Next to the last week of treatment - phase 1

Today is the next to the last week of chemo and radiation in phase one of treatment. The doc told Rayleene today, that this chemo treatment was the strong stuff, and the next treatment will not be as strong. She will have to have a chemo treatment every three weeks for 9 weeks following the internal radiation treatment that takes three days in the hospital. that happens the 2 week in January. Long, unexpected road, but life is what it is, and you make the best of all the blessings that we have.

Took Rayleene with me shopping yeterday, she was really tired so we went to a couple of stores. Took her to Sephora in JC Pennys and got her new make[up, it really looks good. She does not want to look sick or tired, so we changed things up a bit for her. She had bad heartburn on Thursday night, it kept her up a lot, so went back to my house so she could sleep a bit. She said that the radiation has screwed with her taste and smell, things that smelled good to her before, not does not smell so good, and she needs to have a lot of seasoning on food for it to not taste like cardboard, some small things that should get better after treatment.

GREAT NEWS

Rayleene had a CT scan on Wednesday, the tumor has markedly shrunk. She is scheduled for her first internal radiation treatment for the second week in January. She will be in the hospital for 3 days and must reaming in bed, due to the radioactive beads. She can have visitors during this time but only for 30 min at a time. She can watch TV or work on a computer, a boring 3 days for her. The good news is the tumor is shrinking, and she has not been sick one day. She gets really tired, has heartburn, but all things considered that is not all that bad. She has two more treatments of chemo in this round.

Short treatment, but very tired

I have noticed that the third day after Chemo, Rayleene is extremely tired, and sleeps a lot, which is good. Sleep is healing. She only had radiation today, no infusion of fluids, so was back from Grand Junction early, she will only have radiation tomorrow as well. She came to my house after treatment, and played with Gabi, and slept. She has a rash on her lower abdomen, doctor said it was a yeast infection caused by the radiation. It is not causing her a problem at the moment, but the doctor gave her some medicated cream to use.

She was told today, that the chemo treatment would not be as legenthy this monday, that instead of having to wait four hours after chemo for radiation, the time begins when the chemo treatment begins, so she will only have to wait a couple of hours at most between treatments. No sickness, which is fantastic.

Great day

Today was a great day for my daughter, she got home from radiation, took a nap, and went for a ride on her horse. Something that she has not done in quite a while. She said it was an amazing feeling, riding again. She has had a problem with her sciatic nerve, seems that the tumor might have been causing the nerve pain, none today. Bleeding has stopped, the smell is gone, she is doing amazing. One strong young woman, my daughter.

3rd Chemo treatment done

Research shows that if an individual has chemo first and then radiation the rate of cure is increased, so that changed things up for Rayleene she had chemo first, then had to wait four hours and take the radiation. Still not sick, is taking the medication, but its working. $376.00 for 3 pills is a lot of money, but how can you put a dollar value on your life? The health care system is to blame, the politicians are to blame, the politicians shoulder most of the blame, everything politicians touch ultimately turns to shit. The health care system is where the housing market was a couple of years ago, the system can not withstand much more, it is going to collapse just like real estate.

Rayleene said that she is feeling fine, just REALLY tired, and needs a lot of sleep. If that is the only side effect that would be such a welcome thing. Back for radiation tomorrow. Her blood work is better than it was the last time, so what ever the doctors are doing, is working. One day at a time, one day at a time.

Sunday after Thanksgiving

Rayleene was a bit sick over the holiday, but we determined that it was a 24 hour bug that her sister and father also had. She has been extremely tired, and slept a lot, but that is what the treatments seem to do. She has her third round of Chemotherapy tomorrow, Neil Ray, will take her to St. Mary's and stay with her during the treatment. I think she will be to the half way point after this treatment, of this particular set of treatments. It is exhausting for her, everyday to Junction, wished she could have had the treatments closer, but that was not an option, so it is what it is and we do what has to be done. One day at a time, one day at a time.

Love her new hair cut and color, she is doing amazing well. So proud of her, she has fight and spunk

Thanksgiving and the day after

Thanksgiving was good, Rayleene ate and seemed in good spirits, just tired. Chemo really takes the wind out of your sails. She called later in the evening and said that she had some stomach issues, but thought it was due to not eating all day and then eating to much at dinner. Told her to eat 4-6 little meals a day.

Today she took some over the counter medication and is feeling much better, again just really tired, slept most of the day. Good news, it isn't the chemo that made her a bit ill, her sister was feeling poorly, low grade fever, chills and aches, and now her father is feeling a bit under the weather.

