Slept 9 hours last night. i feel better today than any day since the hospital. It's also
the first day without a fever since i began checking it on Wed.

Still not doing much, I haven't read anywhere that fresh air is bad for me, so I spent some time outside early before it got warm, just hanging out. What beautiful sunshine, and the leaves blowing in the breeze. I've always noticed those things, just not taking them for granted any more.

Look for the blessings in your life,
Lori

WELL........... the bad first... white count now down to .4 (from .7) Good news is something called the differential was at 0 (zero) on wednesday, now is 24. Means that white blood cells should be returning pronto. Yeah!!!! Will do another draw on tues to see how much I improve.



Hope everyone has a great & safe holiday weekend.

Love, Lori

Ok everybody, wish me luck. I'm going for another blood draw today. I'll post result later.

THE RIDE IS JUST BEGINNING

Hi guys, The next day (sunday) was boring but easy. Got home at 8:00 pm. boy am I glad!

Monday a trip to KC for my $4,000 shot (yes, you read it right) Helps boost my white count
Stopped by the store to visit the girls, really good to see them -- decided to try work on Wed afternoon.


NOW we're in the present again.
My Chauffeur, DREW, dropped me by work (LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS THAT WERE WAITING FOR ME FROM THE GIRLS) after he took me by the hospital for a blood draw(to be done twice a week, but can be done here in Topeka) I made it through 3 VERY weak-no energy hours when the Dr office from KC calls.

Publish Post

my white count is almost non-existent (.7 --- 7.0 - 10 is normal) I should go home, avoid people & have blood drawn again on Friday. Check my temp, Should even be low grade, I may have to go to hospital to check out infection source. Pick up a script that is supposed to help. By 7:00 pm my fever has reduced from 99.9 (Had it gone to 100, we would have been out the door) back to my very normal 98.2 (Thank GOD) whoever was praying right then, thank you so much. I know I sure was.

Let's see what tomorrow brings,
Thanks for all the prayers,
Lori

Friday morning came around as usual- OH did I tell you that one of the chemo drugs only runs for 3 days, so I finished it Thrusday night- Another YEAH!!

By the time I had my shower my mom and dad came by- my sisters boss (from St. Francis, KS) was there for her husbands surgery.

Mom and dad stayed for most of the afternoon- then went back home.

Roxie came in to visit as soon as her husband went into surgery. She had me laughing and crying just as much (she says) as Susan cries. Can't remember the name she had for it, but it was cute.

Saturday morning all alone-
I've been munching on crackers off and on thinking that my queasy feeling would go away. Did NOT want to ask for extra anti-nausea drugs. Why? IDK

So guess what- all of a sudden- I can't even make it to the toilet- I'm puking in the sink and with every heave some pee leaks out. Who said they didn't want a catheter? Oh no, here comes lunch.

The nurse just happens to walk by- runs to get me some meds and cleans up my mess. I clean myself up- thank goodness for knit capris that day.

Slept most of the afternoon. The really good drug gives me about a 4 hour nap.

Drs. rounds- says other Chemo drug will be done at midnight-YEAH!! A special drug to protect my bladder should be done at 4:00 a.m.

No one visits-although I do hear from Gayla and Susan that day and as always my family calls- Still a lonely day

Missing you all- You have no idea!!

Lori

Seems like a long time since I was on, guess it really has been! Where did I leave off? Oh yeah, I was ready to tell you about thurs. Mom & dad & Taylor came down for the day, Taylor was excused from school, cause she just really needs
time with her momma!

some of our special friends flew in from az, not to see me specifically but they took the time to visit, which was nice.

all in all a good day i was really tired for most of the evening and slept well that night.

OOHHH!And the best thing of all-- the catheter came out, I couldn't get my pants down fast enough --- YEE HAW!!!!

more about yesterday, my family visited. So good to see them. Drew put on a show of course. give the man a robe and watch him go!!!!





He had the visitor's in the room across from us rolling on the floor, dancing, doing boxing moves, oh boy!!!








Aren't they cute!!


Hugs & kisses, Lori

Sorry I didn't write anything yesterday. Linda McDonald & her mother-in-law visited. It was good to see them.

