Today was a good day.  I went in at 10:30 for my CT scan and then went back at 2:30 to meet with Dr. Walker.  The CT scan shows my chest, abdomen and pelvis are all CANCER FREE!!  Dr. Walker said the results are better than she would have expected.  I will continue with the last 3 chemo treatments and after that will continue with the research trial drugs.

My lab work this morning showed my WBC and my platelets were too low for the chemo treatment this week (Carboplantin and Taxol-the big one).  So, it will be postponed until next week.  That's ok, I don't mind taking a week off!!

We could not be more pleased with today's news.  We know that it is due to all of the prayers that so many people have sent up for us.  We are so lucky in that we have so many friends and family that have kept me in their prayers for the past 5 months.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Emma had a little "party" planned for me when we got home which included balloons, confetti, whistle blowers, etc.  She made Thomas take her to Dollar General on Sunday to get supplies for the celebration.  She had a check list so she wouldn't forget anything.

Once again, thanks for all the prayers said on my behalf.  It worked!!!!

Love, Cathy

Waiting to see Dr. Walker!

Last Friday was a very busy day.  Tessa (my friend from work) picked me up at 8:00 a.m.  I had to be there by 8:30 so the nurse could do my wound care.  It was fun to hang out with her for a while and catch up on school stuff.   She had to go back to work so Chenee, (another friend from work) came to relieve her.  Chenee stayed with me during chemo, which started at 9:30 a.m.  We had fun catching up since I hadn't seen her since school was out in May.

If you are doing chemo during lunch, you get free food.  I ordered the chicken salad sandwich and side salad.  The lady sitting next to me had ordered the same thing and it came about the time she was finishing up her treatment so she kindly offered hers to Chenee.  So we both got a free lunch and it was really good.

My chemo was done about 12:30 so Chenee dropped me off at the building I had to go to for my blood transfusion.  I got 2 units of blood and finished up there at 3:30.  Thomas and Emma came and picked me up but couldn't get there until 4:30.  Needless to say, I was pooped by the time I finally got home that evening.

After the fluids I got on Thursday and the blood I got on Friday, I definitely feel better.  I have not been dizzy or light-headed every time I get up so that is nice.

Saturday marked the 50th anniversary of when Thomas and his mom, Heidi,  moved to the United States from Germany.  So that evening she cooked German food for all of us.  It was delicious!!

Tomorrow is another busy day and a very important one.  I go in for blood work and then I have a CT scan at 10:30.  We are praying that the chemo is doing its job and that the cancer is no longer there.  We meet with Dr. Walker at 2:30 for a check-up and scan results.  We feel really positive about it.  We appreciate your prayers for good results!

Chenee, me and Tessa!

Blood transfusion!

Getting new blood!

I have definitely felt better this week than I did last week.  Tuesday I went in for blood work and they called me in the afternoon and said my hemoglobin was low.  The nurse asked if I had been dizzy and light-headed or short of breath.  I told her definitely dizzy and light-headed for several weeks.  So, she scheduled me for a blood transfusion on Friday after chemo.

Then today I went in to doctor's office so they could do my wound care.  I am currently out of home health visits until they approve some more for me so I have to get it done at the dr. office.  Anyway, Whitney (nurse practitioner) took care of my wound and then when she saw how low my blood pressure was, she had them take it lying, sitting and standing to see if it was going down when I stood up.  Sure enough, it was definitely lower when I stood up - 70/40.  No wonder I almost pass out every time I stand up!!!!  So, she decided I needed some fluids.  I went up to the 3rd floor and received a bag of fluids.  My blood pressure was a lot better after the fluids.  And they left me hooked up to my port so I don't have to get stuck again tomorrow!!  It's the littlest things that thrill me!

After all that, I had to go to a different building to get my blood typed/cross-matched for my transfusion tomorrow.  So I left this morning at 9:00 a.m. and got home at 3:30 p.m.  I was craving Long John Silvers so when I picked Emma up from violin at 6:00, we drove to Edmond to eat!

Tomorrow will be a long day too.  Have to be at dr. office for wound care at 8:30......chemo infusion at 9:30....and then blood transfusion at 1:00!!

And, to top the day off, Biscuit got sprayed by a skunk tonight.  Thomas had to give him a bath with peroxide, baking soda and Dawn!  He smells better but our house still smells like burned garlic (skunk)!

Getting my "fluids" today!!!

