https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9TShlMkQnc
Hi All....
I am doing really well....
Then I listened to this as I was preparing for the End of the Dash class that we are doing at the church...so I just had to share!
By the way, this has been around for awhile, apparently I live under a rock :)
Enjoy! Elayne
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Well! That was a surprise......
Yup! it was....after feeling so good and naively thinking that it would last through chemo, I awakened to the hard fact that chemo is hard....and things are achey, wobbly, and foggy.....In the middle of the night it did occur to me that I should stop the next one.....but then I thought what if the last one stops the cancer from coming back....a chance for remission....And that is what we pray for (all because of that little pesky spot in the chest), ya we almost forgot about that!
Anyhoo.....it has been a rough couple of days. Not horrible, just can't get comfy.....things don't taste right and I can't think and get things done.....I really don't think I should be complaining, and yet I am. Not to mention we have the coming attraction of loosing the half inch of hair that I have grown....it really is growing fast, and it will grow fast after day 13 of unicorn juice #8!
In a few hours all that will pass and I will start feeling little better, then the last round of unicorn juice.....and then.....we can start working on strength....and working out for the Princess Marathon!
And it is Lent! I believe it is the busiest time of the year in the church....so why do we add more stuff to do when it is about slowing down and reflecting? I guess Chemo is making me slow down! Hmm....I had not thought about that until just this second...but it is true.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Anyhoo.....it has been a rough couple of days. Not horrible, just can't get comfy.....things don't taste right and I can't think and get things done.....I really don't think I should be complaining, and yet I am. Not to mention we have the coming attraction of loosing the half inch of hair that I have grown....it really is growing fast, and it will grow fast after day 13 of unicorn juice #8!
In a few hours all that will pass and I will start feeling little better, then the last round of unicorn juice.....and then.....we can start working on strength....and working out for the Princess Marathon!
And it is Lent! I believe it is the busiest time of the year in the church....so why do we add more stuff to do when it is about slowing down and reflecting? I guess Chemo is making me slow down! Hmm....I had not thought about that until just this second...but it is true.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Friday, February 12, 2016
Every day may not be good....but there is good in every day....
Every day may not be good....but there is good in every day....On the wall in the chemo chair #7 room.
So today we were back in chair #7 for unicorn juice...I know I said I was done...I had hoped. This treatment is like frosting on the cake...Trying to make sure that we got all the cancer. And that is good news.
All went well....we, being Mom, Becky, and Kolton, all enjoyed a few rounds of Snickerdoodles. The secret cancer fighting thing...or the thing that makes Chemo bearable.....Actually the process is not painful, and usually do not experience the nausea that others have talked about. I truly feel blessed for that. And we have to keep reminding ourselves, that chemo is different for everyone.
Met with the doctors before the treatments to review progress and bloodwork scores. Everything looked good, and the blood scores that were down last time due to past chemo and surgery are all in good ranges, a bit on the low side, but improved from last numbers. Obviously I was cleared for treatment. The next and last one is scheduled for March 4th. Then we talk about what comes next....at this point what I know is every three month checks for the next two year. Then if there are no flags and concerns we can move to once or twice a year.
Anyhoo....we stopped for ice cream on the way home....we knew it was cold, but all of us had hot fudge in one form or another...yummy!
Had a long talk with my parents after....so got home late, was super tired (from the Benadryl that knocks me out) went to bed and slept really well.....Zukie came to check on me about 4:30, woke me up so I said have a good day to Kevin as he was leaving for work.....
Today Friday....I am still feeling good, getting some work and phone calls done. Waiting for Kevin to get back from work so he can drive me to Osage.
I have been working here and there... but I plan to be back to work pretty much full time again starting next Wednesday and Thursday and back to leading worship on Feb. 21st!
So today we were back in chair #7 for unicorn juice...I know I said I was done...I had hoped. This treatment is like frosting on the cake...Trying to make sure that we got all the cancer. And that is good news.
