Easter Weekend Update

Hope you all had a great Easter. We had a fabulous one! Aaron and Alison came for the entire weekend – what a treat. Audra came with Aaron and we had wonderful family time. Saturday night, Aaron invited some friends over to the house for dinner, and it was just lovely to have young people around here again! We love the commotion! Friday, our old neighbors, the Grady’s stopped by for a visit. It was so good seeing them. Then on Saturday, my friend, Terry Fardon from Nashville came by and we had a great visit with her. Sunday, my friend, Jill Alexander, joined us for Easter Dinner. So, you can see we had plenty going on all weekend. I felt really good. We watched the UT game Sunday before the kids left to go back.

This coming weekend, we are heading to Knoxville for a sorority event/dinner for Alison. Kent will attend it and I will wait at the hotel because I am avoiding crowds. Alison will spend the night with us. Our Knoxville trips are getting numbered! She graduates in May and we are so excited. But after an internship at Ernst and Young this summer, she will start her Masters in Accountancy program, sit for the CPA, and hopefully get hired on full time at Ernst and Young.

Aaron is working hard on finishing his degree. He is ready to get on with his “adult” life. Audra is very patient and encourages him along the way. We are very proud of his efforts.

Monday, after Easter, I had my 3^rd chemo treatment. It went without a hitch. Went back today to get a Neulasta shot that should boost my white blood cell counts to fight infection. The doctor is changing my chemo days to Tuesdays. Monday’s are just crazy there. I only have 2 more to go!! Hopefully, May 6 will be my last one!!!!! I am sure ready to get on with life, but I know it is worth the wait to make sure the cancer is all gone.

I am also asking you to pray for a friend of mine, Marcia Roland, who lives in Franklin, NC. She has just finished battling breast cancer and got an all clear. But ended up getting another scarey diagnosis -- MS. Now she has another battle!! She is facing it with dignity and courage, and humor I might add. She is a real go getter and will face this head on, but I would like everyone to pray for her. Thank you.

Well that is about it for this update. Love to hear from you all whether it is a post or an email – I just love hearing from everyone of you.

Take care until next update!!

Love, Deb

One, Two, Three beds you're out

Too bad that is not the case at the hospital. A couple of nights ago I changed beds three times and and never left my room. For some reason, my bed started signaling the nursing station. It was really old and had a trapeze-type bar over it. It didn't really bother me, but I did think it sort of strange. So they brought me another bed and this one proved faulty too. So then they brought me a third bed which was much newer and seems to work well. I still prefer the one at my house.

And speaking of my house, I have great hope of seeing it again early next week. Probably Tuesday if my fever stays down and they infection goes away and they are convinced they have the right antibiotics to treat it. The doctor said they usually want the infection to be gone for about nine days before they do another chemotherapy treatment so it looks like my March 24th scheduled treatment is in jeopardy.

Overall, I'm feeling pretty good and looking forward to getting home. Thanks to all of you for the notes and thoughts and prays. Every single one of them means a great deal to me.

Disappointed, but I guess . . .

it is all for the better. I did not get to come home today. Overall, I'm doing pretty well. Unfortunately, I still have an infection at the incision point of my radiation. They took a needle biopsy of it today to figure out exactly what it is. They also drained out some of the infection which should help with some of the pain in that area. They will have to take the biopsy to the lab and grow the infection to figure out what will be the right antibiotic. All that won't get done until Monday. Until then I will get more general antibiotics and a shot to help my white blood count recover. This is very frustrating, but so far they say I am still on schedule for my next treatment on March 24th.

So until then, I am here and you are there. The food is lousy and the nurses are nearly as nice as all my friends. But pretty soon, I'll be back out there. I do appreciate your thoughts and prayers and calls.

Not Voted Out of the Hospital

I thought I was going to be leaving the hospital today, but it doesn't look like it. Things are looking better. . . fever is normal . . . some of the pain and swelling has gone . . . the infection is getting better. Today, however, the doctor wants to give me some more antibiotics and do a sampling to see if there is any hidden infection where the incision had been. It is all good, they just want to make it all better.

Wish I could have gotten voted out of the hospital but at least I was a finalist in the bottom three.

Getting better

The doctor just stopped by this morning and said things are looking better. My fever is down and the blood counts are improving. The general antibiotic seems to have helped against the infection. He said I might come home tomorrow if things keep progressing.

Because of the hospital stint, I was not available to sing on American Idol last night. I did however judge.

Hopefully home tomorrow.