Well, they say that all good things must come to an end!  After feeling great for 3 weeks, I had a not so good one this week.  I'm assuming it's due to the chemo treatment I got last Friday (the two drugs instead of just one).  I started feeling bad Sunday evening.  I pretty much stayed in bed or my chair the rest of the week, except for doing the things I had to do (dentist, lab work, etc.).  I had no energy, no appetite, was light-headed and just did not feel good.  My lab work came back good which really surprised me.  Wednesday morning after I got out of the shower I started feeling really light-headed. Next thing I know, I was lying on the floor looking up at the ceiling.  Thomas was at home (thank goodness).  He helped me into bed and I was fine after that.  My blood pressure has been running really low lately and I think that's why I passed out.  Due to this incident and some issues with my incision wound, I had to see the nurse practitioner before my chemo yesterday.

Abby and Kylie left to go back to Idaho yesterday.  We are going to miss them so much.  I don't know what I would have done all summer without Abby here.  My sweet sister-in-law, Stacy, took me to my chemo appointment.  Luckily I did not lose any weight this week (which I thought I would).  Also, my blood pressure was better.  When we got on the elevator to go up to chemo, my sweet friend Toni (who also does chemo) was heading up too.  It was good to chat with her for a few minutes.

While I was sitting there doing my treatment, I looked over my left shoulder and saw one of my friends, Kathy Wester, sitting there with her mother (who is also battling ovarian cancer).  Thomas and I have known Kathy and her husband, Bob, for over 20 years.  We both taught their children at PCN.  We hadn't seen them in years and ran into them at Walgreen's a few weeks ago.  And then I see her yesterday.  She came over to visit for a few minutes and it turns out that Stacy knows her too.  Stacy and her daughter are the same age and attended 4th and 5th grades together.  So they got to catch up also.  Small, small world.

Also during my treatment this lady walked up to me and I didn't recognize her.  Turns out, I taught her daughter, Courtney Nelson, at PCN.  Her name is Tina and she works in Dr. Walker's office.  She is the one who calls me every week with the results of my blood work.  Her daughter, Courtney, was one of my favorite students.  What's really weird is that I had been thinking about her the day before. Courtney was a great runner and went to college on a track scholarship.  As I was watching one of the female races on the Olympics, I thought of Courtney.  And then the next day, her mom comes to say hi to me.  Crazy!!

Emma started back to school on Thursday - 4th grade.  She requested chicken fried rice with broccoli for dinner-her favorite meal.  Candice came over to eat and help Abby get packed up to leave on Friday.  Emma and Kylie played all evening.  They get along so good and really enjoy playing with each other.  Thomas also took them for a bike ride in the neighborhood.

After school yesterday, Emma flew to St. Louis to spend the weekend with Sophie.  It was a surprise for Sophie.  She'll be home tomorrow evening.  So, Thomas and I have the house all to ourselves this weekend and it's really quiet here.  We are going to dinner and a movie tonight!  I'm feeling good today,  I even cooked lunch.  Thomas went to Sprouts and got me some okra, corn on the cob and red potatoes so I had a vegetarian lunch!  It was delish!

Oh yeah, and Thomas ordered all of us a Westbrook t-shirt.  If you want to order one, here's the website:   https://thundertee.com/   They are only $10.00.  It's a nice shirt too - really soft and comfy.

I guess that's it for this week.  Cathy

My Russ Shirt! 

Me and Stacy!

Emma and Sophie!

I continue to feel really good.  I had a great doctor appointment Wednesday.  My blood pressure was much better (it's been running super low lately).  I also gained two pounds last week!!!  My lab work was good.  My incision would is slowly healing.  Dr. Walker says it "has a ways to go".  She also said she doesn't need to see me every week so I will just go every 3 weeks for a check-up.

Thursday evening I went to parent/student orientation at Project HOPE.  I got to see a lot of my students who are returning this year.  They were all so sweet and concerned about me.  I got lots of hugs and should have worn a mask but I didn't.

I got to do chemo yesterday and it went well.  It was supposed to be one of the long appointments but it only took 3 hours.  Abby took me for the last time.  She and Kylie are leaving to go back to Idaho on Friday.  We are going to miss them so much.  Abby's school has agreed to let her come home as often as she needs to so we know they will be back to visit some.  I have five chemo treatments left!!!!  Yay!

I slept in today and it was awesome.  There were several nights when I didn't sleep too well but I did last night and it was great.  Today has been a lazy day for me.  I've spent a lot of time in my chair watching Tiny House Nation and COPS.  Emma and Kyle have been going strong all day and have not had one disagreement.....they get along so well.  Emma will miss her when she leaves.

