Lunar Eclipse

Yesterday was kind of a rough day. I started the day out by throwing up my breakfast. Then I had terrible stomach cramps for most of the day. I went to the doctor's to have my routine blood test and shots. Of course, my counts are very low, which means I am stuck inside by myself for probably most of the week. I guess that isn't too bad, because I really don't feel up for being with people anyways. I probably wouldn't be very good company since I don't feel well.

I didn't sleep much last night. I spent a good portion of the night in the bathroom, throwing up and other things. I had bad body aches from the shots that I received, but I was afraid to take anything for them because I would throw up again. So, I rolled around trying to get comfortable for the part of the night that I spent in bed. I still have stomach cramps, but so far my breakfast has stayed down. :)

One really neat thing about being up during the night was that I got to see a really cool lunar eclipse. The sky was very clear last night and the moon was very bright. At about 4am this morning the lunar eclipse was in full view. It was so amazing!

I just want you all to know that even though I didn't get much sleep and I am not feeling great today, my attitude is upbeat. I know that this is just temporary and it will pass. I feel like I have handled everything that God throws at me with confidence and a positive attitude. So, I feel like He keeps giving me a little more to deal with. Kind of like He is saying, "do you trust me? will you lean on me?" Of course that is what I try to do. There is no way I could do this without Him!

A Sunny Sunday Afternoon

Ok, so after the dreary post I left yesterday, I should leave a more upbeat one. I feel much better today! There is something about sunshine that instantly lifts my mood. It is weird. I guess I could never move to a place where there is little sun light.

During the first week or so after chemo I don't sleep full nights, but slowly the amount that I wake up lessens. Last night, I still woke up quite a few times, but I was able to fall back asleep pretty quickly. I felt very refreshed when I got up.

This morning I was strong enough to take the dogs for a short walk with Mike. It seems like the side effects really aren't too bad this time, or maybe it is just because I am that much stronger. Whatever it is, I am thankful to God that I feel so good. I am still fighting off small waves of nausea, but I am keeping them at bay with the medicine I am supposed to take. I've found that milkshakes and ice cream help too! Weird, isn't it?! ;)

I have been getting shots since Thursday to build my white blood cells up. Maybe they are higher than they have been in the past and that is the reason I feel so good. Tomorrow's blood test will show where they are. I hope and pray that they are up because I really don't want to be stuck in the house for another week.

I have met a ton of wonderful people throughout this whole process. The nurses that I see on a regular basis at Hinsdale Hospital are so caring! It just truly amazes me as to how much genuine concern they have for me. To hear that they are praying for me and rooting me on in this battle is so comforting. Now, mind you, some of these people I have only had contact with on one occasion. Isn't that neat?

As terrible as this whole situation is, I would have to say that it really isn't that bad. Ok, yes it is, but I am so at peace with it. Our God is definately an AWESOME God!

A Dreary Saturday Morning

So, I had a bit of a problem sleeping last night, as I usually do right after my chemo treatments. It was raining though, so I was able to just lay in bed and listen to the rain. Actually, it was pretty awesome. I know that we have gotten a tremendous amount of rain lately, but I love it. I love summer storms. The other night Mike and I were standing on the balcony watching the clouds move about and we saw two baby funnel clouds form and then go back up. It was amazing! God is so powerful and awesome!

I went to my school district's institute day yesterday. It was so good to get out and be there, but it made me really sad. School starts on Monday and I am not going to be there. The woman who will be teaching my classes for me while I am out is great and I know it will be fine, but it still sucks that I cannot be there myself. My goal, God willing, is to teach the following week. I cannot wait!

Finished with Round 4

I am officially finished receiving my fourth round of chemo! I still have to sit out these next two weeks of side effects, but I can handle them. I have thus far!

Please keep me in your prayers! Thank you.

Chemo Week

Yesterday was day one of chemo round 4. I am more than half way done with my chemotherapy now and I cannot wait to be fully done.

Mondays aren't too bad, they pump me full of anti-nausea drugs that make me sleepy, so that is nice. Unfortunately I woke up this morning feeling nauseous. I haven't had that symptom so early in my week before. UGH! They do say it all the treatments tend to build up on eachother. The only thing that I have noticed with that is that some of the side effects are stronger, start earlier, and last longer. Over all they haven't been too bad, so I really have nothing to complain about.

