Nice and Normal

I know that tandem stem cell transplants and chemotherapy have saved my life... and I feel so blessed to live in a time when good medical treatments are available for this disease. I would most likely not be alive today without them. These medical advancements have ridden my body of any visible signs of myeloma, but they have also left much peripheral damage. A weakened body and immune system, some neuropathy, and the various side effects I have had to deal with............But what I really am trying to say is that..............

One of the miracles in this crazy life I have endured through all of this is to see and feel my body (as well as my mind and spirit) begin to heal. Isn’t it amazing and wonderful how the human body functions? How our bodies are generating new growth every minute? How my body can grow stronger everyday?

After over two years of transplants, transfusions, and treatments, I have finally begun to feel normal!!! I am getting some energy! I am going days without pain! I can wake up in the morning and have a normal day!! Cancer does not weigh on my mind every waking minute.

I can clean my house, play with my precious grandaughter, do laundry, run errands, and fix dinner all in the same day!!

I have always been thankful for the big, exciting, and eventful days. Those days to capture in pictures and scrapbooks... Graduations and weddings. Birthdays and the birth day of my Grandchild. I am so grateful for those. They have kept me going. They have given me steps and goals and notes on my calendar to look forward to.

And now my “life tutor”--cancer has taught me to appreciate the normal, ordinary days that build me and shape me and bless me.

The Chemo party is Closed!!

Time to celebrate!

Thursday was my last "Chemo Party" for Hopefully a verrrrrrry lonnnnnnng timmmmme!

Like I explained in my last post, this has been

Almost two years of this grueling pace.

This life changing,

life preserving,

completely consuming journey.

I could not have done this without the expertise, and encouragement from the team at my oncologist's office.

Jamie and Kelly, the nurses have been wonderful. Not only are they skilled at what they do, but they have become friends throughout this journey.

We feel very fortunate to be in the care of Dr. Nathan Rich. He is my local oncologist. He works closely with the Multiple Myeloma specialist at Huntsman. He is very "down to earth" and takes his time to answer our questions and just visit. He has been my ally through this rigorous treatment. Really helping make the right decisions for me and weighing out the options. I have been having most of my infusions at his office and then meeting with the "MM bigwigs" in Salt Lake once a month. I really value his expertise, wisdom, and kindness.

I will continue to see him and receive Aredia-a bone hardening infusion every two months.

I am so grateful for the care I have received from these amazing people and the miracles of modern medicine!

p.s. and you asked how did I celebrate? I went home, ate cake and had a three hour nap.

Reducing the symptoms of NPBG-Non-Posting Blogger Guilt

Here are couple of random pictures of my humanitarian trip to Peru. (I hate posting without a picture)

Kris kissing a llama for good-luck! Working at a village school in Matinga, Peru. the school shared one box of crayons. We painted and cleaned, brought needed school supplies and made many new friends.

My posts have become fewer and farther in between. I am finding that on the "good days" I don't make the time to write. I am too busy running around trying to get as much done as I can, and enjoy feeling good as much as I can. On the "bad days" which unfortunately come too often, it takes far too much energy to put down my thoughts on paper--er computer.

So in a gallant effort to actually post something I have decided to forgo writing down the actual posts that have been rolling around in my mind and just give you a clever title which I may or may not expand on in the future--Hey I make no major commitments while on this "roller coaster."

So here goes..

July 4, 2010 "Long naps,.... Short walks in the woods,........ A weekend with my family in Star Valley, Wyoming------Priceless!"

July 6, 2010 "Living with the Man of my Dreams" celebrating Twenty-six adventure filled years with my amazing husband.

July 15, 2010 "I have an eight-track mind without a rewind" My steroid-chemo induced mind games and the people who play them.

July 18, 2010 "My Three Sons" the adventures of a Myeloma-Mom and a Micro-Managing dad trying to keep it all together from a 12, 15, and 18 year old boy's perspective. Trust me this would be a short post.

Just imagine how great these posts would be. You laughed....You cried.... and you were inspired by my every word. Wow I feel a lot better now. How about you?

And now to erase all non-posting guilt, Here is the low down on what's been happening on my myeloma mountain climbing adventures.

I am in the middle of the 11th cycle Six weeks to go!!! If I can stand it. It is not getting any easier that's for sure. I started out last week feeling pretty good, but developed a bad cough and chest congestion by Wednesday. I spent three hours at Utah Valley Hospital getting checked out by Dr. Riches NP. After a blood test, oxygen level test, and a chest x-ray to rule out pneumonia, She decided that I had the beginnings of bronchitis. I was giving a high power, high dose antibiotic, my old friend Levaquin and sent on my way. She told me it was good I went in when I did because I need to stay healthy enough to receive chemo on Monday. (Is there something wrong with this picture?...I need to stay well so I can take a nasty poison that will make me sick) Oh well whatever it takes to get through this.

I continued to drain of energy but my cough has been getting better. By Saturday I was completely down, could barely get out of bed. I slept most of the day. Thanks to my husband for taking care of me and the kids. And then this "roller coaster" of a life changed directions and Sunday morning I felt much better. I was able to go to church and spent a great day with my family.

Everyday is an adventure one filled with highs and lows. My family and My Heavenly Father keeping me going and I am truly blessed by both.

Time for Another Hike

My four sons, son-in-law, and daughter. Aren't they handsome....and beautiful?!

Our only daughter was married on June 3rd. It was such a wonderful celebration. She was married in the Salt Lake LDS temple. The ceremony was beautiful, simple, and sacred. We haven't felt like we were losing a daughter but that we are gaining a son.

It's been six weeks since my last round of chemo. A serious break after 18 months of treatment. After explaining to my doctor all of the upcoming events happening in May, he agreed to let me take time off of treatment. I was desperately hoping he would say that nine months of maintenance was plenty however that wasn't the case. He did say that we must always weigh out treatment with quality of life issues. Well I must say that "my quality of life" has needed some adjustment so it was wonderful to take a "breather" for six weeks!

It has taken a good month to shake off the fatigue and some of the "chemo brain." Just in the nick of time I have been able to enjoy some wonderful events with my family.

Now it's time to jump back on the chemo roller coaster. I head up to Huntsman on Monday to begin treatment. I will start with labs. They will be checking to make sure all systems are "go." Then the games begin. An IV with some saline, a quick push of Velcade(chemo) and a three hour infusion of Aredia-a bone hardening infusion. I will also start back up on Dexamethasone and a new drug called Revlimid. I am not looking forward to the next three months. It is so hard to start back. This time I know what I am getting into!

...so wish me luck, keep me in your prayers, and I will get back on my hiking boots and climb a little further up this mountain.

Taking it One Day at a Time

Everyday is an adventure. Will this be a good day when I have some energy and can function as a wife and mother? Or will this be a day to go easy on myself and strive to endure until things improve? I am in my 6th cycle of Chemo. Velcade, Dex and Thalidomide. Half way if I can stand it. I have been trying to track a pattern as to what days I can expect to feel good. It seems to be somewhat erratic lately. My Doctor thinks it might be my bodies reaction as I come off the steroid the days following chemo. I am going to try a gradual let down and approach and see if that might prevent the big crashes and pain I have been dealing with. Cross your fingers. The crashes are not fun! My husband has to convince me that I can do this when I start thinking about just quitting the rest of treatment. He reminds me to take it one day at a time. Wow have I got a lot to learn.. but cancer is a very patient teacher and my perspectives of many things have changed and deepened. So I am continuing to trudge along. Looking forward to improved health and appreciating the good things and wonderful people in my life.