Busy Week

This past week was very busy. I had appointments everyday except yesterday, (Friday). Mom and I kept the roads hot, lol!

Monday - We did not have to go to a medical appointment, but a friend came to the house and cut my hair for me. I wanted it cut really close to my head in case my hair fell out during treatment. I buzzed it a little shorter today, I'm loving the buzz and not  having to fix hair! :)

I apologize for not using flash, but there you have it!

Tuesday - I met my radiologist. We didn't discuss much... just went over the basics of what radiation was and how it works. I was very happy to learn that it will not burn afterward! I love their office also. They have very comfy couches to sit on in the lobby and beautiful finches to watch. I really enjoyed visiting here. I am not sure how long I will have to do radiation or how often yet. I go back Monday for a simulation visit to see where the radiation will be used etc.

Wednesday - Weekly visit with Dr. Tran. Increased pain meds and discussed what type of chemo I would have and the side effects. I will not lose my hair, but it will thin; and I can except nausea and vomiting. Treatment starts at 8:45 Tuesday.

Thursday - This was a big day. I had my port placed for Chemo. It was weird waiting to go back for surgery... I have not had surgery since I was a teen (that is if you count having wisdom teeth removed).. before that I was 9 & 10. It is weird having anesthesia through IV and not a masks, but not complaining about that at all, it works faster and you do not wake up groggy. I learned this when I had my liver biopsy a couple weeks ago. I can't remember the date of that right now. We have not discussed the results of said biopsy with the doctor. Hopefully Tuesday! Grr... I had pictures to go with this day also.. I will have to download them and edit the post another day.. ugh!!

Friday - I was suppose to see Dr. Lorenzo in clinic, but she did my surgery so one less trip and a lazy day! I did take a nap today, :) I haven't been sleeping like I need to so yes; I am proud of myself for a nap!

Love and Hugs!

New Doctors/An Easy Weekend

Friday's appointments went well. The PET scan took about 90 minutes. The longest part is sitting and waiting for the dye to be digested through your body. (I will be sure to take a book next time!) The results of the scan will be in Monday, but I will not know what they are until I see Dr. Tran Wednesday afternoon. The results of the PET scan is the only part of this whole journey that I am even semi anxious about, only because it shows where the cancer is in my body. My prayer is that it has not spread and is contained within my rectum only.

I met with my surgeon Friday afternoon as well. She is very pleasant to be around and has a great bedside manner and concern for her patients. I feel the same way about her colleague I spoke with as well. They are just as baffled as any other doctor I have seen within the last few weeks. Once the PET results are in and gone over - everything will make more sense for everyone involved. Also, the genetics testing will help the surgeons decide their course of action as well. I will update on that as soon as that information is available. I will see them again in 2 weeks.

My liver biopsy will be done Tuesday morning at 7 or 7:30 a.m. Though I am not looking forward to the procedure I am glad it will be done and over with. One less thing to worry about.

My weekend has been great. Friday evening I was able to spend time with my sweet friend/sister LaBrisha and her daughters Haylee and Kylee. It had been a little over 2 years since I had seen them. The visit definitely made me feel good and lifted my spirits. Kylee and Kaylee were able to play too. It was a great evening, and I hope they are able to visit again soon.

Saturday evening we had a visit from our friend Sheila. She and her husband came by to pick up a swing and visited for a little over an hour I'd say. We all had a lot of laughs. I really enjoyed seeing them and meeting her husband. Hopefully, when I am well; we can go visit them and see their animals.

I had intentions of going to church this morning, but was not able to because of my pain. I know they all understand, but I miss my church family. They are all wonderful people.

It's been a relaxing, easy weekend.

Love and Hugs

Tomorrow: The Beginning of An Unexpected Chapter

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, the day after today, that is what tomorrow is, right?

Yes, but it is not just tomorrow for me, my family, my best friends. It is the beginning of a new chapter in all of our lives. This chapter is going to be full of many many ups and downs. Let's just be blunt. It IS going to be a chaotic roller coaster in every way possible. There is no way around that, but we will make it like we always do! Nothing is going to stop us. Ok, so what I am rambling about?