I had chemo last Friday and it went well.  Got a good nap in while I was there.  The Benadryl they give me (in case of allergic reaction to the drugs) always puts me right to sleep.  It's great!  Tomorrow I go for blood work, so, if results are good, I'll have chemo again this Friday.  Then I will just have 5 treatments to go.  I have met some really nice people while at SCC  for chemo.  And, also, my nurses have been so nice and they always take excellent care of me.  This Friday will be Abby's last time to take me to chemo since she will be going back to Idaho the following week.  I don't know what I would have done this summer without her.  Candice and I have said several times, "Thank goodness for Abby."  Candice is much more squeamish and I don't think she could have given me shots or done my wound care.  She can barely stand to be in the room when Abby is tending to me!!

I attended a meeting at school today for a few hours.  It was our first "team" meeting of the year.  It was so good to see my co-workers again.  I got there at 8:30 and about 10:00 I started feeling tired (and all I was doing was sitting).  It will definitely take some time to build my stamina back up to be able to work all day, especially since I'm up and down a lot and on my feet most of the day.

That's about it for now.  I will see Dr. Walker again this Wednesday for another check-up.  Oh, and once again I'm excited for Thunder season after Westbrook's news conference last week announcing he's staying in OKC.  Yay Russ!!!!

Go THUNDER!!!

I have felt great the past 5 days.  I have had more energy and my appetite has been a lot better.  I gained a pound this week (need to gain about 10 more).  I even cooked dinner last night and tonight.  Cooking two nights in a row is good for me.  And we finally had some fried okra tonight.  Thomas got it at Sprout's and it was delicious.

I saw Dr. Walker today.  The labs I had done on Tuesday were all NORMAL....which I think is a first for me.  My protein level was even higher than normal.  YAY!  Dr. W is also pleased with the way my wound is healing.  And, she does not think there is another pocket of fluid near my incision.  I hope she is right!  I'm starting physical therapy tomorrow for my neck.  And, I will do chemo on Friday as scheduled!

It's "back to school" time and my co-workers went back to work on Monday.  I love my job and I'd rather be at school working than sitting at home.  But, I have to be sure I'm completely healed and strong enough before I go back.

That's about it other than my eyelashes are growing back in and my hair is growing too.  Sometimes it's the little things that thrill me!

Well, the past week has been interesting.  Last Tuesday I had labs done.  Dr. Walker called me Wednesday and said my lipase enzyme levels were way up.  Mine are usually 90-100 and they had jumped up to 900.  That enzyme is usually associated with the pancreas so she thought I might have pancreatitis.  She told me to re-do the labs on Thursday.

When I woke up Thursday I was nauseous (threw up twice), very light-headed and my abdomen was really bloated.  Actually, I had been light-headed/dizzy the past week.  I also felt like there was another "pocket" of fluid near my incision.  So I called the office and filled them in on all of this and asked if I could have a nurse look at my incision when  I came in for labs.  They told me to just stop by desk when I was there.  So, I did.  At first they were gonna have me come back later that afternoon because they were so busy.  Then before I knew it, they took me back to a room and Dr. Walker herself came over (from surgery) to examine me.  She first decided that my wound would drain better if the opening was bigger so she proceeded to take a little lidocaine (not near enough) and a scalpel and "open it up a little"!  She was really puzzled about my symptoms so she asked if she could put me in the hospital for a few days so we could figure out what was going on.  So, we went straight to hospital and checked in.  They did a CT scan, gave me fluids and antibiotics.  I got out Friday evening about 8:30 p.m.  Oh, and my lipase level had dropped down to 600.

Dr. Walker said they didn't find anything "bad" on the scan.  She said it looked like I might have an abscess in my lower abdomen but after examining me, she ruled that out.  She did say there appeared to be a little fluid above my current incision wound and I definitely agree with that.  She had considered putting a wound vac on me but the wound care specialists who came to evaluate me didn't think it was necessary.  Yeah!!!!  I'm very thankful for that!

So, Saturday I woke up, sat on the side of my bed and was not dizzy or light-headed at all.  I felt GREAT......like a totally different person.  It was crazy.  I felt great all day and even went to El Reno that evening for a family get-together.  Then Sunday, I felt good again.  I got to go to church for the first time in probably 6 weeks.  Emma and I made cupcakes in the afternoon.  And again today, I felt really good.  I'll go in tomorrow for labs and then I'll see Dr. Walker on Wednesday.  I'm hoping blood work is good so I can resume with chemo (since I missed the one on Friday).