Between Chemo Treatments (Feb. 24, 2006)

We often wondered those first few days following Laurie's first chemo treatment what side-effects to expect. We were so grateful for the absence of any nausea (well at least for Laurie, both girls had a nasty stomach virus last week; they made up for it in spades!). Except for some aches and pains, the loss of a lot of her taste, and some digestive problems, Laurie has done remarkably well. She has been more tired each day, and often needs to rest after getting home from teaching.

Yes, Laurie was able to resume teaching at Scofield near the end of that first week. Her kids were ecstatic, and could not quit clinging to her. Most of them probably don't really understand what is going on, but as long as Mrs. Thames is back, everything for them is OK. Laurie has had to miss a couple days since going back, but for the most part, has done well and is happy to be back in her routine.

Ten days after her first chemo treatment, Laurie went in for a check of her blood counts. This is a normal check after that first treatment to see how her blood cells are fairing under the assault of the chemo drugs. Laurie's original blood counts before her treatment began were above normal, indicating a strong immune system, and leading her doctor to think that she might not experience a big drop. That turned out not to be the case. When her counts came back, they were actually well below what the Dr. expected, prompting some concerns about infection. Laurie was put on antibiotics and given strict instructions to keep an eye on her temperature. An increase up to 100 degrees was to be immediately followed by a trip to the hospital. We appreciate that they don't want to take any chances with an infection getting out of hand. It was not a good day for Laurie, and unfortunately Jim was on a marathon accreditation visit in Florida that week and was not home to help.

Our prayer has been that Laurie's counts will go back up in time for her next treatment on Friday, March 3. If they don't, the treatment will be delayed until they do. Assuming no delay, one thing will happen; Laurie will be given an injection of one of the new drugs designed to help rebuild the blood counts quickly. On Saturday after her next treatment (assuming no delays), she will return for her injection. This should give her the boost she needs to get her counts up quickly and avoid the big decline she experienced this time.

All in all, it has been a good few weeks. The side-effects Laurie has experienced have been pretty normal and not too severe. God has blessed us with answered prayer and we are thankful.

Hunting

Laurie stepped out quietly into the cool crisp forest morning. The sky hinted at the sun's arrival as feathery wisps of light, first violet then gradually red, streaked the eastern horizon. As the forest brightened, the vapory mist that hovered at the ground began to sway as it rose in the morning light, almost like fairies adorned in pink taffeta dancing a greeting to the new day. It was so peaceful, quiet, the sounds of a frantic mechanical world fading from memory and only the sweet songs of birds waking to a new dawn greeting her ears. She almost forgot in that moment, her two worlds drifting further apart, why she was here.

The images caressing her thoughts, she crept quietly through the stillness, aware that she was not alone in the forest. She sensed her quarry, but could not see it. She passed through a grove of trees and stopped next to an outcropping of rocks. Not far from where she stood, just beyond a subtle rise, she thought she saw movement. She froze in her tracks.

Laurie had anticipated this hunt for weeks. She was apprehensive. The fact that she was hunting today meant that things had changed in her life. She knew the change was inevitable, and this morning's hunt only confirmed that she, herself, was caught, much like the illusive thing she hunted. She breathed deeply and waited.

Moments later she saw movement again. There it was! Quietly, imperceptibly, she raised her weapon. More clearly now as the sky brightened, she saw the long brown hair swaying rhythmically in the morning breeze. Laurie ever-so-slowly shifted her position until her adversary was clearly in sight. She took a deep breath, held it, and squeezed the trigger. . . .

Thus ended the hunt for Laurie's first wig.

She found it and shot it dead.
Now she wears it on her head!


P.S. I was getting tired of the same old dry reporting. This seemed like a good way to describe the search for a wig for my dear wife, who would much prefer to keep her own hair, but has begun her "hunt" for a temporary substitute.

The Morning After (Feb. 11, 2006)

Laurie had a good night's sleep, waking only once! We weren't sure how she would feel in the morning, but are pleasantly surprised. The major concern was nausea. Thankfully, she has none, probably due to the extensive array of medicines on the kitchen counter. :-) We have been told to expect that the second day might be tougher, but that's tomorrow. We are grateful for today!

We want to take this time to thank the many of you who have prayed, sent cards, provided meals, and just been there when we needed a word of encouragement or a hug. We have been overwhelmed by God's love through each and everyone of you. THANK YOU!

We also covet your continued prayer. God's blessing through your prayers is obvious to us and encouraging beyond measure. Specifically, please pray for the following as the Lord brings Laurie to mind.

* That Laurie will continue to tolerate the chemo well with minimal side effects.
* That the chemo would have its intended result and any stray cancer cells would be destroyed.
* That Laurie would be able to resume her teaching schedule at Scofield and have the strength to handle 13 eager kindergarteners.
* That Laurie's immune system would stay strong enough to help her ward off any infections.

Again, thanks for your care and concern. We love you all!

First Day of Chemo (Feb. 10, 2006)

Today was the day Laurie had hoped to avoid when we first learned of her cancer--the beginning of chemotherapy. We were pretty well resigned to the need for this part of her treatment, but were still apprehensive about the effects of chemo on her body. Our good friend Joan Kanne, who had gone through chemotherapy for breast cancer a little over three years earlier, drove Laurie down to the Sammons Breast Cancer Center at Baylor Hospital. Jim joined them from the Seminary.

