Time for more punch!

Thanks to the two Zarxio shots I received last week, and lots of fasting and prayer, I was able to get my infusion on Friday. My white blood cell count jumped up higher than even the normal range from 0.56 to 10.39. Doctors said that those numbers would come way down and that there was no danger of being high. I knew that getting chemo would mean more sickness but I felt grateful to cross off another treatment and be one step closer to the end. I am hoping the Hawaiian Punch hits the cancer harder than it punches me! :) I really missed Meredith while I was at the clinic but I tried to focus on how good she must feel now, finally free from her bodily pains and sickness.

Before my infusion was done, the nurses had me listen to an informational video about the use of the “on-body injector” of Neulasta. Then they stuck this device on my stomach, which has a small needle that injects into your skin. It had a flashing green light indicating it's working, and I was told not to shower or bump it until the next day after it was empty. Twenty-seven hours after the infusion, the injector would slowly release the medicine into my body for about an hour. Once the indicator line showed it was empty, I could peel it off and throw it away. The purpose of the Neulasta is similar to the Zarxio shots, to stimulate the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells, but this drug will last 10 days instead of just 24 hours and hopefully prepare me for my next infusion.

Glen and the kids left Friday evening to go up to Manti, Utah to see his siblings and parents for the week of Fall Break. The weather has been beautiful there and they have enjoyed being outside working on Grandma and Grandpas barn and spending time with cousins. I was so happy for all of them to have a change of scenery since they have been working and doing school from home. My mom has been taking great care of me while they have been away.

Glen's sister and family sent this "Hawaiian Punch" care package.
Everything I needed for this past infusion! 😘

Saturday morning, I had an appointment at a chiropractor's office to get some acupuncture done. I have never done that before and was a little nervous, but several of my friends who've had chemo felt like it helped with the nausea and other side effects. It ended up not hurting me at all, just tiny pricks to the skin, as the doctor put 22 needles on my front pressure points and then 8 more on the back side. I feel like it has helped somewhat with my nausea. I haven’t thrown up yet even though I feel like I need to. I have also tried wearing a three-day scopolamine patch behind my ear that is typically used for motion sickness but can also help upset stomachs. It has made me very tired and a little bloated but could be helping along with acupuncture.

Some of you may remember that I was scheduled to have a breast MRI on Thursday of last week, to redo my original MRI. Long story short, I wasn't able to keep that appointment because I wasn’t feeling well, but in the process of talking with the technician I saw the hand of God working out all of the details. I found out that the imaging machine at the location I was scheduled for Thursday was only a 1.5T (clarity) machine and my original order was for a 3T machine. I would have likely had to redo it a third time if I had gone through with the test. I went out to the car and cried as I thanked Heavenly Father for taking care of the little things and reminding me again that He is in control. I rescheduled the MRI for Tuesday, October 20 and hopefully that will be the last MRI for a while.