Jan. 20th--2nd round for MOM, Jan. 26th, 3rd round for me.

Mom did well with chemo last week, but continues to be fatigued. Her white blood cell count was 1.4 today, a week after chemo--very very low!  We are worried about her and our praying it goes back up, it should, as her Neulasta shot kicks in. Otherwise, Mom has little pain, and little nausea, which is a blessing.

I did my third round of chemo yesterday, Tuesday the 26th.  I really didn't want to go. I forced myself!
At 8:30am I was pricked in the port in my chest to have my white blood cell count taken. At 10am, I saw my Dr. I told her that I was ready to quit!  She said NO WAY!  I said, "Then fix the pain in my back that makes me cough for four days!" She told me to continue taking Prilosec, as the pain could be severe reflux that chemo exacerbates. GREAT!  She said my white blood ount was 8.7, very good. (under 2 you don't get chemo)
Tonight, that pain is back, and excruciating-- typing this is hard.  :(   Flu like symptoms and eye heaviness has started. oh boy.

ON a good note, I went to the Moffit salon and got my new wig right after chemo! The stylist shaved the chicken plucked scalp of mine and fitted me into the wig. OH WHAT A hot mama!  LOL 
I still mainly wear my stylish kerchiefs, my turbans (Jamie said I'm from the desert) and my hats. But when I want to feel normal, I can slip on the wig and have hair!

I am praying for pain relief, join me. And pray for my mom. I don't want my mom to suffer anymore, and I want the cancer to be killed all over her body. If we agree, it will be so!
Keep my boys in prayer- this is hard on them.
Keep my businesses in prayer- that I can keep them running. If you want to help--long distance,
book your travel and go shopping on my booking engines. Always check my prices, competitive with Expedia and the like. And for shopping, big deals in 700 stores that pay YOU, cashback, all for free
Check it out, I appreciate it very, very much.
http://www.zamzuu.com/Default.aspx?wa=marousa

Local friends, please refer my Farm and Petting zoo to you, to all your friends, churches and festivals.
http://www.noahsarkonwheels.com/  

ok enough of the business plugs!  (HEY, a Girl's gotta feed the kids!)

I love you all, I appreciate your caring-- (Natasha, Joe Mango, Linda, Zoe, and my children's school have brought meals here, more than once and you are ANGELS ON EARTH THANK YOU!)
FB friends, thank you for your words of encouragement and supporting me! And visiting me!

FYI
(treatment plan for both mom and I)-- 4 doses (rounds) of AC, two weeks apart. I am on my 3rd dose, Mom is on 2nd.  Then Three week break! Then 4 doses of Taxol, two weeks apart.
That concludes our Chemo! Mine will end on April 20th. Mom will end a week later---IF we get all of it on time and remain healthy.
THEN WE HAVE TO DO RADIATION TOO. 6 WEEKS. UGH. That will go right into the farm camp I do here on the farm-- not good-- summer income needed. But I will get help and keep it going. The children are already asking to sign up from all over, and I can't disappoint them!

Linda, Marousa, Mom and Zoe Dec. 12, 2009- Paul and Nicoles sunset wedding

But let's end on a positive note:  GOD IS STILL GOOD, HE WILL SEE US THROUGH WITH ALL OF YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.  Love to you all, and We shall overcome!
                                    
                            I see the light at the end of the tunnel!

2nd round of chemo for me--Jan. 13th HAIR TODAY GONE TOMORROW

Jan. 12th.
I went to Moffit to get my blood test, and see my Dr.  I discussed my symptoms of the cold, the chemo two weeks previous, etc.   She gave Ammend for nausea, Z-pack for upper respiratory infection (can you believe I got sick?) I haven't had a cold in a year! And said, "Report here for chemo tomorrow."
   
