Friday, November 18, 2011

Give Thanks

Thanksgiving is near.  What are you thankful  for?
 I sit here a wake  in the middle of night. Thinking of what to post on this blog.  Today was my treatment day, yesterday was my Dr appointment.  I found out the results of my MRI of the brain and ct scan of my chest and abdomen.  The news is they found that I did have a brain and it does not have any cancer in it.  I'm thankful for that. My CT scan showed stability again.  I'm thankful for that.  My tumor marker, a blood test showed a decrease!  That is great news. This is the first time it has dropped after 4 different drugs...I'm thank ful  for that.
Thank you God for listening to all my prayers and to all the prayers said for me.
I'm thankful for the medicine that is being created everyday to help all diseases.  
I'm ever so thankful for everyone that is playing a part in the journey that I am on. *I could never mention  every ones name.*  chemo brain  or no chemo brain.
James, Emily , Rachel I'm so thankful for.  They are understanding and wise beyond their  years.   Love them  so much.
Paul the best care giver a wife could ask for. Doing above and beyond as a dad and husband.Love Him !
And another Thank you to those that helped plan and organize the wonderful benefit that was  a huge success because of all the people  that donated,  and attended.
And last but not least everyone at Lemmen Holten Cancer Center that help those of us diagnosed with  tis little  "c" called cancer.
Heres to all of you family and friends that have helped me stay strong along this journey. I'm thankful for all of  you.
As far as my chemo treatments I asked how many  more rounds and the Dr said after a long sigh. I don't have a number. And then said something I had not heard before. "this is a long process"  .  "we are finding that the longer it takes to go away...the longer it stays away. Sounds great that I'm on that trail. BUT c'mon now. This gets old after 10 months. A normal feeling I would think. Not knowing  answers are always fearful and frustrating.  I'm  fighting to get off the infusion stage and get on those oral chemo pills that have not been mentioned lately.
updates on the family are Rachel has been working on getting her back hand spring and came home today saying she did it on the springy(tumble track) by herself. Very excited about that for her.   Her first competition is Dec 3.  Her first 8th grade report card will come home soon. She is doing well academically.  Emily has adjusted well to 6th  grade.  Having class switches and more homework. Age Group swim will start after Thanksgiving and she is excited about that. James is signed up for Saturday basketball where they practice for an hour and then split into teams and play games for an hour.  He has been doing good in school too. Paul has tomorrow and then the one more Friday class to teach and he will have about a month and a half off before the next round  of teaching starts.. But this time its only 2 hours a day twice a week.
Thank you for reading my blog and giving support in the way that you do.
Thank  you for who you are in my life!
Peace to you!
Kelly

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Felt within the Heart!

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even be touched.  They must be felt within the heart!  I hope you were able to experience the best and most beautiful things this past Saturday because I sure did.  Amazing!    Thank you for all that  helped  with the benefit in anyway  that you did. I seen people from bits of my life. Aunts and Uncles that I don't get to see as often as I should. Cousins that I haven't seen.  People from my childhood neighborhood. My elementary school, high school  friends, church friends, work friends, Paul's friends, the kids'  friends, softball friends, neighbor friends, Brothers and sisters friends.  Mom and Dad's friends. What a beautiful night you made it be.  Thank You All!

I had a Dr appointment last week and I am going to have a CT scan  and an  MRI this month.  I was at the appointment by myself so I told the Dr that Paul would want me  to tell him that I am more forgetful now. We agreed to do the MRI  of the brain to rule out  no signs of cancer there. I'm confident it's just the "CHEMO Brain." and having the test done will put every one's mind at ease now that you know I'm having it done.   Other than that  things are status quo.   I don't have any new signs or symptoms.   My hip still bothers me more sometimes than others but mostly  it isn't too bad. Treatments are tolerable. I get  a headache for 3 days and few  mild bone  pains but tolera ble.   Let's just hope it isn't as  nice to the tumors.

Oh yes and then there is my eye sight .  My eye sight problems have been resolved for now.  The glasses I was putting on to see were actually making things worse.  And this was going on for 3 or 4 weeks.  I was feeling a little dizzy every now and then. I couldn't read words on the TV. I couldn't read the score board and football games. I couldn't read player numbers from the stands. I couldn't read road signs but I was driving.  Scary I know.  This past  June my  eyes  changed  for the worse  some due  to age and some due to the drugs but either way I needed stronger glasses. My prescription was a +5.25 I think for both eyes.  And the new prescription was a +7. And now its October and the eye Dr tells me I'm right . The glasses are  illegal for me to use to drive .  I thought he was going to tell me I couldn't dive any more.  But  no wait....my eyes are actually better. Better than a +5 even.   So after spending the bucks on progressive lenses in June I get to do it again. And new contacts too but I'm only buying a box at a time in case they change again.  Some chemo drugs can do that ....so now I know.
      Rachel is now busy with competitive cheer leading. Practice everyday. Tournaments on Saturday starting in December. Emily's has started swim stroke clinics. Those are just on Saturday mornings. James is currently not doing anything. Probably basketball soon.  Halloween was a bit different this year for the Anglim's.  Ever since my sisters kids were old enough to trick or treat  which has been about 20 + years we have gathered at some one's house for pizza and the little kids going out trick or treating.  And for the past ? IDK how many years maybe 10. The Anglim's/Crafts and Drakes have been coming to OUR house.  Well this year James was invited for pizza and trick or treating with a friend. Emily went with a group of friends and Rachel  wasn't sure if she was going out or not until she got on the bus Halloween morning. Paul was teaching a night class so it was just me at home to pass out the candy.  So I built a fire in the fire pit in the driveway and passed out candy that way. My  neighbor came and helped me get it started and visited for a bit.

Enjoy the sunshine that we have been having.  It's shineing today! All of us here in Michigan know it won't be long and it will be hididng for quite some time.
May God bless all of you!
Kelly