Today is full of incredible sunshine and sparkling snow. What a beautiful day! Michellie and I arrived home Sunday afternoon after an uneventful drive from Halifax. There was definitely a lot of snow and salt on the side of the road from the previous days storm, so we were glad to have clear sailing for our journey. David met us at the door with the house smelling absolutely scrumptious. We ate, relaxed, watched a little TV and then at 10 pm we all dove into our own stuff. David went to work, Michellie was on the phone and listening to music, and I put a proposal together with a friend for a project in the fall. It was a typical example of how the clock doesn't exist at our house. We all finished our stuff at 1:00 am and headed to bed. Crazy I know!
Michellie was eager to see her friends at school today, so for lunch break we headed over for a little time with them. Then, it was off to Inverness for the blood workup. We are all tired today and kind of dragging. It may be the next storm blowing in, or it could be the residual from the weekend, or it could be that we will all peak at 10 pm again. Either way, we are not accomplishing much today. That's ok, nothing is really pressing anyway:)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Saturday, February 26th
I have been in a Time Warp! Michellie and I enjoyed the evening with the Krochko's. Dave Krochko headed to bed at 8:30 and by 9:15 I was doing the head bob myself. Michellie was rejuvenated and sat up with the bunch to look at grad dresses and chat and giggle etc. Michellie tells me she finally closed her eyes at 4 am.
I awoke at 8:30 with a full blown migraine, after a bathroom break and water I stumbled back to bed to not know anything until 11:30! The afternoon has been a write off as well. In a fog, Michellie and I hunkered down to watch movies on the big screen in the basement while everyone went about their busy days. The sun was shining in Cole Harbour, but there were accidents on the highway, and a full blizzard blowing on Cape Breton. David couldn't see even the driveway and he describes a skating rink at the top of the driveway and at the bottom. So, even if I could have driven, there was no point in driving. I slept through most of the afternoon movies, and Michellie just giggle and sighed at the sad state of her mother. By evening I was able to stay awake for a whole movie, and now at 11:30 I am ready for action. Kinda mixed up I think.
We just finished watching "Crazy, Sexy Cancer". It was really good. The ideas in the movie and the thoughts and experiences Michellie could identify with. Gone are the innocent and naive days of thinking you can live any way you want and you are invincible. Most teenagers do not come out of this phase until their mid 20's, so Michellie identified with having lost a decade of selfish oblivious time. But, she also has the opportunity to make a difference for herself and for her friends, so some thought can go into this. We talked about our friend Melody's sugar Fridays. In order to cope with keeping the sugar to a minimum, Melody allows herself to indulge on Friday's with her favorite sugar treats. Michellie is pondering this, as she has not had a chocolate chip cookie since December 11th, but who's counting. (She knows that you cannot have only one, and it is impossible to not eat out of the bowl either!) But, I should qualify this with the fact she is trying to get rid of her intense acidic stomache with ice cream. The drugs, vinegar and water have not helped, so next best thing - go for the ice cream!
Tomorrow we hope to make it home. If the roads are good, and the ice is not covering the highway with the minus temperatures, we will give it a try. We should make it home just in time to turn around and head to Antigonish for the day 8 of chemo, which is Wednesday.
Once we finish Wed/Thurs next week, then we are in recovery from Round 4. We have a Pet Scan and a CT Scan, as well as an oncology appointment and dermatology appointment scheduled for the 22nd of March. This will help the doctors determine if Radiation is necessary or if it can be eliminated. The cancer is not showing on the scans, but if there are even a few cells left undetected, they can continue to multiply and we can have a reoccurence. So, they are hesitant to pull out the radiation if it means a better chance of eliminating the cancer all together. So, for the medical establishment, it is just wait and see where we are at. If we need radiation, it is 14 days of about 45 minutes a day. It would require the extra days to do the set up and preparations, and then Mon - Fri for 3 weeks. All of this would need to be in Halifax. That is pretty much April.
So, for now, we are going to embrace keeping the sugar count low to not assist the cancer cells in any way, and we are going to balance the food and energy to keep the organs repairing and strengthening. And, we are embracing all of you for your wishes and prayers.
I awoke at 8:30 with a full blown migraine, after a bathroom break and water I stumbled back to bed to not know anything until 11:30! The afternoon has been a write off as well. In a fog, Michellie and I hunkered down to watch movies on the big screen in the basement while everyone went about their busy days. The sun was shining in Cole Harbour, but there were accidents on the highway, and a full blizzard blowing on Cape Breton. David couldn't see even the driveway and he describes a skating rink at the top of the driveway and at the bottom. So, even if I could have driven, there was no point in driving. I slept through most of the afternoon movies, and Michellie just giggle and sighed at the sad state of her mother. By evening I was able to stay awake for a whole movie, and now at 11:30 I am ready for action. Kinda mixed up I think.
We just finished watching "Crazy, Sexy Cancer". It was really good. The ideas in the movie and the thoughts and experiences Michellie could identify with. Gone are the innocent and naive days of thinking you can live any way you want and you are invincible. Most teenagers do not come out of this phase until their mid 20's, so Michellie identified with having lost a decade of selfish oblivious time. But, she also has the opportunity to make a difference for herself and for her friends, so some thought can go into this. We talked about our friend Melody's sugar Fridays. In order to cope with keeping the sugar to a minimum, Melody allows herself to indulge on Friday's with her favorite sugar treats. Michellie is pondering this, as she has not had a chocolate chip cookie since December 11th, but who's counting. (She knows that you cannot have only one, and it is impossible to not eat out of the bowl either!) But, I should qualify this with the fact she is trying to get rid of her intense acidic stomache with ice cream. The drugs, vinegar and water have not helped, so next best thing - go for the ice cream!
Tomorrow we hope to make it home. If the roads are good, and the ice is not covering the highway with the minus temperatures, we will give it a try. We should make it home just in time to turn around and head to Antigonish for the day 8 of chemo, which is Wednesday.
Once we finish Wed/Thurs next week, then we are in recovery from Round 4. We have a Pet Scan and a CT Scan, as well as an oncology appointment and dermatology appointment scheduled for the 22nd of March. This will help the doctors determine if Radiation is necessary or if it can be eliminated. The cancer is not showing on the scans, but if there are even a few cells left undetected, they can continue to multiply and we can have a reoccurence. So, they are hesitant to pull out the radiation if it means a better chance of eliminating the cancer all together. So, for the medical establishment, it is just wait and see where we are at. If we need radiation, it is 14 days of about 45 minutes a day. It would require the extra days to do the set up and preparations, and then Mon - Fri for 3 weeks. All of this would need to be in Halifax. That is pretty much April.
So, for now, we are going to embrace keeping the sugar count low to not assist the cancer cells in any way, and we are going to balance the food and energy to keep the organs repairing and strengthening. And, we are embracing all of you for your wishes and prayers.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Friday, February 25th
The lion has lingered! Michellie slept most of the rest of yesterday, but did wake up for some dinner and Big Bang Theory and Grey's Anatomy. We even watched some of the shows in the lounge, and out of bed. She had nausea take over again, and she was not feeling well when she finally nodded off. We did try to play the Travel Monopoly that Jessica and Carson sent, but the attention was sifted out quickly.
Today started much slower than expected. Michellie began feeling funny first thing, and kind of stayed that way for most of the day. It was touch and go that she would even feel well enough to get out of the hospital at all. We finished all the drug run by 3:30 and Michellie felt well enough to get out, but not sit in the car to get home. So, graciously the Krochko's made room for us at the table and we battled the wind and heavy rain to get to their house.
The weather is continuing to howl tonight. It is 6 degrees, windy and raining. They expect heavy winds and David was seeing sleet sticking to the road at home. He has been in the kitchen preparing Michellie's favorites - there is Tortiere and Yorkshire pudding with gourmet mash potatoes and roasted veggies. He says it smells fabulous and he will wait until we can get home before even he dives into it.
