Only Two More Chemo Infusions to Go!

The quick update: today I finished part 2 of chemo round 5, next week is my skip week.  On Tuesday (my skip day), they will repeat my MRIs, starting at 7 p.m.  We should receive results by Wednesday afternoon.  I only have 2 more chemo infusions!

Kirsten, Weston, and baby Kira have been in town.  Kirsten came to Chemo with Scott and me this morning.  It was so fun hanging out with her.  We worked on stockings! She's designing her own, beach themed stockings, since they live near and love beach life!  Today included a mermaid tail and a jelly fish.  

These wonderful stockings have now had 46 loving people help with sequins; that includes my son, Will (aka Scott Jr.), who sequinned a Santa hat, and my nephew, Colton, who sequinned that same Santa's boots.  I'll share photos when they are completed.  I'm hoping to have 50 people before we finish.  It will be fun to share with my future grandchildren the story of so many loving hands helping make their stockings when I was fighting cancer.  I'll share with them that the cancer affected my fine motor skills and threatened to end my life way too early; but we beat it, and now we have these beautiful stockings to hold the memory.  

While I'm on the subject of fine motor skills, I am carrying a lot of guilt for not sending hand written thank you notes for all of the kindnesses that have been shown to me and my family.  Hopefully, I

have acknowledged appreciation through email or text.  I'm hoping my handwriting skills can return as treatments change.  I deeply appreciate every text, email, chemo day scripture, flower planted, weed pulled, leaf cleared, flowers sent or dropped off, video with memories, sequin sewed, needle threaded, meal provided, card sent, soft blanket shared, encouragement given, smile, prayer, FB comment of encouragement, ride, treat, PJs and anything else I have failed to imclude here.  I continue to feel so much strength, physical, and spiritual power from all of your daily prayers. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

A miracle from this week, for some reason, my left hand became really swollen on Saturday.  I was concerned and messaged my medical team.  I had been wearing my compression sleeve and thought that maybe it was preventing the fluid in my hand from draining.  I prayed Saturday night asking for the fluid to clear up.  I also removed my compression sleeve.  Sunday morning, my hand was back to normal.  It was a small, specific request.  But I want to acknowledge my Savior who watches over each of us and blesses us in small specific ways as we pray for and notice the small miracles he blesses us with along the way.  I was able to prepare a Father's Day dinner for Scott, who is one of the best fathers and grandfathers I know.  He learned from the best-- his dad, Lynn Tenney, and my dad, Perry Fisher.  

Port Report... or Re-port report

The quick updates:  They placed my port 2 weeks ago.  I have 4 more chemo infusions, then they plan to do targeted radiation, then immunotherapy every 21 days for a year, hopefully eradicating this cancer!

Yosemite

 

Since my last entry, we enjoyed a week trip with Garrett’s family. We explored Stanford campus, where we lived for 2 years while Garrett and Scott Jr. were in preschool, and Scott was in business school.  We explored Fisherman’s Wharf, toured Alcatraz island, ate clam chowder in a bread bowl at the Boudin Bakery, and had hot chocolate at Ghirardelli Square.  We then drove to Yosemite, where we glamped for 4 nights at Under Canvas, a few miles outside of the park. 

We hiked to see several waterfalls, Mirror Lake, and a few groves of Sequoia trees.  It was a great trip, and I was able to hike and enjoy the trip.  My favorite hike was the Hetch Hetchy hike, 2.5 miles to the base of a waterfall, where you were cooled down by the spray of the falls, then 2.5 miles back out.  

Mirror Lake

I was also able to attend the annual Manhattan Beach Moms Trip, our 21st year!  We went to Deana’s parents’ beautiful ranch in Star Valley, Wyoming.  We hiked to a waterfall at Jenny Lake in the Grand Tetons, visited Jackson Hole, the Star Valley Temple, and a fish hatchery.  I taught the group how to make my roll dough,

and then we shaped it into dinner rolls, cinnamon knot rolls, and cinnamon rolls.  We always do a service, and this year, they all helped with my Christmas stocking sequining project.  These stockings have now had 42 loving hands assisting with them. 

