Rollercoaster
Today is my 49th bday. I’m thankful for the year I’ve had and all the living I could experience. I’m thinking of and missing my mom extra today and so grateful that she brought me into this world. Love you mama 💕It’s a beautiful life….and also kind of sucky sometimes.
Things with my health have felt like a rollercoaster lately. My last post talked about when I rang the bell to mark my last radiation treatment. After a short break, I started oral chemo again and got 1 round in (each round lasts for 2 weeks then I take a 2 week break, then go again.) over Memorial Day weekend we had a trip planned to Alabama and Georgia to visit Brandon’s parents who are on a church mission there. Prior to leaving I noticed I was getting many more bruises than normal. (Since I’m on blood thinner, I bruise easy…but these were next level…dark, all over my legs and arms) my doc wasn’t concerned when I called about it. We chalked it up to the warmer weather and me being more active in the yard. We went on our trip and had a couple of fun days. Then more strange symptoms showed up. I was pretty sure I had low platelets. The on call doc said if my gums started bleeding to head to the ER. Next morning…bleeding gums. So we headed to a hospital in downtown Atlanta. Blood results showed my platelets had plummeted to 5,000 (normal range is like 150,000-400,000) they admitted me to the hospital and started pumping me full of platelets and also a blood transfusion as my other levels were also a bit low. I was so sad to have to be in the hospital while on vacation and miss out on the aquarium and the Braves game in Atlanta. We were supposed to be flying home the following day, but they told me I may not be cleared to fly. We had to see what my blood levels showed after the transfusions. I was so scared. So sad and so desperate to get back home. I didn’t want to have to stay there. We prayed and prayed (along with our family and friends…thank you!) and I got a priesthood blessing. The next morning, after being there for 24 hours my platelet level had shot up! I was cleared to fly HOME! We cried tears of joy. The staff at Emory Medical Center in downtown Atlanta were good to me. I had some very kind nurses. But gosh…I missed the IMC in Utah and especially their room service that you could order any time of day! Also we saw and heard some pretty crazy things in the ER before being admitted. I imagine many downtown hospitals have crazy things going on!! The things you take for granted.
At Emory Medical Center
Bruising 👎🏼
Beautiful platelets!
At the Braves game
I had started a round of oral chemo while in Alabama and Georgia, but had to stop because my levels were so wonky. My doctor wasn’t totally sure what was going on and why I was having this reaction. Since then my levels have gone up and down and then back up. We feel like the answer now is that after radiation, then onto chemo again, that my blood marrow was beat up. It was “sleeping on the job” as Dr Low told us today!
I’ve felt frustrated because I want to be fighting cancer…and the last while I haven’t been able to. A couple of weeks ago I was feeling so crummy, low energy etc and on the heels of our summer Lake Powell trip. I was able to get a blood transfusion to boost my levels and feel better. It was miraculous! I felt better almost immediately. And Lake Powell was amazing… as it always is. I felt good the entire trip!
So thankful for blood.🩸
Are you a blood donor? In this past year I’ve come to be so immensely grateful for people who donate blood products. Thank you a BILLION TRILLION! What a gift.
My blood levels yesterday showed that the bone marrow has rebounded and seems to be doing its job again! Yay! So back to chemo we go. I’ll start another round on Sunday. Then we will scan again in July to see how things look.
I’m learning that cancer treatment is not cut and dry. There are so many hiccups along the way and I hate that. It’s hard being patient.
Thanks for reading my blog…for caring and being my friend!
Prayer requests: that my body/blood levels can tolerate the chemo so I can continue fighting. And that we can reach stability for awhile. Stable is such a beautiful place to be!
Love,
Jenny
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