Feeling Normal Again - 2nd treatment

Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged, but for whatever reason, I just haven't made or found the time to do it. 

Today is Day 8 after Chemo #2, and I'm feeling nearly normal again.  All in all, this treatment was not too bad.  I've had the usual stomach issues associated with chemo but not the severe abdominal pains that I had with the first treatment.  The mouth issues I experienced with the first treatment don't seem to be as bad this time -- knock on wood!!  I don't know if it's the Biotene products I'm using or what, but I'm not complaining.  No mouth sores is a good thing!

Food still tastes mostly blah.  Even my favorites don't taste "normal."  I'm trying to eat enough to get the proper nuitrition, but in spite of that, I've lost close to 10 pounds over the past two or three weeks.  Now that I'm feeling better this week, though, I expect that I'll probably gain two or three pounds back before next Monday's treatment.  I definitely need to lose weight, but the experts say not to intentionally lose weight during chemo, if possible.  Of course, a two pound loss per week for the next 10 or 15 weeks is not necessarily a bad thing for my long-term health. 

I had an appointment with my internist this morning.  All went well there.  We're keeping an eye on my blood sugar since the steroids given with chemo have temporarily driven them up.  Hopefully, this is only temporary and once I'm off the steroids, my blood sugars will return to more normal (for me) levels.  I don't want to have to take more medicine and/or insulin while I'm fighting this Beast!!

Every day I continue to be amazed and humbled by the kindness and support of so many friends, family and people I don't even know.  The food that has been brought in, the unexpected gifts, the support, prayers and so many other acts of kindness and love have been overwhelming, to say the least.  I pray that I will pay all this kindness and support forward to others who need it in the future. 

Just as an example of the kindness of strangers, I received a package in the mail over the weekend from Ken's brother and his wife in Richmond.  In it was a book called "God's Promises for Your Every Need," engraved with my name on the cover.  With the book was a note from Bill that said the book was from a friend of his at their church who had been praying for me.  To receive a gift like that from someone who does not even know me but who is praying for me and who  bought a book of encouragement for me and had my name imprinted on the book, is mind-boggling.  May I one day have this amount of compassion and love for others -- strangers and friends alike.  In our Bible class on Sunday, we were talking about ministering to others' needs and the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46:

1 i“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, jthen he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him kwill be gathered lall the nations, and mhe will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates nthe sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then othe King will say to pthose on his right, ‘Come, you qwho are blessed by my Father, rinherit sthe kingdom tprepared for you ufrom the foundation of the world. 35 For vI was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you wgave me drink, xI was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 vI was naked and you clothed me, yI was sick and you zvisited me, aI was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And bthe King will answer them, c‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these dmy brothers,6 you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, e‘Depart from me, you fcursed, into gthe eternal fire prepared for hthe devil and his angels. 42 For iI was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, jyou did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away kinto eternal punishment, but the righteous kinto leternal life.”

Bill's friend was living this passage -- may I always remember this act of kindness, among the many, many others I have received during this journey!!

Lastly, I've got to give a shoutout to my good friends, Mary Kay, Teresa and Brenda at church who surprised me last Wednesday night with a new houndstooth doo-rag with a Crimson A embroidered on the back.  I worried about finding Bama stuff for my head for football season, expecially with my extra-large head size, but friends as well as strangers have seen to it that I have a variety of stuff to wear this football season!!  Now, if I can just get to some games!!  Hopefully I'll feel like going to the Arkansas game next weekend (which may be "iffy" after chemo #3 on Monday), but it's an afternoon game.  So if I do go, I'll have to be careful in the sun.  Apparently chemo and sun don't mix well.  Maybe I should pray for a cloudy, but rainfree, day for that game.  In the meantime, I'll be styling in all my houndtooth and crimson headwear. 
I promise to take pictures one of these days.  I'm a camera phobic, and I hate having my picture made.  Totally unphotogenic -- unlike my hubby and girls!!! 

Love you all.  Enough of the rambling. 


Rachel