More Side Effects

I have had a great week. From Wednesday on, I woke up feeling almost normal and, for the most part, was able to do whatever I wanted to do. My friend Linda was here from St. Louis and we ran around and saw the sights. Sweetly, she pretended she was ready to nap too when I needed to go home and rest in the afternoons. I foolishly let myself believe I had (by the grace of God) sailed through the chemo and there would be no more effects until the next treatment.

I had been warned that my immune system was going to take a dive this weekend and I needed to be careful about being exposed to germs. No crowds, no grocery store, etc. I was ok with staying home (sort of), but was unprepared for how bad I was going to feel. Saturday hit me like a ton of bricks. I took two naps and sat around most of the rest of the day. Saturday night, my body ached all over so badly that I could hardly move. Also, Saturday night, my mouth erupted into sores. These feel like little pimples all over the inside of my mouth. Thankfully, my chemo nurse sent a sample of some "magic mouthwash" home with me. The mouthwash is supposed to cure these nasty things before they become really annoying.

(Special note to my San Antonio friends - please be extra careful for us in the coming months. Don't come over at all if anyone in your house is sick. Also, stay away from Paul if you are feeling bad. Since the kids don't go to school, he is the major germ portal into our house. I have been nagging him to wash his hands, but you know how boys are. Just kidding, he is being very careful. Thanks for your help.)

My hair is still hanging in there. I had planned to have it all shaved off this weekend, but since not a single hair has fallen out, I am waiting. When it finally starts to go, my friend Kyle is going to shave it off. No, Kyle is not a flamboyant hairdresser; he is the husband of my friend Elissa. Kyle gets the job because he has a clippers and a sense of humor. Thank you my sweet friend Elmer who has already shaved his head in my honor. Elmer, I am so touched by this and praying for you too.

I am now totally obsessed with another side effect of the chemo that caught me off guard. Immediately after chemo, my eyes became red rimmed. Since Wednesday, dark circles have been growing under my eyes. However, I was unprepared for my eyelids starting to get dark too. Soon I will look like raccoon with a dark circle all the way around each eye. As a result, tomorrow morning, instead of starting school with the boys like I should be doing, I am going to go to a class about how to put on makeup for cancer girls. Not very excited about this, but want to snag some industrial strength concealer for those eyes.

I am hopeful that I will have a healthy, strong two weeks ahead until the next chemo. I do want to get started on school with the boys. I am trying not to let dread of the next chemo creep into my mind. I am working to discipline my mind to focus on the blessings and answered prayer that I see all around and not attend to the things that annoy me. This is a real struggle for me, but I want to feel my mouth filled with praise for God, not with sores.

Thank you so much for all of your help and support. I love to go to the mailbox and find the cards every day. Now I love to go in the garage and see the freezer too. Huh? The freezer. Yep, I almost cry with thankfulness when I open the freezer and see all of the meals that my neighbors and others have sent for us to pull out and enjoy when we need it. Thank you for giving us the food and your time. I cannot express how much we appreciate this. Love you all, Cara

"O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on the earth below-you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way." 1 Kings 8:23