Cycle Two - Woo Hoo! (3-15-11)

I "got to" begin cycle two today with two drugs - the same as my first treatment.  Only four more of those to go! :-) Today I had lots of visitors!  Steve was with me as always.  He is SO good!  Then, about halfway through the treatment, my dad and nephew, Grant (who is here on spring break), came by.  So Steve took a lunch break while I visited with Daddy and Grant.  I'm guessing there won't be very many Iowa State guys who can say they spent part of their spring break visiting in a chemo infusion center!   

I went in to the Dr. office on Friday and got blood drawn.  My blood count was much-improved, not what it should be, but heading in the right direction.  Today the counts were still about what they were on Friday so the Dr. cut my doses by about 25%.  Depending on what my counts do, they plan to "inch the doses back up" to the level I can tolerate.  The nurse told me that if the drugs are "killing the bone marrow" that means they are killing any cancer that might be in my body too.  Maybe eventually I'll ''graduate" to higher doses, but they say some people just have sensitive bone marrow.  So I aspire to larger doses! :-)  I asked the Dr. if I couldn't eat some spinach or something to help my counts.  He said I could, but I would just grow muscular forearms and have a little tattoo on each arm!  So I guess there's no advantage to looking like Popeye!

Speaking of how I look.  The hair gremlins invaded our house this past week.  They are taking my hair!  Yes, I cried, but not for very long.  I was comforted by the verse in Matthew (10:30) that says "even the hairs of your head are all numbered."  As fast as they were/are falling out, I knew God was right here with me....counting!!!  He's even with me during the night because they are falling out on my pillow.  So, if you're having trouble getting your prayers answered, just know He's busy with me right now! :-)  Aren't we glad He is really everywhere and with each of us?  And He gives each of us just what we need!

Anyway, I'm now wearing my wig. ( It is no longer sitting on the flower vase - except at night!)  A few friends have sent me caps and I have several "girl" ball caps.  So I should have adequate head covering!

I'm ready to settle in and get over this round, then I will go back on Tuesday for another round of one drug.  Help us pray that my counts don't go down after this treatment, but that they will continue to stay where they are or to go up would be better!  I have developed a little upper respiratory "thing" that merited antibiotics.  So, my body has work to do and I'm praying the Lord will bring healing.

Thanks again to you for your prayers and support.  I am totally dependent on the Lord for strength for each day - and He has done far more abundantly than I could ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20).  As my hair was coming out and I was putting it into the wastebasket, a song, that my niece, Shara, sent to me was going through my mind.  It is sung by Black gospel singers, so quoting the words doesn't do it justice.  It's sung with lots of background "Amens" and much feeling!
    
    " I know that I can make it
     I know that I can stand
     No matter what may come my way
     My life is in His hands."
 
AMEN!!

P.S.  On a lighter note, I got to thinking last night that there isn't one person at Missouri Cancer Associates (besides the people getting paid) who wants to be there.  So....I wore my St. Patrick's Day necklace that has a huge flashing shamrock on it. When people commented on it I told them I was flashing people today!  That lightened up the atmosphere for a while!  :-)