Chemo sucks... but if it sucks the cancer out then we are all for it!!

Hey all.. I've been so kindly "prompted" by many in the family that I haven't done a blog updated in awhile- that I figured I would try to do one tonight. Tomorrow is going to be a VERY early morning for the three of us, but I thought now may be a good time, before things get "crazy". (As if they aren't already!)The title of this post is a sign that Matt and I both saw one day getting bloodwork done, and it caught both of our attention.

The IVF treatments we have been working on are moving along well, from what I understand. Matt and I went to yet another appointment this morning (at 7:30am. ..for those of you that don't know, we live roughly an hr away from the clinic, so this entails leaving at 6:30, and getting up at 5:30. I am so still not a morning person) But nevertheless, we made it. A few days ago we had a scare, or at least a scare in my mind. When the treatments started, everything went off without a hitch. I was responding to the injections great, to the point where basically, since Matt wasn't home at that point, they needed to slow me down, or as the put it to me the other day "coast me along" until Matt got home. Shortly after, and once Matt was home, my hormone levels dropped, and they couldn't figure out why. Well after a bit of me worrying, we went today and the doctor informed us, all is well, my levels never truly did drop, the nurse called the lab to double check the results and found out it was a lab error. Yay! However, right about when it was time to do my daily shots today, we discovered we were one needle short that we needed for my injections. Yikes! We were all fearing driving an hour, merely to get one needle. Luckily the nurse at the clinic was great, and called it into the local Rite Aid, and we were able to avoid that debacle. So, now we seem to be on schedule to do the procedure Friday, but we will have a better idea after our appointment again tomorrow. For those of you that do not know, Matt and I are going through these treatments basically as a safegaurd. There is a chance that as a side effect of the chemotherapy regiment, I will become sterile. Fortunately, through the help of the clinic, and an amazing grant we received through Sharing Hope (an affiliate of Live Strong), we are able to undergo these treatments. Therefore, someday when we have finished with this battle, and decide we are crazy enough to take on the battle of parenting, we will be able to. :)

Aside from that, things are moving along quickly for my chemo treatments. Tomorrow morning I go in for my port placement. The easiest way to explain what this is, is that it's what I'll receive my treatments through, plus they will be able to draw blood through it without having to prick my poor veins a million times!! (the IVF clinic has done enough of that lately :-/..) and from what I have been told, they can use it to run tests as well. So bright and early that's what we will be doing. I am dreading the anesthesia- really hoping it doesn't make me nausea this time. Yes, I am still terrified of all this medical stuff! If all goes as planned, I am scheduled to begin my chemo treatments bright and EARLY Monday morning. (Yeah, they don't mess around with early appointments down here. My husband loves this fact.)

On a side note away from medical news- I think I am finally making progress. Thanks to my amazing husband, who has cooked me many great meals and keeps me stocked up with protein drinks and gatorade- as well as my loving momma bringing me snacks every time she walks up and down the stairs, I am finally putting on weight! Tonight the scale said 121.5. I know, that's at night and you are not supposed to weigh yourself at night, but you know what? That's the number I like, and that's the number that makes me feel better, so right now, I am going with it. (In the morning it at least says 119.5-120, which is still a HUGE improvement from where I was not long ago at 110) We have made it out on a few ventures lately to the mall, and also down town today. Matt's dad, Mike,  is coming to visit Saturday and join the crew of my care team. haha. We are really looking forward to seeing him. Hope he can keep up with the craziness in this house!

I know many of you have been asking what you can do to help us right now. Which is absolutely amazing. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to us. I am sure we are going to need a lot of help, but at the moment I can't think of specific things. I will really try to work on that. But in the meantime, please keep up what you all have been doing. Keep the prayers coming, keep sending the good thoughts/vibes/etc. whatever it is that you believe in, and keep the support coming to us and our families.

On a final note- I don't know how many of you have seen on Facebook, but I posted a note a short while back about how God has seemed to place many nurses/doctors in my path on days where I need them most. It never fails. Lately, I have been pretty down and just down right grumpy (ask Matt, he'll def agree. When I'm not around at least. :)...Then today at the clinic we spoke with a doctor that told us he was diagnosed at 29 with cancer, and he beat it..he is WAY past 29 now. (Sorry, but his white hair kind of gave him away). Anyway, he put it to me like this. "The treatment is going to suck. Your life is going to change, but for the better. You'll make it."
 
And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

-Words to a song I've been listening to a lot lately..I know, even on the bad days, that his hands are holding me, and will help us all to persevere through.