Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Finally...
...starting to get some energy back, not sleeping 23 hours out of the day, and keeping food down...just in time for chemo tomorrow! Hoping for minimal side effects and things continue to look up!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Cruddy
Felt pretty cruddy yesterday: tired, weak, nausea, vomiting...need I go on? I really haven't had an appetite since after chemo which I was aware might happen. I've gotten a few things down and kept them down...but very little. While lying in bed right now my previous symptoms from yesterday don't seem as in full force...so I guess we will see. Hopefully things are starting to look up as I really need to get some food in this body and keep it there!
Friday, January 25, 2013
TGICS!!!
Thank goodness I can shower!! All those things you all do on a daily basis are now daily struggles for me due to all the swelling I'm having along with weakness! Therefore, I need someone to assist me with a lot of things: getting out of bed, going up stairs, shower, making food, ect. An OT came out this week though and she's putting some things into place for me to help me be more independent and now that the swelling is going down I am becoming more independent also. The biggest hurdle now would just be the weakness...the littlest things take it all out of me. So...today is a big day! My mom is picking up a chair for my shower so I'm able to sit while I'll shower helping me with not only showering but there is no way I'd be able to stand long enough to get a shower in. But I will also probably lose any pride I had left...due to the swelling I'm unable to reach my toes and such so my mother will be shaving my legs and bathing me again like she did many moons ago! Oh the things you'll do to feel clean again...sponge baths just weren't cutting it!
Other than the shower chair I will also be getting a wheel chair so I can get out into the community! I should have that by tomorrow or Monday! I'm looking forward to that so I can go to a movie with my husband, shop a little with friends, just things I used to do!
I hope everyone has a great weekend...mine is shaping up to be pretty busy...I hope I can hang in there and get everything in!
Other than the shower chair I will also be getting a wheel chair so I can get out into the community! I should have that by tomorrow or Monday! I'm looking forward to that so I can go to a movie with my husband, shop a little with friends, just things I used to do!
I hope everyone has a great weekend...mine is shaping up to be pretty busy...I hope I can hang in there and get everything in!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Short but not sweet
Had chemo yesterday...feeling the effects today...kinda blah...
I know you all want frequent updates and I will give them to you but they will be more like this...sorry!
I know you all want frequent updates and I will give them to you but they will be more like this...sorry!
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Straight from the horse's mouth...or fingers I guess!
We met with Dr. Subbiah yesterday after the CT scans on Tuesday. Since I haven't been on treatment for a month he didn't tell us anything we already didn't know. My tumors are progressing. Because of this and because of the protocol for the trial I was on, I am unable to participate in that same trial. Therefore he gave me the options of finding something else to travel back and forth to in Houston or have Dr. Westin (Gyn Oncologist) find something that I can do in Omaha. I chose to find something in Omaha. We met with Dr. Westin today and she had two options for us. She is going to be in touch with Dr. Morris, as will I, and I'll get started ASAP. Each option is a chemo drug. We're headed home early tomorrow and I'm looking forward to being home. My legs are still very swollen and fluid filled so I have been in some pain from those but otherwise I'm doing ok!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Third times a charm!
Well my mom, aunt Kris, and I made it down to Houston yesterday! I had CT scans last night and meet with Dr. Subbiah this morning regarding where we go from here! Feels good to be back at it again!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Home
Just got home from the hospital!
I'm feeling pretty good besides my legs being full of fluid, swollen, very sore, and it being hard to maneuver around.
Pray that the fluid goes down quickly...really quickly...like really really really quickly!!!
I'm feeling pretty good besides my legs being full of fluid, swollen, very sore, and it being hard to maneuver around.
Pray that the fluid goes down quickly...really quickly...like really really really quickly!!!
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
LOOOOOOOOOOONG overdue!
I am so very sorry for how long it has been since I have blogged, especially with all the recent happenings...but I guess that would be the reason it has been so long. I know so many of you are on Facebook and have been able to stay somewhat updated on my little updates. But believe it or not there are a few people out that there, that I know follow my blog, who do not have Facebook or are not friends with me on Facebook (which is a shame...you should be my friend if you have Facebook.)
So...this blog is going to be the 2:00 in the morning version of the last couple weeks.
