Thank You

I've taken 4 self injections of interferon so far and am still doing well.  I take them at night so that I can just sleep off the symptoms then wake up feeling good.  I still get tired and have to make sure I'm drinking enough water, but overall I'm doing great!
I'm BEYOND excited about going to school, praying that I'll be able to get right back into the swing of things! Cannot wait!! :)  I hope that my mind stays clear while taking the interferon.  I really need to watch the first month or so to make sure that my grades wont suffer from the low dose.

Well, my "unplanned semester" is now over!  Saying this doesn't seem real. Its almost a bitter sweet thing (much sweeter) but I knew this blog would have to end sometime and there's really not much I have to say on a daily or even weekly basis. Even though this is my final blog I'll be sure to keep in touch. If you have any more questions PLEASE write me an email (raabewl@indiana.edu), facebook message, call, text, ect...I would love to hear from you!

Looking back to the first day of this rollercoaster I never thought this day would get here and now it's come faster than I expected.  I've grown so much during this semester at home and have learned how important family and friends, patience, and faith truly are.

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to lean on you. I have felt so much love from all of you and couldn't be more blessed. Thank you for the love and support given not only to me but to my family as well.  We have felt so comforted in your constant thoughts and prayers.

I love you more than you could ever know.
THANK YOU
Rachel

More Energy!

Today I spent most of the day looking through old pictures for a slideshow I'm making and being outside in the snow.  I can definitely tell my energy level is going up.  I stayed outside and shoveled our driveway for over 45 minutes.  (Don't really know if I was supposed to having the lymph node surgery) I don't have any swelling yet, so I think I'll be fine. I do have to be more aware of it though.  Its hard to know what I can and can't do.  I also went to a jean party today and got a new pair of jeans! Because I lost so much weight with treatment I've dropped a pant size so now I have pants that fit. :)
I'm excited to see Zionsville friends tomorrow. It will be great to have people my age around!

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers.  They are what have gotten me through this semester.
I love you!

Prayer Request

I found out today that a family friend's daughter was diagnosed with colon cancer.  She is 17, a junior in high school.  PLEASE pray for her and her family.  Pray for comfort and healing in this scary time.  Thank you.

Fear of needles is gone

Today I went to physical therapy then to the hospital for the second interferon injection.  My physical therapy is going well.  My range of motion gets better and better each time.  Hopefully I'll be pain free soon.  At the hospital I was able to inject myself for the first time.  I washed my hands, then rubbed the alcohol swab on my stomach, waited for my skin to dry, pinched my stomach, stuck myself, let go of the skin, and injected the interferon.  I'll be such a pro by the end of this.  One nice thing about these injections is my fear of needles has been eliminated. I can also can tell a difference in my energy level already.  Instead of going to bed around 9:30 or 10 and getting up between 8:30 and 9 (10-11 hours of sleep) I wasn't tired until 11 and was wide awake at 7:30 this morning (8 1/2 hours!)  That's more reasonable for a college student's schedule.

I'm still feeing good tonight, took some tylonol before the injections, but the true test comes once the tylonol wears off.

Thank you so much for your love and support!
Love always
Rachel

No Hospital Today!

Its a Tuesday at 2:30 and I'm not at the hospital!!!!! :) Ahh! It feels so good to be out of there on a daily basis. The sun is shining and the snow looks beautiful! Its a good day.

Last night was fine.  I started feeling feverish and got a headache around 9:30 so I took some more tylonol then went to bed.  I woke up this morning feeling fine.  I still have a lingering headache, but its not bad enough to take anything for it.  If I keep hydrated the headache lessens.  I've been busy doing things for my sorority today.  So excited to live in the house next semester!

Happy Tuesday!
Love and Blessings
Rachel

1st injection done!

I went to the doctor and had my first injection out of many today.  I was a bit nervous for it because the last shot I had in my stomach was a painful one.  This one didn't hurt a bit though! The nurse did it for me today and I watched so that she could explain what I would be doing.  I'll go back on Wednesday and hopefully be able to do it myself.  I'll probably have a headache and might get some fever and chills tonight because my body isn't used to getting the interferon through a shot yet.  Right now I feel ok though.  I'm excited to have more energy than I've had for a month! The dosage is reduced to 10 million units instead of 17 million and its only 3 times a week. :)

I'm feeling good. SO excited to get back to school next semester!  I can't believe its already so close!

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers!
With love
Rachel

DONE DONE DONE! :)

I finished the infusions today!!  Couldn't be happier! Praise God! :) I am so looking forward to doing things other than sit in a chair with an iv from 2:30 - 5.

I go back on Monday to learn how to give the self injections but that shouldn't take too long.

