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Update: Nov 17

Some beautiful fall flowers to brighten my lounge!  Thank you, Anna, for the festive foliage!! Why stop at fall?  My sister visited and brought this seasonal celebration with her!!  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! And to top it all off, I now have a digital photo frame in my lounge, so if you want to send a picture of you or a picture of an inspirational quote, I would love to see new things pop up on the frame!!  Photography has been such an important part of my life, it only seems right to have a fun way to enjoy photography during this time. The code changes every day, so send me a message get linked to my photo frameo circle!! This week's agenda: -Monday:  Labwork -Tuesday: Review labs and possibly get NPlate and neulasta injections (in Cleveland) -Tuesday: Psychologist appointment (virtual) -Friday: CT scan (in Canton) Prayer requests: -Good labwork results with platelets, white blood cell count and cell line counts, and potassium and magnesium values -CT sca
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All is calm, all is bright....

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My sister brought the holiday spirit for me!  Love the glow of a Christmas tree!!
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Update: November 13

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It's hump day and we're working our way through the week with good energy and vigor.  I had pre-labs drawn on Monday to prepare for treatment on Wednesday, and there were several abnormals that needed immediate correction- potassium and magnesium, as well as continued low platelets.  Because nothing is ever simple. My oncology team had me come to Main campus to get the electrolyte correction infusions.  They were able to correct the electrolytes first.  then they held a special case review to get me approved for a medicine to stimulate platelet production called NPlate. It is time-released in a little implanted injector, similar to a dexcom. Once I was able to get this new med, they could give me my chemo. So yesterday proved to be a very long, very busy but very boring day, if that's possible., stuck in a lounge chair for 9 hours.  However, it saved me a second trip to Cleveland this week for chemo, so we toughed it out.  Today has been rest and recover in my lounge bed mo
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Currently:

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Currently....... Reading:  The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods. Snacking: Pumpkin Spice Chai and a lemon cake from Starbucks Watching: Camera/photography videos Self: Gave myself a manicure Listening: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, audiobook from Hoopla Activity: color by number on the computer Gaming: Ticket to Ride (Ride On) on the computer Treatment plan: labs on Monday or Tuesday and Treatment on Wednesday Asking for: thoughts and prayers for continued strength and improvement. I'm feeling quite good and have had much stronger energy and stamina since a blood transfusion the other day.  As far as treatment goes, Wednesday's treatment was delayed because my platelet count was low (70) and needed to be 80 to do the treatment.  So team decided to give me a little longer between treatments to recover.   My biggest complaint this week is how funny chemotherapy makes food taste.  Everything tastes like cardboard except for some sweet things.  Anything savory is not very goo
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PICC Me

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Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday were unplanned hospital days for me.   We ventured up to Cleveland on Tuesday for my chemotherapy and, of course, ran into IV issues right from the start.  My silly veins require ultrasound guidance to start the IV, and this time- we got an IV but when we went to use it for chemo, it didn't have a blood return, so it was not useable, even though it was flushable and patent (darn hospital policy). So.....last Wednesday was PICC line day. Why not a port?  They will not insert ports if you are inpatient; ports have to be inserted outpatient. So instead, I got a PICC line in my left arm, and was thankfully able to get my chemo Wednesday afternoon and come home on Thursday.   For my nurse and nurse practitioner friends....I was so impressed by the PICC placement team and procedure- it didn't hurt except for the lidocaine, and went in so quickly using ultrasound, less than 15 minutes.  And they use some type of sensor that sat on my chest and detected tip
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Mom's Day Out

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Today, it's a big day. I left the house for a non-appointment. I'm dressed in normal clothes. I'm putting on shoes and socks. I'm even "doing my hair." 3 Brothers with my family. Philly cheesesteak sammie, fresh cut fries.  A little Browns action on the big screen.  How about a Browns W?!? It was a good day.  Chemo tomorrow. Pray for  a good night"s sleep tonight, an easy IV start tomorrow, and few side effects this week. This is day 133.
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A Day In My Life

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Home.  No place like home sweet home. The past couple weeks have been two weeks of adjusting to new everything.  After a week at rehab, and then a week in the hospital, I knew exactly where I wanted cared for. Being home isn't easy, but 1000% worth it.  Thank God for family that has been able to care for me.  Thank God for a husband that is able to lift me.  Thank God for a husband that isn't scared or intimidated by the hard parts of caring for me- bed baths, and briefs and appointments and therapy.  He's my hero. I'm lucky to have a home that can accommodate my "new" hospital bed and wheelchair.  Today, I'm up and sitting in the chair while I blog, but I do spend a good deal of time in bed napping.  I have my own little office-turned-bedroom, but currently I'm able to sleep in my "real" bed and just spend day time in my "new" bed. I thought I'd share a quick snapshot of a day in my life now. My day starts around 9am.  I wake u
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