In a nut shell

It's been a long week and I really don't want to re-live it...so here is my "in a nut shell" version for all of you!

I finally got moved to a hospital room on Tuesday night around 11.  I did a lot of sitting around, feeling just fine, and getting a lot of fluids and antibiotics through an IV.  On Wednesday night around 9:30 they came and got me for an abdomen and pelvic CT.  They wanted to check things out to just to cover all our bases.  They were thinking the bleeding was probably caused by the UTI and not the Avastin.  Of course nothing can ever run smoothly when it comes to me...so I was down in imaging for 2 hours, for a 7 minute scan.  During this scan they gave me lasix through my IV which is essentially a lot of water blowing up my bladder.  SO...I was literally up every 30 minutes that night to go to the bathroom!  Around 6 that morning I got a random pain in my right rib cage.  Similar to a pain I have had before, but it progressively got a lot worse so I called my nurse.  She gave me some pain meds through my IV (which she had been wanting to give me for days...the doctor's and nurse's are amazed that I don't have pain and are constantly asking me if I do.)  These did not agree with me though and came right back up, along with making me super nauseous.  So then my nurse gave me some anti-nausea meds through the IV, but those didn't work, so she gave me more, but those didn't work, so she gave me more.  I finally just went to sleep and pretty much slept on and off through all the interruptions until around 2:00.  When I woke up at 2, I wasn't feeling nauseous anymore and able to keep food down.  The doctor also made it in around 2.  The doctor doing rounds that day was Dr. Janku (my first doctor.)  It was refreshing to see a doctor who is aware of my situation.  He didn't have the radiology report on my CT yet, but he had done some measurements on his own and found that the lessions on my liver he measured had shrunk a little,  the fluid in my left lung was gone, and my pelvic tumors looked to have stayed the same!!!!  This was great to hear!  ALL of this after essentially only ONE round of treatment!  I of course am all smiles and excited and my mom and aunt Sherry couldn't understand a word he said, so they were all sorts of confused!  He also said that I could go home if I felt up to it...which of course I did!  Upon returning "home" to our apartment I ate and went back to bad, woke up again, ate, and went back to bed!  This morning I'm feeling pretty good and Dr. Janku just called with the official results from the CT.  He said it read pretty much exactly like he had told me yesterday and that my cancer is stable...yes folks, STABLE!!!  He was very optimistic about this especially after essentially only one treatment.  I will follow-up with Dr. Subbiah next Friday before my next Avastin treatment on Saturday, so I'm looking forward to talking to him to get his take on it all! 

Until then, I'm going to try and enjoy my Aunt Sherry's company, and Jerrid's sister, Jina, is coming for the weekend tomorrow.  On Sunday, Sherry, my mom, and Jina will go home and my Aunt Kris is coming to stay for the week.  I don't think she knows what she has gotten herself into yet and how bored she might be! :)  She'll go home on Friday and then some fellow Wayne State Wildkitties will be joining me for the weekend!!!  Here's to feeling good for awhile and staying out of the ER/Hospital!!!

Keep up those prayers...they are working!!  Thank you for ALL of your support!
Meighan

Long story short

First of all...Thanksgiving was great!  Although I didn't feel well that day...it was great to have some family down here to celebrate.  Friday, I woke up feeling much better and at half time of the Iowa/Nebraska game best friends of ours, Jeff and Lacey, showed up to surprise me!  This was amazing!  It was great to see more familiar faces!  On Saturday, I had Chemo and Avastin and that evening we went to a bar to watch the Notre Dame game...I lasted the whole game and ate almost an entire Jimmy John's sub!  Big night for me! :)  Sunday everyone had to leave and mom and I headed to the hospital for more chemo.  I started feeling the effects already that evening and on Monday woke up with a fever and more nausea.  I laid around like a miserable person all day on Monday, but forced myself to eat to try and keep my weight up.  Early this morning around 12:30 I started bleeding, so mom and I headed into the ER.  (Side note: remember that bleeding is a side effect from the Avastin we were not hoping for.)  While at the ER they ran a lot of blood tests and other tests.  They found I have a UTI and an elevated lactic acid level.  This means that some of my cells aren't getting the oxygen they need and are being compromised.  This could be good cells OR this could be the cancer cells...we're hoping it's the cancer cells!  Usually there are other side effects that go along with elevated lactic acid levels so they are able to tell which cells are being compromised, but I don't have any other side effects so that is what they are trying to figure out at this point.  So around 1:00 p.m. today they said they were going to admit me to the hospital for observation and for IV meds for my UTI.  It is now almost 9:00 p.m. and I'm still in the ER waiting for a bed to open up in the hospital!  I'm going crazy!  I feel fine and am so sick of lying in a bed...beings I've pretty much been lying in a bed since Sunday!  ER beds aren't very comfy either!  Hopefully I get out of here soon and to the hospital.  Not that the hospital is going to be that much better, but the beds are more comfy, it'd quieter, and I get my own bathroom!  Tomorrow, I should see Dr. Subbiah, which I am anxious for.  I want to hear his thoughts on all that is going on and where we go from here. 

