Lullabye and Good Night!

Well, Chemo #5 happened almost a week ago and I figured it was time to check “Update Blog” off my to-do list! Chemo itself went very well! Very little waiting this time around, which was nice. My chemo buddy was a good friend and we had a very enjoyable chat during the infusion part. Dave called about midway through to see how things were going and THEN asked if she had beat me at cards. (Probably the REAL reason he called!) Hey..you can’t lose if you don’t play, right? We also managed to avoid much of the snow that hit the area as we were done by 1 pm. Even had enough time to stop at Starbucks for a hot chocolate (and yes, more chatting!)

My physical complaints are few this time, which has been really nice. However, the fatigue has been really bad. I spent all Saturday in bed sleeping. (I didn’t know a person COULD sleep that much!) That was hard because it was our daughter’s 12th birthday. Granted, we had celebrated about a week ago when our son was home from college, but I still feel like I "missed" the day. Dave was a great dad and took her and her cousin rock climbing and it sounds like they had a blast. On Sunday, about 5:30 pm I gathered all my energy to make my first trip downstairs to watch the Super Bowl with Dave and promptly fell asleep….again! You’ll be happy to know I DID manage to stay awake for the 2nd half. What a great game! (Well, if you were cheering for the Giants!) Monday I didn’t even attempt work. By Monday evening, I was bored out of my mind! If you know me, I don’t like to sit a lot…I’m always looking for something fun to do. I was still really tired and just frustrated! (If you don’t believe me, ask my fam!) Tuesday morning came and my “bored” self decided I was going to work. My body said “What!? Are you kidding me?” I made it through the day and that brings us to today. Feeling better, but not great yet. Let’s just say I’m REALLY glad there is only one more treatment left! YEAH!!

We see the surgeon this Friday. Many people have asked if the mass is gone, do I still need surgery? Unfortunately, the answer to that is yes. Inflammatory Breast Cancer is different because it isn’t a contained tumor. It grows in “nests” or “sheets” and infiltrates the tissue. Because it is such an aggressive type, chemo, followed by surgery and radiation is recommended to increase the chance of long term survival. And, since I’d like to be around for a while, I’ll go with it!

And, forgive me for the “ad” but I thought these were really cool and decided to share because it seems everyone knows someone who has or had breast cancer and this is a good cause. My Nurse Practitioner, Teri, makes and sells these adorable bracelets with proceeds going to the Rush University Breast Cancer Research Fund. They are a really beautiful piece of jewelry made with Swarovski crystal and sterling silver for $30. Of course, I bought one….leave it to me to SHOP at chemo! If you are interested, you can order them from her website at http://www.bobbiesbracelets.com. (FYI, the photo of the bracelet on her site really doesn't do it justice!)

We would really appreciate prayers that the appointment with the surgeon goes well and that we will be able to make wise decisions. Also, please pray I’ll have a boost in energy. I’ve got things to do and place to go!! I hope I didn’t sound too whiney this entry….I’m just being honest as to what is going on. As we battle cancer and the tiredness it brings, on so many levels, we continue to rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him!!

In His Strength,


Cindy and the VK’s