Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012
Well I thought maybe that our blogs had ended for Betty’s journey since we started chemotherapy treatment last week, but so many wonderful things keep happening that I wanted to tell you about. Many of you have written us asking that we keep you up on what’s going on with the treatment phase, so maybe we’ll keep going a little longer. Last week, Betty and I went to “Chemo Class.” I haven’t been to a class in a really long time. In my mind I was already trying to figure out how to get out of it. Back in Jr. High I’d just put the thermometer under hot water and tell my mom I had a fever. I tried that with our new digital thermometer and in one second it registered 145 degrees. Betty didn’t buy it. Technology sometimes disgusts me. The old reliable standard, “the dog ate my homework,” obviously didn’t apply because we hadn’t been to class yet and consequently, no homework had been assigned. But I thought I would hold that one in reserve in case this was a two or more part course requirement and home work was a possibility. Of course my dog only weighs 4 pounds, so he probably couldn’t eat a whole paper. Maybe a note card or two. I named him “Rolex,” because he’s a “watchdog!” OK, back on track. So, we went to the chemo class with our notebooks and questions. We were the only two people who showed up for the course. Others had called in and said they were running fevers! The nurse began with some things we should know about the facility we would receive treatment in and then came the video. It told us of all the possible side effects from the drugs and how to deal with each issue. Oh my! I’ve never heard of so many side effects. It’s like they came up with every possible and probable problem you could have with drugs and then they made up a few extra in case you came up with a new symptom. “Can cause constipation and diarrhea.” Is that at the same time? If so, then it seems like they’d just cancel each other out and you’d be regular. Well, your know, normal. “Can cause loss of appetite and weight gain.” At the same time? Wait! Here we go again. Which is it? I mean how sad would it be to finally get your appetite knocked down and then balloon up like you went on a Twinkie binge…...without enjoying the wonderful, smooth, velvety, succulent deliciously creamy center of that luscious, delectable, flavor-exploding cake! That’s just a thought that ran through my mind. Anyway, the class was very eye-opening. It gave us some great information on what to expect after chemo. The number one problem, vomiting. Not just the normal stomach virus kind, but a really wrenching, drawn out kind. It could happen the day of treatment or in the next three days after treatment. Betty began treatment on Friday, at 11:00 am. We had a little glitch about 1:00 pm. She had a slight allergic reaction to one of the drugs, but they got it under control and slowed the drip down and she was fine. We left the treatment center at 5:15 that evening and we waited. Waited for what we were told was probably the inevitable. I told Betty that I was going to pray that she didn’t get sick. I told some friends to agree with me. Betty said she didn’t want to bother God with that request because He had already done so much for her. I told her…. He doesn’t work that way. It’s not like He has a quota of blessings and when it’s up, it’s up! He delights in helping us! He’s our FATHER! She said she knew that, but she just felt guilty for asking for so much. I said OK, I’ll ask and take your guilt for you! I want to thank all of you who prayed for Betty in that way. Today is Tuesday, and she hasn’t thrown up a single time!!! How great it that. It has been a sweet little gigantic blessing in the midst of so much pain that she has gone through. I like specific praying. It’s GOOD! Love to all of you.