Back for radiation and chemo on Monday, Neil Ray, and awesome friend, will go with her since Bill is now working. Neal is such a great guy, he would go to the ends of the world to help you if he could. Thank you Neal for all that you do for Rayleene and Bill, you are an amazing human being.

Second week

Tabitha went with Rayleene yesterday for her Chemo treatment. Rayleene is doing great, her blood work is good, and she has not been sick. Yesterday, she looked pale and tired. Christian went with her this morning for a radiation treatment and a kidney flush, she has to go in tomorrow, Thanksgiving, for another kidney flush, then no treatments until Chemo next Monday. Two weeks down, 3 more to go, then the 9 weeks of Chemo treatments. All of this will put her system into early menopause, but it is what it is. She has had some hot flashes, and been emotional, but dealing with cancer would make one emotional. Sheyanne is on her way home from the University of Wyoming for Thanksgiving. Rayleene really needs to see her. Even with all the bad things 2011 brought to our door, we still have many more things to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving week.

Sunday radiation

Got up early and went with Rayleene to GJ for her radiation treatment. She was first treatment, and before she was finished, approximately 20 minutes, there were already 5 people who were there for treatment. One lady, Rayleene told me, is not able to have a port put in under her collar bone for the Chemo, they have to put her out each time, and find a different vein to put the treatment into.

Rayleene seems to be fine, a bout with constipation, but was only for a day,she is tired, but no other ill effects, as of yet. Second chemo treatment will be on Tuesday, then they are back on schedule for Monday's. Five weeks of this and then a stronger chemo treatment one day every three weeks for a period of 9 weeks. She will also have to be in the hospital for two days twice during this time, where they will directly implant radiation beads into the cervix not sure when that will occur. The cost of travel to and from GJ, is high, even with my car. Good thing is that Bill has a job with the Water Users. One day at a time is all we can do, take one day at a time.

Day 5

Day 5 and all seems well, there has been no illness from the chemo, but I have noticed she is really tied. The secondary stressis paying for all of this, no insurance, and due to the Obamacare mess, she was not diagnosed in the right place, who knew, so there is no assistance for her at the state level. Not that the person we spoke to at the state had a clue, but it seems that she had to be diagnosed at a Women's clinic associated with HHS, which there is not one in Delta County, and no one knew this anyway. The conversation with Diane at the state was unreal, she did not listen to what was being said, she had to be told three times that Rayleene had started treatment. The three pills that she needs to keep from getting sick cost 376.00 and she needs them every week. Cancer is a cash cow for the medical community, so why find a cure, they are making to much money by not finding a cure. I know yhat sounds synical, But, look at smallpox and polio, they found a cure, in a lot less time, but of course that was a time when there was ethics in the world. They have made advances, but at such a high cost, to the patient, and then the Obamacare mess, just makes it worse.

The shock of bad news

After the initial shock wore off, we sat in the atrium of the hospital onocology center and talked about what was to come. She explained everything that had been told to her, the two doctors were upbeat, positive, and 90% positive that she would be this thing. They explained that this was the easiest type of cancer to take care of, and that was what they were going to do. She said that she did not want anythings symapthy, she only wanted people to stay positive and be supportive though this process. When people say they are so sorry, she informs that that this not a death sentence, she does not need nor want sympathy, she wants their positive thoughts and support

Days before

I should have started this a month or so ago, when out of the thunder struck sky we learned that our oldest daughter had cervical cancer. She had not been ill, thought she might have a UTI, and went to the emergency room at the hospital, where the adventure began. The emergency room doctor (a female) told her bluntly, I think you probably have cancer, you should get a hysterectomy immediately, but we will send these samples to the lab to be sure. End of story. what a shock, what a horrible to have that kind of information delivered to you. Note to self, find out the name and stay away from that doctor. Later it was confirmed that there were cancer cells, and she was set for a hysterectomy at St. Mary's in Grand Junction.

She so positive, so upbeat, stating that she had a lot of living to do, she had just gotten married the previous May, and her amazing daughter was a junior at the University of Wyoming. She was not finished raising her, not ready to give up and not fight, she was in the battle to win at all costs. She is strong,m she is a fighter, she is opinionated, but tough.

She came out of the pre-op sessions and informed me there would be no surgery, the tumor was to large to operate on, she would have to have 5 weeks of radiation and chemo treatments.