This Concludes the First Phase of Chemo

I survived the first round of chemo. Four nasty treatments and one blood transfusion later ... I am moving onto weekly treatments of Taxol. I have 12 of these to go and will start in two weeks.

Skipping backward, the transfusion was a non-event EXCEPT they didn't tell me it would take me 3 hours per bag of blood. I couldn't understand why Rosa -- my nurse -- kept asking for my lunch order. I let her know I had other plans for lunch, I was on my way to work. She looked confused. I was quickly informed that I needed to pick either a sandwich or a hot lunch ... I went for chicken fingers, salad and red Jello. And, from my corner room with no real windows although there was a nice flat screen TV, I sat and worked, slept and watched a movie from 8:00 until 4:00.

Jeff was there for most of it but Grace had a performance at ballet and it's important to keep them on track as much as possible so he went to get the girls. That's when my blood pressure plummeted. I did a quick prayer, "God, he will never trust me alone again ... lets find the problem quickly." It must have been a fluke. We switched arms and moved the cuff around and soon we had a more normal 102. Even the nurse looked shocked when it hit 85.

By the way, I'm A- ... I have type A tendencies but I'm working hard on a positive (still sarcastic) attitude and cancer is helping that ... seriously. Anyway, I wonder if the A- is a sign. I hope you were able to give blood or consider it the next time it comes your way. You can't really give blood to me ... but there is a big need for it out there.

Chemo went well today. My sister took me. The cyst is shrinking some and softening. It's at 3.5 x 4 cm. Taxol should continue to shrink it and then before we do surgery, we'll do another MRI.

It's a busy week ... Jeff and I meet with the genetics counselor in the afternoon tomorrow.

Pray for strength for me. My devotional continues to feed my spiritual side ... "... your strength will equal your days ... The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." Deuteronomy 33:25-27. Those words used to be something that others might need ... but now I feel the strength equals my days as I employ "listening to my body" and scheduled rest stops along life.

It looks like a great weekend in Indiana and North Carolina this weekend. The weather is finally getting better. I hope you get out and enjoy it. Jeff is enjoying it, probably a Cheeseburger in Paradise and perhaps a margarita at the Jimmy Buffett concert tonight. I'm sad I can't be there but I'm not moping. I know over the many years I've worked that I've traveled and seen a lot of awesome things that he hasn't been able to share. And, marriage is about sacrifices and putting one before the other ... so I'm resolved that tonight is one of his nights and I hope he has a great time that he can remember in its entirety. And after that, I just pray he comes home safely and showers in the guest room before he gets within five feet of me.

I killed the polka dot background. It was wreaking havoc on my nausea.

Ann