First of all, I made it through Christmas feeling well, which included a quick trip to Boelus. It was a quick Christmas and kind of a whirlwind, but it was a blessed Christmas at that. Once we returned home from Christmas on Wednesday the 26th, that evening after getting out of the bath tub the left side of my back started to hurt pretty bad. At first it felt as if I had pulled something, which I thought was quite ridiculous that I pulled something getting into or out of the tub, but leave it to me to do something like that. So anyways, I tried to find a position that was comfortable so I could put some heat on it, but the pain just kept getting worse and got to the point that it was unbearable. This is when I told Jerrid that I thought it was more than just pulling something and we should probably go to the ER. Here is where the next few days run together and I've probably forgotten some things so bear with me. While there they did a scan to find that it was my kidney and ureters causing the pain because they were not draining properly so they admitted me. By Thursday morning early I had already seen the Urologist and decided to get a stent put in to hopefully help them drain correctly. They would do this through the bladder so while going through the bladder they would take a look to see what was causing the bleeding I was having too. By 11:30 that morning I was in surgery and out an hour later...things were moving quickly which was great. Having the stent put in was kind of a 50/50 shot that it would work and that it wouldn't cause me more pain. So far it seems to be working ok...probably not 100% but things are much better than before. I also am not having any pain with it yet which is great. I have a follow up with the Urologist next Friday and then will go back in 3 months to either have the stent completely removed or have a new one put it. As for the bladder and the bleeding he did find that a tumor is causing the bleeding so he did some cauterization while up there to try and stop it. It stopped it some, but not all so after I talk to my doctor in Houston about it I'll probably have the Urologist go back up there and scrap off more tumor and do some more cauterization. We could possibly just wait on this until that 3 month mark when he has to go back in to remove or replace the stent, as at this point we aren't in any hurry to get that done. So...after all this and recovery I left the hospital on Saturday afternoon just in time to get to my Grandma McCarthy's Christmas! As always a McCarthy function doesn't disappoint it was great seeing family that I hadn't seen in some time!
Sunday things were going well and then Sunday night/very early Monday morning I started throwing up. When Jerrid witnessed me take a bite of Lucky Charms and then immediately throw it up along with my intestinal enzymes we were off again to the ER. This time scans showed an upper bowel obstruction. So therefore, everything I put in came right back up...it couldn't keep moving down like it was supposed to. There are a couple things to do for bowel obstructions and my doctor decided we were going to try and let this one work itself out as she called my bowel sleepy. So for the first day I ate ice chips, for the second day I drank water, and the third day I started introducing soft or "blenderized" foods as they call them at the hospital. Anything that was once something and they "blenderize" though does not appeal to me and I don't think I could gag down at all. So I stuck with popsicles, pudding, yogurt, and tomato soup. Things were going so well that, that evening she let me have mac and cheese from Panera. So slowly but surely I was just working my way up to "hard" foods and everything was going well. By Wednesday the 2nd they let me out. Upon returning home I immediately swelled up from my waist down due to all of the fluids I had pumped into my body within the last week. This got so bad that it was painful to move...so I didn't do a lot of moving besides getting up to go to the bathroom. Other than the lower body pain I wasn't feeling too bad until Friday. On Friday, I came down with some sort of flu bug or something that put me down for the count again. By Saturday afternoon though, things seemed to be getting better so I decided I NEEDED to get out of the house...even if it was to a Titan boys basketball game! So that evening we went to supper and then to the basketball game and I hung in there pretty well. On Sunday the boys had tickets to the Kansas Jayhawks game so they were going to be gone all day. Since they were going to be gone all day I went to my parents for the day and night. I felt great on Sunday just tired.
