Cycle Five - 1/3 gone!!!

There's not a lot to share with you tonight!  Today was a "big treatment" as I call them.  The Dr. calls it a "hard treatment".  My term seems less intimidating in my mind as they plug me in and start the drugs!

The day was fairly "routine"!!  How nice to use that word - "routine"!  My counts are holding steady.  My weight is the same - I forgot what I weighed last week, but I think I may have even gained a pound or two.  Who would have thought I'd be rejoicing over that???  My red count remains low, but "acceptable" I guess. The drug I got today as part of the "big treatment" is especially hard on red cells.  I do have 3 weeks between doses of that drug, but by getting the other drug weekly, my bones are having a difficult time not falling behind in their work! :-)

I really don't feel that "bad".  The nurse said that because the count drops slowly, sometimes patients don't notice the difference in their energy level.  Today, the Dr. wasn't as definite about getting a transfusion.  He said we will just monitor how my levels are doing.  The nurse in the infusion center, however, told me that if I "hit the wall" during the week, to call and they will schedule me for a transfusion.  And she thought I could do that without altering my treatment schedule.  That would make me happy.  I'm really watching for that June 28 last treatment to arrive!!  I would be sad to move that into July!

People weren't very talkative today so basically I went in, went through the "paces" to earn my place in the chemo room, then read for the couple of hours during the treatment (and ate snacks!).  Steve, my faithful chauffeur, attendant, bodyguard, "sugar daddy" :-), ad infinitum, stayed until drugs were dripping properly, then ran errands for a while.  Overall, it was just an uneventful day.  Praise the Lord - that's an answer to prayer!!! 

This afternoon and evening I am feeling really well - a little shaky, but well.  Of course, I still have steroids in my body, so I'm feeling no pain!   I have this "philosophy" which probably has no basis in medicine.  But, for 24 hours, until the chemo is out of my system, I drink lots of fluids, try to walk around periodically, and plan to take a mile walk when I first get up tomorrow morning.  In my mind, it "cleanses my system".  I don't know if that's in reality, but it sure makes me feel better!  I'm always a bit relieved when 24 hours are gone and all I have to do is try to recoup for the next treatment, sans drugs in my body!

For an uneventful day, I have said too much!  I will end by sharing the song that was in my mind when I awoke this morning!  It was not the usual message of comfort or strength the Lord has given on chemo days, but was more a message of purpose.  I consider it instructive for today and the days to follow as I interact with people who I would never have met without this "crisis' in my life.  The title of the song is "Daystar".  I downloaded it from iTunes - sung by Jason Crabb.  Parts of the song lyrics follow:

Lily of the Valley, let your sweet aroma fill my life.
Rose of Sharon, show me how to grow in beauty in God's sight.
Fairest of ten thousand, make me a reflection of your light.
Daystar, shine down on me, let Your love shine through me in the night.


Lead me Lord, I'll follow.  Anywhere you open up the door.
Let your word speak to me, show me what I've never seen before.
Lord, I want to be your witness, you can take what's wrong and make it right.
Daystar, shine down on me, let your love shine through me in the night.

What a beautiful song!  I hadn't thought of it in many months or even years.


As for treatment logistics - today I got 1/3 of Cycle Five finished!  I will have two one-drug treatments the next two weeks, then I will have the LAST "hard treatment" - the beginning of Cycle Six.  (I get teary-eyed just typing those words.)  I really don't get more brave or nonchalant about my treatments as time goes by.  Each Monday evening and Tuesday are tough days.  Then I "get to" give myself shots in the interim between treatments.  It will be a great day when I can see all of that "in the past tense"!  Thank you so much for your prayers.  I know 18 weeks is a long time to pray for someone, but I know some of you are praying every day.  "...the joy of the Lord is my strength."(Nehemiah 8:10) - otherwise I would be in the fetal position under the bed!:-)  Thank you for your love and support!