So, thank you for all the well wishes that came our way again this week. Although the days were rough, we are thrilled to see them done and to know they are behind us. We know that all the energy that was sent our way helped to keep us focused and for Michellie to use the chemo to her best advantage and to let the rest go from her body. We know that it, has been gruelling, but you have all helped us to cope, grow and be stronger because of it. We are looking forward to the mending part and the follow up tests to show Michellie's level of recovery. For tonight, we have all the meds we need to get through the weekend, and we are ready to relax and enjoy being sprung from the hospital. Michellie is just out of the shower and the look of relief on getting those few moments of bliss (free from the IV tubes and all as well) is so nice to see.
For those of you in the cold snap of Alberta and BC, or the blizzards of Ontario, we wish you some nice quiet time by the fire with a good book and some great food. Spring is just around the corner and the Lion of March will be bringing us the Lamb of April!
Today started much slower than expected. Michellie began feeling funny first thing, and kind of stayed that way for most of the day. It was touch and go that she would even feel well enough to get out of the hospital at all. We finished all the drug run by 3:30 and Michellie felt well enough to get out, but not sit in the car to get home. So, graciously the Krochko's made room for us at the table and we battled the wind and heavy rain to get to their house.
The weather is continuing to howl tonight. It is 6 degrees, windy and raining. They expect heavy winds and David was seeing sleet sticking to the road at home. He has been in the kitchen preparing Michellie's favorites - there is Tortiere and Yorkshire pudding with gourmet mash potatoes and roasted veggies. He says it smells fabulous and he will wait until we can get home before even he dives into it.
So, thank you for all the well wishes that came our way again this week. Although the days were rough, we are thrilled to see them done and to know they are behind us. We know that all the energy that was sent our way helped to keep us focused and for Michellie to use the chemo to her best advantage and to let the rest go from her body. We know that it, has been gruelling, but you have all helped us to cope, grow and be stronger because of it. We are looking forward to the mending part and the follow up tests to show Michellie's level of recovery. For tonight, we have all the meds we need to get through the weekend, and we are ready to relax and enjoy being sprung from the hospital. Michellie is just out of the shower and the look of relief on getting those few moments of bliss (free from the IV tubes and all as well) is so nice to see.
For those of you in the cold snap of Alberta and BC, or the blizzards of Ontario, we wish you some nice quiet time by the fire with a good book and some great food. Spring is just around the corner and the Lion of March will be bringing us the Lamb of April!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thursday, February 25th 10:00 am
Day 1 of Round 4 was definitely another LION! Michellie slept most of the day, but spent the evening with the round bucket again. She burnt her throat with it all and was actually thrilled when we knocked her out with some stronger stuff! So, after a nasty evening, she had a very sound sleep with some good deep little snores. Music to our ears!!!:) She has continued to sleep this morning and is happiest that way - us too. David headed home early this morning as he had a tickle in his throat and was a little congested, he didn't want to linger with this and have it turn into anything. So, looks like the morning will be calm, and we will see what the rest of the day brings. The Gravol is in, and the start of the chemo is underway, now it is just wait and see. So, just to be clear, we were thrilled to give our last Day 1 a good boot out the door!:) If it comes in like a Lion, I believe it is supposed to go out like a Lamb...isn't that the old wives tale? Sounds good to us.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wednesday, February 24th
The snow blew and fell and slushed and rained and froze and blew all the way to the other side of Truro yesterday. It was quite the drive, but we made it to Halifax safe and sound, and in four hours - not bad really!
Our appointment with Pulmonary was very quick. Michellie had actually gained 2 lbs since our visit before the first chemo, she was the same height, and her results were roughly the same. That was good news. We were done so quick that we were able to go shopping for a bit in the afternoon and we were like two kids in the candy store. We found a nice quiet store in Darmouth and we oogled and ahhed over everything - it was great fun!
Our evening was a lot of laughter and great food with the Krochko's and Rankins, and we were once again transformed from our mission to just plain having a good time. Diane was extremely tickled by Michellie's infectious grin as she dove into the merengue strawberry whip cream dessert. Heaven!!! Michellie went cruising with her buddies and that was a great breakaway from her boring and ever-present parents.
Upon getting ready for bed, Michellie decided to do some English homework, but the two cats, Juno and Bela were not having anything of that. Michellie was giggling and calling out in distress as she realized that sometimes you do have to report the cat ate your homework, even the pen! To top it off, they spent the night harassing her with purrs and licks when they weren't playing inside the hide-a-bed. It was really weak complaining, as Michellie really did love all of the attention.
Today began early and we arrived to the hospital for 8:30. We were processed in, and then sent for a trip to the dermatologist to check out the rash that has now covered most of Michellie's body. It is bright red and occasionally itchy, but seems to be a product of the chemo drugs. Hopefully it will not ramp up more after the end of round 4, we will have to wait and see. Michellie is now sound asleep this afternoon as all of the drugs are coordinated and pumped into her. We have tried every angle to keep the nausea down, so we now just have to wait and see how it goes for her. She was very anxious in approaching today, so it is nice that she can be lulled to sleep and miss most of the day and its various side effects.
David and I are thrilled to have internet, and we are relaxing and catching up with the world until we are needed.
Our appointment with Pulmonary was very quick. Michellie had actually gained 2 lbs since our visit before the first chemo, she was the same height, and her results were roughly the same. That was good news. We were done so quick that we were able to go shopping for a bit in the afternoon and we were like two kids in the candy store. We found a nice quiet store in Darmouth and we oogled and ahhed over everything - it was great fun!
Our evening was a lot of laughter and great food with the Krochko's and Rankins, and we were once again transformed from our mission to just plain having a good time. Diane was extremely tickled by Michellie's infectious grin as she dove into the merengue strawberry whip cream dessert. Heaven!!! Michellie went cruising with her buddies and that was a great breakaway from her boring and ever-present parents.
Upon getting ready for bed, Michellie decided to do some English homework, but the two cats, Juno and Bela were not having anything of that. Michellie was giggling and calling out in distress as she realized that sometimes you do have to report the cat ate your homework, even the pen! To top it off, they spent the night harassing her with purrs and licks when they weren't playing inside the hide-a-bed. It was really weak complaining, as Michellie really did love all of the attention.
Today began early and we arrived to the hospital for 8:30. We were processed in, and then sent for a trip to the dermatologist to check out the rash that has now covered most of Michellie's body. It is bright red and occasionally itchy, but seems to be a product of the chemo drugs. Hopefully it will not ramp up more after the end of round 4, we will have to wait and see. Michellie is now sound asleep this afternoon as all of the drugs are coordinated and pumped into her. We have tried every angle to keep the nausea down, so we now just have to wait and see how it goes for her. She was very anxious in approaching today, so it is nice that she can be lulled to sleep and miss most of the day and its various side effects.
David and I are thrilled to have internet, and we are relaxing and catching up with the world until we are needed.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 21st
Happy Family Day for those of you in the provinces that are having an extra day of relaxation. Nova Scotia has not followed yet, but with all the snow days, I think we come out ahead.
Some of you commented that you could not find anything up to date and were worried that no news was not good. Actually, we really had an uneventful weekend. Michellie's energy dropped through the weekend, so she spent her time doing a little homework and watching tv mostly. David became Mr. Fix-it man, and he started working on the little things around the house that needed attention. This included a little plumbing. He did it! Michelle spent her time with renewed energy and passing healing work forward. She has quite a list of people with health challenges at the moment, so she began to work to send energy forward to these people. We had snow on Saturday, and cloudy and warm on Sunday.
Mostly, we are getting a little "shack wacky" with trying to stay away from germs etc. There are definitely bugs floating around, and we are so attune right now, that we can feel right away if something shifts. So, we have worked hard all week to make sure the little things turned into nothing. Today we head to Inverness for blood tests before Wednesdays round 4 begins. Tomorrow we head to Halifax for a pulmonary test first. We are looking forward to visiting with a few friends in Halifax, and that will get us communicating with more than ourselves and through the computer.
So, no news is good news. Not really news at all. Thank you everyone for keeping the light and love around us this week and to lift Michellie up to make it through this last round with the least amount of side effects. We have yet to experience that exactly, but we are always hopeful. We will meet with the radiologist during this visit, incase they decide that radiation needs to happen. Please keep us in your prayers that she will not need to have the radiation. Thank you everyone, and we will keep you posted through the week as we will have internet at the hospital.