Here you go. I was admitted into the hospital on November 18 due to severe nausea, and other things related to that. I was given a couple bags of fluid and medicines to help with nausea etc. while in the ER. Also, while there they did a CT Scan of my abdomen and ran tests on a stool sample. The sample came back positive for C. Diff, which is an infection of the intestines. (Bad bacteria takes over in your GI tract). The CT Scan did not show any obstructions in the bowel. However, the doctor told us they did find a mass and a spot on my liver. I think we all just kinda sat there at that point. I don't know how my parents felt mentally or emotionally then. I began to prepare myself for the news that would follow a couple days later, I just had a gut feeling and knew.

I get to my room Wednesday morning around 9:00 a.m. or so. I am starving by this time because I have not had anything to eat or drink for quite sometime. Of course, I am on a clear liquid diet. [CLD]. That evening I have to drink the lovely drink that preps you for a colonoscopy. *I have a trick for drinking this, flavor it with water flavoring drops, except for red.* Thursday morning I have an ultrasound done of my liver, and then that evening around 5:00 I have the colonoscopy done. The results come back, and the mass that was found on the CT Scan is in my colon/rectum. We have to wait a while for pathology reports to come back but the surgeon was positive the mass was malignant (cancerous) To make an already long story short: most of the pain that I have been having for the last several months that was thought to be many other things, turned out to be colon cancer.

Yes, I said/thought/typed the word that no one likes to hear. Does it bother me? Not at all. Remember, I had a gut feeling after the results of the CT Scan came back showing a mass. So, I've had time to process the fact that I have cancer. Now, we treat it. Tomorrow is the first step. My first appointment with my oncologist, and Friday I will see my colorectal surgeon. Am I afraid of this new chapter that is being written in my life? No. I have always had a hunch that I would experience something like this in my lifetime. I know, it is odd to think that way, but I do so that if something does take place it is not such a shock for me. I am glad I am able to do that.

So, now we put on our armor and we fight this battle headstrong! 

For anyonne who may read this I would like to ask, if you have scripture or a quote that encourages you, please share it with me here or on Facebook. You may also email them to me at: prettigirlsmiles@gmail.com I am writing each of them down in a journal that I will take with me to treatment so I will always be encouraged by friends and family while they cannot be with me.

We can all rest in knowing that God allowed this to happen for a reason and He will be GLORIFIED in the end!!

I am not asking for much from anyone. Just be encouraging, not just to me, but each other as well.

Hugs & Love

It's Not Always Sunshine & Rainbows

I know, my posts here are always uplifting and and positive. It mostly likely portrays my life as:

Sunshine & Rainbows

Let me assure you, it is not always that way. At this very moment, I am feeling much more like this:

Confused

Now, I do not feel this way in every aspect of my life. My life as a whole is great. However, there is part of it that I wish were a little bit easier and less confusing. I deal with a lot of minuet pains due to having a lot of spasticity and increased muscle tone in my lower extremities. Some occur only at night and others whenever they want to. I have dealt with them for years. I have finally succeeded in getting one of the major ones under control with the help of my doctor - because she took the time to listen to me and understand what I was saying. 

However, it is not always that simple. Sometimes, I don't even know what to do or who would be best to talk to. I know what is available for me to try, and I have tried some things. They work for only a little while it seems. 

I remember the days when it seemed easy. It was easy for me because I was not the one making the important decisions. My mother was and she did a great job. We had comfort in the team of doctors I had as a child at Shriners Hospitals for Children. Where would we have been without them? I don't know. Do I wish I could go back to them now? YES! I trusted them and felt they never steered us wrong.

Now, here I am a woman. Those decisions can no longer be made by anyone else but me. This is where I become confused. I don't know what is best for me. Finding the right doctor for such a conversation seems like a joke at times, but maybe I have found them. Maybe they will listen and help me to make the best informed decision I can with the options I know are out there.

Sometimes, I want that special someone there to cheer me on when I have tough days. [Not that my friends and family don't], I just want that part of love from my spouse. I deserve and pray I find it one day soon.

So, there you have it. A little more of me in a not so cheerful light, but rest assured; I will overcome. I always do.