We met with Dr. O'Shaughnessy at 11:15 a.m. What an encouragement she is! We discovered that she was not yet sure what our decision was going to be regarding chemo and she was delighted that we had agreed to proceed with the chemo regimen she had proposed. Her demeanor revealed that she believed that chemo was a necessary part of the treatment to give Laurie the best chance of a complete cure of her cancer. We were encouraged that her initial proposal on the specific combination of chemotherapy drugs was still her best recommendation for Laurie's particular cancer. She was very encouraging about Laurie's long-term prognosis. After a brief exam and consult, we headed downstairs to the infusion lab.

We had visited the infusion lab on Wednesday. Today we were prepared for a four- to five-hour stay. Laurie had a light snack while we sat in the waiting area. At about 12:30, the chemo nurse called Laurie's name. We took the short walk back to the infusion lab. A number of small cubicles lined the walls. We were surprised to see a woman named Miki receiving a chemo infusion in the same room. Earlier in the fall, Miki sold us a small used car at the Saturn of Mesquite auto dealership. We had no idea at the time that she was undergoing treatments for breast cancer. It is indeed a small world.

Our chemo nurse's name was Lee. Lee was almost eight months pregnant, but still overseeing several chemo infusions in the lab. She worked with us to finalize some paperwork (you'd think we were buying a house!), and spent several minutes going over the various drugs Laurie would receive throughout the afternoon. She reviewed the side effects of each and the ways that the staff planned to help Laurie manage those side-effects. Later, while Laurie was receiving her infusion, Lee went over each of the prescription we had received to manage potential side effects. She did a wonderful job clearly explaining the use and indications for each drug--in plain English!

The IV pump was set up with four bags of drugs. The first contained supporting medications that would help Laurie deal with the actual chemotherapy drugs themselves. One of those drugs was designed to help her relax while at the same time providing antinausea help. The second bag contained a saline solution designed to flush the system and Laurie's veins between each infusion of drugs. The last two bags contained the actual chemo drugs themselves, Taxotere and Cytoxan. Taxotere is administered first and Cytoxan last. Ideally the infusion process lasts about 2-1/2 hours. Once the IV pump was set, the process began. It was about 1:30 p.m.

The process went smoothly. The only hitch was an allergic reaction Laurie had to the Taxotere. She became immediately flushed and short of breath. Fortunately this is not an uncommon reaction to the drug the first time it is administered and the nurse is well-schooled in dealing with such a reaction. A brief suspension of the infusion was followed by an injection of benadryl. Once the allergic reaction subsided, the infusion of Taxotere was resumed and Laurie had no further problems. However, the process was slowed down and consequently, it was 4:30 p.m before the infusion of Taxotere was complete and the Cytoxan infusion began. Laurie had no further problems and in fact slept for about 1-1/2 hours (one of the side effects of the antinausea drugs :-) ). We were finished by 5:00 p.m. and headed home.

As Jim wrote this, Laurie fell asleep in the living room. She wanted to watch the Winter Olympics and managed to stay awake for most of the evening. We prayed for a good night's sleep for her and a good day on Saturday. We were armed with a host of prescription medications to alleviate any of the potential side effects and will use them as necessary.

One down, three more to go! Thank you Lord for getting us through this day!

Laurie's New Radiation Oncologist (Feb. 9, 2006)

After learning that Laurie's cancer had spread, even if only microscopically, plans for the type of radiation she would undergo changed. Dr. Knox's office suggested a radiation oncologist at the Texas Cancer Center in Mesquite, just a couple minutes from our home.

Today was the day that we met our new radiation oncologist, Dr. Michela Caruso. We had been told that Dr. Caruso was the most requested radiation oncologist in the Dallas area. Born and raised in Rome, she received much of her training in radiation oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. It was obvious that she knew her craft well. A brief exam and consult confirmed that Laurie would receive External Beam Radiation Therapy about three weeks after her last chemo treatment. The anticipated first day was May 8. We were glad to have this part of the treatment plan set in place.

Chemo Class (Feb. 8, 2006)

Our doctor encouraged Laurie and Jim to attend a chemotherapy class before beginning her treatments. They attended the one-hour class on Wednesday, two days before Laurie's chemotherapy treatments were to begin. The class was helpful in giving Laurie an idea of what to expect by way of common side-effects. She also received some helpful information on ways to minimize those effects. We were reminded as we observed others in the class that Laurie's situation is much better than most. Having cancer is never one's choice, but at least Laurie's is very treatable with an excellent possibility that she will be completely cured. We recognized that some of the people in this particular class would very likely not survive another year. We were reminded that our hope and strength for the future comes from God. We aren't sure how those without that hope and without the loving support of God our Father handle such uncertainty. Our prayer is that we might be a positive testimony to God's love and grace as we walk this road.

After the class, we were given a tour of the infusion lab where Laurie would receive her chemo treatments. The next phase of her fight against her cancer would begin here on Friday. Our prayers for strength continued.