Enjoy your incredible day today!
Some of you commented that you could not find anything up to date and were worried that no news was not good. Actually, we really had an uneventful weekend. Michellie's energy dropped through the weekend, so she spent her time doing a little homework and watching tv mostly. David became Mr. Fix-it man, and he started working on the little things around the house that needed attention. This included a little plumbing. He did it! Michelle spent her time with renewed energy and passing healing work forward. She has quite a list of people with health challenges at the moment, so she began to work to send energy forward to these people. We had snow on Saturday, and cloudy and warm on Sunday.
Mostly, we are getting a little "shack wacky" with trying to stay away from germs etc. There are definitely bugs floating around, and we are so attune right now, that we can feel right away if something shifts. So, we have worked hard all week to make sure the little things turned into nothing. Today we head to Inverness for blood tests before Wednesdays round 4 begins. Tomorrow we head to Halifax for a pulmonary test first. We are looking forward to visiting with a few friends in Halifax, and that will get us communicating with more than ourselves and through the computer.
So, no news is good news. Not really news at all. Thank you everyone for keeping the light and love around us this week and to lift Michellie up to make it through this last round with the least amount of side effects. We have yet to experience that exactly, but we are always hopeful. We will meet with the radiologist during this visit, incase they decide that radiation needs to happen. Please keep us in your prayers that she will not need to have the radiation. Thank you everyone, and we will keep you posted through the week as we will have internet at the hospital.
Enjoy your incredible day today!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Saturday, February 19th
Ah, back on track! Friday was a great day for all of us. Michellie almost finished her homework - she was delighted with how quick and embraced something to do! She cleaned her room, removed some more boxes, hung posters and inspirational sayings - she has lots of those - and cleaned her old computer. Her energy and enthusiasm were contagious. David rested his poor knees some more from the attic work, and began working on the drawings for our renovations. It is exciting! He is using some of the preliminary work Michellie did with her homeschooling project, and then playing with some new ideas too. Michelle was excited to have made a trip to the health food store for Gluten free supplies and spent the afternoon making lasagna! Yummy! Michellie was thrilled by the trip to the store too, for the most amazing ice cream was discovered - sugar free and gluten free, and an incredible chocolate bar too. She was worried that there would never be another treat she could enjoy with no guilt or side effects. We even found gluten free chips and David was happy about that. So, each of us had a fun day doing what we love and feeling pretty good about it.
Michellie has had few complaints over the last few days, but has had a reocuring rash (like razor burn) in the hair follicles on her legs and behind her ears - we will embrace the fact that they will be ready to regrow hair after they get past being mad about being shut down. A sore throat began last night, but no fever, so we hope that the morning brings a distant memory of this. We did do some more techniques from Rashida for the Triple Warmer, so hopefully this helped the Spleen meridian to sort out its difficulties.
We wish Grampy a fabulous 70th Birthday celebration this weekend. We wish we were there to celebrate with you, but we saw by the photos so far that Michellie's healing bracelets are there in our place. We wish you a fabulous year of fun and adventure with incredible health!
On to a great Saturday, the storm seems to be holding back, so perhaps we will get a little coasting happening down the drive way today.
Michellie has had few complaints over the last few days, but has had a reocuring rash (like razor burn) in the hair follicles on her legs and behind her ears - we will embrace the fact that they will be ready to regrow hair after they get past being mad about being shut down. A sore throat began last night, but no fever, so we hope that the morning brings a distant memory of this. We did do some more techniques from Rashida for the Triple Warmer, so hopefully this helped the Spleen meridian to sort out its difficulties.
We wish Grampy a fabulous 70th Birthday celebration this weekend. We wish we were there to celebrate with you, but we saw by the photos so far that Michellie's healing bracelets are there in our place. We wish you a fabulous year of fun and adventure with incredible health!
On to a great Saturday, the storm seems to be holding back, so perhaps we will get a little coasting happening down the drive way today.
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| Grammy and Grampy at Birthday dinner |
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Thursday, February 17th
Little did we know when the healing bracelets were introduced for Michellie, that they would have stories to tell of their own. Today I received an email from Tonya, about the journey Talia's bracelet had last week. Talia broke her elbow and was rushed to emergency. The healing bracelet was with her all the way to the surgery doors where it was carefully removed and was waiting in recovery for her afterwards. Of course, being that it is a healing bracelet, it is able to share the same light and love with its wearer, as for the inspiration of its creation. There are so many ways that we can all reach out to each other in support and love, and the bracelets are really reflective of this. We wish you a speedy and strong healing Talia so that you can continue with your dreams as a dancer.
We thought you might enjoy a little giggle today from one of our cat adventures. Michellie woke in the middle of the night to see the silver balloon from the Krochko's floating across her room. The balloon tried to go out her door, but the opening appeared to not be big enough. With a crash from the hallway, "Bulldozer" or Hunter as he was first named, burst open the doorway. Missy, who was holding on to the string of the balloon and leading it on its adventure once again tried for the door but could not maneuver it around and out. Michellie in her stupor from sleep saw the apparition around her room, and then really awoke when the reality of the situation registered in her conscious mind. There was a burst of laughter at three in the morning as she realized what was really happening - two cats making a balloon escape!
Michellie escaped today. She actually made it to school. We should qualify this as well. So far, she missed Christmas break, not school; then finals, but not school; then 5 snow days so far; and now this week is special carnival activities. In all, she hasn't missed as much school as we all might think. She does have a pile of homework they sent home today, but then, it wouldn't be school without that. When she got to school she was thrilled to be able to finally catch up with friends. This healing process from round 3 has been a lot slower and harder than before (despite what we thought then), and it was about 2 weeks since she was last at school. So, she arrived in time for the pie throwing contest. The students were able to gang up on their favorite teachers. One poor teacher had several pies shared with him. This is something that usually happens in the movies, but it sure is exciting to see what fun they create here.
For those of you on facebook, Michellie has been posting her sketches she is practicing for art class. Have a look on her site if you like. And, for those of you who saw her "I hate soup" status, we are going out for dinner and she can order anything she likes from the Mull. We are in need of a little splurge from this house and the routine of cooking.
For those who have sent help with Gluten and recipes. Thank you so much for sharing. Others have come forward with other ideas, and all of this is getting compiled to see what we can do to make Michellie's healing process as strong as possible following the chemo. We are going to get those organs and tissues back to full health as quick as possible. And, we are going to find the tools to help us deal with what got us here in the first place. There are lots of risks ahead for Michellie's body (statistically speaking), and we are going to do our darnedest to make sure we can minimize this prospect. Thanks everyone for the light and love that is making this next stage of healing a powerful one for us and others.
Happy travels all of you Healing bracelets!
We thought you might enjoy a little giggle today from one of our cat adventures. Michellie woke in the middle of the night to see the silver balloon from the Krochko's floating across her room. The balloon tried to go out her door, but the opening appeared to not be big enough. With a crash from the hallway, "Bulldozer" or Hunter as he was first named, burst open the doorway. Missy, who was holding on to the string of the balloon and leading it on its adventure once again tried for the door but could not maneuver it around and out. Michellie in her stupor from sleep saw the apparition around her room, and then really awoke when the reality of the situation registered in her conscious mind. There was a burst of laughter at three in the morning as she realized what was really happening - two cats making a balloon escape!
Michellie escaped today. She actually made it to school. We should qualify this as well. So far, she missed Christmas break, not school; then finals, but not school; then 5 snow days so far; and now this week is special carnival activities. In all, she hasn't missed as much school as we all might think. She does have a pile of homework they sent home today, but then, it wouldn't be school without that. When she got to school she was thrilled to be able to finally catch up with friends. This healing process from round 3 has been a lot slower and harder than before (despite what we thought then), and it was about 2 weeks since she was last at school. So, she arrived in time for the pie throwing contest. The students were able to gang up on their favorite teachers. One poor teacher had several pies shared with him. This is something that usually happens in the movies, but it sure is exciting to see what fun they create here.
