2009 is HERE and my 5th Chemo!

Happy New Year everyone! I am looking forward to the days ahead in this bright new year. My Christmas and New Years were happy and full of family, friends and fun - the three F's! I hope and pray yours were full of the same!

Tomorrow morning is my 5th chemo (the 6th is my last treatment on Feb. 4th) and I am going by myself. This will give me time to knit, chat and rest. Dani and Jim are staying home and having a Daddy Daughter Day!! What fun they will have!

My numbers from the blood work this week were great! I am on track with my treatment plan. I am encouraged. I have been more tired for the last three weeks but that is to be expected. At the appointment I was told I had a certain glow about me...I know this is from how good I feel. She said I am doing fantastic with my chemo. I am tired but I have energy throughout my days. This is such a booster for me emotionally. I am able to visit with friends and get certain errands accomplished and projects completed. I am home so often that when I get to go out it really lifts my spirits.

It is my hope and prayer to finish my treatments with a joyful heart and attitude. I now feel like I am thriving not just surviving. I give the credit to my relationship with God and doing what the docs have told me to do. I am so grateful at God's provision of care through Walter Reed and my amazing relationships with my friends and family. Life is so good and meant to be lived. Knowing He is there has brought me such realization of He's presence and how real He truly is. I am so utterly grateful!!

Love to you all - I'll chat with ya later friends! Hugs - Khris

Today was Chemo #4

Hey All - great news here! I had my fourth Chemo today. It was a bit of a touch and go thing....let me explain. On Friday I got a call from my doctor and chemo nurse telling me I was neutopenic ( http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neutropenic low white blood cell count basically) and to be careful not to be in big public places, wash my hands often and eat food that is cooked very well. And I did those things.

So on Monday morning I went up the Walter Reed early and had my blood drawn stat. And then I met up with Dr. Allard at 9:30am to hear the results and to see if I could have chemo on Tuesday. In my appointment I had an exam on my hysterectomy incisions - they are still healing nicely. He also checked my lymph systems and they were fine. Then we discussed the blood work. All the levels were back to normal so I was good to go for my 4th Chemo. Yeah! I had bounced right back fortunately just like Sarah, my cancer nurse, said I might.

As Dr. Allard and I discussed my blood work I asked him what my CA 125 was. He shared 23.8. Anything at/or under a count of 35 is normal. This news is my favorite Christmas present for 2008. This test is a marker (a lens/a piece of the pie) to help the doctors see if the chemo is working. He was pleased and I was totally elated that I cried. When I started chemo I was at 63 and on my 3rd chemo I was at 51. And it dropped 27.2 points since December 3rd. All this work is paying off thanks be to God!! I am overwhelmed with the progress and how my body is healing from within. This doesn't mean that it won't go back up but yesterday was a good day!!

And today was a good day!! Jim and I went up to Walter Reed and had our 4th chemo day. It went off with out a hitch. I am feeling good and tired. Need to get some rest...thank you for standing with me and praying. I appreciate your love and support!!

I wish you all a great week with your families and friends - we love you! I'll be in touch soon!
hugs, Khris

Heading into my fourth chemo next week

Hey Everyone - Just wanted to give an update. I am feeling pretty good. It has been a good week for me however I am a bit tired. I guess I have been doing a bit much but I have felt so good after the last chemo. I am taking it easy today doing laundry and went to Target to get stocking stuffers for next week and now my Christmas shopping is done! I feel pretty good about that. Now my Christmas cards....well that is another thing....there is still time.

Next week Tuesday (12/23rd) I am off to Walter Reed for my fourth chemo treatment (six in total). It is hard to believe I am on the fourth treatment. My niece, Rebecca, came in to help us with Danielle so Jim and I can be together on Tuesday. I cannot begin to express how much it means to have family and friends coming in and helping/serving us. I am overwhelmed most days with how much others love and care for us. I am so grateful.

