::faithful – prayers of thanksgiving and joy – it was another a beautiful weekend! I sat outside in a lawn chair and watched Mr. Pea and DirtBike wax the cars.
::Kill All the Cells!! – Second chemo infusion was not as easy as the first. It was the double dose day. I get one full dose of Gemzar in the first week of a cycle, then a second full dose of Gemzar AND a full dose of Taxotere AND a Neulasta shot in the second week of the cycle. The Gemzar scrambles the DNA inside the cells; the Neulasta forces my bone marrow to make white blood cells; and the Taxotere? She’s a Mean Girl! The first clue was the immediate allergic reaction to the drip. I’m sitting there clicking away on my laptop sending messages for work and all of a sudden the world sped up. I was HOT, my heart was pounding and I couldn’t talk. Cherry Ames was with me and called the nurse. They laid me out flat and immediately injected Benadryl and steroids straight into my port line. WHOOSH! It was like being the Star Trek Enterprise flying along at warp speed and then suddenly coming to a stop. I became quite Zen, all relaxed and chatty. I was feeling okay on the steroids for the next 30-ish hours and then came the crash. Ugh. Saturday evening and Sunday were rough. Taxotere does a good job at killing cells, but she’s not very discriminate. She takes out a lot of healthy cells as well, like the inside of your mouth, taste buds, and all the good bugs in your gut that keep the plumbing working correctly. All in all, it feels like extreme morning sickness, complete with nausea, aches and general lethargy, but without the anticipation of a sweet baby on the other end! By Tuesday morning I felt human again.
The good news is that this is an OFF WEEK!! No chemo, just lab draws and rest.
::creative – Making progress on the beanie.
::pondering – Life in general. The fun stuff that we’re going to do this spring and summer.
::delicious – Wonderful neighbors stocked our freezer for this week – Yeah!!!
- Brisket, Macaroni and Cheese, Green Beans
- Chicken Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Manicotti, Salad
- Chicken and Tater Tot Casserole
- Eat All The Leftovers!
- Black Bean Tamales, Salad
Oh, and I didn’t get to all the planned baking last week. I did make an applesauce cake in the midst of my medically induced frenzy on Saturday morning, and we’ve been snacking on it. Yum!
::fun – Ordination of our New Bishop!! I will not be attending, as that day coincides with my lowest white blood cell counts and I can’t risk being in a crowded public arena. Mr. Pea can’t get off work this afternoon, either. However, the Architect and Cherry Ames will be there! Cherry Ames just started a clinical rotation as the school nurse at The Architect’s high school; she’ll be manning one of the first aid stations during the ordination.
The head of our survey department at work is also undergoing cancer treatment. I told him that between him being radioactive and me being poisonous, we should be superheroes and wear capes to work. I am seriously, SERIOUSLY considering whipping up some satin capes with bling for us to wear to staff meetings – Radioactive Man and Poison Girl!!
::fashionable – Dark Purple cashmere sweater, tweed dress pants, sassy boots. And a new haircut! Check it out!
I decided to be brave and buzz my head before it starts falling out – a decision made after talking to friends who have already walked this path and assured me that shedding hair all over the house is not only traumatic, it’s messy as all get-out and clogs up both the shower drain and the vacuum hose. Honestly? I LIKE my hair short! I’ve wanted a short sassy pixie style for decades, but have deferred to Mr. Pea’s preference for longer locks. I am immensely relieved to discover that I have a very prettily shaped head – no lumps or bumps. Most of this mini short hair will fall out before the end of this week, if all goes according to schedule – but it will be easier to clean up with just a sticky lint roller.
::looking ahead – MathCounts on Saturday, storm drain system analysis, and finishing a report that has been nagging me since December.
Take a Nap. Keep the Faith.
Keeping the Faith 
You are beautiful!
You rock a pixie cut! And good to know your head is symmetrical and non lumpy. I remember once reading about the science of phrenology, the study of the bumps and lumps of the head.
Amen, you are beautiful. I would hate to see me without hair but if the choice of it falling out in clumps or cutting it, I’m with you. You are such a wonderful woman Angela. I can’t imagine the pain and all you’re going through. Well I can but not personally. I love you Angela and just hope that all this will pass quickly and that you will come out happy, healthy and very much alive.
Take care my friend! Blessings!!
Praying for you …..and family! You are an amazing woman, filled with Faith and Love of God!
“But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength” (2Timothy 4:7)
Beautiful inside and out!!!!!
Love the short hair on you!!!
Isnt it amazing that God gave someone the brains to figure out how to put ‘stuff’ together to make your chemo cocktail!!??!
Prayers for you as you hit the low in immunity and start the climb!!
Prayers Angela. You are doing great! God bless you.
I love that. My friend Katie did the same thing. ROCKIN the shaved style. xx oo
I’m Praying for you.
You are a warrior princess.
Blessings,
Em
You are a beautiful, brave, funny, and inspiring lady, Angela. And your blog title tells what it is all about: keeping the faith! How good God is for surrounding you with family and neighbors! You are often in my thoughts; ‘will remember your intentions in my prayers.