For those of you on facebook, Michellie has been posting her sketches she is practicing for art class. Have a look on her site if you like. And, for those of you who saw her "I hate soup" status, we are going out for dinner and she can order anything she likes from the Mull. We are in need of a little splurge from this house and the routine of cooking.
For those who have sent help with Gluten and recipes. Thank you so much for sharing. Others have come forward with other ideas, and all of this is getting compiled to see what we can do to make Michellie's healing process as strong as possible following the chemo. We are going to get those organs and tissues back to full health as quick as possible. And, we are going to find the tools to help us deal with what got us here in the first place. There are lots of risks ahead for Michellie's body (statistically speaking), and we are going to do our darnedest to make sure we can minimize this prospect. Thanks everyone for the light and love that is making this next stage of healing a powerful one for us and others.
Happy travels all of you Healing bracelets!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Wednesday, February 16th
Last night was a REAL storm - more than any hurricane we have experienced so far! The wind howled, and howled and howled. And, the house is still standing, and the smiles are still on all of our faces this morning. Wow! The snow drifted and blew and fell and fogged up and iced the roof, the windows, the doors...and another snow day at school.
Yesterday was one of our hardest recuperation days. Michellie's spirits were low, her head ached, and so did the rest of her body. She just was not herself. I felt like I was coming down with something, so started my homeopathics for flu and cold immediately. We spent the afternoon on the couch, with Michellie sleeping on my lap. There just was not enough energy or spirit to post anything, so I was thrilled about Mary Janet's letter as it gave us some great comedy relief, and something to share.
Today is much different. Michellie woke with a smile on her face and an energy we haven't seen for over a week. She has spent the day looking at my dance photo album on my computer and laughing at some of the crazy things we did and the toothless grins with her young buddies. She also finally felt like doing a little "retail therapy" and she picked out some books and ordered them - thanks to her friends gift cards. She has not been able to read for many weeks, so this is a great step forward.
David has ventured out several times today. He is a little shack wacky and he loves to see what is happening in town. He headed out with the truck to hear that the causeway is closed except for small cars being escorted across between 100 MILE an hour winds. Outrageous. As well, he finally was able to get up Jill's driveway to check on her cats - yesterday was just not a possibility.
I awoke at 3 am to the winds and snoring, and so I rose and spent the next four hours reading Suzanne Somers cancer information, Caroline Sutherlands medical intuitive info, and references coming from both of them. I have spent the rest of the day linking all of the symptoms Michellie has had over the last year and a half to find the connection with everything. I think I have found the root, and now it is finding the people with the resources to help with the healing. Anyone with info on gluten intolerance and how to change diet habits and recipes, please share what you can. I am also looking for info on bioidentical hormones and who offers this in Nova Scotia.
Oh, more snow is coming down again. I better check on the beef and vegetable soup, for a hearty and warm supper!
Yesterday was one of our hardest recuperation days. Michellie's spirits were low, her head ached, and so did the rest of her body. She just was not herself. I felt like I was coming down with something, so started my homeopathics for flu and cold immediately. We spent the afternoon on the couch, with Michellie sleeping on my lap. There just was not enough energy or spirit to post anything, so I was thrilled about Mary Janet's letter as it gave us some great comedy relief, and something to share.
Today is much different. Michellie woke with a smile on her face and an energy we haven't seen for over a week. She has spent the day looking at my dance photo album on my computer and laughing at some of the crazy things we did and the toothless grins with her young buddies. She also finally felt like doing a little "retail therapy" and she picked out some books and ordered them - thanks to her friends gift cards. She has not been able to read for many weeks, so this is a great step forward.
David has ventured out several times today. He is a little shack wacky and he loves to see what is happening in town. He headed out with the truck to hear that the causeway is closed except for small cars being escorted across between 100 MILE an hour winds. Outrageous. As well, he finally was able to get up Jill's driveway to check on her cats - yesterday was just not a possibility.
I awoke at 3 am to the winds and snoring, and so I rose and spent the next four hours reading Suzanne Somers cancer information, Caroline Sutherlands medical intuitive info, and references coming from both of them. I have spent the rest of the day linking all of the symptoms Michellie has had over the last year and a half to find the connection with everything. I think I have found the root, and now it is finding the people with the resources to help with the healing. Anyone with info on gluten intolerance and how to change diet habits and recipes, please share what you can. I am also looking for info on bioidentical hormones and who offers this in Nova Scotia.
Oh, more snow is coming down again. I better check on the beef and vegetable soup, for a hearty and warm supper!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Tuesday, February 15th
Dear Michellie:
What kind of a crazy place did your mother put me!!! First of all, they snore - not just sometimes - but ALL the time!! And then - I get drowned EVERY day in the shower! They just let me drip dry!! Then - right out of the shower - I went outside - and I FROZE!!! What kind of a place is this anyway!
Plus - every night - I get drenched again in dishwater - oh my - but what a place! I can’t get any sleep - I’m frozen - I’m wet!
Oh yes - I forgot - every day - Mary Janet holds me softly and utters these words “Please God, help Michellie through her day and make her better.” I like that. I think because I’m on her wrist, that it reminds her to pray for you every day - so that is always good.
So - she took me to a party the other night - all her friends were asking what the bracelet was for - they were holding and touching me and telling her what a nice idea that was! Then Mary Janet held me the whole time she and Cecil were singing songs - so that was snuggly warm. But . . . I didn’t get home until 3 in the morning - and then the snoring began!! Sigh!
But last night - she took me to Strathspey Place and we watched Love Letters. It was awesome, but at the end, a few teardrops fells onto me - I didn’t mind - I was kind of sad too.
So today - you’ll never ever guess what she has me doing!!! Painting her living room wall - I’ve never been so busy in my life - if I’m not in the biscuit dough, cookie dough - now I have to paint! Oh well - I’m sure it’ll be another exciting week coming up.
Love,
Your bracelet
PS - I kind of like it here. :o) I love you!
Thanks Mary Janet for sharing this. Are there any other sibling bracelet stories that want to be shared?
What kind of a crazy place did your mother put me!!! First of all, they snore - not just sometimes - but ALL the time!! And then - I get drowned EVERY day in the shower! They just let me drip dry!! Then - right out of the shower - I went outside - and I FROZE!!! What kind of a place is this anyway!
Plus - every night - I get drenched again in dishwater - oh my - but what a place! I can’t get any sleep - I’m frozen - I’m wet!
Oh yes - I forgot - every day - Mary Janet holds me softly and utters these words “Please God, help Michellie through her day and make her better.” I like that. I think because I’m on her wrist, that it reminds her to pray for you every day - so that is always good.
So - she took me to a party the other night - all her friends were asking what the bracelet was for - they were holding and touching me and telling her what a nice idea that was! Then Mary Janet held me the whole time she and Cecil were singing songs - so that was snuggly warm. But . . . I didn’t get home until 3 in the morning - and then the snoring began!! Sigh!
But last night - she took me to Strathspey Place and we watched Love Letters. It was awesome, but at the end, a few teardrops fells onto me - I didn’t mind - I was kind of sad too.
So today - you’ll never ever guess what she has me doing!!! Painting her living room wall - I’ve never been so busy in my life - if I’m not in the biscuit dough, cookie dough - now I have to paint! Oh well - I’m sure it’ll be another exciting week coming up.
Love,
Your bracelet
PS - I kind of like it here. :o) I love you!
Thanks Mary Janet for sharing this. Are there any other sibling bracelet stories that want to be shared?
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentine's Day
This morning we woke to breakfast in bed with sausages and egg wraps, we are so glad Michellie chose us to be her parents and that she was so inspired to spoil us today! We wish everyone out there a great day of special treats too!
Well, the adventures of Thursday and Friday caught up with me the most I think. I spent most of the weekend resting and recouperating. David spent it working on the computer and giving his banged up knee from kneeling in the attic a rest. Now some of you may wonder why he would be up there praying, but really he was trying to get the insulation in and finish the floor boards. There is not a lot of head room and so he spends most of the time on his knees. Either way, he was crazy busy! Michellie was up early on Saturday morning to get Sam from his place. They actually got out coasting on Saturday afternoon and loved the icy run. That exertion was all Michellie could muster with her low blood counts, so she was a little more reserved for the rest of the weekend.
