Post Surgery

Hello dear ones. Tyler and I just returned from a visit with my plastic surgeon so I wanted to give a quick update. Overall my appointment went well. Dr Shale is basically pleased with the way I am healing. I do have one incision that is still draining. That is a bummer because I was planning to return to work tomorrow and Dr kiboshed that plan. He will release me to return to work on Monday if I promise to play nicely and behave myself until then. Tyler will report to the Dr if I am still having drainage, but I don't anticipate any problems. It's no fair when Tyler and the dr gang up on me!! Anyway, I am feeling pretty good. I am still sore but mostly just uncomfortable now. I am still wearing a super restrictive abdominal binder 24/7.  The good news is that the dr felt my tummy skin was healing really well and I get to take the binder off on Monday!! Yay!! I am also very itchy- I still have dermabond(skin glue) over all my incision sites and it is driving me crazy!!! I return to Dr Shale in about a month to re-evaluate everything once the swelling all goes down. I am still significantly swollen so it is difficult to determine the final results of the surgery at this time. My next appointment will be discussing the options and planning for the next stage of reconstruction (another surgical procedure- boo). I am anxious to get back to work and all my other "normal" activities. I am thrilled, however, for a couple of extra days to hang out with my kiddos after school. I LOVE spending time with these awesome people that I am lucky enough to call my own. Thank you x infinity for your continuing love, prayers, and support. I wish I could give you all a huge and heartfelt (but very careful- still owie ) hug!!      Ps- now that my expanders are gone I can schedule my brain MRI without blowing up!! I plan to call Dr Steffens tomorrow and set up a time for that to happen ;)
 ~ Melissa

Reconstruction at Last!

Melissa checked into the surgery center at 7 o'clock this morning. She was able to get checked in and then had to wait for a little bit. The surgery started at 8:30 and lasted about two hours before Dr. Shale (Dr. Rinard  assisted) came out and met with me. The surgery removed the expanders and replaced them with silicone implants. Part of the surgery was also liposuction and fat grafting in the implant area. He also was able to reshape the breast so that they were more even after the flaps that were left from the mastectomy. They also were able to remove the fat necrosis that was biopsied in September.  They removed the Portacath that was used as access for chemotherapy.  She has come home with a large ace wrap around her chest that must stay on for two days. Melissa has an abdominal binder that she has to wear for two weeks. She has a follow-up appointment with Dr. Shale next Wednesday. We ended up having to stay for a couple of hours extra so she could get away from the fog of the anesthesia.  She has had quite a bit of nausea which has continued even to tonight.  She will also have to be on antibiotics for the next five days. This is just the first of potentially three or four surgeries for the reconstruction.

We thank you for all the love and prayers that we have received.  - Tyler

Hello everyone! Just a quick update tonight. I am scheduled for surgery on October 16th. This will take place at the Mckay surgical center in Ogden. I am very excited to get my expanders and port removed, and become a real "fake" girl! This surgery is an outpatient procedure which means that I get to go home the same day! The plan is also for me to return to work within a week- with a few restrictions of course! The most exciting part is that I will have ZERO drain tubes!! Happy day! This relatively simple surgery represents much more than a few hours in the operating room. It is truly the culmination of a journey of faith and overwhelming love and support. The reconstruction also means that I am a healthy and cancer free Me!! As always, a huge thanks to all of you. I consider myself the luckiest girl on the planet to be surrounded by so much love and goodness. Tyler will send an update on surgery day- it's going to be fabulous! ~ Melissa

1st Haircut!

Hi everyone. Just a quick update today. I wanted to share some exciting news- this morning I had my first haircut in almost a year!!!! A huge thank you to my dear friend, Kandice, who helped shape up my crazy hair while keeping my "length". Length is a relative term here- the longest part is about an inch long. I'm super lucky that short spiky hair is popular right now. Even the color (weird silvery blond) is very in right now!! I count this as another blessing in the nearly incomprehensible list of blessings that have come my way! In non-hair news, I head to Utah Tuesday for a final appt with Dr. Shale (plastic surgeon). I had an appt with Dr Miranda (oncologist) this week, and received the official go ahead for reconstructive surgery in mid October. My lab work and physical exam were both excellent! I am hoping that Dr Shale will be available to perform surgery during the

week of the 16th. I will post a surgery date as soon as I know. The procedure that I have elected to go with is an outpatient surgery with fast recovery ! I anticipate a short amount of down time. I'm very excited to have my expanders and port removed. It has been almost a full year since I was diagnosed with cancer. I can't adequately express my feelings , but please know that I am forever grateful and humbled by all of your love and support. My family continue to be an incredible support as well. God has truly blessed us beyond measure ! ~ Melissa

