News Worth Crawling Off the Couch For!

I have news!! Big News! I am going to be a grandma! My son and his girlfriend are expecting! I knew for a while now but didn’t want to post it because we were still waiting for the details from her ultra sound. She went today and we found out that she is due July 1 and they are having a BOY!!!! We are all very excited. This will be such a happy event for our family, especially after going through so much the last six months. Me, a grandma!!! Hee hee.

I had my last chemo on Monday. What a celebration we had. My mom, sisters, daughter Megan and my sister in law Annie all went with me. We talked and laughed through it all. When I was done the nurses came in and gave me a certificate that they all signed with their best wishes. Then off we went to Olive Garden. When we got there Pam told the waitress that we were celebrating that I was done with chemotherapy and asked if they would bring a cake out when we were done with lunch. I was so hungry and started wondering where the breadsticks and salad were and Pam said… “they are probably back there writing a end of chemotherapy song.” hee hee If you have ever been in that situation for a birthday, you know you just want to crawl under your chair when they all come in clapping and singing….Well, I wanted to stand on my chair! I was so proud and ready to celebrate. We all had so much fun I love my family!

Later that night I went to bingo with my mom and Annie. I promised my mom I would and I am glad I went. Even though I didn’t win I still had a great time. Bingo has gone high tech. They have a machine you play now and you don’t even have to cover your cards! It does it for you. My mom got one for Annie and one for me. We had the ones you dab too. Bingo is expensive! I’m not much of a gambler but I might go again when I feel good.

I am feeling pretty crappy now. It came early this time. Usually I had until about Wednesday but by Tuesday I was not feeling good at all. And I pulled a muscle in my back so I have to deal with that too.

While I am laying there feeling terrible I just say to myself…this is it, you don’t have to do this anymore so just get through it! I say in about 3 weeks I may start to feel a little normal again! YAY!!

I posted some pictures of our celebration. All I can say is good riddance chemo! It HASN’T been fun!!! But I did it!!!!

Chemo Countdown!

My last chemo is Monday! YAY!! I am on official countdown. I can’t believe how fast it has gone now that I think about it. The never ending hours of laying on my couch are almost over.

That 7th chemo really took a lot out of me. I had no energy. None! I had the usually bone aches and fatigue, followed by a really low white count, followed by bronchitis. I went to the doctors Monday and he gave me a shot of steroids and some antibiotics and I started to feel good by Monday night. And my doctor did confirm the mammogram results and said it was “fabulous”. I did a little house work and laundry, and tonight I even made a good dinner for my family. I never thought I would appreciate feeling so good. I think I am going to go to work tomorrow too. Things are looking up.

My mom, sisters and sister in law Annie are all going to my last chemo with me and then we are going to go out to lunch to celebrate. I’m sure by Wednesday I will be feeling lousy so I am going to live it up until then.

Out of all this, it is the weight gain that is getting to me the most. I just don’t feel like myself and there is no way I can even get my jeans on unless I want to feel like my head is going to pop off. I know the weight will come off when I start my routine again.

My sister Pam was in the hospital for a few days. She had a kidney stone and was in terrible pain. They did a scan and decided to keep her because it was so large and causing a blockage. They were going to have to do surgery and she finally passed it and it was huge. OUCH!!! She is home and doing better now but she still has a few stones and has to follow up with her doctor. She was miserable. She had been so sick and throwing up and was all drugged up and said to my mom…. “if I keep throwing up like this I am going to lose all kinds of weight and then I will be nothing but stick and stones”. She is so funny!

It has been so cold out, and Jeff works outside. I hate the cold and don’t know how he does it. I get frozen just walking out to the car! I appreciate him so much for that. It must be hard to go out and be in the cold all day long. He comes home and is so tired.

My hair is starting to grow! I have fuzzies all over my head. This should be interesting watching it grow back. I have to say it has been nice not doing my hair but I am glad it is growing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nearing the end of treatment and trying to hang in there!

 

Hi. I’m Trish’s sister, Sue. She is feeling pretty crappy these days, so while I was over today I told her I would type her journal while she dictated it to me! Love you Trish. Here’s her latest:

Went to the doctor last Monday and he was concerned so he sent me for a mammogram. I was having a lot of pain near my incision. I was really nervous but I got through it ok. Got the results - everything is OK - THANK GOD! Went to the grocery store with Jeff on Sunday - even after I had an episode where I had almost passed out. I’m so exhausted - no energy at all. Jeff decided that I should get one of those motorized carts. I walked up to the cart and just stood there looking at it. When Jeff came in from parking the car, I busted out crying. I didn’t want to have to use one of those carts. So I finally had enough nerve to sit down and push the button to start the cart - and nothing…so I decided to walk. I made it down past the deli and to the milk section before I decided that I couldn’t go any further. And so back we went to look for a cart that worked. A lady found us one that worked, and I got in and pushed the button and…ZOOM - HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THE PASTRY DISPLAY. I looked back and Jeff was cracking up. I got the hang of it, but every time I turned the corner I almost ran into something. Then I realized that I can change the speed. All in all it was a humiliating experience. I do have to say though, from my new perspective I saw things on shelves that I never even knew the store carried. Everyone should hop on one of those carts at least once to see what they are missing - ha ha. After that fun experience I met my mom and Sue for breakfast and could barely eat. I came home and slept the rest of the day.

My toes are so sore. It is a side effect from chemo.  Did you ever watch the Flintstones and see Fred’s toe when a rock falls on it? It’s throbbing away, WAH-WAH-WAH - and looks about 100 times bigger - that’s what they feel like.  I can't put my shoes on. When I went to the doctor on Monday, I carried one of my shoes because my toe hurt so bad.

I’m so frustrated - I just want to jump out of my skin. I know I am close to being done, but I don’t think I can take this anymore. I just want to feel normal, and I am afraid I won’t ever feel normal again. I know I will, but it’s so hard to stay positive sometimes.