We wanted to make sure we had an adventure to tell, so on dropping Sam off on Sunday afternoon in Port Hawksbury, she let me know she was not feeling well. She held on to get Sam home, but she was worried because her lungs didn't feel right. So, we passed through Mabou and headed straight to emergency in Inverness. After a blood workup and chest x-ray, it was concluded the blood counts were down but ok, and there was nothing in her chest. This was a relief to Michellie as she had vivid memories of the last chest xray in Inverness and she was scared. The conclusion was that the inhilation treatment from Friday was irritating the lungs and producing some side effects. A little Ventolin for the rest of the week would take care of that. Phew! We even had the Ventolin at home from the last treatments and had forgotten it was there as we never needed it before and, the medicine box is huge! So, after what was to be a short day trip, we returned home in time to catch the Anniversary of the Olympics programming and a late supper. That was a good trip down memory lane. We can't believe a whole year has passed since MacKenzie was able to train for his part in the opening ceremonies. That was pretty special!
Michellie's poor little body was all aches and pains for the rest of the night, and the low blood count left several bruises on her from blood tests, steroid shots and coasting. Her feet and lower legs could not warm up and rubbing her legs (which she adores) was tender too. We did a lot of cuddling and settled in with Heartland (one of her favorite shows) to be side tracked.
At 11:30, my beautiful neice called us and was VERY EXCITED. She had made her ultimate goal! Something she never imagined possible... she crossed her fundraising objective of $1000, with a tally at the end of the night at $1015. She confided to me last week that her school had raised $1500 at the Terry Fox Run, and that when she surpassed the $200 mark, she wondered if it was possible to reach half of the school's fundraising. I think she is well on her way to beating the school's fundraising. Can you imagine?!:) A 10 year old can create such an incredible bit of momentum. For those of you who read this blog and wonder what difference a few dollars can make, I want to add more for you. With all of the moving our family has done over the last couple of years, we have lost contact with a few people and have had more distance separating some of us too. This project has brought some people back to us and many people closer. We are truly touched by how friends across time can still reach out and make a difference. We are thrilled to have people reconnected and sharing their stories with us too. We are so blessed by all the warm wishes and love that has come pouring through Jessica's initiative. The Canadian Cancer Society will be able to put this money to good use. We have used many of their resources already, and we hope to be able to add more to help others. So, from the bottom of our hearts, (on Valentine's Day), thank you for making Jessica's dream a reality, and for helping her to help Michellie find a way to get through this part of life.
On a final note today, Michellie has some very blonde fuzz on the top of her head, and we have started some Qi Gong exercises to stimulate hair growth, as well as adding walnuts which help with this also. She is a little scared her hair will not be the same color, but more importantly, she is worried she will end up with my curly hair. That would mean more time with the straightener to get the look she wants back. We are just happy to see growth and we look forward to her metamorphosis!
For those asking: Michellie's Ultimate Smoothie with a Magic Bullet!
1/2 cup rinsed Kale and 1/2 cup water - blend until smooth.
Add 6 ice cubes, half a banana, 6 strawberries, 1/4 cup blueberries (wild blueberries are tiny, so we measure them this way), and top with apricot juice. Blend everything, if a little thick, add water to desired thickness. Definitely suck through a straw, its more fun!
Flax oil can be added, but we are not supposed to do that. Apricot juice helps with the liver detoxing, and we have to avoid citrus fruits like orange juice. Pineapple juice could be substituted for apricot, and is great for bromelain which helps decrease swelling and aids in digestion.
Have a great day!
Well, the adventures of Thursday and Friday caught up with me the most I think. I spent most of the weekend resting and recouperating. David spent it working on the computer and giving his banged up knee from kneeling in the attic a rest. Now some of you may wonder why he would be up there praying, but really he was trying to get the insulation in and finish the floor boards. There is not a lot of head room and so he spends most of the time on his knees. Either way, he was crazy busy! Michellie was up early on Saturday morning to get Sam from his place. They actually got out coasting on Saturday afternoon and loved the icy run. That exertion was all Michellie could muster with her low blood counts, so she was a little more reserved for the rest of the weekend.
We wanted to make sure we had an adventure to tell, so on dropping Sam off on Sunday afternoon in Port Hawksbury, she let me know she was not feeling well. She held on to get Sam home, but she was worried because her lungs didn't feel right. So, we passed through Mabou and headed straight to emergency in Inverness. After a blood workup and chest x-ray, it was concluded the blood counts were down but ok, and there was nothing in her chest. This was a relief to Michellie as she had vivid memories of the last chest xray in Inverness and she was scared. The conclusion was that the inhilation treatment from Friday was irritating the lungs and producing some side effects. A little Ventolin for the rest of the week would take care of that. Phew! We even had the Ventolin at home from the last treatments and had forgotten it was there as we never needed it before and, the medicine box is huge! So, after what was to be a short day trip, we returned home in time to catch the Anniversary of the Olympics programming and a late supper. That was a good trip down memory lane. We can't believe a whole year has passed since MacKenzie was able to train for his part in the opening ceremonies. That was pretty special!
Michellie's poor little body was all aches and pains for the rest of the night, and the low blood count left several bruises on her from blood tests, steroid shots and coasting. Her feet and lower legs could not warm up and rubbing her legs (which she adores) was tender too. We did a lot of cuddling and settled in with Heartland (one of her favorite shows) to be side tracked.
At 11:30, my beautiful neice called us and was VERY EXCITED. She had made her ultimate goal! Something she never imagined possible... she crossed her fundraising objective of $1000, with a tally at the end of the night at $1015. She confided to me last week that her school had raised $1500 at the Terry Fox Run, and that when she surpassed the $200 mark, she wondered if it was possible to reach half of the school's fundraising. I think she is well on her way to beating the school's fundraising. Can you imagine?!:) A 10 year old can create such an incredible bit of momentum. For those of you who read this blog and wonder what difference a few dollars can make, I want to add more for you. With all of the moving our family has done over the last couple of years, we have lost contact with a few people and have had more distance separating some of us too. This project has brought some people back to us and many people closer. We are truly touched by how friends across time can still reach out and make a difference. We are thrilled to have people reconnected and sharing their stories with us too. We are so blessed by all the warm wishes and love that has come pouring through Jessica's initiative. The Canadian Cancer Society will be able to put this money to good use. We have used many of their resources already, and we hope to be able to add more to help others. So, from the bottom of our hearts, (on Valentine's Day), thank you for making Jessica's dream a reality, and for helping her to help Michellie find a way to get through this part of life.
On a final note today, Michellie has some very blonde fuzz on the top of her head, and we have started some Qi Gong exercises to stimulate hair growth, as well as adding walnuts which help with this also. She is a little scared her hair will not be the same color, but more importantly, she is worried she will end up with my curly hair. That would mean more time with the straightener to get the look she wants back. We are just happy to see growth and we look forward to her metamorphosis!
For those asking: Michellie's Ultimate Smoothie with a Magic Bullet!
1/2 cup rinsed Kale and 1/2 cup water - blend until smooth.
Add 6 ice cubes, half a banana, 6 strawberries, 1/4 cup blueberries (wild blueberries are tiny, so we measure them this way), and top with apricot juice. Blend everything, if a little thick, add water to desired thickness. Definitely suck through a straw, its more fun!
Flax oil can be added, but we are not supposed to do that. Apricot juice helps with the liver detoxing, and we have to avoid citrus fruits like orange juice. Pineapple juice could be substituted for apricot, and is great for bromelain which helps decrease swelling and aids in digestion.
Have a great day!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Friday, Febraury 11th
Happy Canada Games Everyone! We know Taryn did us proud dancing in the opening show. And for those remembering the Olympics last year, we are being reminiscent of MacKenzie's involvement in that amazing spectacle.
Well, to sum up our time over the last few days, I am going to cut and paste David's email to family. I think he does the best job. All that I can add is that Kahlua tasted wonderful once we were all home safe and sound, and Michellie is re-energized and ready for a weekend of fun with Sam arriving Saturday morning.