This morning I go back to the doctors office for day two of chemo. When I am done there, they admit me to the hospital because I will get another treatment at midnight. Oh the joys! Honestly, it isn't bad. The nurses on 5N are wonderful and for some reason I think they like it when I come up to spend the night with them!

School starts this week. The teachers have an institute day on Friday and then kids start on Monday. Unfortunately, I will not be able to teach the first week of school because my white blood cell count will most likely be very low. But, my goal is to be strong and teaching the 2nd week! I am really looking forward to it! I know that summer has flown by, but I am ready to be back at school. It beats what I have been doing all summer.

Hope all is well with all of you!

Busy

The last couple of days have been full of activites. Weeks like this help me to forget for a little while that I have cancer. It feels good to get back to "normal" life!

I had a meeting at school all day today and I am actually going to say it was nice. School cannot start soon enough. Even though the first couple months are going to be on and off for me teaching, I am ready to start.

My classroom is just about ready and my lesson plans for the first week are pretty much done. I won't be teaching the first week, so everything has to be ready for my sub. I will be teaching the second week, and I cannot wait!

Clothes that I haven't worn in months are starting to fit me again because I am gaining my weight back. That truly makes me happy. It has been so frustrating to have my clothes just hang on me. Hopefully, I can continue to progress in this way and before I know it I will be back to where I was.

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! Please keep them coming because I have 3 rounds of chemo left! Thank you!

Awesome

I went to the doctor for a blood test yesterday. As expected, my white blood counts were so high the machine wouldn't read them, so they sent it out to the lab. All my other counts were much higher than last week. I was excited because the nurse said, "see you next week!" It is so good to only have to go to the doctor once this week!

Today I am heading in to my classroom. School starts on the 27th. Even though I am not going to be teaching the first week, I still need to set my room up. I cannot believe that summer is almost done. Where has the time gone? Christmas will be here before we know it!

Normal Life

I am counting today as the start of my third week because I feel really good! My blood transfusion went really well yesterday. I left the hospital with a lot of energy. My white blood cells had come up a little, almost to the normal range. Not enough though to prevent me from receiving shots over the weekend. Oh well...it just means that next week my counts should be through the roof and I will be able to do anything I want!!

I took Elliot and Phyllis to the vet this morning. That was an interesting experience. Phyllis is a hyper puppy and Elliot is such a scaredy-dog. He was shaking the entire time we were there. Phyllis on the other hand was a social butterfly, trying to play with all the other dogs in the joint. Never again will I do that by myself!!

Oh! Just so you guys know the time is wrong on these things! I was not up at 4am the other day! :)

August 10, 2007

So I decided to start a blog page for a couple of different reasons. First, I have really enjoyed writing letters to people lately, so why not write a blog?! Second, I rarely feel like talking on the phone and I am not good at returning messages, so I thought you guys could check in on me this way to see how I was doing. Hopefully I will be able to keep up with this on an almost daily basis.

Wednesday was kind of a rough day for me. I went to my daily doctor's appointment and had a blood test. My white blood cell count was VERY low, but that was expected. The unexpected news was that my hemoglobin and platelet counts were low too. I was expecting to be put in the hospital. Thankfully, the nurse just gave me my shot and told me to come back the next day for an other blood test. So, I did. And the results were even lower. I was given a platelet transfusion yesterday, which I had never had before. I had an allergic reaction to it and developed hives all over my face, arms, and back. They gave me a couple of medicines to stop the hives and I sat there waiting for them to disappear. They did and I was able to go home. I felt fine once I got home and my night was uneventful. Today, I am heading in for a blood transfusion. I have had a couple of these before with no side effects, so I am praying for that same thing this morning. I just have to sit there for five hours while somebody elses blood goes in to my body. Thank you to all of you who are blood donors! Keep it up!

Through all of this crap that I have had to go through during the last couple of months I have been reminded that God is faithful. He is walking with me each step of the way and he doesn't ever leave my side. I am blessed to be considered one of His children! That is the only way I know how to get through all of this, without those thoughts I don't know where I would be.

Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. I really appreciate them!

Love,
Sheri