By Monday (January 7th) morning I had done a 180. I could barely walk on my own I was so weak. Mom and I were planning to head back to the city that morning after getting Mogi her rabbies shot. So we did that and headed back. On our way back I tried to get a hold of Dr. Morris's nurse but she was busy so I just had to leave a message. I knew my magnesium had to be low, so I wanted to get a treatment before having to travel to Houston. After dropping Mogi off at her hair appointment since I still hadn't heard from from Dr. Morris's nurse we just headed to the ER. By this time it was noon and magnesium treatments take 4 hours, and the infusion center at the doctor's office closes at 4 so they wouldn't have had time to give me a treatment anyways. Upon arriving at the ER and getting all checked in and through triage...my heart rate was 150. My heart rate runs higher to begin with (nowhere near this high), but this just showed how out of whack my blood levels had to have been and how walking two steps raised my heart rate that much. This was very concerning to the ER docs, more so than me just wanting magnesium so they did a lot of extra blood work. The blood work came back and both the doc and I were right. My magnesium was a .7 (it's never been that low before... .9 is the lowest) and then my white blood cell count was 28,000 (should be around 12ish.) The white blood cell count being that high means that there is some sort of infection and in my case it's a bad one. So, once again I'm being admitted and we are postponing our trip to Houston! They started IV antibiotics and magnesium right away and by Tuesday morning my WBC was back in normal range, but that doesn't mean I'm out of the woods at all. I have been on continuous antibiotics through the IV and depending on how my blood counts look this morning, I may switch to oral today, but then will be on oral for quite some time. So...good thing that my WBC was getting back to normal, but magnesium as always is taking it's sweet little time. It was up at a 1 yesterday which is good...but still has a ways to go...so we'll see where we are at today. My hemoglobin came back low yesterday at an 8, so I also got some blood yesterday which usually makes me feel a world of difference by the next day and at almost 3:00 am the next day...so far I'm feeling pretty good! :) My husband will just be shaking his head at me that I am up at this hour!
So...what's the plan now? Well...I don't really make plans anymore...just take things hour by hour. Dr. Morris is bound and determined to get me to Texas next week so it's sounding like he's going to keep me here til Friday...which seems like a long time, but I'm ok with it. By then I'll be pumped full of great stuff, my levels should be "normal", I should be feeling "my best", and as long as I'm here I'm not able to be readmitted! :) So we will see how things go, but however they go...I better end up in Houston by Tuesday or Wednesday or next week!
Lastly...this has nothing to do with my post at all, but I've had a lot of people ask about bringing food and ect. Food is definitely welcome as I am finding, I'm not always up to par to help with things like cooking and/or cleaning up afterwards. Jerrid does such a great job of cooking meals for us and at the same time keeping Brayden busy and playing with him constantly, but then the kitchen and meal dishes often get left for awhile because Jerrid just can't do everything apparently! :) The things that have been appealing to me the most have been comfort type foods: meat, potatoes, and gravy; tuna/chicken and noodles; mac and cheese; soups; pasta. I can't do anything too spicy anymore because the treatment has caused sores on my tongue, but Jerrid loves spicy foods and will eat just about anything so on times I'm gone those types of foods would be good for him.
In conclusion a HUGE thanks to all of you for your continued and overwhelming support! The kindness and generosity that has been shown to us over the last year and a half has been so humbling and it just keeps coming! It has been a very long road and we've still got a long road ahead of us and you have all been so kind, loving, and supportive through it all! Thank you!
Love,
Meighan
So...this blog is going to be the 2:00 in the morning version of the last couple weeks.
First of all, I made it through Christmas feeling well, which included a quick trip to Boelus. It was a quick Christmas and kind of a whirlwind, but it was a blessed Christmas at that. Once we returned home from Christmas on Wednesday the 26th, that evening after getting out of the bath tub the left side of my back started to hurt pretty bad. At first it felt as if I had pulled something, which I thought was quite ridiculous that I pulled something getting into or out of the tub, but leave it to me to do something like that. So anyways, I tried to find a position that was comfortable so I could put some heat on it, but the pain just kept getting worse and got to the point that it was unbearable. This is when I told Jerrid that I thought it was more than just pulling something and we should probably go to the ER. Here is where the next few days run together and I've probably forgotten some things so bear with me. While there they did a scan to find that it was my kidney and ureters causing the pain because they were not draining properly so they admitted me. By Thursday morning early I had already seen the Urologist and decided to get a stent put in to hopefully help them drain correctly. They would do this through the bladder so while going through the bladder they would take a look to see what was causing the bleeding I was having too. By 11:30 that morning I was in surgery and out an hour later...things were moving quickly which was great. Having the stent put in was kind of a 50/50 shot that it would work and that it wouldn't cause me more pain. So far it seems to be working ok...probably not 100% but things are much better than before. I also am not having any pain with it yet which is great. I have a follow up with the Urologist next Friday and then will go back in 3 months to either have the stent completely removed or have a new one put it. As for the bladder and the bleeding he did find that a tumor is causing the bleeding so he did some cauterization while up there to try and stop it. It stopped it some, but not all so after I talk to my doctor in Houston about it I'll probably have the Urologist go back up there and scrap off more tumor and do some more cauterization. We could possibly just wait on this until that 3 month mark when he has to go back in to remove or replace the stent, as at this point we aren't in any hurry to get that done. So...after all this and recovery I left the hospital on Saturday afternoon just in time to get to my Grandma McCarthy's Christmas! As always a McCarthy function doesn't disappoint it was great seeing family that I hadn't seen in some time!
