Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Good News!!

This is a random photo but I miss my long hair and my non-puffy, pre-decadron face so much sometimes that I need reminders of how I used to look and how I used to have such great health. I hope that doesn't sound shallow. I am a woman, though, and sometimes we just need to feel pretty and feel good about ourselves, right? Soon, I will again!!!!! My sister took a photo shoot of me in my wedding dress a couple days before the wedding. I felt like a princess! Isn't she a great photographer! If you ever need someone to take pictures, she's your gal! She's taken family portraits, wedding pictures, and just for fun photo shoots! She's very talented!
A lot of you have probably already heard from my mom about the good news! I went to the hospital for my MRI last Monday and ended up staying till Friday night. I had my MRI of my brain on Tuesday, nothing on Wednesday, then Thursday I went down early for a PET CT scan. They had to put an IV in my arm Monday night before the scans and the lady kept poking me and missing. I tried to stop them but the tears just rolled down my cheek like waterfalls. Finally after about the 4th poke she got it! It was horrible! Luckily my sweet hubby was there to comfort me. What was awful was it was right in my inner arm so I couldn't bend it meaning I couldn't even floss. I absolutely hate not flossing! It was hard to do just about anything. Eating, showering, dressing, etc. Oh well. That's over now. Thursday after my scan I also got an Echo cardiogram and an EKG. Tuesday night my brain surgeon, Dr. Chu, came in and told me that my MRI looked great! A little while later my neuro oncologist came in and asked if I had heard the news. I told him yes and he said, "Ah man...he beat me!" They both wanted to be the first to tell me the great news! Oh the power of prayers! My PET scan also looked better than it ever has. Still not completely positive, though, if the mass in my chest is all dead, but the stem cell transplant will clear up any confusion. I met with the Doc yesterday and she gave me a few different plans of treatment. I don't want to be greedy but can we all pray that we can go with plan A. This plan goes something like this. I get blood work done on 2/15 and if my counts are all good then I come to the hospital Monday, 2/18 at 8a.m. for chemo and stay for another dose at 8p.m. then I go home. Then I come back on the 3rd of March and they collect my stem cells. This may take 3 days. Now I'm not sure if I go home for a week and come back but either way I get high dose chemo for 7 days. I think I stay in the hospital and when my counts drop to just about nothing they put my stem cells back in. I will be in the hospital another couple weeks until my counts get back to normal and then I go home to recover. The doc said this should have me finished up my March 31st. Anyway, the other option is doing two rounds of chemo before the SCT instead of just one which would push things back about 2 1/2 or 3 weeks, which isn't all that bad. So that's where we are at! The end of March sounds excellent and hopefully that would mean I will have a little hair growing for when summer and my birthday come! Well, I'm gonna go so I can bring my hubby lunch! Love you all and I hope you are all doing well! P.S. If you need soap, make-up, hair products, perfumes, colognes, sandals, shoes, purses, etc. check out my Avon website! Thanks!

10 comments:

Deven and Alyssa Perry said...

YAY!!!! I'M SOOOOOO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!! There is an end in CLOSE sight. HURRAY!!!!
I love the picture that your sister took of you by the way! It is gorgeious and your look beautiful. Even though you alway look beautiful and cute when I see you. (Even when I drop in on you!) It is soo not far! haha..

Lindsay said...

Hello I stumbled upon your blog and it's very interesting! I have Sarcoma myself, and I can relate to a lot of things you say.

sptalley said...

I am very excited for you!!! I can somewhat relate to the stabbing with needles thing (though, nowhere near what you have been through!) I have really bad veins that people cant usually hit when I get blood drawn...so I have resorted to having them draw out of my hand. No digging required! They hit the vein every time, just a thought. Maybe next time you are getting poked ask if they will do it in your hand and see if that helps at all! When they start digging it is awful! Good luck and know that you are always in our prayers!
~Heather Talley

Davianne said...

Hey beautiful! You are not shallow at all! I like to look at pics of myself pre-kids in hopes it will help me get back to that someday.

Yay!! It's almost done!! That is so exciting!

Lindsay said...

Awe that was a very nice message! I would love to keep in touch...I love meeting cancer survivors. We have a certain way of life that nobody but us understands. and P.S. YOU are beautiful...that pre-wedding pic is gorgeous!

Katie Fish said...

Shelsi you're gorgeous...and not shallow at all!! I'm SO excited to hear the news! It's so close to be done! YAY!!

Obsessedwithlife said...

hi there- I saw your comment on Lindsey's site and thought I'd join in on the 'sarcoma party'...that's what I had too. What kind is yours and where are you at treatment-wise, etc!?!

Anyways, you are in my prayers and I hope we can connect :).

Sincerely,
Rachel

Candace said...

We heard the good news on Sunday... We are so happy for you and Erik!!

Kents said...

Shel, I am SO happy/excited for your news! We've gotta celebrate. Also, the hair/face thing is completely understandable. You have such a positive attitude about it most of the time. We just have days where it gets to us more than others. I had one of those days recently, and no excuses for me. Well, can I blame hormones?
Do you want to go to Wicked still? May 10th. I'll call you about it tomorrow, but call me if I get sidetracked.
Kirsten

carly said...

we were so excited to hear the good news! we love getting email updates from your mom and reading your blog also!