After 3 Thursdays of Chemo, yesterday was a short day since I only had to give blood and have no chemo. My fingers are more sensitive, fatigue continues, and my head is still without hair! My white cell count continues to be somewhat low which means my immune system isn't what it should be, but that is to be expected with chemo. Praise the Lord that I haven't caught anyone's viruses!
The desert flowers are beginning to bloom, which is really beautiful since we don't have the opportunity to watch the sunrise as it takes place now before we are on the road. Another interesting sign, south of Florence, reads, "Tom Mix Memorial." I remember seeing Tom Mix cowboy movies on TV as a kid in the early 1950s. He made over 300 films, but only 9 were not silent films. So what was the sign on the Florence highway about ? That is near where he died in an automobile accident in 1940. A rather interesting fellow that you might want to Goggle search.
Have a great week and I hope to do the same.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
St. Patrick's Day
I did wear my green shirt to the Cancer Center yesterday to keep from being pinched! It worked, but It didn't deter the nurses who manned the needles. It was interesting to see how many folks wore green on the Day of the Irish, whether out of some inner conviction or just to following the crowd. The old, "everyone's doing it," thing seems to drag many of us into areas that we don't really know anything about.
My latest side effect from the chemo are sensitive fingernails! I was told that this was normal and that it may get worse. Other than the fingernail thing and fatigue, I'm doing okay. God is faithful, and Mary and I look to Him daily for strength and hope.
We continue to relish your concern and prayers as we continue this new journey.
My latest side effect from the chemo are sensitive fingernails! I was told that this was normal and that it may get worse. Other than the fingernail thing and fatigue, I'm doing okay. God is faithful, and Mary and I look to Him daily for strength and hope.
We continue to relish your concern and prayers as we continue this new journey.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Hifalutin
Hifalutin is where we ate after an uneventful day doing chemo in Tucson. All of last week was fairly good except for the fatigue. My white cell count was down, which was expected, but that is what chemo is all about~killing cells and hoping that more cancer cells are killed than good ones!
Since I had an early afternoon appointment at the Arizona Cancer Center, we arrived at the Hifalutin about 3pm. Never been there before, but wouldn't you be curious of a restaurant with a name like that? The country music was playing as we entered. Our table was beside an old saddle as part of the decor~a real western eater., Our server even wore a cowboy hat! The sandwiches were monster sized, and we were certain we'd be sick if we ate the whole thing. But they were so good we left hardly a thing. We'll definitely chalk up Hifalutin for a return visit.
While continuing our drive back to Mesa, we looked for the "desert" cows that greeted us last week. However, the only wildlife we saw were several birds and one lone chipmunk running for the other side of the road before it became roadkill. He made it, and I'm sure he had an exciting story to share with his family that night.
Have a good week, and we'll try and do the same.
Since I had an early afternoon appointment at the Arizona Cancer Center, we arrived at the Hifalutin about 3pm. Never been there before, but wouldn't you be curious of a restaurant with a name like that? The country music was playing as we entered. Our table was beside an old saddle as part of the decor~a real western eater., Our server even wore a cowboy hat! The sandwiches were monster sized, and we were certain we'd be sick if we ate the whole thing. But they were so good we left hardly a thing. We'll definitely chalk up Hifalutin for a return visit.
While continuing our drive back to Mesa, we looked for the "desert" cows that greeted us last week. However, the only wildlife we saw were several birds and one lone chipmunk running for the other side of the road before it became roadkill. He made it, and I'm sure he had an exciting story to share with his family that night.
Have a good week, and we'll try and do the same.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Good news, bad news
Yesterday was my 8 week CT scan to see if the cancer is growing, shrinking, or remaining the same. That was at 10:30am, then at 12:30 I had lab work to find out if my blood count was up enough for my regular chemo treatment. I saw the oncologist at 1:30 and continued with my chemo infusion about 3:00. The blood work indicated that I'm basically healthy, and the oncologist said that the good news from the CT scan showed that the cancerous lymph nodes had shrunk. The other side of the coin showed that the tumor in my back had grown about 10%, but not enough to be concerned at this point.
While receiving my 30 minute infusion, I talked with a lady who was having a 2-1/2 hour treatment for lung cancer which had reoccured after 7 years. She had one lung removed earlier, and the cancer that she now had was incurable. She was in good spirits. Is the grass always greener on the other side? Maybe we should look at how blessed we are in spite of our circumstances!
After a long day in Tucson, we spent a relaxing night there using up some Marriott points and returned to Mesa this morning. If you have ever seen the land between Mesa and Tucson by way of Florence, you know that it is a barren desert for the most part. On our leisurely drive home what do we see but cows! That must be what the sign was referring to that read, "Watch for animals next 4 miles." And we were looking for desert creatures like road runners, coyotes, etc.! It was another adventuresome trip, enhanced by the added attraction of "desert cows!" God is good and He humors us with His sense of humor.