Sunday things were going well and then Sunday night/very early Monday morning I started throwing up. When Jerrid witnessed me take a bite of Lucky Charms and then immediately throw it up along with my intestinal enzymes we were off again to the ER. This time scans showed an upper bowel obstruction. So therefore, everything I put in came right back up...it couldn't keep moving down like it was supposed to. There are a couple things to do for bowel obstructions and my doctor decided we were going to try and let this one work itself out as she called my bowel sleepy. So for the first day I ate ice chips, for the second day I drank water, and the third day I started introducing soft or "blenderized" foods as they call them at the hospital. Anything that was once something and they "blenderize" though does not appeal to me and I don't think I could gag down at all. So I stuck with popsicles, pudding, yogurt, and tomato soup. Things were going so well that, that evening she let me have mac and cheese from Panera. So slowly but surely I was just working my way up to "hard" foods and everything was going well. By Wednesday the 2nd they let me out. Upon returning home I immediately swelled up from my waist down due to all of the fluids I had pumped into my body within the last week. This got so bad that it was painful to move...so I didn't do a lot of moving besides getting up to go to the bathroom. Other than the lower body pain I wasn't feeling too bad until Friday. On Friday, I came down with some sort of flu bug or something that put me down for the count again. By Saturday afternoon though, things seemed to be getting better so I decided I NEEDED to get out of the house...even if it was to a Titan boys basketball game! So that evening we went to supper and then to the basketball game and I hung in there pretty well. On Sunday the boys had tickets to the Kansas Jayhawks game so they were going to be gone all day. Since they were going to be gone all day I went to my parents for the day and night. I felt great on Sunday just tired.
By Monday (January 7th) morning I had done a 180. I could barely walk on my own I was so weak. Mom and I were planning to head back to the city that morning after getting Mogi her rabbies shot. So we did that and headed back. On our way back I tried to get a hold of Dr. Morris's nurse but she was busy so I just had to leave a message. I knew my magnesium had to be low, so I wanted to get a treatment before having to travel to Houston. After dropping Mogi off at her hair appointment since I still hadn't heard from from Dr. Morris's nurse we just headed to the ER. By this time it was noon and magnesium treatments take 4 hours, and the infusion center at the doctor's office closes at 4 so they wouldn't have had time to give me a treatment anyways. Upon arriving at the ER and getting all checked in and through triage...my heart rate was 150. My heart rate runs higher to begin with (nowhere near this high), but this just showed how out of whack my blood levels had to have been and how walking two steps raised my heart rate that much. This was very concerning to the ER docs, more so than me just wanting magnesium so they did a lot of extra blood work. The blood work came back and both the doc and I were right. My magnesium was a .7 (it's never been that low before... .9 is the lowest) and then my white blood cell count was 28,000 (should be around 12ish.) The white blood cell count being that high means that there is some sort of infection and in my case it's a bad one. So, once again I'm being admitted and we are postponing our trip to Houston! They started IV antibiotics and magnesium right away and by Tuesday morning my WBC was back in normal range, but that doesn't mean I'm out of the woods at all. I have been on continuous antibiotics through the IV and depending on how my blood counts look this morning, I may switch to oral today, but then will be on oral for quite some time. So...good thing that my WBC was getting back to normal, but magnesium as always is taking it's sweet little time. It was up at a 1 yesterday which is good...but still has a ways to go...so we'll see where we are at today. My hemoglobin came back low yesterday at an 8, so I also got some blood yesterday which usually makes me feel a world of difference by the next day and at almost 3:00 am the next day...so far I'm feeling pretty good! :) My husband will just be shaking his head at me that I am up at this hour!
So...what's the plan now? Well...I don't really make plans anymore...just take things hour by hour. Dr. Morris is bound and determined to get me to Texas next week so it's sounding like he's going to keep me here til Friday...which seems like a long time, but I'm ok with it. By then I'll be pumped full of great stuff, my levels should be "normal", I should be feeling "my best", and as long as I'm here I'm not able to be readmitted! :) So we will see how things go, but however they go...I better end up in Houston by Tuesday or Wednesday or next week!
