Looking at a calm beginning in 2013....

After getting chemo on Dec. 17th, I no more got in my car and spit up a little blood. I called Dr. Dy and asked if he thought a scope was a good idea. He agreed and set up an appointment for me to see Dr. Sutherlin on Jan.2. Dr. Dy said I had a puss pocket/sore in the very back of my throat and put me on an antibiotic.Guess what? I have had no blood since starting the antibiotic on the 17th!! I am still going to see Dr. Sutherlin to make sure all is ok down the "pipes". Pat thinks I probably had a sore and it was bleeding. I wasn't coughing up blood....just kinda belching it from my throat. But the no blood reoccurance since the 17th has calmed me down ALOT!

The "drum roll" for my Houston trip is just around the corner. IF my current chemo regimen has quit working, there are clinical trials going on right now for my specific  mutations. One has had phenominal results thus far according to Dr. Dy. When MD Anderson did my large needle liver biopsy last March, one purpose was to find out what mutations my cells were producing. It will determine which clinical trial is best for me. Luckily, I am only producing two mutations so there are specific clinical trials for BOTH of them going on RIGHT now!!. When you have a chemo drug specifically for your mutation, the chance of it working is alot higher than just a chemo drug for say.....bladder cancer...or breast cancer. IF....IF...IF  ...I would find out my chemo is no longer working, we would travel to St. Louis as the Siteman Center is also part of these clinical trials. Two of the drugs are pill forms and the third is chemo that has to be infused each week. Oh how nice it would be to just pop a pill instead of sitting for 6-7 hours being pumped full of pre-meds and poison. But even though they are promising....I would still be a lab rat (without hair).
One day at a time....just one day at a time. God has guided me on this Journey so far and I am not afraid of what's ahead.....just anxious.

Bill & Debbie Weiler are taking the trip with us this time and we are car pooling it to Houston for a change of scenery. We are stopping at some plantation, maybe stopping in San Antonio....OR going to New Orleans for the day. Deb & I will for sure be in the trunk before hitting Texas as we tend to mock our husband's (in a fun kind of way,of course), make fun or scream due to their driving,or just giggle at their conversations that are way to deep for long car rides. An adventure it will be!!!

This chemo has officially took all my eyelashes, almost all my eyebrows, and well....the hair on my head had been gone for awhile. I officially look like a tv cancer patient. The only thing missing is I am not jaundiced. I thank the good Lord I still have no pain. I do look seven months....ok 8 months pregnant due to the tumor....   Cancer isn't for sissies so all you sissies better start praying real hard you don't get it!! It's not even for tough girls but I am NOT going to let it keep me at home, in bed, or depressed...I thank God each morning for my awakening and I thank Him each night for the day I just experienced.

My next chemo is New Year's Eve....like I had big plans anyway....and that will be my last treatment before Houston.

I ask for mountain tops full of prayers that my scan shows no growth and stability is the good word on that day!! If it is not stable, I STILL ask for prayers to help guide me on this journey.

Here are a few Christmas pics to share with you. I feel like my followers ARE part of my family. Happy New Year to ALL of you!!

Hugs and God Bless!!

Braeda, Kinnick, and part of Amy








These stockings were made by my mother from an old quilt I had.



These stockings were made with my baby blanket that my Grandmother Stoltz made for me. 






 


My daughter Jennifer and her husband, Bartley.




McKenna Grace and Auntie Jenn



McKenna and Uncle Bart



Serious Miss Braeda




Aunt Jenn and Kinnick



Debbie Weiler made these pillows and the white part is chenille from an old robe of mine. Priceless to my daughters and step daughter, Kate!!



The four "Cummins Girls" and their children.
Samantha Cummins, Amy Rusk, Leslie Cummins, and Jenn Cummins~Zuber...then we have McKenna Funk, Braeda Rusk and Kinnick Funk. Leslie will be married in May to Rhett Funk.




Aunt Amy and Kinnick




Braeda, Kinnick and Amy




Debbie Weiler and I on Christmas Day.



Miss Samantha (one of my youngest....her twin is Leslie).



Chris Foust (Samantha's sweetheart) and Kinnick



As I was coming down the upstairs, I caught a glimpse in the mirror of this and thought it was a pretty picture.