Author Topic: Email From Shasta  (Read 47884 times)

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Email From Shasta
« Reply #20 on: April 28, 2012, 12:44:30 pm »
Oh no.

I'm so sorry Shasta has to go through this.  I was wondering where she was.

It is VERY good news that the tumor is responding to treatment.  Keep after it Shasta!  As aggressively as you can.

Eat healthy and eat a lot (I know you may not want to, but this is the time to keep up your strength).  Surround yourself with loved ones and think positive.

I am thinking of you.

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Email From Shasta
« Reply #21 on: May 09, 2012, 12:53:47 am »
Any news from Shasta, David?


Shas:
Big Brokie Hugs and healing thoughts to you! :-*

Offline David In Indy

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Re: Email From Shasta
« Reply #22 on: May 09, 2012, 02:39:14 pm »
Hi Chrissi! Yes there is some news! Here's the latest!


(From Shasta)

TREATMENT NEWS

Just a few lines to let you in on the latest. My sweet friends who have kept on praying! Thank you so much for all the thoughts and prayers. God is healing me and I am happy and joyful. Weak, kinda. I have not been very active for almost 5 whole months, so I will have to gradually gain that strength back. I'm working on it. Healing takes a lot of energy, I have found, too. :) Worth it, tho. Has anyone here ever had to have physical or mental therapy after an extended illness? I think I may have to have something like that.

The radiological oncologist changed the treatment from "cyberknife" to "stereotactic" radiosurgery interspersed with conventional radiation for 10 days in a row (wkends off) so I am going to Memphis daily. My sweet drivers!! :) The ride is longer than the treatment which lasts around 30 minutes or a little less. I have had 5 treatments so far. I lack 5 more of those and 2 more chemos. The main side effect of the radiation is extreme fatique...and that's what I have. I just usually come home and go to sleep.

Some days I feel really bad for awhile, but after a rest, I can tell that I am healling and it is very encouraging. As are you all and my other friends and relatives are. Thank y'all. I think anyone's body just has to transition from sick to well while it's trying to get better and heal, and that may make me feel bad occasionally. But having spiritual and emotional support like I've had, I think I have more energy for the physical to heal!

That's it for the treatment news right now. Will get back with you when I know more. :) My appt. is at 9:45 tomorrow (now it's today--May 7). They differ. Why? I don't know. LOL.

I have to write EVERYTHING down tho!! Thursday -- a friend had taken me. I slept for 6 full hours in a row, then Shawn called me. She asked me who was driving me for Friday, so I had to look on my list which---I thought I had someone for all 10 days. Well----at 6:30 Thur nite, I didn't have a driver. LOL!!!! I'd had someone, but forgot that she had to cancel, so she was marked out. OMY!!! Well, Shawn was able to take me. Her principal has told her that anytime she needs to take off or just leave....do it. That is a good boss. And she knows that Shawn will not take advantage of that. So, yeah. Even when I write things down, I forget things. So far, so good tho. :)

Will get back with you guys soon.

Love ya lots!!!! Shasta   :)
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Offline Shakesthecoffecan

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Re: Email From Shasta
« Reply #23 on: May 09, 2012, 02:42:46 pm »
I so admire her and anyone going through this horror. Be brave girl, we're all pullin' for ye! :-*
"It was only you in my life, and it will always be only you, Jack, I swear."

Offline CellarDweller

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Re: Email From Shasta
« Reply #24 on: May 09, 2012, 05:19:10 pm »
(((Shas)))

David, thanks for keeping us updated!  Please continue to pass along our love to her.


Tell him when l come up to him and ask to play the record, l'm gonna say: ''Voulez-vous jouer ce disque?''
'Voulez-vous, will you kiss my dick?'
Will you play my record? One-track mind!

Offline Lynne

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Re: Email From Shasta
« Reply #25 on: May 09, 2012, 06:00:58 pm »
Thank you for the updates, David.   :-*

Please continue to pass on to Shasta our thoughts and prayers for her complete recovery.
"Laß sein. Laß sein."

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Email From Shasta
« Reply #26 on: May 10, 2012, 08:16:23 am »
Oh my gosh, I just now came upon this thread! At least it's nice to encounter the bad news, then have it immediately followed up with good news.

David, please send along my thoughts and best wishes to Shasta.


Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Email From Shasta
« Reply #27 on: May 10, 2012, 08:51:13 am »
David, please send along my thoughts and best wishes to Shasta.

Mine, too! I think it's awesome the way she is keeping up her courage and good humor. And God bless the friends who are driving her and otherwise helping her at this difficult time.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline ifyoucantfixit

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Re: Email From Shasta
« Reply #28 on: May 10, 2012, 09:11:58 am »
   I thank you David for forwarding this news from Shasta.

    And a message to her, I understand how illness takes so much out of you.  I don't have the kind of cancer
that you have.  i didn't have any chemo, or radiation.  But just the sheer fact that you have such dire health
problems does take it out of you to such a degree, you don't have the strength to do much else.  I am so
glad to hear that you are recovering in a slowly but surely way.  As to the problem of memory and such, it may
well be partially the disease, and the treatments, but also the meds have that kind of an effect. 
    However take heart, you are handling this so positively, and sound like you are progressing at a very good rate.
As to the memory issue, you might try what I did in order to overcome this awful symptom.   I was so worried and frustrated at that in particular after I started to get better.  I didn't know what to do about it, but decided I to try to do something on my own.  I started playing online games, like Chess, Hearts, even games that are simply goal oriented in speed and memory.  Those really did help me.  I feel as if I have gotten back to normal, as far as that goes... ;D  Whatever normal is.   I also spent nearly every waking moment listening to music.  I I love it so much and it is a mood elevator.  It helps to keep the mind active, as well, and it is just plain fun.  Try and even read all the humor you can find.  I know you are particularly fond of humor, as I am.  I am thinking all the positive and  healing feelings for you I can.  Love Janice       
     