Lastly...this has nothing to do with my post at all, but I've had a lot of people ask about bringing food and ect. Food is definitely welcome as I am finding, I'm not always up to par to help with things like cooking and/or cleaning up afterwards. Jerrid does such a great job of cooking meals for us and at the same time keeping Brayden busy and playing with him constantly, but then the kitchen and meal dishes often get left for awhile because Jerrid just can't do everything apparently! :) The things that have been appealing to me the most have been comfort type foods: meat, potatoes, and gravy; tuna/chicken and noodles; mac and cheese; soups; pasta. I can't do anything too spicy anymore because the treatment has caused sores on my tongue, but Jerrid loves spicy foods and will eat just about anything so on times I'm gone those types of foods would be good for him.
In conclusion a HUGE thanks to all of you for your continued and overwhelming support! The kindness and generosity that has been shown to us over the last year and a half has been so humbling and it just keeps coming! It has been a very long road and we've still got a long road ahead of us and you have all been so kind, loving, and supportive through it all! Thank you!
Love,
Meighan
Friday, December 21, 2012
Good news...bad news...
Good news!
My time in Houston will be cut short and we will be leaving at 8:00 am tomorrow! Home 6 hours earlier to my boys!
I should be able to enjoy the Christmas holiday and not feel crummy like I was expecting!
Bad news...
No treatment this weekend due to having blood in my urine. They think this is from the Avastin, but since it hasn't cleared up they don't want to give me more drugs and have it get worse.
So...I will be heading back to Houston next week to see Dr. Subbiah on the 28th. If the blood has cleared up I will probably get day 1 and 2 treatment and then come home. If it hasn't they will admit me and have urology do a scope of my bladder to see if something else is going on.
That's all for now, and keep those prayers coming!!! Have a Merry Christmas!
Love, Meighan
My time in Houston will be cut short and we will be leaving at 8:00 am tomorrow! Home 6 hours earlier to my boys!
I should be able to enjoy the Christmas holiday and not feel crummy like I was expecting!
Bad news...
No treatment this weekend due to having blood in my urine. They think this is from the Avastin, but since it hasn't cleared up they don't want to give me more drugs and have it get worse.
So...I will be heading back to Houston next week to see Dr. Subbiah on the 28th. If the blood has cleared up I will probably get day 1 and 2 treatment and then come home. If it hasn't they will admit me and have urology do a scope of my bladder to see if something else is going on.
That's all for now, and keep those prayers coming!!! Have a Merry Christmas!
Love, Meighan
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Sorry for the delay
I know many of you have been waiting for a post for quite some time now beings I've been home since last Sunday. Sorry for that, but I guess I've just been enjoying the comfort of my own home and time with family and friends. This week and a half at home has been great! I've been feeling good and bad, really just depends on the hour anymore. I've gotten out almost everyday to run a couple of errands, but being on my feet for too long takes it all out of me and then I'm down for the count for awhile. This past weekend I went to Evan's wrestling meet in Audubon on Friday night, Evan and Linsey's Ugly Christmas Sweater party on Saturday night, and Sunday supper at Lamp's house. Monday I got to surprise Brayden by picking him up at preschool and it was priceless. He was all sorts of confused because he didn't think I'd be home until Christmas, but he was very happy to see me! Mom and I head back to Houston tomorrow for treatment on Friday and Saturday and then will be back on Saturday. We were a little concerned with whether or not we'd get to Houston with this weather and cancelled flights, but we got an early Christmas gift yesterday. My uncle Mike called and offered to fly us down and back on his company's jet. SO...no having to deal with security, waiting in a germ filled airport, or worrying about cancelled flights...we will be getting to Houston and then be able to leave right after my treatment is done on Saturday! This is the BEST Christmas gift I could ever imagine and makes going back down to Houston at this time of year a lot easier to handle.
Thank you for all your continued thoughts and prayers and from our family to yours...may you have a blessed and happy holidays!
Jerrid, Meighan, Brayden, and Mogi
Thank you for all your continued thoughts and prayers and from our family to yours...may you have a blessed and happy holidays!
Jerrid, Meighan, Brayden, and Mogi
Friday, November 30, 2012
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
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
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
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
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
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
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
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
Saturday, November 10, 2012
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
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
Saturday, November 3, 2012
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
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
Friday, November 2, 2012
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
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
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Dear Chemo and Avastin,
You can continue to make me feel like crap as long as you are doing your job while invading my body.