Wed. Jan 13th, I woke up this morning and true to the TWO WEEK time frame I was told, my hair came out in the hair brush in gobs.... UGH
I actually went back for my 2nd round of AC chemo.  I wasn't as nervous this time around. I had been through it and knew what to expect. My biggest issue was that I had gotten an upper respiratory infection on what was suposed to be my GOOD week, my OFF chemo week. So I gagged and coughed the week that was supposed to be a better time for me. Now, here I was about to get toxic again, with the bad cold hanging on. Dr.Khan gave me a Z-Pak to knock the infection out, and I was on my 2nd day of that antibiotic when it was chemo time again.   There was some discussion about whether I had a fever with this bad cold, and I did not. So, since my levels were 7.9 (white blood cells) and strong enough for chemo, and NO FEVER, chemo was given. 
My nurse was a perky lady originally form NY,  married to a Greek guy. We laughed about the Greeks when she said her mother-in-law would not come to visit her in FL because her dog was a house dog and Greek mama thought pets should be outside-- hahahahha.
The toxic liquid coursed through my veins and I was at peace. I told God he was good to me, despite what I had to go through. I thought about my boys, and living longer and what it would mean to them to have me around a bit into their adult years. I hope they appreciate it! LOL

After infusion was over, I mosied down to the hair salon. I was trying on all the wigs and having a good time being blonde, red, and everything in between!  I ordered a Gabor wig, bought some kercheifs, hats, and the like, to get me through my what was soon to be-- "bald and beautiful" period.  Ben got a kick out of the whole thing and cracked jokes with the salon lady the entire time. MEN.

My first two days after chemo were ok-- Because of my new nausea meds, Ammend, I did not feel nauseus, and was praising God for that.  And the debilitating headache was not there either, I was getting spoiled-- thinking I would NOT have a single side effect!  Saturday morning Paul and I had planned to attend a training and I got up even though I felt like I had the Flu. I lasted the whole 3 hours but Saturday night, my good time was up.
This hot, burning sensation started in my back and chest up to my head. My skin could not be touched.
The body aches started and I just laid in bed all night trying to figure out why this was all happening.
I was foggy, sickly, and not able to function. I had my back-up helpers there to take care of Ari and the boys seemed to be doing ok.  A party pulled into the barn at 3pm, and I was glad someone would be enjoying the farm for their birthday!
I wish I could say it got better as the night wore into Sunday, and as Sunday now has turned into Monday.
I have a pain in my gut, that feels like I've been kicked, it actually makes me cough on reflex. My head aches and my body feels like a truck has run it over several times. I am praying, meditating and wondering if I can do this ever again. I just don't know if I can. Right now I don't want to.  I am passing the painful hours
on my computer, looking for a great deal to take the boys away the week of Feb. 15th. (their week off of school) and working on my shopping portal contacts.  Something to keep me busy, working....  laundry piles up, and dishes are left undone-- you can tell it's a house full of boys...
And yet, I have so much to be thankful for--- my boys, my home.... my family, my friends.....

oh, wowwww    hair is just falling out in clumps---  when is that wig due in? Salon is going to call...

MY HOPE IS IN YOU LORD--
TOGETHER WE CAN OVERCOME--

 XXX0000
MAROU

Chemo Shmemo! is that all you got?

CHEMO SCHMEMO!   The light at the end of the tunnel has hit and I am very grateful. The last few days have been soo much better-- I started singing and dancing around the house! Karaoke!
God is faithful to us.
Thursday my Uncle Lee and Kim came up from port Charlotte to visit and we had a big fat Greek family party!  He had never been to my new home, and it's been 3 1/2 years since I built it!  He brought my Dad's  famous Dandy Day chicken fluffs and massive pizzas from his deli. He indulged us with his creamy cheese cake and it brought back memories of the diners in NJ.
Mom and my sisters came over and their other halves + kids. Mom was feeling fine, a wonderful miracle since she had Chemo Wed. We laughed and enjoyed little baby Aiden!  Linda's new grandson from Marty and Marci.

It's Saturday night and Mom has some fatigue, but otherwise is doing fine. (I made that deal remember?)
I told her my bedtime has changed, so should hers! Who cares??? Listen to your body.. I started to!
I am battling a bit of a cold type symptom last two nights. ONLY at night? Wierd.
I pray it's not anything big that I caught. I cough, and nose issues. NO fever. Anything over 100.5
I'd have to call.