Today a pretty lady came up to Danielle and I in Target and she asked me how I was doing. I had my light pink breast cancer hat on and she said she noticed. I said great surprisingly. She is a cancer survivor herself and wanted to encourage me. She reached out to me as if to say - you are doing great and keep it up. WOW! It meant the world to me! I had a kinship with a complete stranger and we connected. That is the great part of cancer - there are no strangers. I have been adopted into a sisterhood(manhood too) of compassionate people. I think this comes about because we have been confronted with our mortality and going deep with people is just easier due to the adage "time is precious".

So with that phrase "time is precious" hug your loved ones and tell them those things that you don't always say. Christmas is full of new beginnings. I always ponder how much God loves me when I see the baby Jesus in the manger then I know in my heart Christmas is truly here!

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year in 2009! love - khris

Coming off chemo

Hello - today is a slow day. I am not feeling well. My chemo treatment went well last week but this weekend was hard. The side effects have kicked in. I am feeling sick, fatigued and achy. I am off to the hospital today for my weekly blood draw with Dani and Jim. bye for now....

3rd Chemo tomorrow

Hello All - I am headed to Walter Read in the morning. It is my third chemo and at the end of the day I will be half through my total chemo treatment. That is exciting to me!! Jim is spending the day with me - it is a date with my hubby!! My dear friend Rita is staying with Danigirl for the day and a few more with my recovery. I am so grateful to her and Larry.

I am feeling good. I am nervous to have my treatment but know this is what I have to do. Please stand with me in prayer as I face my fears, myself and those beautiful people with cancer at Walter Reed. I consider a privilege to be there among them.

I am off to bed to get some rest!
Hugs to All,
Khris

Redefining Sexy!!

It has been three weeks since my last entry...it has been full and challenging. I am doing well overall. To bring you up to date my 2nd chemo was on November 13th. It was a good treatment up at Walter Reed. The weekend before I decided to cut my hair very short due to the fact that the carboplatin was making it slowly fall out. It was very freeing and ego boosting for me....let me explain.

On November 9th when I cut my hair my daughter woke up from her nap to a new Mommie. And when she saw me she came up and touched my head and declared - "Perfect Mommie" while patting my head. She brought so much joy and acceptance to my soul I cried.

It totally helped me see myself in a new light. In the light of how God views me and sees me. I am not defined just by my outward beauty alone but by my attitude and love for Him and others. His love is what makes me so courageous and full of life. I believe that is where true beauty is born. My journey with cancer is redefining how I view beauty, health, and self image.

As I have been going out into the public with my new doo I have a confidence I have never had. I was nervous about people staring but that really hasn't happened. I think this is so due to how I feel inside. I feel so forunate to be in a recovery plan for my cancer I cannot express how glad I am to be alive and well!! Everyday is a gift to me and another one to be with my family and friends. I am so grateful to God that the docs caught it when they did.

Recoving well from last week

The first experience of chemo was a positive one. Last Thursday was a life changing time with all the new information I had to learn about my situation and the lovely ladies I met as the day progressed. I was profoundly moved by how cancer radically changes your world view and your everyday tasks. I am grateful for the eyes to see such beauty and grace in the faces of those I met on the 7th floor of Walter Reed.

As the day started I sat with all the other chemo patients and our drugs were delived from the pharmacy. When everything was ready my nurse had me hold the bags of cocktails to read them back to her for verifcation on the type and amount of drugs we were going to put into my body. I was scared, awed and knew I had to do this. It was a life changing moment. It was so nice to walk through this with my husband Jim. He is an amazing man who God often uses to stabilize me in a profound way.

In the recovery process I had a bit of constipation due to the strong drugs so I just worked through it all. I just didn't feel good. Between the hysterectomy hot and cold flashes and the effects of the Taxol and Carboplatin I was coping. It brought me to a place of just taking each moment at a time. I kinda feel like I am on a huge river ride and I am going with the current as God holds me in the boat.

So now a week out from my first chemo I'm recovering well and often I feel the drug side effects throughout my day. The body is a remarkable creation of God and I have been thinking and praying good thoughts over my situation for God's purpose and plan. This cancer is so much bigger than me - I know this without a shadow of a doubt.

Today is a good day! I appreciate your love and support! hugs - k