this is Ciera!

Mama hasn't posted in awhile, sorry to worry everyone. She's been going through what the doctors have been calling a "pain crisis." Her pain was extremely apparent to everyone here at home, and it was pretty stressful that we couldn't do anything to relieve it; hopefully what's been supplied will work wonders. Her pain meds are getting to her via IV now, through the port in her chest. The nurses came to install and start the medicine going yesterday evening. Because the pain was so menacing before, she's not feeling completely herself yet, but she's at least doing a little better so far. Aunt Nancy is here all week, fresh in from Oklahoma, to help out wherever she's needed.

Chemo is all next week, thanks for all your prayers! A friend from work suggested a dietary supplement last week that a few people thought would enhance the treament. Pray that they're right!

Well, Meleia made the volleyball team at school... and proceeded to ("possibly") fracture her wrist at the second practice. The doctors have told her that she cannot play for the next 3 weeks...

Thanks for everything you all have been to us through this! I read an awesome quote that completely describes what God is saying me, and everyone, throughout well, life...

"as for the clouds, let them roll, roll on by. I've got the sky in the palm of my hand."

~ciera

Good morning, friends!  This is Amy giving an update.  I'm sure you've noticed there has not been an entry since last Wednesday.  I was beginning to get worried with no update here and no answers to e-mails.  So I contacted Ev's mom.

Mrs. Jan let me know that Evie has had a difficult week (as you can always tell when she doesn't write).  She wouldn't let Dr. Huff tell her the CT results the day she got her transfusion last week - just didn't want to know.  She has been in tremendous pain this week.  She changed providers of her pain patch from Wal-Mart (larger patches) to King Soopers (smaller patches).  We found out they are not identical in the way they distribute the medication and the King Soopers generic brand doesn't touch her pain.  So, she made a trip to the hospital Monday for blood tests for hemoglobin and INR, and a new prescription for the Wal-Mart pain patches which she put on Monday afternoon.  She worked yesterday, but had a very difficult time. She got so behind on pain management that they're unsure what it will take to get her back on track.  Dr. Huff talked about a pain management consultation, but he is gone this week on his honeymoon.

She is still in searing pain this morning.  The nurses are trying to arrange a pain management doctor to come to her house today.  If they can't work that out, a friend is going to take Evie to the cancer center to see Dr. Young (Dr. Huff's partner) in Dr. Huff's absence this week.

Specific prayers this morning are for pain control.  Please be much in prayer for Evie's pain to become manageable immediately.  Pray they can get a doctor to come out to her instead of her having to endure further pain trying to get to the doctor.  When I find out more, I will let you all know.   

Yes, I got THREE units of blood.  It's the first time I've evern gotten that many, but it's also the first time my hgb has been that low.  After the second unit, the nurse said that I was starting to look less and less like the walls, and a bit more like myself.

I guess it takes 24 hours to reach "equalibrium" in my body, so I'm still sleepy.  Part of it could be the Benedryl that they gave me as well.

But I've gotten my tank "topped off."

Today was Dr. H's last day at work before his wedding on Friday.  My mom and I gave him a gift last week, and he told me today that they were holding off opening anythign until Saturday.  How sweet is that?  I think it's a bit old fashioned, and I love it.  One of the chemo nurses told me that she had ordered a tux for their overweight Jack Russell Terrier.  Now THAT'S funny!  But he'll be out of the office next week on his honeymoon to Hawaii.  I hope they just have a wonderful time, and that they love getting away!

I'm praying for Dr Y (his partner) next week while Dr. H is gone.

While I was gone, my new bed desk came.  It's not very fancy, and in fact, was one of the least expensive that I looked at, but I love it.  The desk area holds my laptop perfectly, and even though I don't have anything in them, there are pockets on either side of the desk area.  It is going to keep the laptop off of my lap, and maybe it won't be as hot!  If the laptop isn't on it, the desk area can tip upward to hold a book or something.  Interesting.  But very nice.

OK, I'm still tired.  I fell asleep during the last paragraph.  I'll be back tomrrow when the transfusion has kicked in.

I've been a bit low energy.  My hallucinations have been worse than normal.  It's not the painkillers, 'cause I was on this dose before all of this started.

So yesterday, I was supposed to go in for a PT/INR to check my coumadin levels.  They're still EXTREMELY high.  In fact, they're critically high.  If I get a major cut, I will likely bleed out before an ambulance gets here.  INR is supposed to be around 2.  Mine was 6.2.  But I talked them into doing a CBC as well, since I was so droopy.

I asked the nurse yesterday when she called what my hemoglobin level was.  She wasn't sure and said she'd call me back. I told her it was low, and I needed her to check it because I thought it was transfusion time again.

I also sent an email to the doctor telling him that he needed to check my Hgb and could I please have some blood?

Around 2:00 today, I got a call.  Not only is my INR 6.2, so is my Hgb.  Normal is 12-14.  So tomorrow, I get blood.  He offered to admit me to the hospital tonight and get it going, but I refused as the co-pay to do it in the office is $50, and to do it as an inpatient?  $500.  My SIL, Lynnie, is going to take me.

And maybe by this time tomorrow, I'll feel a heck of a lot better.

Well, Kim is on her way home. The H family is at The Royal Gorge (I hope having a blast). And I'm resting.

