August 20, 2009

• A Very Long Morning

  I had a hard time falling asleep last night.  Every time I relaxed, I’d get a “Charlie horse” in the arch of my left foot.  The only way to stop the cramp was to stand up.  So, for 30 minutes (off and on) I stood in the dark by my bedside. 

  I woke up earlier than usual this morning to say good bye to JoAnn and the girls.  Jesse took them to the airport, while I hurried my own girls through breakfast and getting dressed and all the other neat stuff it takes to get girls ready.

  We had to ALL go to the oncologist’s office so we could discuss the test findings and the future plan of management for me.  My doctor patiently answered all of my questions.  I’ll be on Zometa (something like the Boniva Sally Field talks about on TV commercials) to create strong bones and she said I’d take that once a month (IV) for the rest of my life.  I had other questions about minor things – like when will my taste come back and when will the nerve damage above my left knee go away.  Like I said, she patiently answered everything.  She talked a bit with the girls.

  And she smiled . . .

  and smiled . . .

  and smiled, the whole time we were in the exam room.

  As we were leaving she stopped and made the comment, “You know, I told you this type of result happens 1% or less of the time in patients with such huge and aggressive tumors as yours; but, the truth is, I’ve only seen this happen to a couple of my patients over my years of practice!” 

  She was as thrilled as we were at the newest reports.  And I guess, in a profession where you don’t see a lot of positive outcomes, or where you are trained to add a few months or years to someone’s life and feel successful, this must really make a doctor’s day when someone responds with NO CANCER to a yucky diagnosis.  I told her that this was my faith and what I had prayed for and I also believed I had been sent to her and the others by divine appointment.  Her work and the chemo definitely had their place.

  When she left, she hesitated to shake my hand and we instinctively threw our arms around each other and she gave me the biggest and longest bear hug!

  Next thing will be to consult with a radiology oncologist (in the same office) and see  what needs to be done to the damaged area in my one vertebrae.  Sounds like it will be a once a day trip for weeks, to be blasted with radiation in that one small spot for around 5 minutes.  A lot of gasoline will be used to get there and back on a daily basis!  And we have that huge Suburban, too!  She warned me that I might feel fatigued because my bone marrow will be messed with again when the radiation is given.

  Today, I stayed to have that bone building IV (Zometa) put in.  It takes only 20 minutes, but that’s AFTER they get to you and hook up an IV.  Jesse took us to lunch and dropped me off here at the house and went to run some errands with the girls in tow.  My back is aching and tired, but she gave me pain medicine to handle that until my back  muscles are stronger.  That will take time.  She said it COULD be the damaged bone where the cancer had taken over, but time will tell.  I’m now asking God to heal and repair those bone areas so I can be active and productive again without limitations.

  Thank you all for your warm response, I truly appreciate you sharing my joy.  BUT . . . don’t forget . . . I only used faith and God orchestrated the rest.  “HE” sent me to the doctor I have and “HE” prescribed the chemo and “HE” did the ultimate healing!  Not me – not all by myself. 

  Thank you for your prayers throughout this journey of mine.  I never felt alone, knowing how many were lifting me up in prayer.

  Be Blessed  ~

  • 3:28 pm
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