Treatment #4

Wow! Treatment #4 has passed and is history now. Time is going so quickly! I'm halfway through chemo infusion treatments!

Blood Work 

I went in to do my blood work and my number "were gorgeous" so that was exciting. It seems like the Udenyca shot that they are giving me is working to boost my blood counts, which allows me to get the treatments. Yay!

Side Effect Management

My hands were a little more normal for Treatment #4. At least they weren't burning. They went from warm to cool (cool is normal) so that was better. However, they did do a lot of peeling. So everywhere I went, I probably left flecks of skin. 

All I could think about with this side effect was when I would go over to my Grandma Johnson's house after one of my grandpa's brothers had left from a visit and how adamant she was that everything be dusted, vacuumed, and cleaned as soon as she could because he had a skin condition where his skin peeled a lot and it gave Grandma the willies. 

Luckily my hands didn't really hurt. They looked pretty bad, but didn't have pain related to the peeling. I did have some more neuropathy in them where they felt tingly and numb. They also spazzed out a little bit where they cramped up. I had to massage them out and then they were ok. 

My lips and mouth have some tingling and numbness too. What is also kind of funny and kind of strange is that the lower lip also spazzes out a little bit. So when I'm in a meeting and it starts wigging out, I have to get it back under control. I am trying to make sure I get enough liquids and enough electrolytes in me to calm it down.

Starting the Friday in the evening after I got my pump out, I noticed my skin became very sensitive to the touch. I noticed especially in my neck that it seemed like all my glands and lymph nodes were on high alert reacting to the chemo. That lasted until Sunday morning when I woke up.

It seemed like it took a little longer to bounce back this time. I try to go out for a walk every day. This time it took about 8 days to feel like I had a little more pep in my step. The other days I walked very slowly. One day I even had to take a nap after my walk before I got ready for work. 

I can tell that I would benefit from a nap in the daytime. I've been listening to a book about sleep and it talks about societies that honor the siesta actually are more healthy overall because they get a rest in the middle of the day. On some days I didn't take a nap and by the end of the day, I wished I had taken the time to do that. 

Random Cravings

Have you ever had a random craving and weren't sure where it came from - especially for a food you haven't eaten in years? Yep. That happened this treatment. I have to say I was a bit surprised at it. But all I could do was get myself to the store to purchase some Top Ramen noodles. You got it! A little strange but they tasted so good! Haha. The next day I ate spaghettioes. You know, the Franco American kind? I was so determined to eat so healthy and to only eat things that are going to be good for my body. I didn't do so well, but I ate something. :) And that was worth something for now.

July 24th

The 24th of July weekend was great! I was able to feel up to traveling down to Cove Fort where Mom and Dad are serving their mission. I was able to spend Saturday - Monday with them. It was great to be there. We had some good time to sit out and watch the wild turkeys come in to eat apples. We had some nice rain while I was there and it made the day a lot cooler. It was fun to see all the projects Mom and Dad are working on. I even got to watch Dad "break in" to someone's car who had locked the key inside. Mom and Dad both have some awesome skills. :) 

It was also great to be there in their sacrament meeting on Sunday. Mom and Dad were the assigned speakers. They tied in the pioneers but Mom really focused on being "in the right place" and Dad really focused on following the prophet and our leaders. They both did such a great job! I love watching them do their handiwork!

We also sang Come, Come Ye Saints. I love one line and sing it to myself prior to each treatment. "Gird up your loins, fresh courage take." While we were singing, though, I also noticed the next phrase "Our God will never us forsake." And that is so true! Heavenly Father is very much a part of our mortal journey if we let Him be. And He is so good! He gives comfort and strength in so many ways that we never have to feel alone. He is there if we seek Him. He is the source of all that is beautiful and all that brings joy. May you find that in your journey as well!

Treatment #3

I feel like each treatment is one more milestone! And I'm so grateful. I went in for my treatment on 29 June. Mom and Dad were here for a heart appointment for Dad, so they were able to be here with me. My blood counts were on the border, but high enough that I was able to get my treatment. So yay!

I met with one of the PAs instead of my oncologist and she was really nice. We talked through my side effects and how I'm feeling overall. I think they were right when they said most people "tolerate" it pretty well. That is pretty accurate.

