3rd Treatment

Monday (Dec.11) I had my third treatment. The way it goes on treatment day is that you see the oncologist first, talk, get examined and then evaluate whether there should be any changes. Well, my doctor did all that and decided that the tumor had only gone down a little, but not enough. SO...she changed one of the chemo drugs. That was discouraging for two reasons...one, the tumor hadn't shrunk very much and two, I've been doing so well on the other 3 that changing meant possibly having a different response. The other part of this was that this new drug took longer to go in.

SO...Monday I spent 10-11 am. on the office visit, then from 11-3:00 sitting in my Lazy-Boy chair getting all the medicines. It was my longest treatment. First, there's an anti-nausea drug, then a steroid, then chemo #1, chemo #2, chemo #3, then some Benadryl, then some iron (to boost red blood cells)....with saline water in between every one of them. I also got a shot at the end of everything for red blood booster. Long process.

BUT...the good news was Betsy was with me. She was wonderful! Very good at this. Cheerful and sweet and comforting. I was so thankful to have her there. She was with me during the doctor time, but then when I was getting the drugs she was only allowed in for about 10 minutes per hour. She would go off and then pop back in cheerfully. One time she had brought a little gift to pass out to the others in the room (there are 10 of us at the same time). She took two candycanes and tied them together to make a pink breast cancer ribbon. (My craft girl!) It was cute and everyone liked it and her.

On the treatment day I don't usually feel so bad. My theory is my body is so confused with all the drugs that it doesn't know what to do on the first day. Tuesday I started feeling the fatigue, but still okay. Then Wednesday afternoon the nausea started. This time was definitely different than the other two. I felt heavy fatigue but also very nauseous. I was hungry but there was NOTHING that I could think of that I could eat. Thursday was the same but more severe. I wasn't eating...but I knew I needed to eat. I just couldn't do it. We tried lots of stuff. Protein shakes, plain toast, applesauce, rice, etc. Finally, Thurs night Tommy brought home some catfish from the restaurant they went to and that sounded good, so I nibbled a tiny test bite and it worked. I ate a piece and had some mashed potatoes. Yeah! Food! Who would have thought catfish was the answer!

Today was much better. I got up, ate cereal for breakfast, showered, did laundry and even ironed. All those were done with "sitting a spell" in between, but I still did it. It was a much better day.

Every day has it's calling. Tomorrow my focus is on Jesse....he's graduating! If I feel like I did this morning, I'll be fine and able to attend.

It's been a long, hard week, but I made it, with the Lord's strength.


O Lord, I want so much to skip these weeks of physical sickness and weakness. But, for whatever reason, that is what is before me. Give me strength to press on...to listen to You...to trust You, in sickness or in health...to be Yours, no matter what. I believe and I trust You.
In Jesus' Name.