What A Relief!! 😃

Hello all!! I just wanted to check in with a quick update. In general, I am feeling quite well. My strength and energy are returning and I am working full time. I still struggle with the neuropathy in my hands and feet, but I am learning to adjust. The hot flashes continue to be a constant annoyance, but as the weather cools down I get to enjoy my own personal summer! I am feeling incredibly grateful for some wonderful news I received today. Some of you know that I detected a lump in my right breast a few weeks ago. That is totally weird because I don't have any breast tissue to be lumpy. I had Dr Miranda check it out and he told me he didn't think it was anything scary but we should get an ultrasound to be sure. The ultrasound could not identify what it was, but classified it as highly suspicious. The radiologist who performed the ultrasound recommended a biopsy. This news had me pretty freaked out, and frankly just plain ticked me off. Dr Miranda recommended that I go back to McKay-Dee in Utah for the biopsy because of complications with my tissue expanders. Tyler took me down on Tuesday for the biopsy, which went great. Dr Shale(my plastic surgeon) had spoken with the Dr who performed the biopsy prior to the procedure. That was great because Dr Babcook was already familiar with my case and the placement of the expanders before she even met me. She was excellent and did a great job explaining everything. Her office called me today with pathology results. Benign fat necrosis!! This was probably caused during the mastectomy, and has been slowly collecting over time. Who knew a big gob of dead fat would make me so happy??? Anyway, the plan will be for Dr Shale to remove it during reconstruction, which should happen next month. (It has to come out because it is necrotic-dead things shouldn't hang out inside of you!) This little scare reminded me not to take things for granted. It also served as a reminder of how tremendously blessed I am to have such support. As I contemplated the possibility of resuming chemo again, I kept thinking of all the people that would once again be right by my side. I gather such strength from all of you!! I can never express my gratitude for the support our family has received, and continues to receive. My family has been simply phenomenal through this ordeal, and we are a stronger and closer bunch now. I am simply in awe of a loving Father in Heaven that has heard and tenderly answered countless prayers. My gratitude knows no bounds, and my faith has grown tremendously. I remain convinced that angels are continually rallying round all of us- I am just fortunate to call so many of them friends.  ~ Melissa

Tissue Expansion and Options

Today I had a great appointment with my plastic surgeon, Dr Shale at McKay-Dee hospital. I had my tissue expanders filled again after almost 7 months! I couldn't have them filled while I was receiving chemo because my white blood count was too low ( and also because Dr Miranda said "no" repeatedly!). I will probably have just one more expansion to go- yay!! We also spent a lot of time discussing options for the actual reconstructive surgery. I have heard other women say that reconstructive surgery is actually worse than the mastectomy- and I didn't really believe them. I am less than impressed to report that Dr Shale told me the exact same thing today!! Basically I have a lot of information to consider before I make a decision. He told me I am "lucky" that I am not a "skinny Minnie " because it leaves us with more options!! Ummmm.....thank you??!!  "Lucky" is definitely not the first adjective that leaps to mind as I consider my fluffiness!! I really do feel lucky to have such a marvelous plastic surgeon though! I have been doing well since my last post. I have returned to work and plan to be full time in a few weeks!! I fatigue easily and am struggling with the neuropathy and numbness in my fingers so work is a bit challenging right now. I am frustrated that I am not 100%, but everyone has been very understanding. I am realizing how much we take for granted each day. It is absolutely staggering to me !! I am thankful for the reminder of what is truly important. I am ridiculously excited to be out of solitary confinement!! I can hardly contain myself when I get to run to the store!! I feel like a sunbeam that can finally do things " by mine own self !!" Thank  you one and all for your continuing love and support. We love you all and are so grateful for the many prayers that have come our way. My "blessings list" has grown and continues to grow each day! ~ Melissa

