Oct. 30, 2004 – 4th treatment

My treatment regimen has changed for the rest of my chemo. I was scheduled to be done by Christmas with the next four treatments, which were going to be easier than the four I've already had. All of that is changed now, but there are more advantages than disadvantages. The only drawback is not being done with "standard" chemo by Christmas. When the doctor explained this other regimen to me, I kept thinking of the countdown calendar that my kids made and how I would have to tell them it wasn't going to be the same!

Anyway, the treatment from here on out will go like this: I will have 12 weekly treatments beginning on November 8 of Taxol and Herceptin. Taxol is the standard chemo drug I was going to get already. Herceptin is the drug that I was going to take for a full year after all of the standard chemo was done. My oncologist explained that I could take them both weekly and receive a lower dose of Taxol for 12 weeks, thus reducing my side effects. (I'm all for that!) Then, I would continue after the 12 weeks with Herceptin until one year from now. So, the advantages are that the total time for my treatment is cut by more than two months and that side effects should be more manageable. The only other disadvantage is that my final reconstruction surgery will have to be done in February, so I have to live with the softballs on my chest for another month or so! Chemo inhibits healing, so surgery has to wait until the standard chemo is done. I still think the positives outweigh the negatives.

A lot of people have asked about how the kids are doing. They are still doing really well and are totally used to seeing me bald, since I frequently don't wear a hat at home. They are very helpful and understanding when I'm feeling yucky. They have also been very willing to forego their activities if I'm not feeling up to taking them somewhere. We have been keeping up on school, which is a huge answer to prayer. Brayden is the only one who seems to need an escape at times, which he gets occasionally with Gramma and Grampa Edwards. He is so high energy, so he loves to be outside working with Grampa or throwing the ball for the dogs. I even started letting him play soccer in the house (not a real soccer ball)! It's amazing how certain things become unimportant when you're in survival mode!

We had a bit of a surprise last Sunday. We were eating lunch and I looked out on the deck to see Abby, our black lab, laying on her side facing us with her obviously pregnant belly laying on the deck. It was a shock, even though we had tried to breed her recently with Dale's yellow lab, Deuce. We didn't think it had worked. So, we did the math and figured out we will have puppies sometime in the next week! Now, we're just hoping that they are indeed Deuce's puppies, since we really don't need a bunch of mutts! If they are purebred, the money from the puppies will help to offset the huge amount of doctor/hospital bills we have pouring in everyday. It's funny the way God works to meet our needs sometimes!

Well, that's about all the news I have for you today. Thank you again for your prayers – I know that I was better this time due to the many prayers that were said for me. We are so thankful for the many meals that have been provided by our church family, our co-op family, and other special friends. It's amazing how much that has helped. We feel so blessed and overwhelmed by the amount of love that has been given to us. We love you all!