Wednesday, May 27, 2009
LAST CHEMOTHERAPY this Friday!!
It's my last chemotherapy and when I meet with the MD on Friday, I find that I have lots of questions...why no radiation therapy?? Why 2 more years of chemo?? Can I be any more fatigued? So, if you have any questions, let me have them so I can ask the questions that YOU have also!! I will check in after Friday! Lots of love to you and your families. Lynn
Sunday, May 10, 2009
HAPPY MOTHER's DAY
#5 Chemotherapy from last Friday is history!
HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY TO ALL!! I FEEL GREAT AND HOPE YOU DO ALSO!
I always feel great on that Chemo Friday and usually on Saturday-then by Sunday (BUT NOT TODAY ON MOTHER’s DAY) I start feeling “funky” is the only way to explain it…each day presents some new issue and each day is touch and go. And then by Thursday afternoon, I go back to being and feeling pretty normal and on Friday I am ready to return to life.
I am at the point in my treatment that some symptoms are progressive. My sore mouth, tongue, and throat are really sore. My voice is going quickly. I get frequent headaches. The fatigue is the worst of it from my lowered red cell count. If I am up at 6 a.m., naptime could be at 9, noon, and 3 p.m.-tired all day right now but the fatigue and the migraine frequency should subside after the next, #6, chemotherapy.
And while we are looking forward to the end of THIS cycle of chemotherapy, it looks like I will begin a different “cocktail” regimen of 2 of the same drugs I receive now BUT not the one nasty drug that really gives me all of the side effects so that sounds much more pleasant to me. This maintenance chemotherapy will be given every three weeks and may be given for up to another 2 years—which is the maximum length they can give.
Dr. Choong explained that radiation is not preformed on Stage 4 lung cancers that have metastasized. ABSENT THE MIRACLE FOR WHICH WE HAVE ALL BEEN PRAYING, they do the best they can to keep you living with the cancer and keep it controlled in your body. They will continue to scan me about every 3-4 treatments and I think they try other chemotherapies if it starts to metastasize again. We have again been given some time on the horizon for which we are thankful.
Thanks to all of you for your continues PRAYERS, support, flowers, gifts. Thanks to GOD for taking such good care of me so far, and PRAY that this next round of maintenance chemotherapy brings along with it all peaceful, prayerful, and asymptomatic days.
Trips to Phoenix and Denver were great…but Denver was a bit of work just doing normal activities at the higher altitude. I am glad Dan is coming back!
The rest of the Steinles’ are doing well. Jake loves his sales exec job in Chicago with UNUM. Dan graduated last weekend from Regis University and will be coming back to Milwaukee to teach for one year at MUHS in their Alumni Service Corp program. He will likely teach either Art History or English Literature and HOPES to use his Visual Arts Degree with Photography is some way. He will move back at the beginning of August. They will supply his housing and a stipend for meals…he may need a part time job!!!
Abbey successfully completed her Freshman year at St. Mary’s in Winona, MN…and can’t wait to return…long summer coming!
All kids are coming back for the Memorial Day Parade and it will be a feeling good week for me!! Hope to see you all as the weather warms up.
I continue to be blessed every day of my life because of my wonderful husband who is taking such good care of me every day, and my family and friends!
Love to all of you, Lynn
P.S. I tried to change the settings on this blog so you can leave comments for me...or email to me at above address.
HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY TO ALL!! I FEEL GREAT AND HOPE YOU DO ALSO!
I always feel great on that Chemo Friday and usually on Saturday-then by Sunday (BUT NOT TODAY ON MOTHER’s DAY) I start feeling “funky” is the only way to explain it…each day presents some new issue and each day is touch and go. And then by Thursday afternoon, I go back to being and feeling pretty normal and on Friday I am ready to return to life.
I am at the point in my treatment that some symptoms are progressive. My sore mouth, tongue, and throat are really sore. My voice is going quickly. I get frequent headaches. The fatigue is the worst of it from my lowered red cell count. If I am up at 6 a.m., naptime could be at 9, noon, and 3 p.m.-tired all day right now but the fatigue and the migraine frequency should subside after the next, #6, chemotherapy.
And while we are looking forward to the end of THIS cycle of chemotherapy, it looks like I will begin a different “cocktail” regimen of 2 of the same drugs I receive now BUT not the one nasty drug that really gives me all of the side effects so that sounds much more pleasant to me. This maintenance chemotherapy will be given every three weeks and may be given for up to another 2 years—which is the maximum length they can give.
Dr. Choong explained that radiation is not preformed on Stage 4 lung cancers that have metastasized. ABSENT THE MIRACLE FOR WHICH WE HAVE ALL BEEN PRAYING, they do the best they can to keep you living with the cancer and keep it controlled in your body. They will continue to scan me about every 3-4 treatments and I think they try other chemotherapies if it starts to metastasize again. We have again been given some time on the horizon for which we are thankful.
Thanks to all of you for your continues PRAYERS, support, flowers, gifts. Thanks to GOD for taking such good care of me so far, and PRAY that this next round of maintenance chemotherapy brings along with it all peaceful, prayerful, and asymptomatic days.
Trips to Phoenix and Denver were great…but Denver was a bit of work just doing normal activities at the higher altitude. I am glad Dan is coming back!
The rest of the Steinles’ are doing well. Jake loves his sales exec job in Chicago with UNUM. Dan graduated last weekend from Regis University and will be coming back to Milwaukee to teach for one year at MUHS in their Alumni Service Corp program. He will likely teach either Art History or English Literature and HOPES to use his Visual Arts Degree with Photography is some way. He will move back at the beginning of August. They will supply his housing and a stipend for meals…he may need a part time job!!!
Abbey successfully completed her Freshman year at St. Mary’s in Winona, MN…and can’t wait to return…long summer coming!
All kids are coming back for the Memorial Day Parade and it will be a feeling good week for me!! Hope to see you all as the weather warms up.
I continue to be blessed every day of my life because of my wonderful husband who is taking such good care of me every day, and my family and friends!
Love to all of you, Lynn
P.S. I tried to change the settings on this blog so you can leave comments for me...or email to me at above address.
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