Happy News! 😃

Greetings dear ones! Today I had an appointment with Dr Miranda (oncologist) and thought I would update everyone. First of all, my lab results mostly look awesome! My liver enzymes were not even elevated a tiny bit- woohoo!! My blood counts look ok for the most part too. My vitamin D level was low so I am now taking an oral supplement. That level will be checked again in a few months to see if the pills are sufficient or we need to add an Iv infusion to protect my bones. This time my tumor marker number is considered a baseline. It will be checked in 3 months to see how it looks. We hope it remains the same or even drops. It's not so much the actual number as it is the trend of rising or falling that is significant. If the number rises it could indicate new growth of cancer cells- that's why we are keeping a close eye on it. In other news, I was scheduled to have a repeat brain MRI on Monday, but that had to be cancelled due to my tissue expanders. Apparently the magnets in my expanders might make me or the machine blow up. That minor detail will delay the MRI until the expanders are removed. The removal is a surgical procedure that will take place during reconstruction. I found out today that my port a cath can be removed at that time as well. Yay! Dr had initially told me that my port had to stay put for at least 6 months (preferably a year) but due to increased risk of blood clots we get to pull it earlier. The other exciting(?) thing that happened today is that Dr wrote my prescription for tamoxifen. This is a pill that blocks estrogen. This is because my tumor was shown to be estrogen receptor positive. Basically we are trying to create an environment that is hostile to cancer growth. I will be on this medication until the end of time- or maybe even longer! There are new guidelines that pre-menopausal women take it for 5 yrs, then if they are still pre-menopausal they take for 5 more years, then switch to a different med. wow that seems like forever! Hopefully I won't have too many side effects- my track record with medications is less than stellar! Overall, an excellent appointment today. I have such confidence in my dr and his marvelous care! What a lucky girl I am!! I am also now sporting lots of fuzzy whitish- gray  hair!! Less than desirable color, but I'm so excited that it's coming back so fast!! My sweet co-worker today told me that it's not old lady hair, it's angel hair. I LOVE that!! I am planning to work part time for the next couple of weeks. I am hoping to be able to be mostly full time by the first of August. Hopefully my body will cooperate! I am feeling so blessed, and hugely thankful for all of you! Love and hugs to all! ~ Melissa

Many Dr Visits to Come

Greetings dear friends and family. I have had a few people gently remind me that no updates have been posted for a while- sorry! I have spent the last several days feeling yucky and lots of bone pain from the neulasta and taxol. That is pretty well cleared up now- hooray! Now I am feeling gross because my blood counts are low- blech. That makes me super weak and dizzy and pale. My pasty complexion really brings out my white and gray fuzzy hair- lucky me!! I'm so excited that my hair is coming in so quickly- just not thrilled about the white and gray. What kind of nonsense is that??? The good news is that my counts should rebound soon and I should start to feel human- ish in the next few days. I am very excited that this is the last time of experiencing the side effects and low blood counts associated with chemotherapy! Oh happy day!! I have labs and an appointment next week with Dr Miranda. We will discuss the results of my labs and the necessary next steps. I will have monthly appointments and lab work for the next 6 months. It is reassuring to know that the dr is keeping such a close eye on me. On the 10th I see my neurologist Dr Steffens. He will repeat my brain MRI and check my neurological status. This is to see how the chemo has affected the lesion on my optic nerve and also to better determine the neurological deficits from chemo. Then the following week I will head to Utah to visit with the plastic surgeon. Lots of dr visits but no more chemo!! A huge and heartfelt  thank you for all the love and support we have experienced. Words can't begin to express the depth of gratitude we feel. Our Father in Heaven has watched over me and my precious family every minute. God is good!! ~ Melissa

The Last Neulasta!

