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.