I'm so thankful for the nurses at the hospital, they have been so great through all of this.
I want to thank everyone who took me to and from the hospital.  It helped tremendously! And thank you all for the thoughts and prayers as always.  I truly believe that the reason I handled this treatment so well was because all of you.

I love you so much!
Rachel

ONE DAY LEFT!

Tomorrow will be my last day of infusions!  I'm SO EXCITED! I'll have to start figuring out what I'm going to do with all the extra time I have.  I'm feeling pretty good still.  Sleeping a lot as always, but doing great.  Next week I'm planning on starting my training for the summer.  Last summer I wanted to finish all 3 legs of a sprint triathlon but couldn't because of the cancer and surgeries I was having.  My goal is to finish one this coming summer.  I know its not going to be fast. I'm incredibly weak and out of shape from all of this. I just want to finish.  I'm planning on having enough energy to train even with the self injections. :) Hopefully that will be the case.

Thank you all SO much for the thoughts and prayers through all of this.  I've been blessed beyond belief and couldn't ask for better friends and family.
I love you!

Well, I've made the decision to continue with the low dose treatment. (self injections 3 times a week for a year)  While I made the decision I don't think it will feel official until I start them.  My blood pressure is still good and my liver enzymes are getting back to normal.  I've been feeling pretty good the past couple of evenings. Last night I had some body aches along with my headache, but its still not bad enough to take any extra medicine.
Today I had physical therapy as well. My arm is getting more and more flexible each day.  I can now raise my arm all the way up and am slowly getting to the point where I can move it in a circle.

Thank you for everything
I love you all!

Home stretch!

Each day I seem to feel better. Last night I didn't even take my second round of tylonol.  I had a slight headache, but nothing I couldn't handle on my own.  I'm still sleeping a lot, about 10 hours a night, but overall I'm feeling great.  Tonight I'm still feeling good.  My blood pressure was at 101/70 and they will get my liver tests read tomorrow.  I have a bit of a cough but don't feel any sicker than I do normally with this.  

I can't believe I only have 3 more days of the high dose! This has gone by much faster than expected. Even the nurses can't believe that I'm on my last week.  I am very ready to not base my schedule around my treatment anymore!

I'm making my final decision about the self injection, low dose, of interferon that the doctors want me to take 3 times a week for a year.  I am more worried about the cancer coming back than I am the side effects to the interferon while my mom is more worried about the side effects.  I'm needing extra prayers on this decision. I know whatever I decide God will be right there with me.

Thank you for the thoughts and prayers! I'm so blessed to have the friends and family I do.

LOVE!

Wonderful Weekend!

This weekend was wonderful! (Hence the title :)) My parents drove me to IU friday night because I wasn't feeling up to the drive right after treatment. I stopped by and visited some friends from my floor last year then I stayed the rest of the weekend at my sorority, AGD, for recruitment.  I am SO thankful I felt well enough to come help.  Loved seeing all my sisters!
I can tell a big difference in my energy level each day that I'm off the treatment.  I felt better on Sunday than I did Saturday because there was another day between me and the treatment.  I'm SO looking forward to getting off this high dose! ONE MORE WEEK!  :)

Lots of thanks for the thoughts and prayers!

IU BOUND!

Yesterday was good. I've been getting a bit more tired as the week goes on but overall I'm doing well.  My headaches come like clockwork and I just have to take a couple tylonol to get rid of them.  This weekend is recruitment (19 party) for the sororities and I'll be going down to IU to help with that. :) I can't wait to see everyone!  I'm hoping that I'll wake up Saturday and have a bit more energy than I do now.  We'll see.  I'll just be happy to be there.
Because I don't feel well enough to drive myself after treatment today my parents are driving me down.  SO thankful for them!

I hope all of your weeks have been great!  As always, thank you for the thoughts and prayers! One week to go!!!!!! (after today)

I'm still trying to decide whether or not do continue with self injections for the rest of the year.  Hopefully by next week I'll have made a decision.
Lots of love!!

Today I went to the mall in the morning then took a nap before going to treatment.  I still have lots more energy than before.  Getting out of the house feels great!  My blood pressure was down again today so they aren't as worried about it but are still going to monitor it closely.  I'm feeling good, just a small headache. My interferon buddy (the lady who started it the same time as I did) is doing much better too.

Thank you for the love, thoughts, and prayers!

Half Doses = Amazing

I can already tell that I have so much more energy than I did last week and the week before.  My headaches are being controled just by a couple of tylonol instead of the high dose meds I was taking and I'm able to go out and do things before my interferon without feeling exhausted.  Very excited!

Yesterday when they took my blood pressure it was at 124/94 compared to monday (102/77).  The nurses are a bit concerned because it jumped that much in just one treatment.  They are going to keep a close eye on it the next couple of days to make sure it stays under control.