While receiving my 30 minute infusion, I talked with a lady who was having a 2-1/2 hour treatment for lung cancer which had reoccured after 7 years. She had one lung removed earlier, and the cancer that she now had was incurable. She was in good spirits. Is the grass always greener on the other side? Maybe we should look at how blessed we are in spite of our circumstances!
After a long day in Tucson, we spent a relaxing night there using up some Marriott points and returned to Mesa this morning. If you have ever seen the land between Mesa and Tucson by way of Florence, you know that it is a barren desert for the most part. On our leisurely drive home what do we see but cows! That must be what the sign was referring to that read, "Watch for animals next 4 miles." And we were looking for desert creatures like road runners, coyotes, etc.! It was another adventuresome trip, enhanced by the added attraction of "desert cows!" God is good and He humors us with His sense of humor.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Another great Day!
Yesterday morning we headed for the AZ Cancer Center in Tucson at 7:15AM. The sky was partly cloudy with a shower of beautiful pink and white rays shining down in the east. We could almost see Jesus returning as He said He would in John, "...I will come again..." With the hymns playing on our CD and experiencing this wonderful sight, we were ready to jump out of the car and go meet Him!
After arriving in Tucson, my blood was checked routinely and was found to be low in white and red cells which was also expected. The good news was that this was my scheduled week off from chemo which is normally 3 weeks on and 1 week off. While there, we met Fashion, a companion German Shepherd that was transferred from Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, CA. Our daughter, Lesa, had trained Zorine, a German Shepherd for the same organization nearly 35 years ago. What a small world!
Since it was too early for lunch, we stopped at The Chantilly Tea Room, for tea and scones. What a quaint and charming little place. As I sipped my chocolate mint tea and Mary her white fruit tea, we felt like we were back in the 17th century with our carriage rather than car parked out front. The tea cups and pots were all uniquely different, and our server, Kristin, was a delight dressed like she, too, was from long ago. When we stepped outside, we found our car, not our carriage, and we were brought back to reality.
After arriving in Tucson, my blood was checked routinely and was found to be low in white and red cells which was also expected. The good news was that this was my scheduled week off from chemo which is normally 3 weeks on and 1 week off. While there, we met Fashion, a companion German Shepherd that was transferred from Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, CA. Our daughter, Lesa, had trained Zorine, a German Shepherd for the same organization nearly 35 years ago. What a small world!
Since it was too early for lunch, we stopped at The Chantilly Tea Room, for tea and scones. What a quaint and charming little place. As I sipped my chocolate mint tea and Mary her white fruit tea, we felt like we were back in the 17th century with our carriage rather than car parked out front. The tea cups and pots were all uniquely different, and our server, Kristin, was a delight dressed like she, too, was from long ago. When we stepped outside, we found our car, not our carriage, and we were brought back to reality.
Friday, February 18, 2011
I LOVE THAT
Chemo session #5 for Ed came and went without any difficulties. A little more rash. A little less hair. Nothing outstanding. I do have to say that he seems to enjoy joking with the infusion nurse of the day. Others getting chemo in the same room seem to do nothing by lie back in the reclining chair and sleep or listen to music via earphones (of course they may be receiving chemo that takes anywhere from 1-8 hours~whereas Ed's just takes 30 minutes!). But in our little corner of the room there is chatter and laughter abounding. He is truly living God's Word: "A cheerful heart is good medicine..." (Prov. 22a). I love that about him!
We really enjoy our drives to Tucson each week. We are enraptured by the beautiful songs about our wonderful Savior streaming from our CD player as if we were in the very presence of God. Our Savior enhances our joy through His paintings in the sky. We've seen the reds, pinks, and yellows of unbelievable sunrises. We've seen sunny, cloudless skies as though painted on a beautiful blue canvas. Sometimes that beauty is enhanced by white, puffy clouds which seem to float effortlessly on their own throughout the wide expanse. And then, there was this time. As the skies became cloudy and overcast, obscuring the sun that started out the day, God seemed to open up small portals of the sky so that we could get glimpses of the sunbeams which emanated, it seemed, from Heaven itself~so much contrast that we could hardly keep our eyes off of that light. "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26). I love that about Him!
How can we not praise God for this driving time. It could be mundane and boring. It could be something we just endure to get the chemo done~a two hour ride each way, week after week. But no. We have chosen to make it an adventure, and that it is. There is something new and exciting in it week after week, and we can only thank God for this opportunity. I love that!
Mary
We really enjoy our drives to Tucson each week. We are enraptured by the beautiful songs about our wonderful Savior streaming from our CD player as if we were in the very presence of God. Our Savior enhances our joy through His paintings in the sky. We've seen the reds, pinks, and yellows of unbelievable sunrises. We've seen sunny, cloudless skies as though painted on a beautiful blue canvas. Sometimes that beauty is enhanced by white, puffy clouds which seem to float effortlessly on their own throughout the wide expanse. And then, there was this time. As the skies became cloudy and overcast, obscuring the sun that started out the day, God seemed to open up small portals of the sky so that we could get glimpses of the sunbeams which emanated, it seemed, from Heaven itself~so much contrast that we could hardly keep our eyes off of that light. "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26). I love that about Him!
