and my numbers are going up for the most part but they're not high enough to start the 4th round of chemo. Have to admit, with how good I've felt, I was a little surprised. Oh well, can't really control how many little blood cells my bone marrow chooses to produce (and no Mom, I do not think green tea will speed it up :) All in His good timing!

Days are looking up...

This has been a good weekend – beautiful sunshine and feeling better than I have in weeks! I'm optimistic that my counts are going up but won't know for sure until Tuesday. Will update then.
Let the earth cry out to God with joy; praise the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. ~ Psalm 65: 1-2

At least we're moving...

Not a big jump, but my WBC's finally have started to creep up - from 0.1 to 0.7. If we can jump 7x every day, we'll be in business! Next blood draw is Tuesday so I'd guess that if things continue to progress, I'll be starting chemo on Wednesday. Platelets were a little low again today so I'll get another transfusion tomorrow to make sure I don't start bleeding. No fever yet today so God willing, that is over for a while too! Lisa and the kids were in town this week - I'd go to the office for a little while in the morning then up to Mom and Dad's to hang out with the fam' all afternoon - tiring, but well worth it.

Quick update

Not much new to report. Later today I'll find out if my immune system has started to recover and if so, when I'll start round 4. I'm feeling a little achey so not sure if that's a good sign (that my bones are working) or related to the fever that I've run the past 3 days :( Hopefully we'll get some good news later today!
I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. ~Psalm 16:8

Day 19 /3 AND Still Waiting...

Well, I'm still sitting on my non-existent immune system (0.1). I'm at the clinic again today and platelets are super low so I'm getting an infusion and then tomorrow I'll return for an infusion of red blood cells. (could have had that done today but decided that a 5hr appt was long enough, didn't need to sit here for 7!) Found out today that the strong antibiotics that I've been on could slow down the recovery of my immune system so maybe that's what's going on. In any case, chemo round 4 has been officially pushed back. Earliest I'd start at this point is Saturday but could be as long as a week. Frustration, frustration, frustration. I've decided that if I'm going to feel bad then let's keep the train moving and get on up to Nebraska for the big battle. Praying for strength!!
Got this verse from a dear friend today - how appropriate!
"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength." ~Isaiah 40: 28, 29

Still Waiting...

Not much is new around here- still pretty tired. I went to the clinic yesterday and my bone marrow still hasn't started producing new cells so I'm still sitting without a functioning immune system. Maybe today or tomorrow!
Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him... ~Psalm 37:7

Breaking Barriers... Day 15 / 3

This is going to be short as it's getting late and I'm tired. Today was another long day of sitting in the clinic. As hard as it is to imagine, my immune system dropped even more to the whopping 0.1 and my platelets hit the record low of 7. On a better note, my potassium is up just a bit but not enough to avoid more IV's. Spent 6 hours getting platelets, potassium and an ultrasound of my abdomen to try and figure out why I can't take a deep breath. No answers to that question. Anyway, still waiting for the bone marrow to start producing some healthy cells, in the meantime, I'm going to bed. One day closer to feeling better!
Thanks for your prayers!

Day 14 /3

Feeling pretty good again today. Actually got a full day of work in! This evening I've started to get a little chill and have a backache which I'll be getting checked out tomorrow if it's not better (can't imagine that my kidneys might be crying from all the antibiotics). My WBC's haven't rebounded yet but I still have hope that it will happen by Sunday. Yesterday was another day of working on my patience as I had to spend 7.5hrs at the clinic getting platelets and more potassium. It was a great time. My prayers continue to be that I'll remain fever-free, that my potassium will stabilize, that I'll have a good/healthy weekend with my niece and nephew, that Keith will stay safe and healthy and that I'll be able to praise God through the storm, giving Him the glory!
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Day 12 /3

Thanks for all your inspiring Easter messages! It's so good to be reminded that true joy comes from deep within and far beyond our earthly circumstances. Went to the clinic to have labs drawn (another 3 hr test of my patience ;) My electrolytes still haven't balanced out so I'm back on another 8hr infusion of potassium. The swelling is slowly going away (I can move my toes today) so hopefully that will solve the problem. Immune system is still in the toilet- just praying that it starts to bounce back before my favorite little boy and girl come to visit this weekend!! Feeling better today than yesterday and hope to go to work tomorrow (presuming that my Dr's appt doesn't take 8 hrs!). Go Butler!!!

Happy Easter!! Day 11 /3

Happy Easter! Each day is a better day but still pretty tired. Not sure if that's due to the chemo, my 0.3 WBC count, or the 15 extra pounds of fluid that I'm still carrying around in my legs (talk about Fred Flintstone feet!) I went to the clinic today and my potassium is critically low so now I'm walking around with an IV pump for the next 6 hours - but at least I didn't have to go back to the hospital! I'll be back in the clinic tomorrow and Tuesday to check labs - we'll pray that my fluid shifts back to where its supposed to be, my potassium goes up and that my WBC count rebounds soon.
In any case, hallelujah Christ is risen today - I am going through only but a fraction of what he endured for us and God willing, when I'm in remission and look at my life, we will be able to see how all this has been glorifying to Him.

Day 9 /3 Home in the Rain

This stay in the hospital has been longer than expected but I'm finally going home (I watched a lot of sunny days through the windows and now it's pouring rain, wouldn't ya know!) In any case, I feel much better than I did the last time I was going home so hopefully that's a sign of a quicker recovery. 75% Done, only 1 round left!!!! and tomorrow will be better than today.
I can do all things through God who strengthens me. ~Phil 4:13