The weather is so very cold for this part of the country-- a whole week of freezing temps at night!
I only ventured out today for an hour-- I can't take it! I froze. We Covered all the plants and have our tortoises wandering around the house, again!   This is Bubba- the largest one. He's got to be 80 lbs. now and is about 18 years old! African Spur Thigh tortoise.

We trip on him daily!

So despite some body aches and this little cold thing-- I have hope that I may suffer the first four days or so after chemo-- but can move on and have a good week after that. :)

My next treatment is Wed Jan 13th, providing my blood work on Tuesday is acceptable and my count isn't too low. (white blood cell count)  "c'mon little boogars, multiply!"
Mom's is Wed. the 20th. (same conditions)

Friends and Farmily: PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES--GET YOUR CHECK UPS AND DO PREVENTATIVE MEASURES AGAINST CANCER. THERE'S LOTS YOU CAN DO--it's better than chemo!
Love you so much! M.

Four days since Chemo invasion

Day ONE and Night ONE was simply wretched nausea and aches and pains.
NO Sleep of course. Flushed face. UGH
Day Two- Neulasta shot. Night two- no sleep-  horrific unending headache.
Called the doctor Friday night--- was up all night with sharp shooting pains all over my body.

Hot flushes, and.... pounding headache. Asked doc about headache. Said it's possible from chemo

but not the usual side effect.  HUH?  Glad to be UNUSUAL!  He told me to take 600mg. tylenol, or oxycodone (which made me vomit) for the headache. And... If I slur my speech to get to the hospital!

Great, thanks!  WELL-- body is feeling like a truck ran it over.

Friday to Saturday night have been mixed with pain, sharp shooting in my joints and bones all over, no notice, no stopping, intermittently shooting. Legs shaking at night from it.
I read that the joint and bone pains are supposed to be a side effect of the Neulasta shot. And not happen for one week after shot.
I"m either early with that, or these are chemo pains! And Neulast bone pain to come! UGH!
My new daughter in law Nicole helps me with laundry and dishes--every task is tiresome and painful.

My dear friend Beth came by Sat. afternoon with ginger carrot soup from the health food store, and herb salad. What a great lunch! A barn party went on at the barn Saturday too. I watched, peering at the window at the people gathered hundreds of feet away to celebrate. "Did they know a woman was in the house battling chemo, writhing in pain? Did it matter? NO and NO. Their little girl had the time of  her life in 55 degree weather at my barn for her birthday. And that's good. They yelled during the hayride and I could hear the laughter......it echoed through my water filled swamp...

NIghts are the worse: Thank God for Adivan. Or I would not sleep at all! I awake every night, every two hours-- and pray  "From where does my help come. My help comes from the Lord. "  
When I think I can't go on-- I just do.

Today is day four- it's Sunday. My kids are trying to be helpful. They're adorable and annoying still at times lol.

My friends in the travel biz text me and ask if they can come up and bring quesedillas. That sounds delish! They arrive and make the cheese and chicken filled qeusas and we laugh. They make sure I don't lift a finger and make me rest in my loveseat all wrapped up.
When the gate sticks open and the goats threaten to leave the property, Brenda, Lauren, Charlotte and Dave get on their coats and follow my son Jamie out to the barn to put the animals up, and hay them.
They gather the eggs and have their taste of farm life. And it was 45 degrees out!  brrrrrr....
All too soon they take their leave.
Tonight I am achy.... like a CAR ran me over.... and the headache persists. Tomorrow I call... i need relief.

In waltzes sister Linda and my Mom!  Chicken and salad and my coveted stone ground wheat crackers I need!  We visit for a bit and eat dinner. The boys are still stuffed from the quesas though.

I look at my Mom... I don't want her to do this too--- tomorrow she gets her port, wed. chemo.

I tell her, "Mom, it's achy, it's painful, but we can do this."  IF I COULD DOUBLE MY PAIN, AND GET HER OUT OF HAVING TO DO IT I WOULD. IS THERE SOME BARGAIN I CAN MAKE LIKE THEY DO IN THE MOVIES? WHERE IS THAT MAN THAT APPEARS AND MAKES A DEAL?