All went well....we, being Mom, Becky, and Kolton, all enjoyed a few rounds of Snickerdoodles. The secret cancer fighting thing...or the thing that makes Chemo bearable.....Actually the process is not painful, and usually do not experience the nausea that others have talked about. I truly feel blessed for that. And we have to keep reminding ourselves, that chemo is different for everyone.
Met with the doctors before the treatments to review progress and bloodwork scores. Everything looked good, and the blood scores that were down last time due to past chemo and surgery are all in good ranges, a bit on the low side, but improved from last numbers. Obviously I was cleared for treatment. The next and last one is scheduled for March 4th. Then we talk about what comes next....at this point what I know is every three month checks for the next two year. Then if there are no flags and concerns we can move to once or twice a year.
Anyhoo....we stopped for ice cream on the way home....we knew it was cold, but all of us had hot fudge in one form or another...yummy!
Had a long talk with my parents after....so got home late, was super tired (from the Benadryl that knocks me out) went to bed and slept really well.....Zukie came to check on me about 4:30, woke me up so I said have a good day to Kevin as he was leaving for work.....
Today Friday....I am still feeling good, getting some work and phone calls done. Waiting for Kevin to get back from work so he can drive me to Osage.
I have been working here and there... but I plan to be back to work pretty much full time again starting next Wednesday and Thursday and back to leading worship on Feb. 21st!
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Update on Cancer World.....
Quick update.....I am feeling better than I have for along time! I have more energy, I feel like I can do more things. All the body parts seem to be working. No more pain medication, I have not had any for a week. Beginning to work on preparing for the goal of waddling in the Princess Marathon in February of 2017, guess where! Walt Disney World in Orlando of course!
Met with Dr. B. this week....She gave us a good report. Things are looking good in the surgical region. Met with my cancer doctors, good reports there too.....As I think I mentioned, they are recommending two more rounds of chemo as a precaution since they found an active cancer tumor in the pathology reports. The tumor was removed, so good there. But to be sure, we have more chemo. So Chemo #7 is scheduled for next week.
So.....my hair is starting to grow back....It is super fine and does not look like much. But trust me there is a ton of it! I took a picture, but it really was not becoming, so I will spare you :) With the next two rounds of chemo, it will disappear and we will start all over again. I just keep reminding my self that: "Really, it is only hair". And there are a few advantages to not having hair...such as:
1. you get to wear cool hats.
2. Getting ready time is down to 10 minutes, including a shower!
3. no clogged sinks.
4. no clogged vacuum cleaners!
5. no picking hair out of your food!
6. people can't pull your hair, not that it ever happened....
7. no bed hair in the morning
8. save a boatload of money not buying hair care products.
9. I can't think of #9 but I am sure there is one...I thought of one! My snowmobile helmet fits better!
10. Oh and did I say you get to wear cool hats.
I figured it out and I will not have enough hair at Rachel and Kevin's wedding to have a french knot....so I will wear Grandma's white hat....now I have to find a dress to go with it :)
On another topic....I am easing back to the world of work. I am now missing the Sunday prep and preaching. I would have been back to confirmation last week, but with the snowstorm all was canceled. That being said, having a slowed schedule has allowed me to work on some overlooked projects and fun things....like a Lenten Journey Passport-a little booklet that will be used for Lenten devotions....have to finish that TODAY!!!!! so it will be ready for Sunday (we are burying/hiding the Alleluias and celebrating Mardi Gras this week)
I cannot express the feelings of thankfulness, gratefulness, and love that I have for everyone who is walking with us on this unplanned adventure. Thank you for the prayers, the food, the friendships, the cards, the notes, and messages. Each one of them has lifted my spirit helped me keep going when all I wanted to do was be a human puddle of tears.
We pray that the new normal begins to slow down.....that after the chemo the cancer is in remission. For the next two years I will have checks every three months.....I can handle that! Certainly better than ever three weeks! And I like LaCrosse, after the hospital we can make stops at all our favorite places....