I’m so glad I was able to attend Moms' weekend.  It is always such a fun and uplifting weekend.  

Right now, I’m sitting at my 8th infusion.  We are encouraged with the response my body is having to the treatments.  At our last visit with the doctor, she said we will do 4 more chemos after today, then some targeted radiation, and then immunotherapy every 21 days for a year!   We are very optimistic and feel like we are going to beat this round of cancer,  Thank you for the many daily prayers offered

in my behalf.  I feel uplifted and sustained by them.  I know that our prayers are heard and answered.  Thank you for helping these miracles happen in my life. 

 

Thursday Report, What's next.

Quick update:  Continue chemo & immunotherapy for 3 more cycles (chemo, chemo, skip).  Then probably targeted radiation, then immunotherapy for a year (every 21 days).  

 Thursday was a busy day!  Scott was out of town for work meetings, so my close friend Erin picked me up at 8:00, then dropped me off at my next stop at 3:15 (my first ride on the Front Runner).  

My lab appointment was at 8:30.  They can only access veins in my right arm because of my lymphedema in my left arm.  I didn't want a port, because I hated having one last time--it felt weird and is the only noticeable scar from round 1 of breast cancer 13 years ago.  I went along without one in case things didn't work; but since we are looking at over a year of vein usage, I'm giving in and getting a port in early June.  

Next was my doctor's appointment. I love my oncologist, Sandra Buys.  She is smart, compassionate, takes as much time as needed to answer questions and discuss options.  She was thrilled with the progress.  As my tumors have shrunk, I've been gaining water weight, with swelling in both legs, but more so in my right ankle,--the one I broke 5 years ago.  So, I'm now wearing compression on every limb but the right arm, which has worn out veins! She gave me a couple meds to help with that.  As noted in the spoiler alert at the beginning, we will continue with 3 more cycles of chemo, then most likely switch over to radiation, while continuing the immunotherapy for another year.  So we are hopeful in winning this battle!

After my Dr. visit, we went to the infusion area.  It was so fun having 4-5 hours catching up on things while we sewed sequins (now 26 friends have helped!) during my infusion. Erin's been one of my closest friends for 38 years.  We've lived in the same place or in close proximity 7 different times, maybe more.  She is a great cook, and I've learned so many culinary things by spending time in her kitchens.  I learned how to make cinnamon knot rolls from her probably 37 years ago.  We make caramel candy every December. She feeds huge crowds amazing meals, and never seems flustered.  She fills people with food, but she also fills spirits with her faith and goodness.  She is a treasured friend. 

Sewing sequins.

After my infusion, Erin dropped me off at the train station.  Thanks to help from my next door neighbors Tina and Mia, I took my first ride on the Front Runner, a train that connects between Provo and Ogden, maybe further.  It was really easy to do, and a fast way to miss heavy traffic.  I traveled down to the South Jordan stop, where Tina picked me up, because she was coming back from Provo.  We were both attending a dinner with Utah Academic Language Therapists who I have either recruited and/or helped train.  I think we had 14 people around the table, and letters from 3 others who couldn't attend.  It was so kind of Lisa and Connie to put this together and to comment on the ripple effect it has had as each of these Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALTs) are now helping lots of dyslexic kids.  It was a beautiful night, and I totally forgot to take a photo!  

Shrinking!!

 I just read through yesterday's MRI results in My Chart.  My oncologist will explain more at my appointment tomorrow, but the mass encasing my left brachial plexus was 5.6x4.0x5.7 cm and is now 4.2x1.7x5.0 cm and the mass in my arm was 1.6 cm and is now .8 cm, so I am thrilled with this news.  It is great to hear that my tumors and my body are responding well to our current treatment plan.  I assume we will continue with what is working.  Thank you for the prayers.  They are felt and are very appreciated.  I'll add more tomorrow, if there is anything else to add.  I feel so relieved that things are going in the direction we are hoping for!  

