Feeling Better (not awesome, but better)

Hello everyone! I am feeling better today I so wanted to pass along the good news! I am glad that the past few days are behind me- I really felt like a giant hunk of junk. Today I am still quite sore and super wiped out but not barfy and completely out of it. Some would argue that I am out of it most of the time, but I REALLY hate that feeling- yuck!! Good thing my sweet family loves me and is so good to me- they could seriously take advantage of me- yikes!!  It seems that my medication reaction just intensified the usual side effects that I get from each chemo treatment. I threw everyone for a loop because seriously - who has a reaction like that to Benadryl? The whole reason they give me such a high dose of Iv Benadryl is to prevent an allergic reaction to the taxol. Apparently I'm just an overachiever and my body reacts early!! Anyway it was kind of a spooky thing to have happen. All is well now- the only not so great thing is that my left arm is very sore and my hand is a bit swollen from the BP cuff. Hopefully that is all there is to it! Tyler already thanked all the people that helped but he was awesome too. He stayed very calm in a stressful situation- kudos to him. He has done a great job taking care of me and I so appreciate it! Alexa has also been fantastic at jumping in and helping. She is great at recognizing when I need help or something needs done and just doing it. She doesn't need to be asked, she simply does. She has had to help with weird and embarrassing things like helping me get dressed or helping me out of the tub a few times and I can't thank her enough. She will be 16 on Thursday and is wise and mature and compassionate far beyond those 16 years. Plus she has helped me put my underwear on, so she deserves extra credit for that!! Eli ran a 5k Saturday as a fundraiser for relay for life. He ran a fantastic race and finished in 3rd place overall(2 adults had faster times). Not bad for an 11 yr old!! He was excited to run "for you mom" and has been very interested in helping with fundraisers and cancer awareness. He and Tyler are both letting their hair grow a bit as I now have a TON of fuzz! I keep trying to get a picture but it doesn't show up because it is so light- I'm afraid it's old lady white but Alexa calls it platinum blonde. (Knew I loved that girl!!). I also must mention my Jonah here. He prefers to stay in the background and hates having his picture taken so he can be easily overlooked. He also tells people "I don't know" when they ask how his mom is. He has been a marvelous helper and a hilarious and entertaining friend through all this. He doesn't want people to know what a tender heart he has, but sorry Jonah boy- the secret is out! He helps me go on my walks and doesn't complain that he has aged 40 yrs in the time it takes me to get down the driveway(that's MY complaint!) My tall and handsome 14 yr old helps me walk outside IN PUBLIC and holds my hand or my arm to support me. Do y'all realize what a big deal that is to walk in the cemetery where people can see you holding your mom's hand? I also might add that the mom is probably in her jammies with a dorky hat or bandanna on her head and is also probably wearing a mask- and slippers!! I can't imagine a more true act of love!! Oh and just to clarify, for those of you who don't know, I live next to a cemetery and it's the perfect place to walk. I didn't want anyone to think I had developed some morbid fascination with cemeteries since starting chemo - that's just weird! Anyway the plan for this week is to feel better!! I'm off to a good start! I meet with the dr on the 12th and will have labs checked at that time. I'm guessing the game plan for my FINAL round of chemo will not include Benadryl! Right now that treatment is scheduled on the 17th. As always that will depend on my blood counts, liver enzymes, and dr approval. I am SO excited to have 1 round left- woohoo!!!! I'm not sure when I will be able to return to work full time, church every Sunday, and that kind of "normal life" stuff.  I will discuss that with the dr at my appointment. I love being to attend a portion of church every few weeks. I miss the spiritual and social perks a ton when I can't attend. This is a pic of me in my new Mother's Day outfit - I couldn't go on that day but a week later worked too! Gramita and Alexa did a great job making me look (and feel) like an actual girl! Thank you to everyone for your never failing support and love. I love you for running this marathon with us- a sprint would have been easier - but the support has never wavered. There are truly no words to express how deeply I have been touched but please know how thankful we all are. We are inspired to love others more because of the love we have been shown. Thank you x infinity!  