Met with Dr. B. this week....She gave us a good report. Things are looking good in the surgical region. Met with my cancer doctors, good reports there too.....As I think I mentioned, they are recommending two more rounds of chemo as a precaution since they found an active cancer tumor in the pathology reports. The tumor was removed, so good there. But to be sure, we have more chemo. So Chemo #7 is scheduled for next week.
So.....my hair is starting to grow back....It is super fine and does not look like much. But trust me there is a ton of it! I took a picture, but it really was not becoming, so I will spare you :) With the next two rounds of chemo, it will disappear and we will start all over again. I just keep reminding my self that: "Really, it is only hair". And there are a few advantages to not having hair...such as:
1. you get to wear cool hats.
2. Getting ready time is down to 10 minutes, including a shower!
3. no clogged sinks.
4. no clogged vacuum cleaners!
5. no picking hair out of your food!
6. people can't pull your hair, not that it ever happened....
7. no bed hair in the morning
8. save a boatload of money not buying hair care products.
9. I can't think of #9 but I am sure there is one...I thought of one! My snowmobile helmet fits better!
10. Oh and did I say you get to wear cool hats.
I figured it out and I will not have enough hair at Rachel and Kevin's wedding to have a french knot....so I will wear Grandma's white hat....now I have to find a dress to go with it :)
On another topic....I am easing back to the world of work. I am now missing the Sunday prep and preaching. I would have been back to confirmation last week, but with the snowstorm all was canceled. That being said, having a slowed schedule has allowed me to work on some overlooked projects and fun things....like a Lenten Journey Passport-a little booklet that will be used for Lenten devotions....have to finish that TODAY!!!!! so it will be ready for Sunday (we are burying/hiding the Alleluias and celebrating Mardi Gras this week)
I cannot express the feelings of thankfulness, gratefulness, and love that I have for everyone who is walking with us on this unplanned adventure. Thank you for the prayers, the food, the friendships, the cards, the notes, and messages. Each one of them has lifted my spirit helped me keep going when all I wanted to do was be a human puddle of tears.
We pray that the new normal begins to slow down.....that after the chemo the cancer is in remission. For the next two years I will have checks every three months.....I can handle that! Certainly better than ever three weeks! And I like LaCrosse, after the hospital we can make stops at all our favorite places....
What is for Supper Tonight!
I found a super easy Beef Stew recipe on Pinterest today and thought, hmm.....we have all this stuff, this could be our supper!
So into the crock pot it all went, and it will be ready for supper tonight. Of course, since I have to fiddle with everything, I changed a few things. I am not the greatest fan of full on wine in my food, However, wine does add a background flavor thing, that you cannot get any other way, so I did put some in.
Crock Pot Beef Stew-Made February 4, 2016
1 cup of red wine (I used ¼ cup of a sweet red)
2 cans cream of mushroom/chicken soup-1 of each
1 can vegetable beef (had in the pantry and thought it would
be a good way to use)
2/3 box of beef broth-I used chicken
2 cans diced tomatoes-I used 1 can
4-5 potatoes (peeled and diced)
1 onion (diced)
Bag of mixed vegies-I used green beans
1 lb stew meat (frozen or thawed)
I added-1 tablespoon Worchester sauce
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Mix everything together in the crock pot and let cook all
day!
We are having garlic bread with it.
I will let you know how it turns out......TO BE CONTINUED!!!!
February 5, 2016
We had the stew and we say the recipe is a keeper! Love how easy it was to make, hardly any prep. Just dump and go. Next time I will leave out the tomatoes, but that is just my personal preference. Also I did not peel the potatoes. I like the skins. again that would be up to you. I will add carrots next time. I will leave out the vegetable beef soup. It added nothing. Anyhow, it tasted good on a snowy day. Enjoy!
February 5, 2016
We had the stew and we say the recipe is a keeper! Love how easy it was to make, hardly any prep. Just dump and go. Next time I will leave out the tomatoes, but that is just my personal preference. Also I did not peel the potatoes. I like the skins. again that would be up to you. I will add carrots next time. I will leave out the vegetable beef soup. It added nothing. Anyhow, it tasted good on a snowy day. Enjoy!
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