Cancer touches everyone.

As we were waiting for dinner last night an older man stepped up next to us and asked Eyleen how much longer she had of her treatments. At first I wondered if she knew him but then realized she was rocking the beaubeau and had a shirt on that showed her port scar. He spoke to her about his wife who’d passed away from breast cancer that’d gone into her esophagus and told her in length that the key to beating cancer was your mind set. He told her a story about a friend that was told he had terminal cancer and they couldn’t operate. Everyday this man would have his wife drive him to Krispy Kreme for a dozen donuts then to the running track. Everyday he’d go a little bit further running and he’d say he was getting better. That was 18 years ago and the man said he still sees his friend all the time looking as good as he ever has.
He told me that I needed to take care of her and then excused himself only to come back a minute later and ask Eyleen her name and tell her that he was going to put her name on his church’s prayer list.
He also spoke about how Dr. Marks was an excellent doctor and he’s the best in Jacksonville, and if he thinks Eyleen is doing good then she really is because he doesn’t fool around.
I think I’m getting sick so Eyleen slept in the guest bedroom last night away from my cooties. I also got away from her crazy snoring. She’s not only lost the hair on her head but also the hair in her nose so she’s been having CRAZY snoring. It was so bad the other night I was having a nightmare and this horrible sound was in the dream. I woke up and the sound was still going on and for a minute I panicked before I realized the noise was Eyleen. They don’t tell you about the nose hair going. I think they need to start telling people about that.

Looking like Mr. Clean

Friday was the PET scan results appointment with Dr. Marks. There's been a 48% reduction in the tumor after only one treatment. Dr. Marks was very pleased and impressed. We had an amazing weekend with family and friends at Universal and hanging out at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. :) I can't wait to go back.
Yesterday was Eyleen's second treatment and with it came more sick and tiredness than the first treatment but we're getting it until control. Not to mention there's pain in the tumor site again which is a VERY good thing even if it means pain pills. :) Dr. Marks said it won't be a reduction like last time but we're shooting for 10% this time around.

All weekend Eyleen's hair starting coming out more and in her words looked mangy so tonight I came downstairs and found her in the bathroom with her head all lathered up and with a razor in her hand.
I was terrified when she asked me to shave the back of her head but did a pretty good job before cocoa buttering it up. :)
Eyleen has an appointment with the therapist on Friday but it'll be another 3 weeks before we find out how things are going. After the whirlwind of this last month all this waiting is gonna drive me crazy if I don't get a handle on it.

What to do when your hairballs scare the cat?

Cut it off of course! Monday was NOT a good day around the house. I think it's the first day I've seen any of this take it's toll on Eyleen. And why? Because her hair started coming out. They weren't lying when they told her to expect her hair to start coming out 10 days after chemo because that's exactly what it started doing. I came home on Monday and the cat was staring really hard at something by her food bowl. When I went to investigate there was a clump of hair. By Tuesday when I came home Eyleen looked like this:

She'd taken the scissors to her hair and I finished it up with clippers. I think it looks really cute and I'm so dang tempted to buzz mine as well.

I called the store on Tuesday and the wig is in. We will pick it up after the appointment with Dr. Marks on Friday, which we'll learn the results of the PET. Then we're off to Orlando with friends and family for a LONG weekend before Eyleen starts her second treatment on the Tuesday we get back.
Good news is we're already seeing really good results from the chemo so her body is reaction really well in kicking the cancer's ass.

It's ME!!!!!!

Hey guys, thought I would take over the blog for a bit and let yall know how I am doing first hand.  I am doing pretty freaking great actually! I mean I am a little achey and a little tired and holy hot flashes, but nothing I mean nothing compared to some of the horror stories you read on line... hence don't read things on line... except this..(=  I do have to make sure I eat little meals and now I have to read every label looking for soy because I have to avoid it. Between my diet restrictions and Stiney's we are just having people over for dinner it is crazy to make people do all that for us.

So these head wraps, totally awesome totally cute.Thank you Chris, Hamp and Mom.  I mean my hair looks crazy,so I just put on a cute head scarf and boom totally cute. I may keep rocking these after wards.

Well so much for now. I'll break in every once in a while to let you know how it is going. (= Love you all , the strength I get from you keeps me keeping on... and like Keith said you don't think about survival you just expect it.

New 'Do

Here's Eyleen's haircut. She decided to get it short and take care of it when it starts falling out.

She also placed an order for a wig today. It looks like the above photo but it fits her head better and is a bit darker. No other updates. Eyleen's still not really feeling anything other than sore and a little tired so that's really good.

Still rockin' and rollin'

Chemo went well yesterday. Eyleen goes in today for a shot to keep her white blood cell count up and then she doesn’t go back until the 7th to get the results of her PET, schedule her next appointment and to see how the chemo is working so far. Last night there was ALOT of pain in the boob so much so that over the counter meds weren’t working. We called the doctor around 8 and he sent in a prescription to CVS. He did say that even though it hurts really bad it’s actually a REALLY GOOD sign that the chemo is already attacking the tumor.
Eyleen has an appointment today to get her hair cut so here’s the last photo of Eyleen with a full head of hair for awhile. She promised me that the annoyed look on her face was towards the camera NOT the chemo. :)

PET, Chemo Camp and Eyleen's dad making us bawl.

The PET scan went well but it’ll be a few days before we know the results. Dr. Marks said that the PET doesn’t affect the treatment though because she’s getting a pretty aggressive chemo.
Chemo camp was A LOT of information, I think between the two of us we got everything down. What to look out for, what to eat what NOT to eat. Eyleen spent 15 minutes looking through vitamins at CVS to make sure she had one that wasn’t filled with 200% of every freaking vitamin. She also had to get 7 different meds she has to take daily in addition to the chemo that she’ll be doing once every 3 weeks. And that starts today at 11. It’ll be a 3 hour treatment each time. Maybe Santa will bring her a Nook Color to keep her busy.
We went out to Lake City last night to visit my family for Christmas since everyone will be scattered all over the place for the actual day. It was good and my nephew is so freaking adorable.
On the way over though Eyleen’s father sent her a picture on her phone and for the first time this whole process (which BTW has only been two weeks, but the longest 2 of my life) Eyleen cried. Tears of happiness though.

He shaved his head. What an awesome freaking Dad.