My Dad...

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/rds_search/ci_8834963?IADID=Search-www.whittierdailynews.com-www.whittierdailynews.com

If you check out the link above, you can read an article that was in the Whittier Daily News about my dad and his friends who are all retiring this June. My dad has been a hard working teacher for 50 years and is such an amazing person. Love you dad!

Feeling better and excited for something

Thought I would take a few moments and let everyone know that I am finally feeling somewhat normal since last week's treatment. I didn't want to post again until I could say that. Friday through Sunday was pretty bad. I was in so much pain everywhere, especially my legs. I had to take the ambien to make me go to sleep at night. According to Scott I would get up and wander around the house and I have no recollection of doing that. Scarey!! On Saturday I couldn't take the pain anymore, so I rummaged through my medicine cabinet and found some norco that I had leftover from last year's chemo, and it was still good, so I took some. Within half an hour it took the edge of the pain off enough so that I could take care of my kids while Scott went to the Priesthood session of general conference. I know, all of my nurse-friends are out there shaking their heads at me for self-medicating, but I couldn't take it anymore. The body pain started lessening on Sunday night and I can say that I woke up today feeling pretty good.

So I've been walking around the house today with a little spring in my step and I started to think of the reasons why that would be: Is it because I woke up feeling good? No. Is it because it's such a beautiful day out today? No.

Could it possibly be because...

my favorite show is finally going to be back on TV tonight?

YES, that's it!!!

I'm so excited!

Some Family Pictures

Our friend Michelle called a few weeks ago and asked if she could take some family pictures of us before I loose my hair. If you go to her blog, she has a few of the photos up. Check them out!

http://thewonderfulnguyens.blogspot.com

Treatment #1

My first treatment of Taxol and Avastin went smoothly, and LONG. It took about 6 hours to get the whole infusion. The amount of Avastin that I get each time will decrease, so the time it takes to get the infusions will go down as well each time. The new arm port worked well, it was just very tender and swollen from it only having been put in 5 days before chemo. I had forgotten to ask Cherise for some EMLA cream to put on an hour or so before so that my skin could be numbed up for the insertion of the needle, so I had to put up with that not so fun poke. My dad took the day off of work to take me and to be there with me. He was a trooper. My dad is not a hospital/doctor office kind of guy, so it meant a lot to me that he was there with me.
As for side effects, they are all too similar to last time. There's the restless leg syndrome from the decadron, the horrible bone pain from the neulasta shot, and I'm trying to combat the metallic taste in my mouth with some special toothpaste and mouthwash that the nurses gave me. So far I haven't experienced any nausea, which I am very grateful for. The nurse would not give me a prescription for Ativan, which was my life saver last time through chemo for nausea. She would only give me a prescription for compazine, which just doesn't work for me.
Thanks to everyone who has done so much for me these last few days. Meals, cards, flowers, babysitting, visiting me, etc. What a support system!!! Love you all!