A Rough Day

    I have had a really rough day. Still quite nauseated and now super owie from the taxol and neulasta from yesterday. I have also had trouble with being dizzy and woozy. The dumb reaction I had to the Benadryl has seemed to really take a toll on me this time. Gramita has been great to help me run my Iv fluids the past 2 days. I am hoping that the extra fluids will help flush all the "yuck" out of my system. I have been struggling with the fogginess and chemo brain terribly this time too.......
    Hi! It's Lex now because my momma keeps forgetting what she's doing with a phone in her hand! She also keeps forgetting words or mixing them up. It's usually kind of comical, but today she's pretty hard to understand. Her left arm is hurting pretty bad too because of the blood pressure cuff that rapid response had to put on her. She's not supposed to have blood pressure taken on that arm because of the lymph nodes that were taken out when she originally had the mastectomy. All in all, it was a pretty miserable day. Hopefully tomorrow will be better! As always, thank you so much for the prayers and love! - Alexa

8:45 AM Friday, May 30, 2014

Melissa says she is feeling less fuzzy this morning. She said her head didn't feel attached and her fingers wouldn't work. I'm always glad to hear of some improvement so I figured you all would want to know too. She says her "reaction adventure" has thrown her for a loop! Please just keep the prayers coming! Thanks a million ~ Nicole

We went to the IV lab around 11:30 today. After we got there they gave Melissa her fluids and started some of her premeds. All was going just like normal until they gave her the Benadryl medication. When they gave her the Benadryl she started to have an anaphylactic shock reaction (swelling of the throat, itchy hands and itchy feet).  She actually blacked out shortly and they ended up calling in the rapid response team to come and provide assistance (They determined that we should no longer be giving her Benadryl with any of her medications again). They gave her some oxygen and checked her heart rate, blood, glucose level and oxygen level. After a short time everything returned to normal without any other medications. During the other previous two treatments that she had received with Benadryl we noticed that there was a slight reaction but none were this severe. We also thought they were caused by the Taxol and not the Benadryl. After consulting with the doctor we decided that it would be okay to continue with the Taxol treatment. We did receive an option to postpone the Taxol for a couple of days but this would make it so she would have to have all the pre-medications again. The doctor and the nursing staff in IV therapy decided that we should slow the drip from a three hour drip to a four hour drip to see if it would induce any more additional reactions. By slowing the drip it would let us know if the reactions were going to happen and how severe they might be. Fortunately with the premeds she had received there were no more additional reactions to the Taxol treatment. She will have to go in tomorrow around five for her Neulasta shot. We would like to offer a special thank you to all those that provided care for her today, especially those who reacted in the rapid response team and the nurses in IV therapy. We have received nothing but the best of care on all of her treatments so far. And we are extremely happy that she will only have one more treatment after this. :) - Tyler
Tonight Melissa had a pretty bad headache which has been typical on treatment days. However, considering all she has been through today, she is okay.

 Just a quick update. Today I saw Dr. Miranda and had my labs drawn. My labs all look ok- my liver enzymes are still elevated but are within acceptable levels for chemotherapy. So that means Tuesday is chemo day!! After this treatment I will have only 1 more chemo treatment to go!! The Finish line is close and I am WAY ready to cross it!! I am truly grateful for all the blessings that have come our way during this experience, but I am ready to be DONE!!!! This has been a good week and I have been able to work most days. A huge shout out to my awesome coworkers who take such good care of me and put up with my goofiness. They have been very careful to keep me healthy and have been my constant cheerleaders. We have felt such love and support from so many wonderful people. I am constantly amazed at the overall goodness of the people in our lives!! Thank you all so very much! Love to all!! ~ Melissa