For now...pray that I get out of the ER soon and that it's the cancer cells being compromised and causing my lactic acid levels to be elevated!

Oh...one more thing...a sign that happened today...
Mom and I were watching Wheel of Fortune tonight (we're that bored) and the last puzzle was "Don't Give Up Hope"

Love to all,
Meighan

Counting my blessings!

I know it has been awhile since I have last blogged...sorry about that!  I survived my day 15 treatment and the only side effect I dealt with was fatigue.  I was VERY tired for a few days afterward and then it started to look up.  By the time Kellie and Holly showed up last Thursday, I was feeling pretty good.  My dad showed up on Friday and it was GREAT to see him...it had been a month (that's a long time for me!)  I have continued to feel well and been able to get out and about quite a bit.  We have gotten out about every day, but don't stay out for long so I don't over do it. 

Today I had to meet with Dr. Subbiah before starting cycle 2 on Saturday.  My blood work looked pretty good besides my magnesium being low.  I opted not to get magnesium today though as my boys were supposed to be arriving around 2...so instead I just added it on to my treatment on Saturday.  I also feel pretty good, so didn't feel as if I needed it quite yet...I'm sure by Saturday I will.  Dr. Subbiah told my mom today, if it were anyone else I would tell them what to do, but she knows her body, I just listen to her! :)

While meeting with Dr. Subbiah today I had a couple big questions to ask him:
#1:  Can I go home after my day 15 treatment (Dec 9th) until my CT scan (Dec 18)?  YES!!!  That's right...I get to come home for a week!!!  I can not wait to get home, see some familiar faces, get ready for Christmas, and get re-engergized before I have to come back here for Cycle 3!

#2:  If I continue on this protocol will I be able to do my day 15 treatment back in Omaha? No.  Since this study is funded by MD Anderson, it ALL has to be done down there.  Therefore, if my CT scan shows that this is working and I continue on this protocol, then I will be traveling back and forth twice a month for treatment.

#3:  Tell me more about how my next appointment is going to go.  I have my CT scan on the 18th and then will meet with the doctor on the 21st regarding the results of it.  If it shows that my cancer has not progressed; therefore, it's stayed the same or gotten better I will begin cycle 3, day 1 on the 21st, day 2 on the 22nd, and then head home for Christmas.  If it shows that my cancer has progressed then they will already have another study ready for me and tell me about.  I will head home for Christmas and then come back after Christmas to start the new study.  I feel good about both of these options, although I REALLY feel as if this is working.  As I told my mom today, I feel as if my body is healing.  My body feels SO much better than it did a month ago.  I am not in any pain anymore and my abdomen is not retaining any fluid anymore...both very good signs! 

So, all in all, today was a great appointment with Dr. Subbiah!

The boys and Jill (Jerrid's sister) got here right around 2 and of course it was great to see them!  It's so great to have them all here (even Jill) to celebrate Thanksgiving!  Mom has been busy cooking all day, and my cousin Anton (who lives down here), will also be joining us for supper.

It's been a day full of great blessings!

I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Meighan

No pain, no gain

Sam's here!!!  My great friend Sam showed up on Thursday early afternoon and right when she got here she got to head straight to the hospital!  Lucky her, huh?

Wednesday was a tough morning as Cait had to leave and B and I did not want her to.  She did not want to leave either.  After our tearful goodbye, B and I headed to Target for a little retail therapy.  Oreos, Spiral Mac and Cheese, new markers, and a movie and we headed back to the apartment.  I was feeling pretty good.  Since it was just me and B all day, we had lined up a longtime family friend, Barb, to come over in the afternoon to help out.  I figured I'd probably need a nap by then.  Around 2, I wasn't feeling the greatest, so I took my temp and it was 102.5!  Yikes!  I wasn't quite expecting that.  Barb showed up around 2:30 and I had her take Brayden to the park so I could nap and hopefully wake up with no fever.  Well...no such luck.  In the mean time I also started to get that stomach pain I was getting awhile ago.  Really the only concern I had was that maybe I was having some bleeding from my Avastin med.  Also, for the past few days I was getting pretty run down and tired, so I figured either my magnesium was low, hemoglobin was low, or calcium was high.  So around 7, I decided it was probably a good idea to go to the ER.  Mostly, because I didn't want to delay my treatment on Friday.  So the plan was: Barb was going to take me to the ER and then take Brayden and Mogi with her to her house for the night.  I, of course, felt as if everything was under control and I was fine.  BUT, everyone else on the other hand did not feel that way...surprise, surprise! :)

