An update and a few silver linings!

April 02, 2023

I think round 2 hit me a wee bit harder than round 1 (no surprise)! I definitely felt a little more fatigued. And the chemo brain/brain fog returned. But after a few days I was feeling much better. If the chemo is working…the bad days will all be worth it!

I had to get a daily shot of a drug called “granix” starting the day after round 2 ended that boosted my white blood cell count. But a lab draw on Wednesday showed that my counts looked great so I stopped the shots for now. They’ll check labs again Wednesday.

Up this week: a PET scan on Tuesday and then an appt with my doc on Wednesday to see what progress (if any) is being made. If we need to change course…I guess he will let us know on Wednesday.

It’s been a good week! I had a visit from one of my first roommates at Ricks College, Angie who was here from Boise. (Pictured above) She is a breast cancer survivor and has been such a sweet friend to walk me through some of the feelings I have had and what to expect with chemo. It was fun to see her and have so many memories come back from college days…Love you Ang! I’m super grateful for the other cancer warriors, like Angie that have reached out to me. It’s therapeutic to talk to someone who gets it. As is the case with anything we are going through in life right?

I enjoyed hanging at home with the kids who were on Spring Break this week, got to go to the temple with Ruby and some other adorable and amazing Young Women from my church congregation, watched general conference (a worldwide meeting for the church I belong to) and tonight my mama made me rice pudding! The best comfort food out there.

I feel like I’m more of a glass half empty type of gal…but I’ve managed to find a few “silver linings of chemo” so far! Ok…so most of them have to do with having no hair.

1- Having no hair means that if Isaac loses it on me and has a behavior he has no hair to pull! He always gets his fingers wrapped up in your hair and it hurts like crazy.

2- I’m saving all kinds of $ on hair product!

3- I can be ready for the day in about 10 minutes flat. Shower, get dressed and throw on a wig or hat and I’m out the door!

4- On the list of “things I can’t do when on chemo” is pick up pet waste. I haven’t cleaned up Hani poop in a couple of months now! Something about whatever it contains could cause infection….so they say to just avoid it. We have come up with a plan. She does her business and I mark it with a sprinkler flag, then Brandon or the kids clean it up later when they get home. Fair warning to neighbors cutting through our yard, watch out for the flags!

5-more down time and snuggles with Hani which is never a bad thing:)