Chemo #7 update....

Chemo went ahead on Monday which was good; her blood counts were ok (better than last time) and they will now keep her at the 90% dose for the remainder of her chemo's. The doctor told her that she has been doing really well which was good to hear.
Rather than going cold turkey on the steroids as she did last time, this time she is coming off more slowly so had her last one yesterday.
Yesterday she was feeling really grotty and was in bed for a lot of the day....thankfully a friend turned up unexpectedly with a cooked meal late afternoon so we didn't starve - as Karena was in no shape for cooking (and I am not naturally gifted in that department!!)
Today she is a bit worse and phoned me at work to come home - so is in bed once again feeling horrible, but thankfully isn't feeling sick. Not good....she seems to have been worse this time than she's been before - whether it's the cumulative effect of the chemo or what I don't know. The chemo is so tough on her body ;-(
I'm glad that it's Friday and hoping that she'll be on the up-slope tomorrow. Another friend has arranged the "Royal Suite" hospitality box for our whole family (including 3 course meal, leather seats etc!) at the Reading footy match - so Karena needs to be ok for that - it will be absolutely fab just so long as she is well enough to get there !

Stuff I'm grateful for today:

• My wife!
• The chemo has been so successful (albeit with frustrating side-effects)
• Work who are very understanding of me leaving at a moment's notice (considering I'm a contractor!)

Stuff to pray for :-

• Karena to be on the up-slope tomorrow
• Energy to return
• For her to be well enough to go to the footy !

Holiday's are over.....Chemo #7 approaches....

Had a fab week away in sunny Wales -I think we had the best of the weather so far this summer ! We managed to climb a hill (although they called it a mountain on the literature but as it was only about 480m above sea level I think a mountain is a bit of a stretch!!), we also went fishing in a resevoir (Karena caught nothing - apparrently the fish didn't like her headgear!.... actually none of us caught anything!), we went on a steam train, went out to dinner and for lots of coffees and cakes, hired a canal barge (we had to fight for who was driving!) and did lots of normal holiday relaxing-type things....we stayed in a converted Granary and could hear absolutely nothing except sheep and cows (and a strange painful noise from the local cockerel which sounded like he was being strangled at about 5am each morning!).....and of course the children arguing from time to time.....so it was pretty fabulous all round really!

We came back yesterday (Sat) knowing that chemo's are scheduled to start again tomorrow....which slightly takes the edge off the fun time we've had...(Karena says that the mountain of washing is also a bit of a downer !)

For the last 3 days of hols, Karena also gave herself injections as she did last time to hopefully boost her blood count so that she will be ok for the chemo tomorrow....we will see. This time I will be taking her into hospital myself as her sister is off on her own holiday.

So, stuff we're grateful for :

• Fun time on holiday; quality time together as a family
• Feeling refreshed !
• The sun is still shining!

Stuff to pray for :

• Blood counts to be ok and chemo to go ahead tomorrow (17th)
• No sickness
• Ability to manage the children this week post-chemo (I am back at work)

Thanks so much......next holiday scheduled for October !

Babe update....

So Karena's chemo went ahead last Monday (27th)....her blood count was still quite low but it was a bit better than the previous week thanks to the injections, and just good enough for her to have treatment, so they gave her a 90% dose.
Since Monday she has had the usual post-chemo gross mouth taste, and been quite energyless overall - although she does have bouts of activity - she has been able to take the children swimming and do some other normal things too. On Thursday she felt terrible and spent most of the afternoon in bed, and on Friday evening/Saturday was feeling nauseous & shakey....and was eventually sick on Saturday evening ;-(
Thankfully friends have looked after our children in the daytime in the week and we've been brought meals each evening too which is a massive help ;-)
Emotionally she is strong but inevitably gets a bit fed up with feeling yuk....today she is still feeling somewhat dicky but I think is on the mend slowly - today, we went out for lunch at the Toby carvery with her mum and dad which was just fab !
The other thing she was told on Monday is that they DO plan to do another 3 chemo's assuming her body will cope with the onslaught - which is both good and bad I think !

Anyway, stuff we're grateful for :-

• Chemo went ahead as planned
• Toby carvery (eat as much as you like) !
• Holiday coming - a whole week away !

Stuff to pray for

• Sickness feelings/shakiness to go
• Strength to return in time for holiday !
• Ability to endure the next 3 chemo's !

Thanks for standing with us.....