Kim was wonderful to have here. She and Meleia got the kitchen all straightened up, and then we went to Mardel's, a Christian school supply store. We picked out some cool things for Paul's classroom. We got to drive to Mardel's in Kim's "Pimp-mobile." What a strange little car. She'll have to tell you about it. She pushed the wheelchair very slowly and we were able to shop together. I have a "Be on the lookout" though... We found the cutest box that said, "Every time a child is born, so is a grandmother" or something like that. Kim didn't need/want the box, but we couldn't find it on anything flat. If you guys see that saying anywhere, please buy it, and tell me what I owe you and send it to Kim. It was very cute. I did get Amy the Willow Tree "Angel of the Kitchen."

We got home from Mardel's just about the time that Amy's family arrived. We had dinner together, and visited and laughed. We found Kim a hotel near Denver's airport, and then I made everyone sit down and watch an episode of "Keeping Up Appearances," which has been my giggle-fest show since getting sick.

We took a bunch of pictures and then everyone headed out. Joel and Noah helped get me moved from the chair to my bed. My "big brother" tucked me in, and I was soon out for the count. Meleia did what I asked and woke me up to tell me that Kim had arrived at her hotel safely.

OH, and both Kim and Amy claimed to be able to SEE my peach fuzz. I don't think you can see it yet, but they both said they could. Joel checked it out closely and thinks it's coming in blond. I told him that it's much more likely gray!!!

Kim and Dwayne have invited Paul to come to their house the last weekend in September. He can't wait. It's the week before we go to Disney the NEXT weekend, so he'll have an exciting couple of weeks! That will be good for him.

Here's a link to a few of Amy's pics....

So today was my CT scan.  I had to have 6 ounces of barium at 11:30, 12:30, and 1:00.  The last 6 ounces were to be drunk in the scan room.  Driving down to the hospital, I started feeling kind of sick.  By the time I got TO the hospital, I was feeling REALLY sick.  We didn't make it past the main hallway before I was tossing my barium cookies into a trashcan.  There was a buffet set up nearby, likely by a drug company, for the docs and nurses of the Cancer Center.  And I heard the voice of my favorite chemo nurse. I called her name between heaves, and she came over to help Stephanie and me.  She ran and got cold washcloths, a towel, and once I was done, scrubs to change into.

So we weren't sure if they were going to even DO the scan because I didn't have any barium in my system.  Jill, at the front desk called down to radiology, and I think she got the radiology tech that yelled at Paul the last time I was there.  That tech said I had to drink it, get some into my system... no g-tube... And she didn't much care that my stomach was upset.

Fortunately, when I got down there, a different tech took a look at me, and said that she could likely do it with the residual barium in my system, and she didn't want me throwing up on her on Friday afternoon, so we were going to go ahead and do the scan.  Thank you, God.

Now, because they were doing a chest scan for the first time, I prayed the entire time they were doing the scan.  Primarily that they would NOT find anything in the chest.  Please, please, please...

So Steph gets me home, changed into my own jammies, and tucked into bed with my leg elevated because it was swollen.  I took Tylenol because I was aching head to toe. I think I drifted in and out of sleep for an hour or so.

Then my boys came in.  Their big job today had been to clean out the Expedition.  It was in really bad shape.  They lifted up a "Build-a-bear Workshop" house, and asked me if I knew anything about it.  I didn't.  We opened it up and found a cute little girl bear in a red dress, complete with flowers in her ears and red "undi-bear" panties.  There was a birth certificate in there saying that she had been made on June 6th and it was with love from our friends, Jake and Linda.

Paul said that he saw it in the truck, but he threw it to the back thinking it was one of the kids'.  Well, dearie, it wasn't.  Evidently, Jake and Linda stopped by and we weren't home, so they put it in the Expedition.  Where Paul threw it to the back seat...

Her name is "Gracie," and she is very cute.  And today... today, I needed a Teddy Bear.

I thanked God for the hug.  For the reminder that he is still on the throne, and that I am loved even when I feel lousy, and even when I have to have scans that I don't want.

Now I get to write a "Thank You" to Jake & Linda and apologize for not finding her sooner.  But I'm kind of glad we didn't...

PAUL GOT A JOB!!!!  hE STARTS TEACHING IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!  nEW TEACHER ORIENTATION IS A WEEK FROM TODAY!!!

iT'S A SMALLER SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT THAT MEANS SMALLER CLASSES, ETC.

hE'S VERY HAPPY.  tHANK YOU FOR PRAYING!

Well, after 3 hours from Hell, I started feeling better again.  I mean better like normal better.  At one point, we noticed that I was sitting nearly indian style, which is a position I haven't been able to accomplish in months.  No pain.

We don't want to jinx it, but Mama wonders if there was a nerve somehow tangled with the old stent, and now that it's gone, the pain is diminished with it!  Now, I'm also on more painkillers than before.  But I'm really feeling pretty good.

Mama came into the office with me this morning to help set up my new cubicle.  It's wonderful.  I have double glass looking out at Pike's Peak, and could stare at it for hours (but won't).  It's nice to have in my periphral vision.

My unit moved to the 4th floor yesterday, so I had to get unpacked today.

And now I nust actually work.  Just wanted to let you know that I'm feeling great again!