Sincerely,
Meighan
Well I had treatment on Friday and Saturday. Friday was a very long day as we were at my doctor's office for a good 2 hours signing papers for the clinical trial, getting examined, waiting on people, ect. After that we went to check in for treatment at 2:30 and waited over an hour to get brought back to my room...apparently we were right at the time of a shift change...hoping this doesn't happen again. Once we got back there it took awhile for them to get me all hooked up, but we were finally going by about 5:00. Before I can get chemo I have to have 4 different pre-meds through the IV to help with nausea and reactions, and they take about an hour. After that I had 30 minutes of chemo. Then I had an hour and a half of Avastin and after that they gave me another magnesium treatment because once again my magnesium was low. This is something that I could always battle as the chemo I was on this summer can cause damage to my kidneys which makes it hard for them to sustain my magnesium levels. So another 4 hour treatment of magnesium and we were out of the hospital by about 11:30. Luckily, we live close to the hospital and it's a quick drive home because we had to be back at the hospital by 7:15 the next morning.
The next morning ran much more smoothly and we were only at the hospital for about a total of 3 hours. I just had my chemo treatment along with the pre-meds on Saturday. That afternoon we ran to Target and got a nap in. That night we had a long over-due dinner date at a very good Chinese restaurant. Our evening ended with a much needed fortune...
I woke up Sunday morning not feeling very well and was very flushed. Jerrid headed to Walgreen's to get a thermometer and sure enough I had a fever. The fever continued until 2:30 this morning (Tuesday), so I have been pretty miserable for the past couple of days. I also dealt with nausea yesterday. Over the past couple days I didn't leave my bed, did a lot of sleeping, and did a lot of rolling around in discomfort. Lucky for me though, I probably have the best care giver around and he did anything I asked of him and more. I know none of this can be easy on him, but he still does it and goes above and beyond. I'm not sure how many of your watch the tv show Parenthood, but it used to be a show that Jerrid and I would always watch together. This season the mother got diagnosed with cancer, so Jerrid has opted out of watching it. The preview for tonight's episode is spot on with what Jerrid is going through and as much as he hates having to see me go through this, I hate having to see him go through this. Together though, I know, we will make it through this!
Here is a link to the preview for tonight's episode:
http://www.nbc.com/parenthood/video/chemotherapy-begins/n28454/
This morning, I'm feeling better and hope that it continues. I've got a pretty excited little boy coming to see his mama tomorrow and I need to be raring to go! I don't think I'll do too much today, so I can make sure I'm rested up for tomorrow. Jerrid finally got out of the apartment after 2 days and is getting a run in and I'm sure will go work out after that.
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!
Love,
Meighan
Sincerely,
Meighan
Well I had treatment on Friday and Saturday. Friday was a very long day as we were at my doctor's office for a good 2 hours signing papers for the clinical trial, getting examined, waiting on people, ect. After that we went to check in for treatment at 2:30 and waited over an hour to get brought back to my room...apparently we were right at the time of a shift change...hoping this doesn't happen again. Once we got back there it took awhile for them to get me all hooked up, but we were finally going by about 5:00. Before I can get chemo I have to have 4 different pre-meds through the IV to help with nausea and reactions, and they take about an hour. After that I had 30 minutes of chemo. Then I had an hour and a half of Avastin and after that they gave me another magnesium treatment because once again my magnesium was low. This is something that I could always battle as the chemo I was on this summer can cause damage to my kidneys which makes it hard for them to sustain my magnesium levels. So another 4 hour treatment of magnesium and we were out of the hospital by about 11:30. Luckily, we live close to the hospital and it's a quick drive home because we had to be back at the hospital by 7:15 the next morning.
The next morning ran much more smoothly and we were only at the hospital for about a total of 3 hours. I just had my chemo treatment along with the pre-meds on Saturday. That afternoon we ran to Target and got a nap in. That night we had a long over-due dinner date at a very good Chinese restaurant. Our evening ended with a much needed fortune...
Here is a link to the preview for tonight's episode:
http://www.nbc.com/parenthood/video/chemotherapy-begins/n28454/
This morning, I'm feeling better and hope that it continues. I've got a pretty excited little boy coming to see his mama tomorrow and I need to be raring to go! I don't think I'll do too much today, so I can make sure I'm rested up for tomorrow. Jerrid finally got out of the apartment after 2 days and is getting a run in and I'm sure will go work out after that.
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!
