Thanksgiving Week

   This week has been busy!  Thanksgiving went well, we went out to the country to Blairstown, NJ (a little over an hour drive).  Adam's cousin Jes and her husband Marty invited us to their place to share the holiday.  They and Marty's parents, Martin and Nancy Domacasse, welcomed us into their home like we were long-lost friends rather than the strangers we were!

Jes, Amy, Marty and Adam

   We enjoyed a delicious turkey, Marty & Jes's first attempt at a Thanksgiving dinner.  It was a huge success!  Evan and Mykelle were grumpy most of the time from lack of sleep, but thankfully they were able to watch a little Sponge Bob to keep them busy.

Mykee and Papa Skip at his hotel

    Papa Skip has been here visiting with us, helping out with the kids while I am (supposed to be) resting.  The kids absolutely love going to his hotel, where Papa lets them jump on the bed and swim in the hotel pool. 

    I am so happy that Thanksgiving fell between the two rounds of chemo I'm doing.  It was nice to be able to spend time with friends and family this week, and do fulfill part of my church calling by doing Sharing Time in Primary.  I think it will be awhile before I'm feeling this good again, since I go in for the next round on Wednesday.

    This first session of chemo took a bigger toll on me than I'd expected.   From my earlier experience I thought it would take a month or two until I started feeling the effects of the chemo.  I should have considered the fact that this is a completely different set of medicines and a much quicker schedule.   That and my old age probably plays a part...

    Saturday after the hospital was spent in and out of the bedroom, mostly feeling queasy and having a pounding headache.  Sunday was worse than Saturday for feeling nausea, but my energy was coming back, still had a headache.  Monday was getting better, but I was very fuzzy-brained and dizzy from the medication and everything else.  Tuesday through today I have felt much better than those first three days.  I get dizzy from time to time, stomach cramps, and headaches, but nothing too serious.

    On Friday I started getting bone pain from the Neupogen shots.  Supposedly it's a common enough side effect.  It's a throbbing pain radiating out from the pelvis and under the ribs, and can actually be really strong, but it's not sharp.  Does that make any sense??  I've been taking Tylenol or Advil and they seem to work pretty well.  As an interesting side note, each one of those Neupogen shots would cost almost $400 if I didn't have insurance!

    The worst symptom has been in my mind!  I feel like I'm going crazy!  I forget things, can't say words I should know, I zone out in the middle of conversations, and sometimes can't even complete a sentence because I've just lost it!   I've heard of other cancer patients calling it "chemo-brain."  Adam and Skip could tell you all about how forgetful I've been... it's actually kind of embarrassing, but I know it's not permanent.  At least I hope it isn't...

    My last appointment was on Friday where the docs examined my white-blood cell count.  They said my counts are back up and I'm ready to go in for chemo again on Wednesday.  I'm not exactly excited to spend three more boring days of TV and internet in the hospital, but at least there's the hospital food to look forward to!  (I just threw up a little bit... :)