Well, to sum up our time over the last few days, I am going to cut and paste David's email to family. I think he does the best job. All that I can add is that Kahlua tasted wonderful once we were all home safe and sound, and Michellie is re-energized and ready for a weekend of fun with Sam arriving Saturday morning.
Just to let you know things started smoothly in Antigonish today, (Thursday). The weather and roads were clear and Michellie received her chemo quickly and with no major side effects, they were discharged after lunch. They travelled up the road to run some errands in New Glasgow, but during the return trip, Michellie became ill and turned white. Michelle rushed her back to the ER in Antigonish, where she was found to be hypotensive and in shock!
So, they loaded her back up with more fluids and her support ‘cocktail’ which immediately knocked her out. Needless to say, the Doc was not going to let her go so easily this time, and both of them are spending the night in the hospital.
Michelle says Michellie is looking better, but is completely spaced out and mostly asleep.
There is still a Pentamadine inhalation scheduled for tomorrow, but I suppose that’s a wait-and-see thing.
It turns out that Michellie sailed through Days 2 & 3 so well that the Docs revised their orders and cut back on the IV fluids and ‘cocktail’ drugs. It appears they might have been overly optimistic!
We’re still hoping they’ll be home tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. Weather’s not looking too bad at this point, but flu season has arrived in Nova Scotia, so we will be keeping ourselves out of the public air until Michellie recovers from this latest round.
To complicate matters, the “Check Engine” light come on in the car when they were in New Glasgow! Fortunately, Michelle found a repair shop which diagnosed a minor problem and confirmed they were OK to carry on. “Could’ve Been Worse”! …STILL...!
And that’s the end of round three!
Take care
d
PS Our Pentamadine adventure today is worth a separate note. We headed for the negative pressure chamber at 9 for a 30 minute procedure. Once inside Michellie began inhaling the medicine, and the alarm went off for the room. Everything stopped while they investigated. They couldn't find anything, but there were 3 more alarms. After 90 minutes Michellie had not taken in most of the medicine, so the tech went back into the room to discover the mechanism she was breathing with was faulty. He came back from supplies with two new ones (just in case) and an hour later, she finally finished. We arrived back to Michellie's room at 11:45. After some pain killers, we were able to run out as quick as possible. Subway was swamped 20 deep in Antogonish, so there was a big sigh of relief on Michellie's face as we made the Subway at the Causeway. We were homeward bound and she was finally fed real food.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Wednesday, Feb 9th
We have a snow day. The wind is gusting up to 100 km per hour, and the snow has drifted up 5 feet at the back door. David had to dig a tunnel to get out, and then dig out the truck! The highways are down to one lane only and the storm extends clear across the province. Michellie is very anxious about day 8 of chemo, and that's definitely understandable, so we will try to relax and enjoy this extra day of healing. Looks like we will try for Antigonish in the morning, stay overnight and have her inhilation treatment on Friday, and then come home. Sharon commented a few blogs back that as you get closer to the end of treatment it gets harder to have patience. We can see this ramping up, and with the mood swing effects of prednisone everything gets magnified. We will have to give Michellie another needle today, and this has become an event full of tears and pain, she will not be sad to see this ritual gone, and neither will we. So, no entry for a day or so means we headed down the highway finally, and we are completing our day 8-9.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tuesday, Feb 8th
We have a snowstorm outside and we are just going to R and R today. We thought you might enjoy some photos from the last few weeks.
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| Playing spoons: Sam, Michellie, Christina, Lisa, Linda and Michelle |
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| Michellie getting her henna tattoo |
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| All of our tattoos: Diane, Michellie, Michelle and Taryn Tattoos by Cherry at http://www.hennapainter.com/ in Halifax |
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| It's like a natural luge run! |
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| The smile says it all... |
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| Coasting on the driveway - last run a bit too much for walking back up |
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| From Aunt Susan's incredible photo library - Isn't it inspirational?! |
Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday, Feb 7th
One crazy carpet, one bright sunny day, one ice slicked driveway and one crazy family equals many squeels of laughter and fun coasting! After much coaxing, we managed to convince Michellie to try the ice run down our driveway. It was slick and fast and soooo much fun! We bought the house for the size of the living room and bedrooms, but we really should have considered the cheap bobsled run! So, what we never had time to do with Michellie while she was little, we did this afternoon! The field has snow up past our knees, so we have to wait until it packs down a little more.
Well, our weekend was a marathon of movies for Michellie and Christina, while trying to avoid sugar. David caught up on his latest project, and finally has made it back into the attic to insulate and put in floor boards. It is a yucky job, but when it is done we will have dry, clean storage space. I am not sure what I have been up to, but it kept me busy. There's been pancakes, soups, smoothies, dishes, emails, and stuff to do.
It looks like we will head to Antigonish on Wednesday for day 8 of chemo, and we are waiting to hear about her inhilation treatment - for Thursday or Friday. Michellie made it to school for lunch break today to see her friends, but her stamina is a little less than last time and she tires easily. The nausea was a problem on Sunday, but today seems to be much better. And the magic bullet - it was full of kale, banana, apricot, blueberry, strawberry and protein powder for one awesome combination.
We are ready to send out healing bracelets for those wanting some, so please let us know and we will get them in the mail. Although we have heard the great news about the cancer being gone, Michellie still has more treatments and then recovery from everything to do. We will wear our bracelets until she is all clear and the Port - A - Cath can come out! That will be her victory day!
Thanks again everyone for all of your wishes, and we wish you a fabulous week of fun!
Well, our weekend was a marathon of movies for Michellie and Christina, while trying to avoid sugar. David caught up on his latest project, and finally has made it back into the attic to insulate and put in floor boards. It is a yucky job, but when it is done we will have dry, clean storage space. I am not sure what I have been up to, but it kept me busy. There's been pancakes, soups, smoothies, dishes, emails, and stuff to do.
It looks like we will head to Antigonish on Wednesday for day 8 of chemo, and we are waiting to hear about her inhilation treatment - for Thursday or Friday. Michellie made it to school for lunch break today to see her friends, but her stamina is a little less than last time and she tires easily. The nausea was a problem on Sunday, but today seems to be much better. And the magic bullet - it was full of kale, banana, apricot, blueberry, strawberry and protein powder for one awesome combination.
We are ready to send out healing bracelets for those wanting some, so please let us know and we will get them in the mail. Although we have heard the great news about the cancer being gone, Michellie still has more treatments and then recovery from everything to do. We will wear our bracelets until she is all clear and the Port - A - Cath can come out! That will be her victory day!
Thanks again everyone for all of your wishes, and we wish you a fabulous week of fun!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Saturday, Feb 5th
We are home! Yeah!!! After the last blog everything went kind of crazy. On Thursday evening Michellie finally gained energy and consiousness. She was able to gobble down a foot long sub from Subway with all the trimmings - even onions. We had tea and enjoyed Grey's Anatomy in the family lounge. She thought it was pretty cool to have a change of scenery. I know I did!!
Friday began slowly. Michellie was pretty whoozy, so we added the drugs right away and got the chemo started. They changed the amount of Bedendryl and she was able to stay conscious for most of the day. This made her very happy! We were able to borrow the Television wagon for the day (which had a working DVD player), and Michellie was able to enjoy several episodes of Private Practice, while endlessly doodling on her white board. As the day progressed she became stronger and stronger, and even ate while having chemo.
Our afternoon was a buzz. We had everyone for a visit. It started with Dave and Diane Krochko bringing me the most incredible lentil burger (food is a challenge to get and the pickings are limited once you do get away). For Michellie, they brought a magic bullet - she can now make her own smoothies - everyone on the ward was interested in hearing what her recipe book would look like. Then, the doctors came for a visit, the lab techs for blood, the reserach nurse to observe the blood taking, the pharmacist, our coordinator, our social worker, our child link events coordinator, our nutritionist, and our nurse was on the run all day. Then, the doctors arrived again for more follow up, then at the last minute, Michellie was called for a CT scan. In went another needle, and off for that. What a whirlwind. Then, we packed up to go and the doctors snagged us in the hall again, and back to the room we went for a consult.
