Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Sixth day post (first) chemo and I am really back to “normal”. I am amazed at how mild my symptoms have been and pray the rest of my chemotherapy is the same! God has abundantly answered prayer.

Thursday, May 15, I did have my first infusion of scary chemo drugs. Since I haven’t yet had a port-a-cath inserted, this first session was in the arm vein. God protected me from any incidents there. I was tired and took a nausea pill that evening but was not sick.

Friday was a busy day and I felt fine but did get tired by evening. Saturday I got up…and went back to bed I was so tired. I slept off and on most of the day. Saturday, Sunday and Monday I did take my nausea pill in the morning, more as a preventive measure, though I did feel a bit “iffy” in the tummy. But I have not been truly nauseated. I need to avoid being sick since that will make my MG worse and could cause serious problems, therefore the preventive measures.

Each day I felt a bit better, though I did feel the muscle weakness a couple of times. Since I am used to that as a myasthenic, it didn’t throw me for a loop. I took each day as it came, rested a lot, paid attention to things like my strength for breathing and eating and now I am much back to what is normal for me.

I am full of thankfulness to God for his care of me. As I said, if all my sessions go so well, I will be jumping for joy (though it won’t look as cute as when my 2 year old grandsons do their jumping)!

I was told I can expect to lose my hair in about a week from now (usually 2 weeks after the first chemo session). My daughter in law’s mother sent over to me 3 of those head turbans to wear. How sweet of her! Though we can’t communicate very well verbally, since she knows little English and I know little Spanish, there is the communication of love and respect which is so precious. I will write her a thank you note in English and Monica will read it to her in Spanish.

But as to losing my hair, I am looking at it as another interesting experience, although it is nice to know it will grow back! But how different it will be after growing back remains to be seen.

It will be interesting to see the children’s reactions to grandma with no hair! If it ends up coming out in clumps, I’ve decided to shave it off. No patchwork head for me! Then again, I may not lose all of it. It may just thin out. I had a friend in grade school who had, genetically, extremely thin hair, a rather bald effect. She lives with that all her life. I can live with little or no hair for a few months. There are more important issues in life!

Now having said all that, I do intend to wear head coverings. I may wear a wig. I am not quite so bold as to go bald headed, especially in public. Still a bit too vain for that.

Randy is going to the gym these days, feeling so much better. He still has physical therapy sessions to go to for a few weeks. Then he flies to West Virginia June 18 for the summer, to be involved with the home repair ministry.

If you wonder why he goes back so late in June, first is the physical therapy sessions which will run through the first week. Second, he will be here in CA with me yet to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary on June 16. Yes, believe it or not, those two “kids” who got married that day (if you knew us then, you’d know!) are now all grown up with sons and daughters in law, the eldest couple celebrating 10 years of wedded bliss! (We rarely get to celebrate wedding anniversaries because it always falls in our summer home repair…busy…time.)

God has been our “traveling companion” all these years. Where would we be without him? We shudder to think. So how crazy would it be to look anywhere else than to him for continuing the journey? He alone has “the words of eternal life”, as Peter so aptly put it so very long ago.

God bless you so that he will be known on earth among all nations,

Jacque

2 comments:

Marsha said...

What wonderful news that you are tolerating the chemo so well! God is so good.

So now you will soon have a head like Randy's. I guess those who come around to visit you two will need to have sunglasses on. ;)

Mike and I continue to pray for you all and the ministry back in WVA. We got an email from George Deuel early this a.m. He was heading up to Mustard Seeds with Perry, Brian and Dave to do some work. God bless Perry working so hard for you all!

Closing went well on our new facility. We have 3 teams coming up starting the first week of June to do a few things to get it ready for us to move the Learning Center over - hopefully by the beginning of July.

I love you, dear sis!

christian and amanda said...

Hi Jacque, We've been reading your updates and praying for you. We had a wonderful time in WV. However, we missed you and Randy. Jacob and Deontae came back with us, but D already went home. Jake is here for a while, working and making lots of friends. During my mom's treatment, she sported the baldy look...someone at the symphony though she was making a fashion statement...she's so tall and got so thin with the treatment....with a shiny bald head, and fancy black dress. I'm encouraged that God has answered so many prayer for you in this time. Happy almost anniversary! Amanda and Christian ( Silas and Priya, too)