March 28, 2012 - 6th Chemo and Weekly Update

March 28th - Monday's chemo went as planned even though some of my counts were on the lower end even with the Neupogen shots that are to boost my white blood counts.  I am continuing to come into the clinic each day this week to get my shot.  Along with all of that due to me having chemo it also puts me into menopause so I am so lucky to have those side effects too...awesome huh!  Each night regardless of the temperature, the bedspread and sheets come off...HOT FLASH...all night long!

Yesterday, Don's brother Dennis was in town as he had a 5+hour interview at Mayo Clinic.  We sure do wish he could be closer to family.  Good luck Dennis.

Today, Marie brought home the most wonderful basket, plump-full of goodies from my friends in the ESC and Payroll.  I was truly overcome with emotion with all the generous and thoughtful gifts that were given to me.  Thank you, thank you, thank you so much again for this kind gesture, you are all awesome and I am again very humbled with your thoughtfulness.

"I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you my heart has no bottom."

~ Unknown

 

March 22, 2012 - 5th chemo treatment

March 22nd - The blood tests on Monday were good enough for me to have the chemo treatment.  They are watching my liver functions now as they are on the lower end of the scale.  I've had to come in for the Neupogen shots each day this week to keep my white blook counts up for this coming Monday's treatment.  On Monday, the chemo nurse offered to slow down the IV on the Benedrayl because she said that sometimes causes the restless legs that I've been having.  Well it did the trick - hope someone would have offered that sooner!  Next week I will definately have to ask for that again.  The week thus far has been good although late Wednesday and Thursday I've felt very sluggish and very tired.  Not much energy. 

Wednesday afternoon, Don, Marie and I went over to Bill and Cathy's to see Baby Ben.  He has grown and filled out even since Saturday when he was born.  Not that I'm partial but he is the most handsomest little boy ever!  Love you little Ben!

March 18, 2012 - Baby Benjamin is HERE!!

March 18th - We are so very blessed to welcome a healthy Benjamin William Gerhart into the world Saturday, March 17th at 2:18pm.  Yes, a St. Patrick's Day baby and WE are so very Lucky!!  He was 7lbs 13oz and was 21 1/4 inches long.  He has dark hair and big blue eyes.  Mom is going well; she was such a trooper during the whole labor and delivery.  Great job Mom!  Dad was right there helping in anyway he could.  Dad even got to change the first diaper (of course, one of many more to come!).

Ben coming into the world only solidifies for me that I have to be here to guide him (as a grandparent) through his journey through life so I have to beat this horrible disease called cancer.  This brings a greater importance for my recovery which is and always will be going forward my number one priority.  Ben will need his Grandma here to spoil him, of course!

Here is Benjamin William Gerhart (aka Ben).

Little Ben



Aunt Marie, Bill and Ben



Ben and Grandma Kathy share the same love for beanie hats!!



Grandpa Don and Baby Ben



Ben - only an hour old.



Ben with Auntie Marie, already sucking on his hand!

 Welcome to the world Ben!  We love you so much already!

March 14, 2012 - This is what friends are for!

March 14th - Some of you may know a family friend of ours, Jaime Prondzinski.  He had emailed Don last Monday (03/05/2012) while we were at chemo tx and asked Don what he could do for me - maybe flowers, etc.  I said that I really didn't need flowers although he could cut his hair for me which I knew might strike a cord with him.
Just some background on Jaime, he has shoulder length hair and a full bread and has had this look for quite some time (as you will see in a photo below).  We've joked with him over the years that he should cut his hair like he had it when he first started at Mayo back in 1998.  Then he was a young, clean shaven man but throughout the years has decided that shoulder length hair was the way to go, for whatever reason. 
Anyways, Don emailed him back my suggestion about the haircut and we did not hear anything back from him for about a week, which to me was probably a sign that he was not going to go through with it which I was ok with.  Someone’s hair preference is a personal thing and like me, even though mine was falling out, the decision to shave what was remaining was not an easy one so to ask him to do this for me was quite bold and I knew that.  

