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| Above: Early morning, the steroids cause the flushed face. No makeup at the time of this picture and I didn't need cheek color when I put my make up on. |
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| Above: Our new blood draw lady, Lucille. She's been at the Center for a week and she is such a blessing. |
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| Above: Kim, she was our blood draw lady and is now manning the check in desk in the chemo room. Such a blessing. |
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| Above: The area I was in early yesterday morning, the chairs filled up within an hour. |
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| Above: Another view looking toward the nurses desk. |
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| Above: The nurses desk. |
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| Above: Leigh, my chemo nurse yesterday. Such a sweet heart. |
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| Above: Face still flushed. I have had my Aloxi, anti-nausea med and the Bendaryl Eyes got heavy but I never slept. |
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| Above: Silhouette of my last IV pole. |
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| Above: My first drug administered was the Adriamycin aka Red Devil. This drug takes 10 minutes to flow. They give it first so that it flushes out of your kidneys quicker. |
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| Above: The next drug administered is the Taxotere. This is a block of ice in a little pillow case that I hold my fingertips on while getting this drug to keep the blood flow stopped to my fingertips. Taxotere can cause your nail beds to turn black and your nails to fall off. |
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| Above: A special treat yesterday. The Center has a massage therapist. She came in the chemo room and walked right to me and ask me if I would like to have a foot massage. I had just been talking about her with my chemo neighbor and then she shows up. Her name is Sandra and she was so awesome to talk to and she is a survivor of cancer. She was such a blessing. |
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| Above: Amber is one of the chemo nurses and she gave me a shirt that each nurse had signed with best wishes, a coffee mug that reads Celebrate Life and a lapel pin that reads the same. I am so blessed that these ladies have been in my life. |
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| Above: And they let me talk and express my sincere appreciation for all they have done for me. |
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| Above: And talk .... |
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| Above: And talk .... |
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| Above: And talk ... Stephanie, another nurse joined us. |
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| Above: And I cried sharing my love for each and every one of them. |
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| Above: On my way out, I got a quick picture with Cindy. Cindy gives me my blood count results weekly. She is another big blessing in my life. |
When Alverna and I left the Center yesterday, we decided to have lunch ... it was 1:00pm so we figured the lunch rush was over so a quick trip by Mi Pueblos and some cheese enchiladas and hot sauce and chips hit the spot. Then on to Petsmart to get Tootie some food and treats. On to Callaway's for hyacinth bean seeds that was a must for me to have. Both of the last stops were quick and we were home by 2:30pm. I was in bed by 2:45pm and slept until 4:45pm. When I got up, Alicia and Madelyn and I headed outside to plant my flower seeds and my tomato and pepper plants. Poor Alicia and Madelyn came in with either stopped up noses and runny noses. I felt bad that their allergies had kicked up in such a short amount of time. After that I was exhausted and didn't really do anything the remainder of the evening. Fought a few waves of nausea and finally was able to eat some more chicken salad with dry toast. After a good shower and laying down on the couch to sleep, I was on my way to bed at 8:45pm.
By 2:35am this morning, the thrush in my mouth had returned. I was hungry at that time so it was a good time for a bowl of Life cereal. I had been awake since 12:35am and finally decided I was hungry enough to get up and have the cereal. I finally went back to sleep and slept until 4:00am. Today is my last day on the steroids so sleep should be back to normal by tomorrow night.
Today I will see how things go with the energy. I have now lost 3.6 pounds of the fluid and I am so thankful for the Lasix. The swelling has definitely decreased in my legs and feet and my tummy area. I am working on my core body frame, like holding in my tummy because my lower back is having some stiffness and I do not need back issues.
Praises:
* An awesome final chemo round surrounded by people who I know care about me for me,
Gena Morrison and not just a number.
* So thankful for my friend, Alverna, who has known exactly what I need during my treatments. She puts up with me telling her ... wash your hands, don't touch the top of my cup, will you get me a donut and heat it about six seconds. She just knows what to do. She even lets me tell her how to drive ... change lanes, why are you putting on your brakes ... the light is green. LOL Alverna, you are a true jewel and I love and appreciate you more than you know.
* The sweetest family ever as they all loved me and supported during the chemo treatments and offered me additional support and congratulations on my final round of chemo.
* The last treatment of chemo is over. Thank you sweet Jesus for walking with me and most times carrying me on this leg of my journey.
Prayer Request:
* A new patient was taking her first chemo treatment yesterday. Two weeks ago she was diagnosed with lung, liver and throat cancer. I do not know her name, Jesus does, but please put this very distraught woman on your prayer list. Alverna and I both shared that we would pray for her and have our prayer warriors out there praying.
* All those such as this lady who are being diagnosed with cancer and/or taking their first chemo treatments. It's scarey because there is so many unknowns. I pray for their strength through Jesus.
Thank you sweet friends for your support and love as I continue to walk this journey. I am blessed to have you on my journey with me ... you mean so much. Being diagnosed with cancer has changed my life ... I will never have the life that I had prior to my diagnosis on September 15, 2011, and to tell you the truth, I don't want that life. I have found a much deeper love and understanding of my precious Jesus and I am most thankful for this. In my old life, I was a Type A personality, allowed things to bother me that never should have. I have learned to live in the moment as instructed my Jesus. I do not look at tomorrow, I live for this very moment. If things do not get done today, they will get done in a day or two (unless it's trash day and it always gets done <smile>). I would have missed the blessings of meeting all the incredible people who have been placed in my life unless I was on this journey. Yes, my breast cancer diagnosis changed my life in many many ways.
Blessed and praying for many blessings to pass your way today.
genam44@charter.net
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