Hello everyone! I am feeling mostly lousy right now, but so excited to be DONE with chemo!! My last treatment was much less eventful than the time before, so that is great news! I received my neulasta shot late yesterday so I am feeling the effects this morning. I must admit that I won't miss the "bones breaking from the inside" feeling at all! A big thank you to Gramita, who helped me run my Iv and to Grandpa Lynn, who took me for my shot. Eli tagged along too because he wanted to meet my "Iv therapy friends". Today Tyler doesn't work until 3 so he will help with my Iv. The boys freaked out about that idea yesterday, and Alexa is gone to girls camp - good thing I have other helpers! I will have my labs checked in a few weeks and hope that everything looks good. This time we are also checking my tumor markers and checking my vitamin d level. The d level will help determine the health of my bones. We will keep a close eye on my bone density and start on bone protecting infusions if necessary. This is due to the chemo itself being hard on bones and also the early menopause. Not good to have osteoporosis before age 40! I am feeling profoundly grateful this day. The Lord's hand has been evident in every single step of this journey. This has truly been a faith promoting experience, and I have been blessed with an abundance of love and support. I was talking with a friend yesterday about help that comes on both sides of the veil. I truly believe that angels have rallied around my family and brought peace and comfort to our home. We have been truly touched by all the marvelous acts of kindness that have been extended to us. Please know how very thankful we are.  Our prayers are full of thanks for all of you!!  ~ Melissa

Last one:)

Today was the last day of chemo treatment:) We went to the hospital and got ready, they started off with the normal premeds including Benadryl but just 6 instead of the regular 50. And they were keeping an extremely close eye on her both the IV therapy and pharmacy were present. They were also able to give her an additional 6 with only a very small reaction of itchy hands. Were able to begin the Taxol treatment. She started to have a small reaction to the Taxol and we debated giving her a little bit more Benadryl but decided to try to slow the Taxol treatment down and see if that would help. Fortunately she was able to begin to feel a little bit better without any more additional Benadryl through the treatment. She is looking forward to having her last Neulasta shot tomorrow, as it has caused her more discomfort then the Taxol treatments have. As usual we received nothing but the best of care.

When we returned home the kids had painted a pretty sign for Melissa that said " You did it". They also had given her a couple of balloons and a pretty shirt. Of course I'm sure this mostly had to do with grandma B helping them out. Her good friends from the IV treatment center also had given her a small gift. The funny part was it was in a spotted bag that Eli says matches her hairdo.

We would like to thank everybody for the prayers and your thoughts that we received the last couple of weeks after the last treatment did not go so well. Of course a special thanks to those who have provided meals the week of treatment. The kids tend to like everybody else is cooking better than mine.

A special thanks to Nicole Jensen who normally does all the posting on this page. This week she is gone to girls camp and has showed me how to post. So hopefully when she returns later in the week we can get some more postings put on there that actually are spelled correctly and have a good punctuation. Plus we will be adding the couple of pictures of the items Melissa received when Nicole gets back.

Today I had my labs checked and had an appointment with Dr Miranda. My lab values all looked excellent- woohoo! My liver enzymes were only elevated a teensy bit so that is very exciting!! Everything else checked out at my appointment so that means we are good to go with chemo on Tuesday. Due to my adventures with the last round, the plan for premeds is going to change a bit. Hopefully this time around rapid response will NOT be part of my care team! I am SO excited that this is my last treatment!! In some ways the time has really flown by, and in some respects it has seemed to drag on forever! The next phase will involve me having monthly dr appt and lab work. Hopefully these 8 rounds of hard core chemo have done their job and there are no naughty cancer cells still roaming around. My lab work will involve monitoring tumor markers, so if those numbers start to climb, we will immediately hunt those rogue cells down!! My port will stay in place for about 6 months- mostly just in case we need to do a few more rounds of chemo. I think they will utilize my port for surgery as well. I will be able to visit Dr Shale (my fabulous plastic surgeon) in about a month to have my tissue expanders filled once again.  I have to be completely done with chemo and doing great for 3 months before reconstructive surgery can take place. I'm guessing that surgery will probably take place sometime in October. Lucky me- a new chest for my birthday :)! I'm actually quite  anxious to get these dumb expanders out. They are pretty uncomfortable (they are made of metal and plastic) and let's just say they provide a less than natural appearance!! I am trying to practice the virtue of patience!! This week I have returned to work for a few hours every day except Monday. I have struggled a little more than usual with fatigue and the neuropathy (nerves that are angry and sometimes feel like ants are biting my feet) in my hands and feet. This last round also seemed to aggravate some of my neurological issues. My vision has been weird and I have had trouble with some double vision as well. Not my favorite thing, but hopefully just a temporary annoyance! I am hopeful that the chemo brain fog and the neuropathy in my hands and feet is just temporary as well. Dr has been painfully honest in letting me know that sometimes those things are permanent. Only time will tell- I think I suffered from chemo brain BEFORE I started chemo (heehee)!! Tyler will send the update and post to the blog next week because Nicole will be gone. Hopefully all will go smoothly! We send huge love and thanks to everyone!! 