     Beautiful mind

Offline David In Indy

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Re: Email From Shasta
« Reply #29 on: May 26, 2012, 04:40:52 am »
Here's the most recent update from Jane (Shasta)


Hey Guys---Read all the replies since the 7th---wow, didn't know I'd been away so long this time--THANK YOU for giving me the positive and encouraging feedback. That always helps--more than you can imagine unless you have had that experience, which I know that many of you have had and you know just how it helps! If not...good for you, but you still realize the benefits of the love and thoughts and energy and prayers and I love all of you for that!!

My radiation treatments (10 of them) were over on the 18th of May--5 days each of 2 weeks, a trip to Memphis-my drivers are appreciated so much. The tech said that this stereotactic radiosurgery treatment continues in the body for 5-7 weeks so they will not try to scan and see the results until they can get the full effect at the end of that time.

On the 19th, which was on Saturday, the good Lord allowed me to be well enough to attend Meg's beautiful wedding. I was seated by her grandmother...so sweet. I am really her cousin but we are so close. Shawn is like my sister so I have actually been an aunt to Meg. Helped raise her and I was so afraid I'd have to miss her wedding. She, on the other hand, did not have doubts. Good kiddo. The wedding was very unique---two music majors planning and decorating. It was fun too. The reception...same. Very lovely.

Sunday...the 20th. I was able to attend church services both AM and PM.
Monday...A lady from church drove me to the school for an end of the year breakfast buffet and I brought fruit dip and fruit...strawberries, apples, and red seedless grapes. That was a fun breakfast and visit.
The librarian acted as my "nurse" and made sure I had what I needed and stuck right by me. She'd also offered her home--as did others--in case I had to lie down and rest, but I made it. YaY!

Later, well...right at 9:15 right after breakfast--we had a LONNNG professional development session and it was about parental involvement and also rigor vs. difficulty. It went to about 1:15. UGH. No lunch break.
I started to fade about 30 minutes earlier and I got a little frustrated with it all. But then, we finished and the librarian ran and got us some veggies---mashed potatoes, corn, beans, and rolls at KFC and we scarfed that down which...not the best way to eat, but....

at 2:00 there was a ceremony for the elementary principal, so we all drove over there and did that. It was time to leave then. Sherry, the librarian, drove me to one point and Shawn picked me up. That was a day!

I am supposed to lie down every 2 hours according to one of my nurses...didn't make that goal on the 21st.

On the 22nd, I had a urologist appt. at UT at 8:30 in the morning!!!! Shawn and I have been getting up really early. I had a UTI, so he did not get to check my progress, but I have another appt.

The nurse called and after I'd finished my meds, she said that my UTI was a kind that was resistant to the meds they'd given me. She callled in another one and MAN...I am peeing so much I have to wear DEPENDS now for awhile. It just pours. LOL. Which is good, but not convenient. If I'm getting well, I can tolerate whatever. Since the fourth chemo, I have been battling that, and burned and split fingers that all but my thumbs have lost the top half of the nail, and also very severe edema in my lower legs and my feet which I have never had.

Friday, the 25th I could not take chemo 5. My some kind of blood level was too low. I had to also go and get an ultrasound to see if I had a blood clot in my legs, but I didn't, so they just prescribed some compression hose for that. That weekend 26-27...was good. I felt well and got a lot of errands done on my own. Also got to go to church again.

Tuesday, the 2....OMYGOODNESS. forget the dates. I do not have them right at all.  The 25th hadn't even happened yet. LOL.

Well...this past Tuesday I had a blood transfusion all day at Methodist University again. It was not hard. Shawn went to Huey's and got our lunch. We were there from 8:30-5:00 getting crossed and typed, getting the 2 bags of blood platelets brought over from the blood bank and then getting the drips. We laid around and read, ate, and watched a little TV. LOL. Not a bad day in the hospital.

And today which is Friday the 25th, I was good for chemo 5. Another long day. Shawn and I met with another one of my friends/drivers and we ate dinner at a Mexican restaurant in West Memphis and we went to a couple of stores and then to the other lady's home so that Shawn could see it. Got home late. I usually feel very good on the weekend of chemo and then some side effect or another shows up on Monday or Tuesday. SO. That is what has gone on to an extent from the 7th. Even tho I got the dates mixed up. (Not a rare thing....lol)

Not sure when my next appt is....the urologist made one and then I know I will have or try to have another chemo in 3 weeks.

When next week starts, hopefully I will be able---I am going to work on learning to use an Ipad. The kids and the teachers are going to have to have all text books on it and all lesson plans, etc. No more books in book bags.  They have been working on it at school meetings, so Sherry is going to tutor me on what they've done so far. She is good and very patient, so I am glad that she is willing.

I also have to work on professional development hours this summer. I will try to start that in the next few weeks as well.

NOW. All caught up. LOL.

Hope you guys have some summer plans that you can tell me about and that you are looking forward to. Let me know what is new in your lives. I should have plenty of time to read in the next few weeks.

Asking you to keep up the prayers and thoughts and positive energy. You encourage me so much and I appreciate you!

Take care. I am off to bed for awhile. TTYL!!! ♥♥♥♥   LOVE AND HUGS!  Not gonna edit right now, so I hope you can decipher. LOL!! 
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