Hi!
Happy New Year to everyone. The countdown is on. 1 week until treatment number 6.... the final one. I am so looking forward to being done. Not necessarily the treatment itself.

This is week number 4 following my last treatment and I feel really good. I still am sleeping 10 hours a night and I get winded from time to time, but I actually felt like cleaning yesterday. Didn't do alot, but some is better than none.

Thanks for all of your good wishes. They really keep me inspired!
Love to you all.
Lori

Another week has gone by and I am feeling stronger every day. I still get winded and tire easily, but I feel really good!

Right now my biggest concern is trying to regulate my potassium. It has been really low after my last treatment, and I have been taking potassium supplements to try to increase the levels. I had my blood drawn again today. We'll see what the results show. I have not had any side effects from the low levels. I could have had some problems with my heart, but did not.

Still trying to get ready for Christmas. All my presents bought, just need to wrap. Maybe Taylor will help.

Have a happy and safe Christmas, everyone!
Love,
Lori

Hi everybody!
I know it's been awhile since I've written. I have no excuse. The first few days out of the hospital, I felt really good. Better than I have out of the hospital ever. Friday, I started feeling bad, dizzy, out of breath, just a general feeling of no good. Fever up a little, 99.6. Now it's down below 99. I slept 12 hours last night (turned the lights out at 8:30--- unheard of for me) & I feel really good today. No dizziness.

I have a blood draw in the morning to see if I can get out among the people this week. Wish me luck.
Lori

Soo... Soo... nice to not have to travel to KC for the shot. I was done even before the appointment time. Plus no 3-4 hour drive to get there and back. I am feeling pretty good this time around. I wonder if the extra week in between had anything to do with it. If so, I should really recover well after the jan 6th treatment.

Going to get a blood draw this morning, then coming back home to hybernate.

Lori

It wasn't 11:00 but I made it home at about 2:30 last night. Felt good to sleep in my own bed for a change. I get to have the 4,000.00 shot in Topeka, so we don't have to drive to KC for a 10 second procedure. Thank goodness. I feel pretty good today, trying not to do too much. Mostly unpacked from hospital trip ------ JUST 1 MORE TREATMENT! I've got it scheduled for the 6th of Jan. I should feel really good by then.

love you lots,
Lori

Guess what? the doctor said I could go home as soon as the medicine I am getting is done. Might be 11:00 but it will be tonight. no reason to stay all night just to wait to be discharged. YEAH!!!!

Hey everyone,
Sunday morning, I had hoped to go home today. No such luck. Monte did come up last night and stayed the night. I think he'll stay most of the day, today, too. Should help the day go faster.
Love, Lori

Hey Everyone,

I have not thrown up again, thank goodness. I did
get news today that made me cry.
 I am not going to be able to leave until
Monday. Apparently, this weekend doctor
 doesn't want to speed up my meds so I
can get out on Sunday. Boo and Hiss.
Get out the meds for my mood.

Love you all lots,
Lori

Hi Guys,
Well it's Friday morning. More that half way through. Sunday seems closer now.

I had company Wed. eve. and again for most of the daytime yesterday. Really makes the day seem to go faster.

Threw up yesterday. Earlier than normal. Trying to keep a lid on it.


Not much to say.
Lori

Well, yesterday was a very boring day. Some good tv, I watched a movie, talked to my family and friends on the phone. Sent a couple of emails. Mostly, bored, uncomfortable, wondering if I can really get through this. Everybody has been really encouraging. It is still really HARD. Enough of me complaining.


I have it really good. I am doing this as a preventative.
Someone I know was just diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.
I have it really good.

Thank you,
Lori

morning everybody!

I forgot to tell you all that I got a room with a view this time. I'm on the other side of the hall and I can see traffic and people and trees and the SUN! What a great feeling to wake up to sunshine!

I slept really good last night, so I feel really good this morning.
We'll see how the day goes.