Well, suddenly Tuesday (3/13/2012) Jaime emails me and wants to know if I’m ready to shave his head that night.  I told him that I don’t want him to do anything that he didn’t want to do…in regards to his hair.  I know that it was really hard for me to do and I don’t want him to hate me the rest of my life because of it.  Well, in good old Jaime fashion I receive the following response – “I REALLY don't want to do it :) but I'm going to do it (or rather you're going to do it :) ) because you're having to experience things you don't want to experience and I don't want you to have to experience those things alone.  This will be an experience we can share.  So you're going to take some enjoyment in my suffering and I already hate you so this won't make it any worse :)”.   I wouldn’t have expected anything less than this type of response from him…gotta Love him!!

Here is what transpired Tuesday evening...

This is Jaime prior to shaving his head and yes, I said to him again that he didn't have to do this but he was bound and determined to do this for me….what a special friend!!  This will be something that I will never forget and he has touched my heart forever!

The following are photos during the 'process'.



As you can see there is some fright in his eyes...



What the Hell did I do????



BFF - Baldy Friend Forever!

Me, donning my new wig and Jaime, clean shaven!

Me, clean shaven and Jamie, donning my new wig!! 

The Clean Shaven Foresome!!
Aren't we the best looking people around!!



You know having cancer has shown me a different side of people.  It is amazing to me what friends and family will do for you in your times of trials and tribulations.  They were probably always there for you before but when something like this happens they really show their true colors!!

Love you all!!



March 12, 2012 - No Chemo today

March 12th - Today was supposed to be the 5th chemo tx day but sometimes the best laid plans don't happen.
Let me explain...we went in early (7:15a.m.) to first get a blood draw before the chemo appointment.  After about an hour and a half the study coordinator told me that my blood work had come back and several of the levels were on the low end.  She needed to get in touch with Dr. Tim to see if they could proceed with chemo tx or not.  Well, shortly after she came back and shared that they were not going to do the chemo today and that I would have to get the Neupogen shots again this week.  This will hopefully get the counts back up where they need to be so chemo can be given next Monday.  Hopefully this is just a minor setback and we can get back on track next Monday!

March 11, 2012 - Weeks happenings!

March 11th - Sorry  haven't written on the blog for almost a week but I was struggling with very low energy this past week.  I believe it was coupled with not sleeping very well at night and was just getting really behind on the Z's.  About Thursday, I decided that I should sleep in until about 9:00am and then also took a 2 hour nap after lunch.  Then slept well that evening.  I just need to learn that if the evening doesn't go well I need to take more rest times during the day.  Live and learn!

I talked a little bit about the hair becoming very thin, well I couldn't take it anymore.  The hair was literally falling out with every move so on Thursday after Don and Marie got home from work I decided that enough was enough...the shaver came out and well, you know the rest. 
I am now as clean shaven as my hubby and my son-in-law, Justin!
Here is before the shaving....

Here is after...I don't even know what to say other than I will probably not go with the style once I'm through with all this chemo!  I am not a pretty bald headed women!!

The weirdest thing happened while this was all taking place, Marie's dog, Indy, was bound and determined that he needed to be by me, I mean by me as on my lap by me, while this was all taking place.  He must have sensed that this was not a normal thing to be happening and that I was a little uneasy with it all.  He keeping looking at me and licking me...dogs have that weird sense about them when things like that are happening.  He's a good dog!  Both, Indy and Captain have brought me a lot of comfort during my days at home.

The rest of the week and weekend where quiet.  Don's brother, Dennis, visited us from Menasha, WI.  It was good to talk with him about my journey and he always is concerned and interested in how things are going for me.  Thanks for coming Dennis, it was good to see you!

 Chemo treatment again tomorrow morning....#5!

March 5, 2012 - 4th Chemo treatment

March 5th - First I have to recognize my wonderful, beautiful sister on her 51st birthday on March 4th!  Happy birthday sister Mary!  Celebrate all your birthday with happiness and a love for life!  It's a day all about YOU!   Hope you enjoyed it!