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers!
And HAPPY SNOW! :)  I love waking up to snow on the ground, so beautiful!

Love
Rachel

ps I have a new favorite song.  I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin
SO uplifting :)

Headache

Mondays always seem a to come with headaches.  Probably because I've just been off the medicine for 2 days and my body's getting used to being back on it.  Earlier today was great and I visited with people at my church and went to the mall and physical therapy.  I can raise my arm almost all the way up into the air now!
I have a couple prayer requests...the lady who started interferon the same day as me is having to drive 3 hours each day to get her interferon and is extremely tired and also just found a bump on her arm that had to be removed and tested.  Please pray for her and another lady that started interferon today.

Thank you!
I love you all!

Feeling Good

Today I went to church then visited with people at home.  I am so thankful to everyone who has taken time out of their day to come visit! It makes my time at home so much more enjoyable.

I've been feeling really great compared to last week and am enjoying getting the 17 million units instead of the 34.  It will be interesting to see if there is a big change this week in how I feel because of the lower dose.  I'm still trying to decide if I'll be taking the lowest dose of self injections 3 times a week for 11 months after the infusions. These last 2 weeks will probably help me decide.  I think what we are most worried about is my energy level because that is one side effect that has stayed with me this whole time. Praying lots about it.

I'm half way done with these infusion and I'm SO grateful for the thoughts and prayers!
Much Love!

Half way there!

After having skipped the interferon on Wednesday and Thursday, I felt great on Thanksgiving and most of the day Friday! :) My Thanksgiving was wonderful.  My aunt and uncle from my mom's side came over for lunch and we visited and watched football games the rest of the day.  We are having Thanksgiving on my dad's side of the family tonight. :)

Friday I went in for treatment at noon.  They told us it would take a bit of extra time because they were going to do some blood tests to make sure my liver count had gone down and my blood pressure was back to normal.  We got the blood tests back within a half hour and they found that my liver count had gone down but is still higher than it should be.  The doctor decided to cut my dosage in half so now instead of 34 million units I'm getting 17 million units.  I'm also supposed to try and hold off the prescription medicine and tylonol because of my liver.  I did take a tylonol last night because I was getting a headache and was feeling achy all over.  It helped and I felt good the rest of the night.  I even felt well enough to go to a friends house and then have people over at my house.  It was great seeing everyone!  :) I'm hoping the lower dosage will mean less severe side effects!

This week was much easier than last week and I'm feeling extremely thankful for that.  My family and friends make up such a fantastic support system.  Thank you so much for the thoughts and prayers!  This semester I've had SO much to be thankful for. I can definitely see God working though this situation in my life and in other's.

With Love and Thanks
Rachel

Week 2

The start of this week has been SO SO much better than last week.  I still have some nausea, but nothing like I did over the weekend.  My headaches are about gone and I haven't had a fever.  The one symptom that has been with me the entire time is fatigue.  I am extremely tired all the time and take lots of naps.  I got my blood tests on Monday and they found that my white cell blood count looks great and they are happy with how my body is reacting to it.  Today, however, they found that my blood pressure was much higher than normal and that the reading on my liver had gone up slightly (not dangerously, just a bit of concern w/ the dosage).  They decided to just give me a liter of fluid and hold off on the treatment.  I will not be taking it tomorrow (THANKSGIVING! :)) either.

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers!
I love you!

Nausea

That word probably is the one I would use to define this weekend.  The doctors keeps saying that I have to drink more water and let time pass but I've felt sick since Friday and haven't gotten better yet.  I'm planning on meeting with my oncologist tomorrow and hopefully lowering the daily dosages they are giving me.  A lot of people end up lowering them for various reasons.  He told me from the beginning that he does not accept nausea as one of the side effects, so something is going to have to change. (At least maybe I wont overeat on Thanksgiving! haha)

Other than that, my headaches are gone, no more fever or chills, I'm a little tired but I can handle that.  Just trying to keep drinking lots and lots of water.

Hopefully my nausea will go away soon and the second week will be easier than the first one.

I love you and thank you for all the prayers and support!

One week down...3 to go!

Today was one of the harder days.  I slept most of the day and when I wasn't sleeping my stomach was upset.  I made it to the treatment and then felt a bit better once they gave me extra fluid and some anti-nausea medicine.  Once I got home I started feeling worse and couldn't eat anything.  I took another anti-nausea pill to help with that and went to bed then woke up at about 8:30.  I've eaten a bite of peanut butter and jelly and some banana but still don't feel great.

Except for the night without medicine, this has been the lease enjoyable.  I'm SO glad that I get two days off!

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers!
Goodnight