I haven't had to rush to the hospital in Springfield for about 3 weeks now and I feel about 80% most of the time. I am working 8-4 daily except the day of chemo. I usually have chemo on Tuesdays but this is the magical Tuesday out of the whole month I get to "rest" from putting all that toxicity in my body. I also stop taking the oral chemo which is 3000 mg a day. Next Tuesday, it will all start again and I will be making my weekly trips to Effingham. Besides being tired, I am usually pretty decent.
A couple of things that have happened this week that I want to share. After a long day at work yesterday (Monday), I came home to a box on the kitchen floor that UPS had dropped off. I ignored it figuring Samantha had ordered something, but then decided to see who it was for. It had my name and I knew I hadn't ordered anything but excitedly opened it. It was a beautiful gift basket with lots of green teas, cookies, 2 mugs, 2 suckers (one for me and one for Chris Foust to see who can eat it the fastest....Sam's boyfriend and I have an issue with this ;-) . It was from an old school mate who made me do many bad things in high school (anyone who knows me knows that is a joke). It was from Carol Eagleson Batzloff. Boy did we ever skip school and have lots of river excursions (sometimes in Moby Dick which was the "special" Eagleson mobile that rarely was driven by Carol).....one day a bunch of us skipped school, went to Red Hill State Park and cooked steaks and drank beer all afternoon....we didn't do it often....just about once a month or so .......... KIDDING! So....on my way to work this am, I had to put a couple of letters in my mailbox to be mailed off and there was a manilla envelope with a US Postal envelope saying I needed to pay $1.09 extra........in the package was a letter from Carol and a button but I can't repeat what the button says about cancer.....I wore it today and got alot of stares....especially at Richland Memorial Hospital in the lab. Don't worry Fr. Jerry-I would never wear it to church. I will probably put it on my fireplace mantle so on the days I am worn out I can look at it and smile. So....thanks Carol for making my day TWO days in a row....one because of the package and then this am for the nice things you said about me in the letter (and the pin). Carol also walked in San Diego for the Susan G Komen 3 day walk this summer. My hat/wig off to you Carol!! Speaking of Fr. Jerry.....he has had some really good points/ thoughts/ scripture at church this Advent season so far and church is my highlight of the week ......plus the big smile he gives me as if to say....you're still fighting....glad you're here!!
Anyway, Sam, Amy, and I made some candy this week....peanut butter balls, dipped pretzel sticks, and fruit loop candy. Next weekend is hard candy weekend and it is always a good time also....pictures will be posted for that day as there usually ends up being a powdered sugar fight by the days end.
I have almost decided against the clinical trial at Barnes Jewish due to being off of chemo for 6 months. When they call me in January, if they want me to drive over and hear their "sales pitch" and see if I bite, I might make the drive....we'll see. I will head back to MD Anderson in about 2 months for my routine PET scan and also talk to Radiology about some radiation options. I think the main goal is to just keep things stable....not growing and hope for more necrosis (dying) of the tumor. I also have to keep my blood at a happy clotting level so I do not get clots or a brain bleed. I recently read my type of tumor grows appr. 3 cm. per year.......which means I have had it for over 3 years but for the last 9 months....it has not grown. That is a good thing. Necrosis is good but it NEEDS to SHRINK if I ever want it taken out! Getting it taken out is more of a dream than a reality and I know that. But all things are possible through Him.
Until next time~
Hugs and Prayers!
Patty~~
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ReplyDeleteThanks, Patty! Keeping you in my prayers!
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