Beads & Sequins of Love

The quick medical update: Tuesday, 5 p.m., MRI scan. Thursday, chemo and immunotherapy. I’m feeling good, have decent energy, no nerve pain, and I’m sleeping well without meds.  My friend Heather invented the perfect word, "scanxiety."

 I’ve had several friends ask how they can help. For now, I’m able to cook, shop, do laundry, and keep up with normal things. I’m still teaching my 5 students. The effects of chemo, besides baldness, losing eye lashes, and starting to lose eye brows, are: I move slower, have swelling in my left ankle (where I broke my ankle 5 years ago) and right arm (where I’ve had lymphedema), and my fine motor skills are impaired.  Not bad, I prefer all of the above over nausea and diarrhea.  My body is tolerating things well.  I'm very thankful for this.  

 The one general area of “need” or “want” is that I want to make sure I have Christmas stockings ready for my two grandchildren arriving this year, and potentially 4 additional grandchildren that we hope will join our family at some point in the future. These are handmade stockings that all feature a Santa, with additional details, all covered with sequins and beads. They are a Tenney tradition, and each one takes hours of work.

Our beach living/loving family added a tropical twist to their stockings.

This close up look, showing each single sequin and bead.

Friends have come to the rescue. So far, 25 different friends have taken part in this sequin and beading project. I have felt so much love from each sequin and bead stitched. It will mean a lot to my grandchildren when they are older and hear about all of the hands that helped to create their stockings while “Taffy” (my grandma name) was fighting cancer. Thank you for all of the loving sequins and beads!

Another wonderful service has been provided by my kids, and several friends. Every chemo day, they have surprised me with short videos shared by siblings, family, and friends, sharing fun memories we made together. It has been so much fun, and a great distraction during chemo. Thank you so much for everyone who has shared a memory. If anyone would like to send my girls a video for a future chemo day surprise, this is the link you can share it to:  https://forms.gle/4riu2NUAkxAJGBJM6, or FB message Courtney Page or Kirsten Bush.

I’ll update this as soon as we hear back on the scan. We should hear back by end of day Wednesday.

When Hard Becomes Holy

The quick update, I've now had 5 infusions. My left hand is regaining strength and flexibility. My nerve pain is gone. I feel way more energetic than I expected to feel at this point of treatment. My body is tolerating both the chemo and immunotherapy well. When Scott asked the doctor what best case scenario is, she said, "Shrink the tumors enough for targeted radiation, radiation completely eradicates the tumors, then continue immunotherapy for a year, with continued monitoring." It was the first time anyone had mentioned even the possibility of complete eradication, and she was careful to temper our expectations, saying it wasn't a likely outcome, but it gave us some needed hope.

Easter weekend was beautiful.  Good Friday was a skip Friday!   This gave me more time to focus on and appreciate Jesus’s suffering and sacrifice for each of us, individually.  He knows what it is like to experience every feeling and experience we have in life.  I recently read an address by Camille Johnson, president of the Relief Society of our church.  She talked about hard things that come in life.  She said something like, “You can do hard alone, and it is just hard.  But when you do hard with Jesus, hard becomes holy.”  I loved that thought.  I love going through life’s adventures with Jesus by my side.  I feel honored to be the recipient of so many daily prayers in my behalf.  I want all of you to know that your prayers are felt.  I feel stronger than I should, and I’m able to do more right now than I should, and it is the blessings from your prayers.  These are making my experience holy.  In my personal prayers, I’m praying that everyone praying for me will feel God stronger in their lives, that they will experience some of the same holiness that I’m feeling.  I’m so thankful for all of you that have joined my journey.  You are blessing my life, adding joy, and increasing my capacity.  Thank you.

This past couple of weeks have brought a lot of joy.  I met up with the girls in our family at Heath and Elizabeth’s home near New Haven, CT.  We had a fun girls plus Heath weekend. 



