The Past Few Weeks...

So although this is the last round of chemo, the past few weeks have been less than enjoyable. I somehow managed to get a flu-viral thingy that's basically kept me out of school for two weeks. I had been going to school as much as I could before it, but I still have a TON of make up work to get done - not to mention the work from the days I'm missing now! Especially in my chemistry and AP classes, but the teachers have all been great about makeup work and getting everything done when I feel up to it.
The past two weeks have been pretty miserable: I've been congested, achy, random bouts of nausea, extremely exhausted, and running to the bathroom constantly. So of course, I haven't felt like doing any sort of school work at all. Two Fridays ago, Mom and I went to the hospital to get some fluids because I was up vomiting for a while the night before from this virus, and I ended up getting some blood which helped me perk up for a day or two. But of course it went back to worse. Last Saturday was absolutely awful - I sat around reading pointless fiction all day while I forced myself to try and drink something so I didn't get dehydrated and have to come to the ER and while I walked around the house slowly for fear of collapsing from exhaustion and wasted muscle. But by Sunday afternoon I was feeling much better.
Now it's Tuesday and I'm feeling so much better than I have for a while - not quite fully recovered so I would be able to go to school, but still a lot more energetic than before. And I'm in the hospital getting chemo for the next five days. Getting chemo certainly won't help me feel any better, and sitting in the hospital bed isn't going to make me gain any muscle mass. Oh well. At least it's the last round!!!!!! YAY!!! We're so excited this is almost over. I can't wait until it's time to go home and we can celebrate and I can recover and I can get back to school full time!
I can't believe it's already October! Mom brought some fall decorations to put up in the room instead of her summer luau lanterns. :) It brings a little cheer and variety to the same blue walls in every room.

Quick News!

Sorry I've been such a slacker. I've felt fairly crummy ever since the third round of chemo started and have been busy with school work, etc.
But TODAY we went downtown for a clinic visit and to get the third dose of one drug - velcade - to finish off the round of chemo. Dr. Weinstein (my oncologist) didn't have official scan results last Friday when we were hospitalized, so today she shared the following:

The cancer is GONE!!

So here's the plan: no more fourth doses of velcade (which will hopefully reduce the insomnia) which means I don't have to go back to the hospital for TWO WHOLE WEEKS! That's a new record for the past few months. :) Then we'll do one more round of chemo - a second preventative - just to be sure the cancer stays away. Another five day hospital stay and then the velcade a few days after that. Then after two or three weeks we'll have another CT scan to make sure the cancer is still gone. Dr. Weinstein mentioned that this was perfect timing - the following week she goes on maternity leave!

Thank you so much for all of your thoughts and prayers. This has truly been a miracle! I still can't really believe that the cancer is gone. I know that this was only possible through the faith and prayers of my family and friends. I can't thank you all enough or express how grateful I am to my Heavenly Father for helping me and my family get through this trial.

I will post more about the past week within a few days, but I thought I'd share the good news with you all!