A very long chemo session

Hello to my faithful and wonderful friends,

My 5th chemo session was very long. Don took me to the Hoag Hospital about 8 am on Friday August 1st, to first get my blood test, which I do every week and than to the Hoag Cancer Center for my treatment. It was very long since, they gave me more meds than the usual 3 types of chemo, plus zometa, which is for my bones, than the anti nausea drip, and they hydration which is a big gigantic bottle which takes about 4 1/2 hours to finish. Finally got home about 7:45 that night but during the day it was very pleasant talking and chatting with other patients and also visits with robbi and the kids and also Jackson and Juli. It is a long day so it makes it nice where they come in shifts and we all have lunch together. Don was able to do his errands during the day and came back after me in the evening.

Our Son Ron, June and Brittany had a little break this week and spending some time with friends boating and skiing at Lake Havasu so they were gone but, it was nice having the rest of the family on Saturday and Sunday.

The last couple of weeks before chemo on Friday, I was feeling pretty good and was able to enjoy many days of comfort by enjoying another day at the performing arts in Brea to enjoy Rilee perform her little Molly part in Annie. It is all over after 10 shows and she said she will miss performing. She just loves it. I am so thankful to be able to enjoy and keep up with some of the activities of the children, as long as it is not too crowded.

I am not feeling as nauseated this time. I have been taking my pills very faithfully and God is helping through all this with his grace and faithfulness. Thank you all for your continued prayers, love and thoughtful cards. All is appreciated and wish I could respond to each of your cards. Love to all from family and dottie

re-edit last blog,

Hi again everyone.

Just wrote my latest blog and should have reviewed what I had written. I made an error on my insurance information. We are not under hmo. I think the chemo makes me forget things. We are fortunately under PPO and therefore many of the treatments and test are covered by our insurance, but the maintenance part I am not too sure, so please pray that all goes well after my last 2 chemo treatments, so that everything will be covered. I thank you all again and appreciate your prayers. Love to all from dottie and family

Praise God, Halleluah

Hello my dear friends,

Went to Dr. Nanci yesterday and came back with more encouraging words from her. Yes, my cancer cells did shrink a little more and the ones even on my liver is almost gone. Yes God has been answering all the prayers from all of you and hopefully by the time I get my last two chemo's I will be getting just maintenance with meds and no more chemo's. I guess, the chemo that I have been getting is pretty strong so 6 is all they usually recommend, because after that the good cells may not do so well.

I am so fortunate that our son Ron and June make it to all my appointments when I see the Dr. and listen and ask such intelligent question, which I wouldn't even think about. the are really up on medical terms and the insurance. they get right home and call different insurance for me to make sure all my meds will be covered. They say the insurance coverage is really getting tough to pay for certain meds now and so expensive. So far our hmo has been doing well for me since chemo's are so costly I have been fortunate that it has been doing fine for me.

Last night we took many pictures that I do hope I can print them, since we celebrated Don's birthday with the family to celebrate my good news and his birthday.

I will be having my next chemo on August 1st, and I thank all of you for your continued prayers as I know God is listening and hearing our prayers to continue healing. Thank you all so much for your encouraging cards, love and support. I will be out of my bubble soon. Love you all, dottie

Finally back with my update

Hello to my dear faithful friends,

I am so sorry it has been so long since my last update after my good news of my ct scan. For one reason or another after my session with chemo on June 23rd. it zapped me pretty good and I felt so lazy I didn't feel like even playing with the computer. Went to see my Dr. after about a week after my chemo and she noticed that my weight kept going down and of course the usual discomfort that goes along with the treatment was even more this time. I have been spending at least 4 or 5 hours daily going back and forth to the Hoag Cancer Center to either get hydrated, getting white blood cell shots or iv's for bones with Zometa so I make sure I do get out of bed each day and try to do the best I can. Through all this the family is always here for me every week end and even during the week so it keeps me uplifted.

Good News folks, through all this I know God has been with me each and every day since some nights I have dreams that God gives me faith and hope that everything will be okay. On about the 10th or 11th day after chemo I dreamed that I saw a lady at the grocery store and she had a catheter just like mine and she was working looking very healthy and well after her struggle with chemo, so I got up from my dream feeling so hopeful. God shows me hope in such strange ways.

The 4th of July week end was getting close to the 14th day after chemo and I enjoyed every bit of the week end with the whole family meeting, even Jeffrey back from Argentina and he shared what a great time he had and learned so much about the country. That is where Evita entertained and has quite a story there.

Feeling better and since the Anaheim church has a outreach with deep sea fishing, Don was planning on going fishing but gave up his spot to a friend and when they returned they shared their Fresh Catch of Albacore with us and believe me I have enjoyed it ever since the 4th of July. Delicious. rice and fish tasted so good to me. Praise God I was able to eat and even on the 4th my dear sister, Margaret made me some gourmet soup of butter nut soup and also Mushroom. All homemade and it was delicious, which our family was able to share.