Love,
Meighan
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Lesbi-honest now...this is an acca-mazing day!
Sorry...mom and I just got back Pitch Perfect, so I couldn't help myself with the blog title! Great comic relief while we hang out here in Houston and wait...
After just over 2 months since my last treatment there is finally a SCHEDULED plan!!! It has felt like this day might never come! As I wrote yesterday, tomorrow I go in for a bunch of tests that have to be done before treatment can start. Then on Friday, I go in to see Dr. Subbiah at 12:30. I have to see him the first day of every cycle. After seeing him I will start cycle one, day one. On Saturday, I will have cycle one, day two and then on November 9th I will have cycle one, day 15. The first cycle will be over on November 22nd...how fitting that this is Thanksgiving and I know we will be thankful for a treatment that is working! I will then start cycle two on November 23rd. I am so excited to start treatment and get back to fighting this nasty thing taking over my body! Please pray for minimal side effects, a strong body to fight off the side effects, and a healing treatment!
THANK YOU!!!!
Love,
Meighan
Oh and P.S. my better half shows up in a couple of hours...what a great day this is turning out to be!!
After just over 2 months since my last treatment there is finally a SCHEDULED plan!!! It has felt like this day might never come! As I wrote yesterday, tomorrow I go in for a bunch of tests that have to be done before treatment can start. Then on Friday, I go in to see Dr. Subbiah at 12:30. I have to see him the first day of every cycle. After seeing him I will start cycle one, day one. On Saturday, I will have cycle one, day two and then on November 9th I will have cycle one, day 15. The first cycle will be over on November 22nd...how fitting that this is Thanksgiving and I know we will be thankful for a treatment that is working! I will then start cycle two on November 23rd. I am so excited to start treatment and get back to fighting this nasty thing taking over my body! Please pray for minimal side effects, a strong body to fight off the side effects, and a healing treatment!
THANK YOU!!!!
Love,
Meighan
Oh and P.S. my better half shows up in a couple of hours...what a great day this is turning out to be!!
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Things are starting to look up!
On Monday morning I woke up pretty early with a lot of pain on the right side of my back. It was pretty painful so I emailed my doctor. He thought it could be due to the fluid in my abdomen, so he said to let him know how I felt after my procedure. By the time I got to the hospital for my procedure the pain was getting a little better. My procedure went well and they got out about 500 cc's of fluid this time. My abdomen is a lot more comfortable, but of course nothing can go smoothly for me. In order to get out all the fluid they wanted they rooted around in there, which then caused me to be in a lot of pain afterwards. So...I went home with pain in the right side of my back and the left side of my abdomen. When I got home I just laid on my back propped up on a lot of pillows and didn't move the rest of the night. By this morning, I was feeling better and able to move a lot easier without being in a ton of pain. So after lunch I decided it was probably time I got some exercise beings I haven't moved much from my bed the past few days. Of course though it is too hot here to walk outside (or so I thought), so mom and I went to the mall. :)
Mom and I are doing a pretty good job of finding our way around. She is the driver and I am the navigator. I've realized us kids obviously didn't get our sense of direction from her...sense of direction is definitely a McCarthy trail! Now that she's finally learning her way around here, of course, she leaves on Thursday. Luckily, she won't be gone long though and will be back with Brayden next Wednesday. Jerrid will hopefully get here tomorrow night, just in time to get a good night's rest before our big day of testing on Thursday! That's right...I finally heard something! On Thursday, I will go in for lab work, an EKG, a CT scan, and a chest xray. These tests all need to be done before treatment can start. So...I'm in hopes that treatment will hopefully start Monday! Keep those fingers crossed and keep praying!!!
Thanks for all your support,
Meighan
Mom and I are doing a pretty good job of finding our way around. She is the driver and I am the navigator. I've realized us kids obviously didn't get our sense of direction from her...sense of direction is definitely a McCarthy trail! Now that she's finally learning her way around here, of course, she leaves on Thursday. Luckily, she won't be gone long though and will be back with Brayden next Wednesday. Jerrid will hopefully get here tomorrow night, just in time to get a good night's rest before our big day of testing on Thursday! That's right...I finally heard something! On Thursday, I will go in for lab work, an EKG, a CT scan, and a chest xray. These tests all need to be done before treatment can start. So...I'm in hopes that treatment will hopefully start Monday! Keep those fingers crossed and keep praying!!!