Firstly, we are in awe at the incredible treatment that Michellie is receiving. In less than one hour we had a CT scan and results back to us. As you can see by the team of specialists working with Michellie, there is a lot happening to make her road to recovery the best it can be. it can be very busy with everyone coming and going, but the ultimate goal makes it all worth while. For those of you who wonder how your donations to a hospital fund might be spent - we can say that the oncology department is amazing with what they can do. And, the nurses are beyond anything we have ever experienced. There is always a smile and anything we need is addressed right away. Michellie's file is a big one and her chemo orders are very indepth, and the nurses are so careful to check every detail and to help us every step of the way.
So, where are we now? The cancer is no longer present in the chest cavity or in her neck. They did find a little hot spot on the back of her neck. They say it was on the first scan as well, so they are not too worried about it. It could be an infection on a lymph node, which would explain why it was not responding to the chemo like the rest of the tumor. (And with the way the tumor responded, they would expect that if the spot had cancer, it would have responded as quickly as well.). They will scan that again after round 4 and then decide if they need to do anything further with it. (We will work on it with our healing tools and perhaps we can assist the departure of this little pest.).
The plan is to complete round 4 of chemo to make sure no more cells are generated. They are still awaiting word on a study of the importance of radiation for cases like Michellie. We will probably not know if she needs radiation until the end of round 4, so we will just not think about that for now. For those of you with angelic pull, please ask that the researchers have the time to compile their findings and make a ruling about this before Michellie has to have a decision made. Radiation would mean damage to the thyroid in the process, so we are hopeful we can change this.
So, when we finally did leave the hospital, dropped off the parking pass, went to the apartment to gather luggage and drop keys, pushed our way through traffic and then stocked up on wiper fluid, we were on the road at 5:30. When we travelled for dance events we used to stop at Wendy's for a malt as a halfway treat, and Michellie reminded me of this when we hit Truro. With a BIG grin on her face, we indulged ourselves in some sugar and enjoyed our favorite treat.
No sugar is a real challenge for Michellie. I have to give her incredible credit for her ability to strive each day to avoid it. The body reacts to the chemo with certain elements, and Candida is a challenge. It pushes the sugar cravings to try and feed itself. We try as much as possible to keep the sugar consumption to just fruit and veggies, but every so often Michellie has to indulge for a good treat! For those of you trying to get sugar out of your diet, she is an inspiration for us, and we have really cut out 90% of what we were bringing in for sugar. The nutritionist was very pleased with Michellie's color, energy and strength. We have to be a bit more diligent with the calcium, but Michellie has not lost any weight through this and she continues to eat very healthy. The nutritionist wished all of her clients could be so good about it. Michellie is a real inspiration to us!
So, now it is Saturday and the sun is shining on the most incredibly white snow! We are going to have our snow day - the one everyone else took in Nova Scotia took this week. Enjoy life everyone - each day is a gift!
Friday began slowly. Michellie was pretty whoozy, so we added the drugs right away and got the chemo started. They changed the amount of Bedendryl and she was able to stay conscious for most of the day. This made her very happy! We were able to borrow the Television wagon for the day (which had a working DVD player), and Michellie was able to enjoy several episodes of Private Practice, while endlessly doodling on her white board. As the day progressed she became stronger and stronger, and even ate while having chemo.
Our afternoon was a buzz. We had everyone for a visit. It started with Dave and Diane Krochko bringing me the most incredible lentil burger (food is a challenge to get and the pickings are limited once you do get away). For Michellie, they brought a magic bullet - she can now make her own smoothies - everyone on the ward was interested in hearing what her recipe book would look like. Then, the doctors came for a visit, the lab techs for blood, the reserach nurse to observe the blood taking, the pharmacist, our coordinator, our social worker, our child link events coordinator, our nutritionist, and our nurse was on the run all day. Then, the doctors arrived again for more follow up, then at the last minute, Michellie was called for a CT scan. In went another needle, and off for that. What a whirlwind. Then, we packed up to go and the doctors snagged us in the hall again, and back to the room we went for a consult.
Firstly, we are in awe at the incredible treatment that Michellie is receiving. In less than one hour we had a CT scan and results back to us. As you can see by the team of specialists working with Michellie, there is a lot happening to make her road to recovery the best it can be. it can be very busy with everyone coming and going, but the ultimate goal makes it all worth while. For those of you who wonder how your donations to a hospital fund might be spent - we can say that the oncology department is amazing with what they can do. And, the nurses are beyond anything we have ever experienced. There is always a smile and anything we need is addressed right away. Michellie's file is a big one and her chemo orders are very indepth, and the nurses are so careful to check every detail and to help us every step of the way.
So, where are we now? The cancer is no longer present in the chest cavity or in her neck. They did find a little hot spot on the back of her neck. They say it was on the first scan as well, so they are not too worried about it. It could be an infection on a lymph node, which would explain why it was not responding to the chemo like the rest of the tumor. (And with the way the tumor responded, they would expect that if the spot had cancer, it would have responded as quickly as well.). They will scan that again after round 4 and then decide if they need to do anything further with it. (We will work on it with our healing tools and perhaps we can assist the departure of this little pest.).
The plan is to complete round 4 of chemo to make sure no more cells are generated. They are still awaiting word on a study of the importance of radiation for cases like Michellie. We will probably not know if she needs radiation until the end of round 4, so we will just not think about that for now. For those of you with angelic pull, please ask that the researchers have the time to compile their findings and make a ruling about this before Michellie has to have a decision made. Radiation would mean damage to the thyroid in the process, so we are hopeful we can change this.
So, when we finally did leave the hospital, dropped off the parking pass, went to the apartment to gather luggage and drop keys, pushed our way through traffic and then stocked up on wiper fluid, we were on the road at 5:30. When we travelled for dance events we used to stop at Wendy's for a malt as a halfway treat, and Michellie reminded me of this when we hit Truro. With a BIG grin on her face, we indulged ourselves in some sugar and enjoyed our favorite treat.
No sugar is a real challenge for Michellie. I have to give her incredible credit for her ability to strive each day to avoid it. The body reacts to the chemo with certain elements, and Candida is a challenge. It pushes the sugar cravings to try and feed itself. We try as much as possible to keep the sugar consumption to just fruit and veggies, but every so often Michellie has to indulge for a good treat! For those of you trying to get sugar out of your diet, she is an inspiration for us, and we have really cut out 90% of what we were bringing in for sugar. The nutritionist was very pleased with Michellie's color, energy and strength. We have to be a bit more diligent with the calcium, but Michellie has not lost any weight through this and she continues to eat very healthy. The nutritionist wished all of her clients could be so good about it. Michellie is a real inspiration to us!
So, now it is Saturday and the sun is shining on the most incredibly white snow! We are going to have our snow day - the one everyone else took in Nova Scotia took this week. Enjoy life everyone - each day is a gift!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Thursday, Feb 3rd
We got it! The PET scan found all of the tumor gone. Michellie has one little spot in the back of her neck, but they believe that that is just a reaction spot to one of the drugs. With an exam, they do not find anything. So...THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL OF YOUR LOVE, LIGHT, HEALING, ENERGY, THOUGHTS and LOVE!!!!!! You all made a difference for us.
The doctor's will now converse on the next course of action. We have not heard yet what round 4 will look like, or if there will still be radiation. We will let you know as soon as they know.
Michellie had a rough evening last night, but finally calmed to get some sleep, and she pretty much slept through the morning. She has decided she wants to stay overnight again, so she can continue to rest and let the rest of the drugs do their thing. She is definitely not at her best, so I think this is a good idea. David has gone home to get some work done and be with the cats, and hopefully we get to head home tomorrow after treatment.
Thank you everyone for all of your help! :)...
The doctor's will now converse on the next course of action. We have not heard yet what round 4 will look like, or if there will still be radiation. We will let you know as soon as they know.
Michellie had a rough evening last night, but finally calmed to get some sleep, and she pretty much slept through the morning. She has decided she wants to stay overnight again, so she can continue to rest and let the rest of the drugs do their thing. She is definitely not at her best, so I think this is a good idea. David has gone home to get some work done and be with the cats, and hopefully we get to head home tomorrow after treatment.