Thinking of you all.
Lori

hey everybody!
Well, I'm here and hooked up (to chemo by 3:30). Not too much wait for anything. I cried pretty much every step of the way. On the way to KC. In the waiting room at the cancer center. In front of the PA. In front of the Dr. (he gave me a really cool KU ballcap to wear to help cheer me up) At lunch. In admissions. When my parents left. Right now.

I had an EKG when I came in. apparently my pulse was running high. Results perfectly normal. Thank goodness.

Lori

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! I ate entirely too much. But, boy, was it good. Plus the leftovers are awesome! Starting to think about Monday. Round 5. Almost done -- but it is so hard to get my mind in the right place to be ready for it. I'm crying just thinking about it. (((LONG PAUSE as I compose myself)))

I'll be spending Sunday packing, (it won't take too long, I know exactly what I need).

Talk to you all on Monday, I'll let you know what I had to go through to get admitted.

Love you all,
Lori

Great news! My hemoglobin count is going up. 8.8 on Monday. So.....no transfusion this time around. Yeah! Thank you for all of the prayers and good thoughts! Going in to work this afternoon. Really looking forward to it. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving! We have a lot to be thankful for.
Lori

What a great week. I worked 3 afternoons - it was great to be out among people again. The girls at work are really good to me, making sure that I don't tire myself out or do too much.

I had a blood draw yesterday. Got a call from the nurse in KC. Seems my hemoglobin is still going down. Right at the cutoff of 8.0. She wanted to know how I was feeling. I told her really good, considering. She said that I might need another transfusion if I go below 8.0 on Monday's blood test. GREAT! Oh well, not much I can do about it.

Have a great weekend.
Lori

What a difference a weekend makes! I am feeling so much better! I had my blood drawn yesterday and got really good news. My white count is over 11 - due in part to the shot that I get. Hemoglobin is 8.3, just high enough that I don't need a transfusion. (8.0 is the cutoff) Yeah! So I'm going to go into work this afternoon, can't wait to get out of the house.

Have a good week!
Lori

Hi Everyone! What a long week. Haven't felt like doing anything, so I haven't been. Which means I haven't been on the computer to post anything. Sorry. I know that you all are wondering what is happening with my health and my life. This last treatment seems like so long ago, yet it was just 5 days ago. Must be how my brain is dealing with the trauma of it. 4 down, 2 to go. With all of your support and encouraging words, I know that I can make it through it.


My next treatment is after Thanksgiving. Dec 1. I think the Dr. knew that I needed to be home during the holiday for my sanity.


Have had 2 blood draws this week. Tues, my white count was 1.7 hemoglobin was 9.5 (normal, not low enough for blood transfusion). Went in again this morning, won't hear results until this afternoon. Probably a drop in the white count (usual for day 5) this weekend should bring the count back up and Monday's count should show a marked improvement. That's when the hemoglobin has been dropping, though. Let's hope that I'm able to keep the number up.

If you guys ever need and update, and are afraid to call, just leave a message on this site, or drop me an email.
Thanks for everything
Lori

I'm home. Tired really tired. Going to KC for my shot. Not much else to tell. Just that the treatments get harder every time.
Love you all lots.
Lori

I guess I had to do it. Throw up that is. Didn't want to. Asked for meds that didn't come soon enough. All over myself and the floor. One of the nurses said I blessed the floor. Hit the orange button on the wall. All of the other nurse call buttons are orange. This one is the code button. You should have seen the nurses rush in to my room. Of course, I didn't see them. I was bent over the sink and trash can. They just told me later.

I can't even think about eating, but I guess I'll order breakfast. I didn't eat any lunch or dinner yesterday, and I'm still gagging, but I'll try to see what I can get down. Wish me luck.

Going home today.

Friday was my crying day. Why do I always have to have a day where I can't keep from crying. All day long. Even extra meds didn't help. Mom & Dad came to visit thank goodness, otherwise I would have been a basket case.

Dr. IS speeding up the meds. I'll finish chemo at 4 today, and the bladder protection between 2 & 3 on Sunday. YEAH!

I didn't sleep very well last night. Up at 3, didn't fall asleep again until 6.

Thanks for listening to me complain!
Lori