CD6S1-4

Before I start this blog, I want to take a moment to thank Anna for all she has done in the past 2 months. She has been an incredible help and making sure I was getting all the meds on time, and preparing meals that helped my body. She also carried more loads around the house since I was down, and she would not let me help! Could not have done this without her love, support and care for me and our family. The Lord provided me an amazing helpmate and I am incredibly blessed by her. Thank you babe for all the extra work you did and are still doing.

Wednesday

Going into my last chemo treatment, I was excited and anxious. I was also feeling really healthy, praise the Lord. I was seriously looking and feeling amazing.

Checked in. Did the weigh-in. Moved to an exam room. Took vitals. Accessed port. Took blood. Met with the doctor. Got in the infusion chair. That is basically the rundown when we come in for treatment.

Found a chair in the corner; corner chairs are bit nicer as you only have one neighbor instead of two and they feel a bit larger; but not really.

Premeds were started, and everything was going great. After about 30 ish minutes, pre meds ended and then I waited 30 minutes for the meds to get into the body. Once that 30 minutes is up, I started the big boy meds, the chemo.

Chemo was loaded, and we were going. Anna and I were playing our favorite card game, Phase 10. Anna was winning by one phase. About 5ish minutes into my chemo treatment, I was having weird tummy problems and not feeling great; I thought I needed to go to the restroom. I got up, took my IV cart with me to the bathroom.

When I got in there, I could not go but started to sweat a lot. I left the bathroom and went right to the nurse’s station and told them I was not feeling well. They took me back to my seat and immediately called my nurse over, and my doctor was there in like moments as well. They took my vitals, and everything was looking great. They could not get a temp on me as I was sweating too much. My eyes were closed, but I could hear them talking. They ended up giving me some Pepcid, and within a couple minutes, my tummy was not on fire anymore.

The team waited a few moments before they started me half the speed of the chemo. About 30 minutes later, they came back and said they needed to up the speed because if we didn’t, I would be locked in the clinic overnight. So they increased it to .75 speed, and, when they saw I was handling that okay, they increased to full speed after about 20 mins.

During this time, I heard a few nurses come over and check on Anna as well, to make sure she was okay. This team of oncology nurses are amazing and truly care for the patient and their families. Meant a lot to hear these nurses check on me, but also with Anna. Compassion means a lot when you are going through hardship and unknowns.

Made it through that ordeal without any more issues and then got connected to the pump for the last time.

This little machine pumps other chemo meds into me for the next 45 hours. Every so often, it makes a noise that sounds like our cat. Have to carry it with me everywhere I go. The last few cycles, it has gone off early, meaning the pump says there is an error in the system. I have learned that if it is less than 10mL, the patient received all their chemo. Not just my pump, but other pumps in the clinic have been having issues.

FRIDAY

My pump went off early and said I had 5mL left. I called the clinic and they graciously allowed me to come in early for a disconnect!! It is like Christmas when you can get in early.

The nurse I had on Friday for my last disconnect was the nurse who was the first to access my port and saw me in a raw moment on that first treatment. It was fun for both of us to have that full circle, which she said is not common.

On Friday my vitals were great and the disconnect went great with no issues.

After talking to the nurse about next steps, I learned I will probably have the port for about a year and need to come into the clinic about every three months to get the port flushed; if you don’t, blood can clog the lines, I learned.

WHAT NOW

So chemo is done. Lord willing, I will not have to have that again. So what are the next steps?

On August 20 I have a MRI scan so the doctors can see what the chemo did to the tumor. Please join us in praying that the tumor is COMPLETELY gone. I am trying to not get my hopes too high but really praying that the tumor is gone and nothing else is needed.

IF the tumor is not gone then most likely surgery will take place.

No matter what I know and trust that the Lord is guiding us through this process. Clinging to His promises from his amazing Word.

THANK YOU

My family is so thankful for all our friends and family that have been so supportive during this time. We are not done yet. We are so grateful for your prayers, your texts, call, meals, donations,etc. All of your love has made this journey a little easier.

Much Love,

Josh, Anna, Addy, Josiah

This picture was taken after disconnect on Friday!!

A note from Anna:

I am extremely grateful for the Lord knowing exactly what we would need for this journey. He has and continues to provide the help and support, courage, and perspective in the midst of everything that has come. Josh has been a rockstar through this time. He has been steady in doing what he needs to do for his body to get well. I know this hasn’t been easy for him to not be as active, to learn the art of saying “no” and “not right now,” and even the further art of saying, “I need help.” For that matter, I’ve had to learn the same lessons!

Dear friends even brought Christmas in July to us this year (a tradition I am known for carrying on each summer). Normally I’m the one whose silly crazy for Christmas in July where we stay in AC, watch Christmas movies, make Christmas sugar cookies, do Christmas crafts and light Christmas candles. I’m weird, I know, but hey…you gotta have some fun in life! Well of course, my Christmas in July spirit was a bit Scrooge-like this year and I plumb forgot about our tradition. Until our friends surprised us with Christmas presents and Christmas cheer! I mean really…

And then there was the incident of our van being in the shop for about a week, our dryer being out of commission for about two weeks (and is still out), and my mom being hospitalized (she just came home about a grueling 10 days). People have stepped up in so many ways to help in all of these ways! Sweet neighbors who dried and folded our towels, precious friends from back home caring for my folks when I couldn’t get down there to help and countless prayers.

The cool thing has been also watching dear ones from church step up and help in multiple roles while Josh and I have been out. We have been edified by them using their gifts and williness to serve the body of Christ.

One last word of thanks is to our amazing kiddos. They have been troopers through all of these changes in our family rhythm and time. They have learned how to pray in new ways and have also been extreme COMIC RELIEF!! I have affectionately taken to calling them our “Dodo Birds,” and before you think I’m being mean, let me explain! Their comic relief truly reminds me of Dodo birds! They bawk and walk like Dodo birds, and their mannerisms reflect those of the Dodo. While I was helping my folks yesterday, they even wrote me a detailed report about their kind…the Dodo birds! And, they have taken to calling their kind, the Dodo Bird Nation. I know none of this probably makes sense to the average reader of our blog, but trust me when I say, the Dodo’s are the most humorous part of life these days and are keeping things quite fresh and real.

Lastly, we are anticipating the Lord’s good and perfect will being on full display as we continue this journey. We know that nothing is a surprise to him, and our lives are a reflection of his goodness and faithfulness. We are praying for Josh’s complete and full healing and that the upcoming scans will reflect that. And we are praying for whatever is next, that the Lord will continue to use this story for him to write more of his faithfulness all over it. We are in the best of hands.