Just a little update. I did have my labs checked this week. My blood counts all look good right now. The counts might fall in the next few days, but hooray for now! I have not yet figured out the pattern of this drug. My liver enzymes are elevated, but not as high as last time. I will have my labs checked again next Thursday. If my levels still look decent then my next chemo treatment will be Tuesday the 27th. My second to last treatment!! Woohoo!! I feel pretty good today, just way wiped out. I think I am now over the "my bones are breaking from the inside" feeling! I am still experiencing the burning and tingling feet, especially at night. The foot issue, along with the extreme hot flashes are not particularly conducive to sleep! Once again poor Tyler is the one to suffer- he has had to deal with all kinds of adventures! I am hoping to work a little toward the end of next week. I can hardly believe that we are in the last few weeks of school!! It seems crazy! I have been loving the warm weather and have enjoyed going for walks everyday! I keep thinking that it will take me FOREVER to get my full strength back, but maybe my measly daily walks will help speed the process along a little! Eli (my fitness fanatic) is super excited to "train" me when my treatment is finished. He is going to run a 5k at the end of the month with uncle Trevor's relay for life team (DL Evans Bank) and can hardly wait. The apple really DID fall far from the tree with that boy and his penchant for exercise :). We are all feeling very optimistic and thrilled that the chemo is winding down. I am so looking forward to being able to spend much of the summer enjoying my kiddos and being out of seclusion!! We remain so thankful for the love and support we have been shown. Love to all!! ~ Melissa

Race for the Cure

Today I just wanted to send a quick update and also a giant "Holy Moses I feel so very loved and incredibly grateful". Physically it is not my best day. I am having the dumb neulasta bone pain with the taxol muscle and joint pain. The good news is that it is not quite as intense as last time (thanks to the 10% chemo dose reduction) and that the burning in my feet isn't so bad (thanks to increase in the neurontin). I haven't asked Tyler to amputate any limbs yet, so this is definitely an improvement :). The really owie stuff lasted about 5 days last time, so hopefully the next few days will be better. I am scheduled to get labs checked on Tuesday. Hopefully my liver will not freak out this time and will play nice. I would love to return to the "chemo every 3 weeks schedule!" I did get some other great news this week. I had an echocardiogram done Monday to assess my heart for any damage. This is because the adriamycin can really be toxic to the heart muscle. My heart has actually Improved since chemo has started!! This test was compared to the MUGA scan that was done prior to starting chemo and my ejection fraction has gone up nearly 10%!! Can't really explain it, but this is fantastic news!! And other fantastic news- I have a little fuzzy hair now! I have completely lost my eyelashes and eyebrows, but for whatever goofy reason the fuzz has decided to invade my head!! It is a little itchy but kind of exciting! The hair right now is super light - don't know what will happen when it comes in for real. I'm thinking it looks like "old lady white" right now- yikes!! Today is also a cool day because "race for the cure" sponsored by the Susan G. Komen foundation is happening at locations all around the country. This is the biggest breast cancer awareness fundraiser that happens all year (yes- even though October is breast cancer awareness month). This race is a 5 or 10k that people run and collect donations. I had 2 very special friends participate today. My sweet friend Blanca surprised me and raced in Salt Lake and wore my name on her shirt (probably the only way I will ever "run" a race- heehee). This is a cute picture of her - she is truly beautiful inside and out and I miss her like crazy. Nicole also raced today up in Boise. This was a big deal that required her to spend the night up there and also to run in the pouring rain and cold today. She was the first friend I told about my diagnosis, and has been right there with me from the beginning. A huge thank you to these 2 wonderful ladies- I love you so much!! I continue to be amazed at the love and support we feel on a daily basis. God has truly given us everything (and everyone) we needed to fight this battle. One last special thank you. Tomorrow we honor and celebrate our mothers. Besides the most amazing mom ever, I have been blessed with a step mom, mother in law and grandmas who love my family unconditionally and have taught me by words and example. I can't imagine facing this trial without the legacy of faith that has been so lovingly passed down. I have also been blessed to be nurtured by other dear women who have blessed me with their wisdom and love. I am most thankful for them. And finally, as I am limited right now in my full capacity for "mothering" I am so grateful for those that have stepped in to help my children. Thank you for rides, meals, kind words and a listening ear. Most of all, thank you for your prayers in behalf of these 3 that I love more than life. God is good!! ~ Melissa

Blanca in Salt Lake at Race for the Cure!