My Cancer Dr. decided to extend my chemo a couple of extra weeks to see if I can build myself back up. I guess losing so much weight takes a toll from the chemo and she wants to give my body a little tme in between. That sounds so good to me. In the meantime I will get another ct scan to see the progress and I will have it done on the 16th of July so in the meantime please pray that the results from the test will show great results again. I know God is listening to all of you and your prayers love and support and healing me throughout this ordeal. Anxious to get back to seeing all of you. Miss all of you and maybe soon I can come out of my bubble.

I want to thank all of you for your cards of well wishes and love and support which I continue to receive. Will write soon about the results from my ct scan next week.
Much Love to all of your dottie and family..

Here I am again,

Hello Everyone,

It has been a while since I connected with you and wanted to bring you up to date after my good news on my cancer cell shrinkage. I didn't have my 3rd chemo until June 2nd so the week end before I celebrated since it was Rilee 7th birthday on June 1st. Wanted to share some fun pictures with all of you. Rilee is our swimmer, but loves to sing and dance and she was performing in this neighborhood dance group put on by 2 teenage sisters, and practiced for 3months before the performance on June 1st. I have been pretty much a homebody for the last 3 months but for family affairs, the family lets me out to enjoy when I feel up to it. The musical program was presented in front of the garage with chairs all across the driveway. 2 carloads from family went to the musical and I had front and center sitting on top of Don's SUV sunroof. Had a super view.

Then we went Robbi's home to celebrate with a cake.


Today is the 15th day after my chemo and will be going though many days of my blah days. I know what may be expected so I just pray that God keep an eye on me and keep be as comfortable as I can bare. My 7-1/2 hour of chemo will be on June 23rd.

On July 20th I plan on seeing our little Rilee in the Annie performance at the Brea Performing cultural center so I so pray by that time I will be able to see her perform. She has so much fun I love watching her and this time she tried out for a part and will be Molly in the play. She was so excited.

Also on fathers day we were able to celebrate at Ron & Junes home and it was so wonderful with Jeff and Brittany home from dental school and UCLA for the summer. Jeff left for Argentina and Chile for 3 weeks and Brittany found a job for Summer as asst. basketball coach for her Alma Mater Tesoro. so they will be busy. With so many in the family besides Fathers day we were able to celebrate Juli and Kirk's birthdays.

Well folks, that is about it for this time and will keep in touch with you to keep you updated on my condition after my next ct scan. Hopefully in about 3 weeks.
Thank you for your unceasing prayers and support and I know that the Lord is always faithful and with me daily. much love dottie and family

Great News

Praise the Lord everyone,

Today was a the day that I saw the doctor after my ct scan on Wednesday. My appointment was at 9 am this morning and don, ron and june made sure they were with me when I go in to see the doctor. My family are just too wonderful. Ron and June joined me in the drs. office with Don to have extra ears to listen to the drs. report.

My Dr. Nanci made a comment that if she didn't see at least part of my family with me, she would think something is not right. Yes, they do come with me, for extra ears. I just listen but may not get everything she is telling me. The first thing she asked me was, "how I felt." I told her I feel like a normal person for the last week and a half. my appetite is good. I felt ambitious and with no nausea, no heartburn and not lazy. Well, she went over my report from the ct scan after 2 sessions of chemo and as she read the results, I was getting more and more excited as she read and said that the cancer cells were SHRINKING, the lymph nodes were also getting
SMALLER and the cancer cell that was 7.5m was down to 5. I got up from the chair and gave her a BIG HUG for such great news. She said that is why I love coming to work to give good news to patients. She is such a wonderful dedicated doctor and so personable. She is a beautiful lady and found out today that she is a mother of a 7 month baby, but couldn't wait to get back to work. so after 2 weeks she was back at work and loves it. Her mother watched her newborn for 6 months night and day for her while she got her rest. Now of course she has a nanny.

Well everyone, thank you so much for your prayers, love and support you have constantly given me while I have going through all this. I will have my 3rd session on Monday June 2nd and will continue with the same meds for chemo since it seems pretty successful.

I have been thinking of all of you and miss seeing you, but of course my family keeps reminding me that my immune system is still very weak so, I am playing it safe and staying out of public places. My Dr. ron keeps telling me to carry the anti bacterial wipes and keep using them,. Mom you have to be very cautious what you touch, so be careful, cause there is bacteria all over stuff.

I have to share with all of you, how well I felt on Memorial day and we had a fantastic family dinner in our back yard with a new bar b que built with tables and a whole bunch of chairs so we all enjoyed steak, king crab, corn, salad bar, baked potato bar fruits, even with choc. covered strawberries, with homemade cookies, and with all this food, I was able to eat and enjoy with no problem with nausea by this time.

Thanks for letting me share my excitement with this good news. God is wonderful and will continue to hear your prayers. thanks for your love and prayers. love you all dottie and family