SO...I got to the ER and of course waited for awhile, but got into a bed around 8:30.  They did some blood work and an abdominal x-ray and found that I did have some sort of infection that was causing the fever.  The abdominal x-ray didn't show anything and the pain was getting better.  My blood work also showed I had high calcium, low magnesium, and low hemoglobin.  So they decided to admit me, which I figured would happen.  Finally at 3:00 a.m. a bed opened up in the hospital and they moved me up to the hospital.  In the mean time I had been getting a lot of antibiotics and fluids through the IV.  While in the hospital I continued to get antibiotics and fluids, along with magnesium and 2 units of blood.  My mom also took the red-eye out of Omaha and arrived in Houston by 9:00 a.m.  Once she got into town she went and got Brayden and Mogi from Barb.  Side note:  I'm not sure Brayden and Mogi have ever been taken care of as well as Barb did!  Mogi didn't want to leave and Brayden came home with so many goodies and constantly talking about Barb.  Ok, so once Sam got into town they all headed to the hospital to hang out with me for a few hours.  I was already feeling a lot better, but they were keeping me one more night in the hospital because I hadn't gotten my blood yet.  Around supper time my mom, Brayden, and Sam all headed home and I got a lot of sleep as I didn't get any the previous night!  The next morning I talked to Laura, who is Dr. Subbiah's PA, and she said, I seemed to be doing great so I would be getting discharged and would be getting my Avastin treatment!!  WOO HOO!!!  Later my mom showed up and we waited and waited to be discharged and then got some lunch before going up to see Dr. Subbiah before my treatment.  Finally, after 48 hours...I was headed into the fresh air and leaving the hospital!!  I couldn't wait to get home to my baby!  Him and Sam, had a long day but they seemed to do quite a bit, most importantly making me a welcome home sign!

So...now I'm home...feeling well and hoping to keep it up for awhile!  Sam leaves tomorrow and my Aunt Nancy arrives tomorrow.  Then in 5 days...Kellie and Holly come!!  Lots of exciting visitors, so please pray for continued strength and feeling well!

Love,
Meighan

28 hours later

I finally got word...I'm going home!!! My nurse has already disconnected my IV, I got rid of my hospital gown, and I feel FREE! Now I am waiting on lab to come and draw some blood for a couple more tests they are going to run to see if some other things are causing my calcium to be high. Once they come, my nurse will come and take my line out of my port and I'm outta here! I can't wait to walk, breathe fresh air, and cuddle Mogi (who has been struggling without her mother.) My boys came and visited earlier, bringing lunch, and then headed to the Houston Children's museum with Jessica and her kiddos. I didn't sleep at all last night so hopefully I can get a nice nap in, in my own bed, and be ready to roll by the time the hooligan's get home.

I am feeling soooo much better than I did all last week and hopefully will keep this up until next Friday. Friday I have a follow-up with Dr. Subbiah and have my day 15 treatment of Avastin.

I'm definitely going crazy, insane, you name it! My sister can't get here soon enough...25 hours...but who's counting?!

Hope this finds everyone having a great weekend!
Meighan

Again...if it's not one thing...it's another!

I know in my last post I stated that I was feeling better, and was hoping that things continued to look up.  Well...that didn't really happen.  I continued to feel very lethargic and had zero energy.  I just kept thinking that this was just the effects of my chemo though, so I wasn't too worried about it.  Jerrid was worried though so I emailed Dr. Subbiah on Thursday.  He asked me to come in today.  I went in at 7:00 am to get blood drawn and then back by 9:00 to see Dr. Subbiah.  My labs came back saying that my magnesium was low, but up from last time.  My hemoglobin was good, but my calcium was really high.  My calcium being high was their biggest concern.  Apparently, when tumors break down they release things and calcium being one of them.  SO...good news...tumors are breaking down!  Bad news...high calcium isn't a good thing.  Dr. Subbiah wanted to admit me right away, so we headed to Hospital Admissions.  Once we got down there (10:30 am) they told me they didn't have any beds and were sending me home until one opened up (which could be hours.)  So I emailed Dr. Subbiah and he emailed right back saying to come back to his clinic and he would sort this out.  So back we went.  Dr. Subbiah then called down to the ER and admitted me there until a bed would open up in the hospital.  We finally got into the ER around noon and started some fluids sometime after 1:00.  They also gave me some magnesium while I was there.  At 5:20, I was told a room had opened up for me...good thing I didn't go home and wait!  JEEZ!  So now I'm in my luxury hospital room continuing to get fluids.  This will continue until tomorrow morning and I will have blood drawn in the morning.  Once my levels come back, as long as they are good I will be discharged.  My nurse up here thinks I will be just by looking at me.  She says most patients she sees with high calcium can barely function and are very lethargic...well she didn't see me this morning! :)  But good thing is, I am feeling better and Jerrid and my mom say I'm looking better too.  So as always with me...if it's not one thing, it's another! :)

Brayden made it to town and seems to be enjoying himself.  Jerrid's sister Jina was here Wednesday night til this morning and his sister Jessica and her kiddos Eli and Gabby got into town tonight.  Hopefully I'm ready to roll tomorrow and can break out of here to finally enjoy sometime with family. 

Until next time,
Meighan