We met up with a good friend from high school, Sharon, who I had not seen in person since my wedding reception. 


We enjoyed a morning walk along the beach.  Friday night, as we prepared to leave for dinner, everyone kept coming out wearing something sparkly.  Courtney had secretly packed some sparkly pants from my closet for me to wear.  Then they pulled out colorful wigs.  It was a really fun early birthday celebration.  Saturday morning, we had a baby shower for Elizabeth’s baby girl, due in July.  We also spent time sequinning Santas for Christmas stockings for grandkids coming in the future.  

Tuesday, April 14th, was chemo day number 5 (because I was out of town for my regular Friday infusion.  It was birthday chemo, and when Scott and I walked into Zupa’s, I was surprised by my birthday buddy Cristy, who flew in from Mississippi, Jenny, who flew in from Atlanta, and Krista, who now lives in Utah County.  We all served together about 25 years ago.  Later, my older sister and brother in law, Laurie and Chuck, came in town and celebrated with us over night.    That night, I was serenaded by lots of my favorite neighborhood kids and their parents, over 40 people!  It was the best chemo day ever, and definitely one of the best birthdays too!  

This Tuesday will be my 6th infusion.  They will do scans after to see how much things have shrunk.  I’ve been doing infusions through my veins so far, because I didn’t like having a port last time.  But, if the tumors are shrinking, I’ll go ahead and get a port, because they have to poke me multiple times to find a good vein.  I didn’t want to commit to a port until I knew it was needed.  

Holy Week

I’ve had 2 Friday infusions since my last post. I’m tolerating both drugs well, Trodelvy, and now  Keytruda, my immunotherapy drug.  Keytruda is given every 21 days.  My energy levels are better than I’d expected.  They will do more scans after my 3rd sequence, so late April we will know how the tumors have shrunken. I know that good things are happening because my left arm's range of motion is greatly improved. My nerve pain is gone, and I'm sleeping well.

Both infusion days included a special guest!  Kirsten and 6 month old Kira came for a week of fun smiles and army crawls.  Kira spent an afternoon with her other grandma, Lisa. and her Aunt McKenna, allowing Kirsten to come with Scott and me. 

The next Friday, Heath was in town and came along with us.  Kirsten and Heath overlapped a few days, which was extra fun for me, and extra productive on my project list.  My pantry now looks like a model home.  I’m so sad that we didn’t take a before photo, but I love the end result, and I’m determined to keep it in order–a place for everything, and everything in its place, no loose items. 

Organized pantry

Clean & organized fridge

I keep expanding my hair options.   I purchased some human hair wigs off of FB marketplace.  Heath and I definitely made some memories as we gathered them.  A thorough cleaning once we brought them home, and I now have an auburn, brunette, and blonde options.  I also purchased a black baseball hat with hair.  The 2 baseball hats are definite favorites because they are easy to put on and head out the door.  

Lisa Falls, Litle Cottonwood Canyon

One of my colorful compression sleeves

I now have a handicapped parking pass that will not expire.  That’s my plan too!  Last time, I waited too long before getting one.  When I felt like I needed it, my immune system was at risk, masks were not a thing 13 years ago, and I had to wait at the DMV for a long time.  This time, Heath did the leg work for me, while I worked on projects at home.

I’m finding that the Monday after Friday chemo seems to be the hardest day, as far as energy level and fatigue.  Getting out for walks helps so much. My friend, Ellen, is my Monday walking friend. We live in such a beautiful place with easy access to mountain trails.

  

In April, the annual Tenney girls trip (plus host Heath this year) will happen in Connecticut.   

We are going to Yosemite with Garrett’s family in May.  Summer time will be here very soon.  We look forward to our summer visitors.  We have also scheduled a Disney Cruise for 2027.  It is so fun scheduling events to look forward to. 

As we are at the beginning of Holy Week, I love and appreciate what Jesus has done for everyone.  I love knowing that Easter morning reminds us that our loved ones who have passed will rise and be with us again.  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/welcome/easter?lang=eng