I'm in ER (Emergency Room not the TV show)

Yesterday I started feeling sort of run down, like I had the flu. My temperature started rising so I called the doctor's office and they told me to go to the Emergency Room. We arrived at a little after 8:00 PM and they took blood and urine and gave me antibiotics through an IV. I finally got to a room at about 4:00 AM this morning. As we thought might happen, my blood counts got low and I was susceptible to infections. The place where I had the radiation balloon inserted has some kind of infection at that point and they want to get it under control immediately. So now I am in a regular room and the doctor told me I will be here for a few days. I really feel pretty good today, but am tired. I think they are going to give me a Nuelasta shot to help build the blood counts. The next couple of days are important to get my blood counts up and battle this infection. And I hope you don't see in ER again unless it is the TV show.

Thank you for all your love and support. It means a lot.

Chemo Brain

Time for updating the blog again. I am not a great writer, but I know it is good to get the updates out there! Thanks to everyone who is concerned!!

Let's see. Last week, I went in for my regular chemo session, but of course could not have it because of the radiation recall. They changed the treatment from Ruby (adriamycin) to Teri-tere (Toxitere). The first thing I had to do was be on a medication for 1 day prior to getting the new treatment, and then the two following days. The medication is for water retention that Teri-tere causes. We named it Teri-tere because Teri Nelson was down here with me when all this happened. Two days later we went to get the wig. The wig is itchy and I really don't like wearing it a whole lot. But, it does have its place. There are times I really need it. Most of the time I just go around balled at home, and wear hats and scarves out for longer trips.

While Teri was here she convinced me to go back to Nashville with her. I just could not think of a reason why I could not go. The next treatment was not until Monday, and Kent could pick me up in Chattanooga on Sunday. I was thinking (with Chemo Brain) that that weekend was still February. All this time, knowing in the back of my head that on March 1 Pam and Kristie Koerner were coming down to see me! Oh my gosh, did I screw up! I got a phone call from them on Saturday while I was with Aaron, and they were in Marietta on the way to my house! I almost threw up! I could not believe it. Trust me folks, chemo brain is a real true thing, and if you know anyone going thru this, be sympathetic! And double, double, and triple check with them if you make plans with them, cause they might do like I did! Last week was a very eventful week to say the least. I had my routine changed, started to lose my hair, and got my wig.

Monday, I did get the new treatment. So far, so good with it. It tends not to make you nauseous, so that is good. It does, however, drop your blood platelets more, so I go in on March 13 for a CBC and they will check my platelets. If they are low, I will get a Neulasta shot. Then I go back on the 24th for my next treatment is the platelets are high enough! Whew! It is a lot for us to remember. On top of that, I have to remember to start the medication 1 day before the treatment. Only 3 more though!! Hurray. There will be a celebration on May 5!

Alison graduates on May 9! Can you believe it?? We are so excited for her. Then she will be headed down here for 3 months to intern for Ernst and Young Accounting Firm. She is very excited about this opportunity. She has applied for the GMAC program where she will get her Master of Accountancy, then she will sit for the CPA. Hopefully, she will get hired by Ernst and Young after that!

Aaron is really working hard on his studies. He is on Spring Break this week. They loaded him down with homework too! So he is working and doing homework. He is anxious to move forward with his life. Audra is being so patient. Aaron gave me a big surprise this weekend. When I saw him, he had shaved his head completely balled in empathy for me! How sweet is that?

Okay, just two more things to tell you. When I was in Nashville, we went to the Registry in Franklin and surprised Dawn Peach while she was working. It was so much fun. Dawn, Teri, and I all teared up. It was just great fun to surprise her. After lunch we headed over to see Genia. I got her on her cell phone and was talking to her like I was in Georgia. Teri walked into the store and started to look around (on the clothing side). Genia said, oh someone is next door, Deb, I gotta run over there. I hurried in, went in the bathroom, and she walked in, saw Teri and started to talk to her and said, I just was talking to Deb on the phone. Just then I walked out and she turned around, and people you never have seen quite a spectacle as that! She screamed bloody murder, fell on the sofa, and continued to scream and cry. Teri thought she was going to have a heart attack! But it was good. She gave me a wonderful pair of Rich and Skinny jeans. The real dark ones that are like trousers. They are so cute. Dawn got me some stuff that will help my eyelashes grow back in thick! We sure had fun. Even though I had screwed up by going.

Aaron and I visited the Gradys and the Hodges in our old neighborhood. It was good to see them. We miss the neighbors. But, Sue and Karina are planning a trip here soon.

Take care until my next update. Love you all, Deb

Pictures

So my mom came to Nashville this past weekend, and me and her spent almost the whole day together on Saturday. We had a blast, and a great dinner at Monell's in Franklin and it was fantastic. I can't wait to try out there breakfast one morning. We did some very light shopping and saw some old neighbors. She had a huge brain fart, but I will let her tell you about that. Anyways I just wanted to post some more pictures that me and her took. I have always wanted to shave my head and I thought it would be fun to shave it in support of my mom losing her hair. So here are the pictures, including one with me wearing her wig.

Aaron