How can we not praise God for this driving time. It could be mundane and boring. It could be something we just endure to get the chemo done~a two hour ride each way, week after week. But no. We have chosen to make it an adventure, and that it is. There is something new and exciting in it week after week, and we can only thank God for this opportunity. I love that!
Mary
Friday, February 11, 2011
Q & A
Here are some questions that people have asked, but I'm only answering from a patient's perspective. This is NOT an official medical information center.
What is chemo?
Chemo is short for chemicals that are infused into a person with cancer with the hope of killing the cancer cells. Some chemo is taken orally by pill. While this is taking place many good cells are also being killed, thus the side effects that we so often hear of like loss of hair. Different chemicals are used to attack different cancers, and the treatment varies according to the type of cancer being treated. Since I have metastatic melanoma, which is incurable, I've chosen to be part of a clinical trial research group where a new drug is being used with hopeful positive results. My cancer is being continually tracked through blood work and CT scans. Whether the tumor shrinks or grows larger, it is the doctors who will determine how long to continue the chemo. The treatment that I'm receiving is only 30 minutes every Thursday for three weeks and then a week off.
What determines whether one receives chemo, radiation, or surgery?
Many factors are involved, but I've had surgery when the tumor was found early and isolated such as colon, prostate and even melanoma. The problem was removed and no further treatment was required. Radiation is also used on isolated tumors, but chemo appears to be the treatment of choice when the cancer has spread and is present in the blood stream.
What are the side effects of chemo?
The list is endless, and every person responds differently. Fatigue is high on the list, and I'm experiencing that one. Hair loss has its positive points. No more barbers or shaving! Dry skin, a rash, and draining sinuses have been other effects of the chemo on me.
How do you keep from being discouraged?
Mary is my greatest encourager after God. I'm actually in a win, win situation. Living one day at a time in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ couldn't be better. Circumstances change, but He doesn't change! My daily prayer is to not allow that fellowship with Him to falter. And when God takes me home, I'll see my Savior face to face and enjoy Him forever. Can you offer me a better plan than that?
Our weekly trip to Tucson isn't drudgery. We have decided that it will be an adventure. Yesterday my infusion nurse was from the Netherlands where we had visited 50 years ago while in the USAF. Can you believe that we remembered eating in a quaint restaurant in Amsterdam called The Five Flies? After all this time, she said that it was still there!
Then while driving home our stomachs were saying, "Stop for food," so we did. Bubb's Grubb didn't look like much from the outside, but what a great discovery! Their pulled pork BBQ was outstanding, and we'll no doubt eat there again.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated, and the results are obvious daily in how God has kept us trusting and focused on Him.
What is chemo?
Chemo is short for chemicals that are infused into a person with cancer with the hope of killing the cancer cells. Some chemo is taken orally by pill. While this is taking place many good cells are also being killed, thus the side effects that we so often hear of like loss of hair. Different chemicals are used to attack different cancers, and the treatment varies according to the type of cancer being treated. Since I have metastatic melanoma, which is incurable, I've chosen to be part of a clinical trial research group where a new drug is being used with hopeful positive results. My cancer is being continually tracked through blood work and CT scans. Whether the tumor shrinks or grows larger, it is the doctors who will determine how long to continue the chemo. The treatment that I'm receiving is only 30 minutes every Thursday for three weeks and then a week off.
What determines whether one receives chemo, radiation, or surgery?
Many factors are involved, but I've had surgery when the tumor was found early and isolated such as colon, prostate and even melanoma. The problem was removed and no further treatment was required. Radiation is also used on isolated tumors, but chemo appears to be the treatment of choice when the cancer has spread and is present in the blood stream.
What are the side effects of chemo?
The list is endless, and every person responds differently. Fatigue is high on the list, and I'm experiencing that one. Hair loss has its positive points. No more barbers or shaving! Dry skin, a rash, and draining sinuses have been other effects of the chemo on me.
How do you keep from being discouraged?
Mary is my greatest encourager after God. I'm actually in a win, win situation. Living one day at a time in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ couldn't be better. Circumstances change, but He doesn't change! My daily prayer is to not allow that fellowship with Him to falter. And when God takes me home, I'll see my Savior face to face and enjoy Him forever. Can you offer me a better plan than that?
Our weekly trip to Tucson isn't drudgery. We have decided that it will be an adventure. Yesterday my infusion nurse was from the Netherlands where we had visited 50 years ago while in the USAF. Can you believe that we remembered eating in a quaint restaurant in Amsterdam called The Five Flies? After all this time, she said that it was still there!
Then while driving home our stomachs were saying, "Stop for food," so we did. Bubb's Grubb didn't look like much from the outside, but what a great discovery! Their pulled pork BBQ was outstanding, and we'll no doubt eat there again.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated, and the results are obvious daily in how God has kept us trusting and focused on Him.
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