Thanks for all your support,
Meighan
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Nothing can go smoothly when it comes to me
So I updated the blog last while I was at the hospital getting my magnesium treatment. Everything seemed to be going fine...until about 9:00. Around then I started to get really hot and my face started to get flush. This continued and the flush-ness extended down to my neck. Since it wasn't getting any better my aunt Sherry went out to ask a nurse to come take a look. Apparently, getting magnesium intravenously can cause one to become flush so they weren't too worried about it. At one point I picked up my phone and I was seeing blurry spots. My aunt Sherry then showed me a paper with some words on it and I was still seeing the blurry spots. This was towards the end of my 4 hour treatment, so the nurse called the ER doc to see what he thought. He thought it could be possible that I was allergic to the sulfa in the fluids they gave me with the magnesium. They wanted to give me Benedryl through the IV, but I refused after my last 2 awful bouts with Benedryl through the IV. So instead they had me hang around for about a half hour to make sure the redness started to go away. By 12:30, it was going down and they let me go home. I was still very hot and it was hard for me to sleep that night, but when I woke up in the morning only my cheeks were a little flush. I was still seeing blurry spots, but after I ate breakfast those went away. I didn't feel 100% by any means, so I just laid around most of the morning. I kept telling my aunt Sherry that my face felt funny and seemed to be a little puffy, and around noon one side of my face was much more swollen than the other side. In the meantime, my mom made it to Houston. Before heading to lunch I emailed Dr. Subbiah telling him about this reaction. He called me within 2 minutes! (My love just keeps growing for him.) He wanted me to come in so he could take a look. Neither him or his fellow really could come up with what was causing this, so they gave me some benedryl and a steroid. By the next morning, I finally felt better (the best I've felt since I've been down here.) The swelling had gone down some, and I wasn't really flush at all anymore. Dan left yesterday and my mom, aunt Sherry, and I ran some errands and hung out by the pool. While hanging out on the patio, I received an email from Dr. Subbiah, checking in on me and asking how the swelling was. This man is great! I have never had a doctor give me the attention that he does! Quite frankly, I think my husband might be the only man who gives me more attention than he does...my husband really just can't get enough of me! :) I am so happy with my decision to switch doctor's, and so reassured every time I have some sort of contact with Dr. Subbiah that he is the doctor for me.
Speaking of my husband...he can't get here soon enough! He comes in on Wednesday of this week. He was supposed to stay until November 4th, but now that I will be here longer than expected and Brayden is staying longer (Oct 31st - November 13th), I think he's going to stay a little longer also. The boys will also be coming down over Thanksgiving. I think we are getting a schedule worked out so there really aren't any days that I am here alone, as we aren't sure how I will handle this treatment. It's a very aggressive treatment, so the side effects could be rough. I've got a tough long road ahead of me, but I can handle it as it will all be worth it in the end. Thanks to everyone who has offered to come down and help out! For those of you in the Omaha area...don't forget about my husband. It's great that I will have someone with me at all times, but I don't want him to get too lonely...especially since I took his dog! :)
Today mom and I are just hanging out. I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm hoping to nap quite a bit. Tomorrow, I go in to have my fluid drained again...can't wait for this as I'm pretty uncomfortable at times! Also, hopefully tomorrow I'll hear more info regarding when I'll be starting treatment. I plan to stalk a couple people with phone calls until I get some information.
Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers!
Meighan
Speaking of my husband...he can't get here soon enough! He comes in on Wednesday of this week. He was supposed to stay until November 4th, but now that I will be here longer than expected and Brayden is staying longer (Oct 31st - November 13th), I think he's going to stay a little longer also. The boys will also be coming down over Thanksgiving. I think we are getting a schedule worked out so there really aren't any days that I am here alone, as we aren't sure how I will handle this treatment. It's a very aggressive treatment, so the side effects could be rough. I've got a tough long road ahead of me, but I can handle it as it will all be worth it in the end. Thanks to everyone who has offered to come down and help out! For those of you in the Omaha area...don't forget about my husband. It's great that I will have someone with me at all times, but I don't want him to get too lonely...especially since I took his dog! :)
Today mom and I are just hanging out. I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm hoping to nap quite a bit. Tomorrow, I go in to have my fluid drained again...can't wait for this as I'm pretty uncomfortable at times! Also, hopefully tomorrow I'll hear more info regarding when I'll be starting treatment. I plan to stalk a couple people with phone calls until I get some information.
Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers!
Meighan
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