The Balancing Act

"Step with care and great tact and remember that life's a great balancing act." 

Dr. Suess, Oh the Places you Go!

"YOU are Brave!" says  a lady on the other side of the room. At first I didn't know why I was brave until she removed her hat and pointed to her head. I was brave because I didn't wear a hat or a wrap. Its really because everyone has made me feel so comfortable without one. 

"That's it, that there is the last of the "red stuff" comments Tammy. My nurseTammy
 injected me, pushing the last 3 vials of the red devil in my IV. I just stared at the last of the drug as it made its way through my tubing.

This is the needle that goes into my port through my skin. 

I MADE IT! I stayed out of the hospital! I didn't get any infections! I didn't have any abnormal side effects. 8 Weeks, 4 rounds and I DID IT! Hot diggity dog, Thank YOU JESUS for carrying me through this.

Austin's getting pretty good at 5 Crowns! 

Even in my current nauseas state I am teared with thankfulness. SO humbled to be blessed beyond measure in this Journey.

• No chemo for 2 weeks. 
• Chemo will continue WEEKLY for 12 more weeks.
• Taxol w/ carboplatinum every 3 weeks. 
• If all goes well, SEPTEMBER 18th will be my LAST Chemo!

Its just another marathon, I just made it  through a really hard part of this marathon. I finished my last AC, I will be pretty sick the next few days. Friday and Saturday are the worse, that is when the anti nausea meds wear off. I have continued to work, but do half days on chemo weeks. 

This Sunday I am going to Mackinac Island with my work, I am praying I can participate. It really is such a great time and nice getaway. 

Rundown:

I am a creature of habit, I like routine. I called Lacey to see if she would knock out a few miles before chemo. I had to get Lacey out the door earlier than normal, I had to meet Dr. Q at 8:40 am.
We were running and gabbing watching our time more than our miles.
4.5 miles.
This is my step down week.
I bring my miles down to let my body recover. Well and I am sicker than snot so running is more of an effort.
I have been averaging on CHEMO weeks about 24 miles. If I feel good enough I will run/walk a COUPLE miles on Thursday. Today, I invited my good pal Jeff for a walk. I am hoping the rain stays at bay and I feel good enough to get out. I get REAL stir crazy in the house for 2 days.

Lab Results: 

Dr. Q studying my lab results. 

Dr. Q never has you wait long. He is not my oncologist, but I have seen him twice and he is very kind. It has circulated around the office that I am going to RUN. (For me running is one of the ONLY times I don't feel this cancer. I feel free. A little piece of ANITA.)
"So, Hi Anita, How are you feeling?" I laughed " I feel great other than this big ole blister on my toe!"
He bent over to look at it, I was mortified at my ugly running feet that desperately need a pedicure but I am scared to catch something funky. "How long have you had that, Wow, that's from running?"
Still laughing, "yep, actually its from my shoes" I said with a smirk. I badly need new shoes but I feel guilty buying them right now.
That blister, the size of a grape got more attention than I was expecting. Andy was in the corner rolling his eyes at me. I was more mortified because I needed my polish done.
He looked at the blood work from Tuesday without much concern. Until Andy brought up my blood work from that LONG run 2 weeks ago. The BAD Blood work....
I am very transparent on my blog. I don't hide much. I know that post concerned a lot of people. I SO appreciate your notes, texts and messages.
Dr. Q looked back at them and he too raised his eyebrows.

Andy reminded him that the sole purpose was to do this extra screening to see how my running is mingling with all this cancer stuff. I never expected my labs from that to come back good. After all, I ran 14 miles within an hour of my blood draw.
After a painful conversation about my bad numbers and Andy tattling on me, Dr. Q decided to request ANOTHER blood draw to check on my Ferritin. A high Ferritin can present itself as a inflammatory marker and mine was over 1940-- normal range is 12.0-207.0 ng/mL. Now mine is going to be a bit higher than normal with chemo. But that number was a bit alarming.
This morning I got the results back from yesterdays blood draw...403.9! Back down, everyone breath, I'm good. It was that long run. The same long run I had been doing before they added the extra blood panal.
Which is why it is SOOO important to RECOVER properly. Eat, rest and listen to your body. You have to have balance and sometimes that means you need to be intentional.
AND all those prayers, good vibes and words of encouragement are so therapeutic to me.
I am soo blessed and so loved. I just love you all for caring for me and being there for me.
It has made this marathon that much easier.

YEAH! Round 4 completed. I started this journey at 101lbs. I am not up to 104.6! 

Team Harless

Collision: 

"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. when you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; The flames will not consume you." Isaiah 43:2

A little devotion: (Thank you Erin A. for sending me this scriptures today, it was perfect.) My last Chemo I didn't take care of myself physically. I didn't hydrate or eat properly and it kicked me in the butt. My recovery was harder, my sadness was deeper, I was a bit more discouraged because I didn't BUILD my body up to prepare it for the storm.
Tuesday night is the addiction ministry I serve in. I shared that with them.
And I circled it back.
We are all going to go through storms in our life. Most of the time we are not going to see them coming. If we are not spiritually prepared we are going to struggle worse when the waves come crashing. Seek The LORD, strengthen yourself on his word. Drink from the living water.  Read, study, grow, pray. He will strengthen and prepare you when those storms come crashing.

Asking for prayers for my body to heal over the next couple days. That I can get through work ok. 
Thank you for all your love. 

ANITA~