Thank you everyone for all of your help! :)...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Wednesday, February 2nd
Happy Ground Hog Day! Shubenacadie Sam is not going to see his shadow, so we can celebrate that spring is around the corner! This trip has been like all the others. We started with a rainout in December, and this week is a big snowstorm and cold temperatures. David won't be able to get home today, he will have to wait for the roads to be cleared tomorrow.
So, what have we been up to?! Monday was our date with Cherry for our Henna Tattoos. We had great fun. She had made us a wonderful set of snacks, and we chatted with Taryn and Diane Krochko while we each took turns. We all had a hand completed. It takes about 30 minutes per hand. If you want to see some of Cherry's work, you can find her at www.hennapainter.com. When we get home, we will download some photos to share with you all.
Monday night was a wonderful evening with dinner at the Krochko's and then a few good rounds of Spoons for a good measure of laughter and silliness. This game is getting a lot of travel time with all of our friends.
Tuesday we were up bright and early for all the tests at the IWK. Michellie started at 8:30 with a PET scan. This was followed at 11:30 with an full eye exam, and then at 2:00 was an echocardiogram. So far, we know that her eyes are 100% fabulous, and that when she has blurred vision it is a migraine like effect. So, instead of getting a headache, she has her vision go blurry. This was good news, as we wanted to clear anything else out of the options. Today we are waiting for the PET scan results.
Tuesday after all the testing we had a little stop to the most amazing olive oil shop. It is in HydroStone, kind of like Kensington in Calgary, this is a beautiful little shopping destination in Halifax. The shop is called Liquid Gold, and you can taste all the oils, vinegars and blends - just like wine tasting. David fell in love with Jalapeno Vinegar and Chipotle Olive Oil. I have Pomegranate Vinegar and Pinoche Olive Oil. We learnt a lot about the after tastes of the oils and the degree of pepperness. And, that you can splash a little vinegar on your veggies just before serving for some enhanced flavouring. Who knew?!:)
We managed to get more thread in Dartmouth on our icy and slow trip back to the Krochko's, so as Michellie feels better after treatment this week, she will be able to make more bracelets to get out to everyone.
Dinner was at the Krochko's. Chicken soup and baking powder biscuits never tasted so good! We followed that up with the Krochko theatre experience and we got to see "Social Network". Both cats entertained us through the movie, and we enjoyed seeing something current.
This morning was early as we arrived for 8:00 again today. Michellie is now hooked up to the IV and her and Dad are playing Penguin Bowling - compliments of The Reynolds. There is a lot of giggling going on. This is a better way to start chemo for sure. Dad is great for mischief and diversions.
Someone asked us the other day if we had to isolate ourselves - they just assumed life was as usual for us. So, I thought I would just enlighten you about what we are doing to stay healthy. We avoid all large gatherings of places, so no malls, no square dances :( and quick trips into grocery stores. Michellie has not been into any shops, she waits in the car. We check all places for anyone with a cough, sniffles etc. and we try not to touch anything. Movie theatres are definitely out for now. When we are in the hospitals we are kept in isolated rooms so we do not have to sit in any germs unnecessarily. And, we call ahead or check when we arrive if there is anyone around with anything and if they can isolate us asap. So, for those of you with a cold out there, please take the time to stay home and get well. There are many people out there with suppressed immune systems trying to just do everyday chores without picking something up. As well, your body needs rest to heal, so take the time. We are thankful we live where we do, because we are isolated most of the time anyway, and people in Mabou have been really good about staying away if they have anything. We have developed a new appreciation for germs etc. Although Michellie cannot use most of the herbal remedies that David and I are using while she is on Chemo, we continue with Zeolite drops to keep our cells healthy, liquid silver to fight bacteria, virus, fungus, and Emergen - C for extra Vitamin C. All of us have Vitamin D regularly, and of course the Kale/Berry shake is our new favorite!
So, at the moment we are waiting while the IV rehydrates Michellie, and then she begins her really big day of drugs. They are spreading out the length of time to give some of the drugs to her, so we are hoping the side effects are even less. Michellie is hoping so too, she really hates the bucket! She will be overnight tonight, with hopes of us going to Jay and Bob's apartment for Thursday night. We look forward to that. Oh, the wind is picking up outside, so here comes the snow...
So, what have we been up to?! Monday was our date with Cherry for our Henna Tattoos. We had great fun. She had made us a wonderful set of snacks, and we chatted with Taryn and Diane Krochko while we each took turns. We all had a hand completed. It takes about 30 minutes per hand. If you want to see some of Cherry's work, you can find her at www.hennapainter.com. When we get home, we will download some photos to share with you all.
Monday night was a wonderful evening with dinner at the Krochko's and then a few good rounds of Spoons for a good measure of laughter and silliness. This game is getting a lot of travel time with all of our friends.
Tuesday we were up bright and early for all the tests at the IWK. Michellie started at 8:30 with a PET scan. This was followed at 11:30 with an full eye exam, and then at 2:00 was an echocardiogram. So far, we know that her eyes are 100% fabulous, and that when she has blurred vision it is a migraine like effect. So, instead of getting a headache, she has her vision go blurry. This was good news, as we wanted to clear anything else out of the options. Today we are waiting for the PET scan results.
Tuesday after all the testing we had a little stop to the most amazing olive oil shop. It is in HydroStone, kind of like Kensington in Calgary, this is a beautiful little shopping destination in Halifax. The shop is called Liquid Gold, and you can taste all the oils, vinegars and blends - just like wine tasting. David fell in love with Jalapeno Vinegar and Chipotle Olive Oil. I have Pomegranate Vinegar and Pinoche Olive Oil. We learnt a lot about the after tastes of the oils and the degree of pepperness. And, that you can splash a little vinegar on your veggies just before serving for some enhanced flavouring. Who knew?!:)
We managed to get more thread in Dartmouth on our icy and slow trip back to the Krochko's, so as Michellie feels better after treatment this week, she will be able to make more bracelets to get out to everyone.
Dinner was at the Krochko's. Chicken soup and baking powder biscuits never tasted so good! We followed that up with the Krochko theatre experience and we got to see "Social Network". Both cats entertained us through the movie, and we enjoyed seeing something current.
This morning was early as we arrived for 8:00 again today. Michellie is now hooked up to the IV and her and Dad are playing Penguin Bowling - compliments of The Reynolds. There is a lot of giggling going on. This is a better way to start chemo for sure. Dad is great for mischief and diversions.
Someone asked us the other day if we had to isolate ourselves - they just assumed life was as usual for us. So, I thought I would just enlighten you about what we are doing to stay healthy. We avoid all large gatherings of places, so no malls, no square dances :( and quick trips into grocery stores. Michellie has not been into any shops, she waits in the car. We check all places for anyone with a cough, sniffles etc. and we try not to touch anything. Movie theatres are definitely out for now. When we are in the hospitals we are kept in isolated rooms so we do not have to sit in any germs unnecessarily. And, we call ahead or check when we arrive if there is anyone around with anything and if they can isolate us asap. So, for those of you with a cold out there, please take the time to stay home and get well. There are many people out there with suppressed immune systems trying to just do everyday chores without picking something up. As well, your body needs rest to heal, so take the time. We are thankful we live where we do, because we are isolated most of the time anyway, and people in Mabou have been really good about staying away if they have anything. We have developed a new appreciation for germs etc. Although Michellie cannot use most of the herbal remedies that David and I are using while she is on Chemo, we continue with Zeolite drops to keep our cells healthy, liquid silver to fight bacteria, virus, fungus, and Emergen - C for extra Vitamin C. All of us have Vitamin D regularly, and of course the Kale/Berry shake is our new favorite!
So, at the moment we are waiting while the IV rehydrates Michellie, and then she begins her really big day of drugs. They are spreading out the length of time to give some of the drugs to her, so we are hoping the side effects are even less. Michellie is hoping so too, she really hates the bucket! She will be overnight tonight, with hopes of us going to Jay and Bob's apartment for Thursday night. We look forward to that. Oh, the wind is picking up outside, so here comes the snow...
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