I have finished chemo as of Feb 4th!

Hello all - I apologize for not blogging for a bit! I finished my last chemo session on Feb. 4th and it went well!!!!!. I am thrilled and relived!!! I have been recovering nicely. My hair has even started growing back!! It is just peach fuzz but I will take it! I have been enjoying new energy levels as I have been recovering. I have been baking with my daughter, making new recipes, going out with my sweet Bible study gals to new places, and just spending time with my family. This break between chemo and radiation has been such a respite for me...



It looks like I will start with my radiation therapy on March 9th. The external part is 6 weeks of five days a week (30 sessions of radiation) and then the internal is up to three days in the hospital. It is so cool how this process works. It is a certain wave of energy that damages the cancer cells so that they cannot heal themsleves; the cancer-free cells can repair themselves. I received tattoo's on my abdomen for positioning in the machine so they are able to give me treatment in the exact same place each time - essential! Jim is calling my treatments tanning sessions! heehee....The docs say the radiation process is a bit easier than chemotherapy - we'll see.



I greatly appreicate all of your notes of encouragement, wishes and prayers for us. Your gift of friendship to me and my family means the world. I love you all and need you! Hugs - Khris

Through my 5th Chemo Head

Hey All,

It has been a few days since my 5th chemo and I am coming up and out of the effects. I am feeling better everyday. I am still here and just trying to keep up with Danigirl and my housekeeping. Please pray for me that I stay on task with "doing the next thing".

A highlight for me this January was a personal tour through the West End of the White House via a close friend a few days before the Ingraution. What a privelege to walk the halls and pray for our nation and our world! Here is my lovely family.

Hugs to all,

Khris

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....