On Sunday, Don and I went to visit my son, Bill and wife, Cathy in North Mankato.  We enjoyed great conversation and a wonderful supper at Tav on the Ave in Mankato with them.  They have decorated the baby’s new room so cute and everything looks ready for the Little Gerhart baby.  Seven more days to the due date!  We are on alert :)

Today was an appointment with Dr Tim (oncologist) and he indicated that I would not have to take the neupogen shots this week!  The white counts answered well to last week shots.  Way to go White Blood Cells!!  And thanks to all that said prayers for that - see, pray does miraculous things!  Keep them coming!  He said the nosebleeds & heartburn are all side effects of chemo and gave me ways to try to alleviate them to some extent.  He said after 3 chemo treatments the ‘size’ of the tumor really hasn’t changed (darn it) but it feels ‘softer’ – not sure what that mean but I’m taking it as a good sign.  He encouraged me that the ABT-888 clinical trial drug has shown great outcomes in others in the clinical trial so to keep optimistic as I’ve only had 3 treatments!  He said the results of the mri/bloods/biopsy that I did on Friday will be back in about 2 weeks so will update you once I hear the results.  I was at chemo treatment all afternoon.  I had to have the Cardoplatin along with all the other IV’s that I normally get so took awhile longer today.  We didn’t leave Mayo until 5:00pm along with all the other employee’s trying to exit Mayo at that time!  The 5 o’clock rush!!  Who could forget!

I have an appointment with the radiation oncologist Wednesday afternoon - Dr Schomberg.  Dr Tim said that he would like me to meet with her so that she could see were I am at this point in my treatments.  She will need time to plan out what will be needed as far as radiation treatments after chemo is done and the surgery is preformed.  It’s a ways down the road but he felt it would be important. 

Hope this finds you all well and enjoying life!  God bless you all!

March 3, 2012 - You won't believe what my Hubby did!

March 3rd - Just a quick update on my appointments on Friday - they all went well and I am now awaiting the results.  Might be a week or two before I hear.  I have an apointment with Dr. Tim tomorrow morning and then chemo tx in the early afternoon.  I am planning on going to pick up the 'wig' that I had picked out a few weeks back as the hair is really coming out now...much, much thinner!

Having said that I have to tell you what my great husband did yesterday.  He had told me a while back that he would shave his head for me when my hair finally came out but yesterday he was bound and determined to have his head clean shaven before mine was.  So he got out the razor and we proceed to shave it off. 
This was before...see there is some there on the sides!

And this was after....

I still look at him in amazement that he actually did this for me.  At first he really wanted racing strips on each side but that progressed to a clean shaven look with shaving cream and the razor - the whole works.  Plus he also shaved off his goatee which he'd had for years.  Granted he didn't have a lot of hair to being with but now he looks way different. 

I cannot begin to explain what this means to me for him to do this.  It really made me feel that he is in all of this cancer stuff with me - not just beside me (which I know he is) but really with me and I appreciate that so much.  I couldn't do this all without the support of him, for sure and my family and friends!

I love him more today than ever!  Thank you Don  - I will never forget this!

Next step is for him to shave mine....I'm sure there will be photes once that happens!



March 2, 2012 - Week update

March 2nd - I started getting the Neupogen shots on Tuesday and completed the fourth one today.  Hopefully my white blood cell counts are back were they need to be so that chemo treatments will continue on Monday.  The Neupogen shots caused me pain in my legs and sterum throughout the week in the nights when I was trying to sleep.  Sleep didn't go so well most nights so I've taking a nap most days to get my rest.  The nurse giving me the shots said that the pain was a sign that the shots were working...let's hope she's right! 

Today I had to be at the clinic at 6:15 a.m. for a MRI, blood work and the Neupogen shot.  I then had another biopsy in the afternoon, which along with the other tests will be sent to USF for the clinical trial that I am participating in.  This will show if the clinical trial drugs are making any sort of a different impact on the cancer cells then what the normal chemo drug, Taxol, would.  I will find that out hopefully next week when I meet with Dr. Tim. 

The hair continues to come out in handfuls... and no, I'm not bald yet!  I guess it is a "blessing" that I have a lot of hair!  The hair now just looks thinner.

Not much planned for the weekend.  Will just be hanging low for now.
Have a great weekend all!