I woke up today in one of my moods, started crying & couldn't stop. One of the nurses sat down & talked to me (also medicating me while she was at it). Still crying through my shower. Oh, guess what?.....I had a catheter put in after all. still can't get the blood out of my urine.

Mom & Dad brought Taylor to see me today. Slept through most of their visit, shared some laughs and good times too.

I've decided that I really need someone with me alot more than I thought I would. So..... Any time you can come see me.....I really would like it.

Love & Kisses Lori

Hey every one! Things are really hopping here((((not)))). I got a shower, 2 walks & a nap, not necessarily in that order. This is my walking buddy, he doesn't say much but he sure commands respect around here- one little peep & people come running!


Uh-Oh ----4 Drs. just showed up in my room. Because I have company (aunt flo, you know), my urine is testing positive for bood (big surprise!) They mentioned the dreaded "c" word---catheter. I talked them out of it though, said my company was leaving today or tomorrow. One of the chemo drugs is really bad on the lining of the bladder, makes it bleed. So.....that's why they're checking for blood.

My stomach felt a little queasy, asked for a coke & a cracker, seems to have helped. I really don't want to get sick.

Last night they gave 4 drugs to prevent nausia. A couple were supposed to make me drowsy---drowsy heck---when I woke up this morning my pajamas were buttoned all wrong!!

Hope that everyone is enjoying this as much as I am!!
Love you all lots!!!

Hey everyone - I'm here. Looks like a really nice room. The nurses & doctors are really nice, too. I'm supposed to start with the medicine at about 8:00 pm. I'm in room 4201. phone number is 913-588-4201. I have my cell phone on me, too. Please don't be afraid to call, i'll let you know if i'm busy!

OK--so I didn't make it back on Tuesday to write more--better late than never

*April 4
Saw Dr. Perdue, he said he couldn't do anything because it was between the muscles. Sent me immediately to Dr. Mumford. Mom & Dad & I walked across the street - I think he was on his lunch hour, but he took time to see me anyway. He looked at the MRI & said that there were some edges that weren't defined. Might indicate cancer. He referred me to Dr. Templeton at KU Med.

*April 10

Appointment w/Dr. Templeton- had a sonogram to rule out a hemangeoma (mass of blood vessels) it was not.


*April 15
Open biopsy - had the tumor been determined by a quick pathology report to be benign, Dr. would have removed it that day.

*April 29
The longest two weeks of my life. Finally the news. Synovial Sarcoma. KU had to send the biopsy sample to a larger lab to determine the type of cancer. It is rare.

*May 1
CT scan of my chest & abdomen. Clean! Cancer has not spread! Yeah!

*May 2
Saw Dr. Green @ Cotton-O'Neil Cancer Center. 3 more CT scans to determine exact location of tumor.

*May 6
First radiation treatment. Need 25 of them.

*June12
Last radiation treatment. I've got a sunburn & lump has gone down considerably.


*July 15
Surgery to remove tumor. Pathology comes back - all clean edges surrounding the "dead" tumor, that ended up being about the size of a quarter.



Well, I guess I'm up to date.
I will make every attempt to write something every day.

Love you all lots!!!

I am on my way to KC this morning to have my stitches taken out-YEAH!! I've had stitches in my arm since April 15th. I am so ready to be rid of them.

Events leading up to today:

*Fall '07-
I noticed some muscle weakness in my left arm and hand, followed by a sore spot on my arm just below the elbow.

*Christmas '07-
Sore spot started to become a lump

*Jan. '08-
Lump continued to grow. I'm starting to get worried at this point. I hadn't told anybody about it yet.

*Feb. '08-
Well since I'm almost 45 and still haven 't had a 40 year old check up-I guess I had better call the Dr. and have him look at my arm.

*Early March '08-
Saw Dr. Holmes and he rules out a "fatty tumor" by drawing on my arm with his pen. As the pen went up and over my "lump" the tumor would have stopped the pen had it been a fatty tumor. Dr. orders MRI.

*March 15 '08-
MRI report a few days later shows a mass approx. 2 1/2 cm by 4 1/2 cm between muscles in my forearm. Report states both benign and malignant masses should be considered. Dr. schedules appointment with a general surgeon.


More tomorrow.....

This is the beginning of the journey ...

That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much. - Stevenson