I felt pretty good overall between Wednesday and Friday while I had my pump attached. I even took myself to get unhooked and felt good. They have been giving me a shot to boost my bone marrow so it produces more white blood cells. To manage the side effects of it, I take a Claritin so I don't feel a lot of pain. I feel really lucky. I was talking to a friend of mine who recently finished chemo and she said even with Claritin she had a lot of bone pain. 

Saturday at the Temple

I was even able to work at the temple on Saturday and I felt like I could be useful. I think it was a miracle and tender mercy. I was grateful to be able to serve in many different areas and that was nice. I was a little tired, but not like the last time. With this treatment I've noticed a lot more neuropathy in my hands. So on Saturday my hands were burning hot and felt like they were really asleep, so my fine motor production was a little off. It's a strange sensation. Generally I feel like my hands are cold, but this time they have been hot. It definitely gives me empathy for people I know who struggle with diabetes or other issues and have neuropathy. After the temple, I came home and rested most of the rest of the day. 

Young Womens and Covid

Last week was also the YW camp. I had thought I would go help load and what not. I was feeling good before my treatment. The Young Women's President told me that they had it under control and didn't need my help. The morning they left, five of the people who were going to go had Covid symptoms. Several of the leaders and girls came home with Covid, so it is probably better I didn't help. I wasn't sure what to do about church with so much sickness going around, but when i went on Sunday, I was well-masked and there were a lot of people out. So I stayed and felt fine. However, I have been banned (by the YW president) from doing anything with the young women for a month or so until everything calms down. 

4th of July

I feel like I have been so blessed! So far, I am 3 for 3 treatments that fell on a 3-day weekend, so I have had the Monday after treatment off. It has been such a blessing! I have been able to have one more day to rest and recover. So I ran a few errands on Monday morning and then in the afternoon I took a nap and read a fluffy book for fun. It seems like I've been in the mode of listening to books when I drive or while I'm out and about, so it was fun to actually read a book. 

Mid-Treatment Blood Work

Yesterday I had a mid-treatment blood test to see where I am with my blood counts. Because I was on the border last week, I think they wanted to make sure the shot they are giving me is doing its job. So when I compared my counts, I had double white blood cells yesterday to what I had before I started on chemo.  So that was nice to see. It seems like the shot is doing its job. I also had a chance to counsel with the PA again about side effects. I have had some bowel issues too, so I'll be drinking a daily dose of Miralax and that should keep things moving along. :) (Sorry if that is TMI (too much information))! 

One More Tender Mercy

Two or three weeks ago my brother was telling me that his kids were watching Little House on the Prairie. So I asked him if they had read the books and he said they hadn't. So I'm a regular shopper at a couple of Savers thrift stores. It seems like they have a pretty good collection of books that are in pretty good condition. So a week or so ago I set out to see if I could find all of the books. I found 8 of them that were all in the same edition and I bought them all and was so excited! However, I got home and looked back at the list of Laura Ingalls Wilder books and noticed I was missing the first one. So tonight I set out to see if I could find the missing one. I went to the Savers in South Jordan, and I found a couple of Little House books, but not the one I needed. So then I went up to the Taylorsville Savers and scanned the shelves and couldn't find one Little House book. I was so disappointed. So then I had the thought to go back through the shelves more carefully that time. So instead of going top to bottom, I went bottom to top and I looked at all of the titles. And lo and behold, on the top shelf was the very book I needed. I was amazed once again at how Heavenly Father blessed me in this one little desire (that really means nothing in the grand scheme of life on earth), but it meant something to me today. He is so good! And I was so grateful!

The Book of Mormon and the Old Testament

Since I started my treatments, I restarted reading The Book of Mormon. This time as I have been reading, I think because we are also studying the Old Testament, I have noticed how much Nephi writes about the Scattering, the Gathering, Israel, Moses, and the prophecies of these prophets. It has really opened my eyes as I see the different kings in the Old Testament referred to by Nephi and Jacob in their writings. It has been so enlightening and fun to see the connections! 

A Podcast Celebrating Cancer

Last week I heard from a friend of mine about a podcast she had listened to about a woman who talks about celebrating cancer. She sent me the link and I realized it was from a woman who was in my ward a few years ago. I wanted to share the link. She is super inspirational. I want to be like her one day!  

There truly is so much beauty and joy in the world if we look for it and recognize that beauty and the joy. May you find beauty and joy in your journey wherever you are today!