12/7/04 – Good News!

First of all, I was able to receive both of the treatments that were scheduled for last Monday and yesterday. My blood counts were very good last week and a little lower this week, but still within the acceptable range for treatment. Therefore, I will continue to give myself shots on Wednesdays and Fridays in order to keep the counts within that range.

I developed quite a bad chest cough in the past week. My doctor did put me on an antibiotic yesterday, even though I hadn't been running a fever. I was showing other signs of having an infection, so hopefully that will clear it up and relieve me of this bothersome cough. I am already feeling better after one dose.

I had the privilege of singing this weekend at a very special event. We have a beautiful ladies Christmas dinner at our church every year and the group I sing in was asked to perform. It was held on Friday and Saturday night and we sang 10 songs. Friday, everything was perfect. It felt so good to be singing again! Then, Saturday my cough had developed further and my voice was gone on the first song! So, during the song, I was praying that God would either fix it or help us figure out a way to cut out my songs and have Celeste and Darinda carry on without me! Jill was in the audience and started praying, which I could literally feel happening while we were singing. After the first song, I coughed and drank some water, did our introductions and -miraculously- had a voice! The rest of the concert was great and we had a wonderful time. It was so great to feel like I was doing something "normal" after so long! It was something we committed to do a year ago and I knew that if I was supposed to do it, God would give me the strength. He did!

I woke up last Monday to a special surprise. On my scalp was a dark tint – not quite a 5:00 shadow, but something was definitely happening! Yesterday, I actually was able to make out fuzzy little hairs all over my head. It's very exciting!! My Christmas wish is going to come true! (All I want for Christmas is my two front hairs…..)

Anyway, I have been feeling so much better with these treatments. I feel like I've entered back into the world of the fully (or at least partially) functioning. I have a lot more energy and have been able to get a lot more done around the house. I have noticed my memory and concentration levels are diminished. I just don't notice things the way I normally would. I hope the chemo brain is temporary because I really can't afford to be any more scatterbrained than I was before cancer!

Thank you for all your prayers. I know that there were so many people praying about the blood counts and I'm so thankful for the answers we got. Things should be pretty smooth from here – except my head! (Ha! Get it? Bad joke – sorry!)

If I don't feel the need to do another update before Christmas, I hope you all have a wonderful celebration of Christ's birth and enjoy your time with family and friends. This is a blessed time of year when we are all so in tune with others and share God's love more freely. I hope you experience God's love and grace in a new way this season.