A little clarification and side note about today from Nicole ~ This weekend has been a little emotional for me. I was able to join my friend Tammy in support of our dear friend, Johanna, in the Race for the Cure with "Team Johanna".  I found out Johanna was battling cancer about an hour after Melissa told me about her diagnosis. That was a lot to handle in one evening. It never matters how long it has been since you have seen a friend when something like that happens it really shakes you up! Johanna has been in my thoughts and prayers every day along with Melissa. She has sent helpful advice and encouraging messages for me to pass on to Melissa even though they have never met. It was inspiring to see her this weekend and hear about her courageous fight. She has taught school part time through both chemo and radiation. She has been a hero to her 3rd grade class as well as her darling little family and many others who showed their support today as Johanna walked as a survivor! (All three of these friends were there to support me when my son passed away, which means more than words can say.)
At the race, I enjoyed the sayings on T-shirts, crazy wigs, fun socks, banners, bras on the outside, and tutus, but most of all the support of loved ones. It was humbling to see people wearing the names of people they loved as they walked or ran.  Many actually had some sort of explanation which added to the emotion. So many of them wore huge smiles of victory as they crossed the finish line because it symbolized much more than a simply running a 5K. 
As we were driving to the race, rain was pouring down and it was COLD! We were discussing the crazy amount of moisture we were being blessed with (probably not in those words) when Johanna said "Its better than chemo" and she was right. Then just before the race started, the rain was letting up and it actually started to get sunny. It was still cold but I ended up shedding some layers. I didn't actually have to run in the pouring rain, but thank you for making me sound awesome! Also, I just walked, I'm in terrible shape. 
I am thankful for the example these two friends are of bravery along with their many other attributes. Trials really can bring out some of the best qualities in people. I have been inspired to work harder on facing my own small trials with more grace. This battle has had a profound effect on me. I have been well informed about Melissa's treatments, side effects, and progress through all of this but we have not spent much time together, which is very hard for me. That girl keeps me sane, she makes me laugh and cry, she has good advice and funny stories. She is practical and matter of fact and I miss her like crazy! She always looks for the blessings she and her family are receiving in every thing that happens and her gratitude is always sincere!
Here are some pictures and........ Johanna, I hope I'm not in trouble for including you in my post today. I tried not to make it too embarrassing! ~ Nicole

Tammy, Johanna and Nicole
Race for the Cure, Boise

 Crossing the Finish Line

Tammy and Nicole took a selfie after the rain, I mean race ;)

These guys were a big hit!

A lot of people wore these jumpy shoes to run in!

 Johanna shows her survivor medal to her family and students

 Just some random pictures of people showing their support.

Taxol 2nd Time Around

Normal premeds all went okay :) Momma was all sorts of jittery and hyper after taking her steroids at home. It was rather hilarious actually. Overall, taxol was okay. She had some itching, but not as bad as last time. She did develop a rash on her hands and chest, which is new. It lasted only about 15 minutes, and resolved on it's own. Thank goodness! Because of the rash, the doctor slowed down the IV drip by half. The 50 mg dose of IV Benadryl almost instantly made her feel very "gorked". She doesn't understand why anyone would become a drug addict, and enjoy that feeling! She's more nauseous than last treatment, but way less than with the other drug. She's headachey and pretty wiped out, but perked up after she had some yummy food. IV fluids at home tomorrow, and Neulasta shot tomorrow. As always, thanks so much for the love! We can really feel it!  ~ Alexa