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

Spending Time With My Kiddos!

This morning I had my labs checked and great news!! My liver enzymes are still elevated but have gone down significantly. My white blood count is also back to normal- (like actual normal- not just normal for me). This means that Tuesday is chemo day!! This round dr is going to reduce my chemo dose by 10%. Hopefully this will reduce the stress on my liver and also reduce the muscle and joint pain. I will still take the giant dose of steroids at midnight the night before and 6 am the morning of treatment. This is to reduce the inflammation and chance of a reaction- and also to provide entertainment to the infusion center staff :). One of the nurses described me as a hummingbird on crack!! Poor Tyler has to deal me with me being up all night and bouncing off the walls- say an extra prayer for his sanity!! The craziness does not last too long, as soon as they inject the Benadryl I turn into a human puddle (no I don't wet my pants but feel like a boneless puddle). I will return to Iv therapy the next day for my favorite neulasta injection. I had much less nausea last time around (yay) so we are going to try only doing home Iv hydration for 2 days instead of 4. This is all exciting news because I am anxious to get on with the LAST few treatments!! I have felt well this last week. It has been such a blessing because I have worked everyday and the office was short handed and really needed me( plus I LOVE seeing my coworkers!) Best of all, I was able to attend several of my kiddos events. May is always crazy busy, and unfortunately I am going to miss many upcoming events, but I am so grateful for the things I COULD do this week. I saw Jonah run at a track meet, Alexa play in a tennis match, and Eli clog and graduate from DARE.(I watched and clapped from the door and stayed in the foyer- too many germy people.) I truly have cherished my time with them this week. This whole experience has reminded me where my priorities are and also that I am one lucky mama! I am humbled every day at the trust God placed in me by sending 3 of his most noble and valiant souls to the Davids home. I am also touched every single day at the support we have all received. It is astounding to know how much love is consistently headed our way. I am grateful beyond measure- please know how much it means. Love to all

An Adventure

Today has been an adventure! I had my labs drawn this morning and then appt with Dr. Miranda at 11. We discussed the side effects from the taxol and my overall sensitivity to meds. Dr decided to decrease my chemo dose by 10% next round and see if that decreases some of the nasty effects. Also he added a new oral med called neurontin for me to try to help with the "pins and needles" and burning pain in my feet. My physical exam showed some abdominal tenderness, and my lab work showed an elevated white blood count. A too high white count indicates an infection or inflammation somewhere. Dr sent me immediately to have a ct scan done of my abdomen and pelvis. We didn't have the results of my liver enzymes at that point because of a problem with equipment at the lab. Anyway- nurse Leslie called a while ago and gave me results.(one of the perks of working for the Dr is that things move quickly- and you get results fast!). Ct scan showed a large ovarian follicle. This basically means that because the chemo has stopped me from ovulating, a follicle still formed to release the egg but no egg is there. We are not going to do anything about it at this time- basically just keep an eye on it and hope that it resolves on its' own. Leslie also gave me results of other labs. My liver enzymes have decreased some, but are still very elevated. I just heard from the Dr. And there will be no chemo on Tuesday. He is going to check my levels in a few days to see what's up. He is also going to do some research about why my enzymes are still so high.  I am truly receiving excellent medical care, and am so grateful for the technology that makes it possible! Thanks to everyone for your unfailing love and support!! ~ Melissa

*Two things to really pray for: liver enzyme level to go down and ovarian follicle inflammation to resolve itself.  I am so thankful that Melissa has a diligent and caring Dr.! ~ Nicole