Well, it happened again. I blogged and then I took another trip to the ER at what I’m lovingly calling “Hotel Portsmouth.” Evidently when a chemo patient runs a high fever it is a very, very bad thing. I’ll leave it at that. I’m home now with a bag of face masks to wear to protect me from pesky little germs that cause me to go into Hotel Portsmouth. I also left armed with another bag full of medications that I’ve never even heard of before. The docs had to back up my surgery and consequently the radiation until later this week, but I’m still trying to stay positive and remember that I’m on the final downwind leg of this race with the committee boat in sight. It’ll be crazy during the next two weeks with the scheduling, but November has *just*got*to*be*better*, right?

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Love,

Leslie

First off, I have to say congratulations to my dear, dear friends Melissa and Steve Dixon in Spanish Fort, AL! After wearing out their Barry White’s Greatest Hits collection as of late, they are expecting a baby! Melissa, you know I’m coming down to do your baby’s photos, girl! We’re also way overdue for that lazy, laughter-filled weekend in Pt. Clear! We’ll just have to stick to the straight OJ and not the Mimosas. Big hugs to you both! I can’t wait to see if the baby is born already sporting Dixon’s high and tight haircut!

Well, I’m starting my 6th and final week of chemotherapy tomorrow! (Hurray!) I’m so looking forward to the end of this phase of my treatment that I’ll likely be skipping into the hospital tomorrow morning! This past week my symptoms kind of hit an all time low. Basically any symptom that I was ever told that I might get, I got and I got them 24/7. I’ll spare you the gory details, but I’ll certainly be glad when they are all over with!

Many thanks go out to my doctors, my nurses and my radiation team!! They’re keeping me sane and laughing just about every day while also providing top notch treatment as each nagging symptom presents itself.

What is on my plate for next week post-chemo? Well, the next phase of my treatment is high dose internal radiation. I should be done with that around the end of October.

Love and other non-nauseous thoughts,

Leslie

Okay, girls! I’m trying to buck the trend that I get admitted to the hospital the night I blog, so I found something fun to post about!

Are you looking for that perfect cut before your photo session? That cute cut that lets you be YOU? Without slaving in front of a mirror so long your arm falls off? Find it by checking out Stellure.com asap. I can so see how this site would be/could be/is addictive to indecisive hair people like me. You can upload your own photos or use a computer generated one based on your face shape.

Now that I think of it, my mother has been thinking - er, obsessing over a new hair cut for three weeks now. I think I’ve found a way we can both play with new, current styles personalized with our own details!

Have fun, girls, and let me know what you think of Stellure.com if you join for the month!

Well, it is very odd, but every time I come on and blog about life getting back to normal something else happens! I’m knocking on my nice birch desk that this is the not the case this time!

After the last entry, I was admitted to the hospital yet again for something unexpected during my cancer treatment. My gallbladder had to be removed and *ding*ding*ding I was the winner of yet another 6+ day stay in Portsmouth Naval. Many thanks go out to the men and women on my surgical and nursing teams that helped me along to the road to recovery. At one point there was a big debate about stopping my radiation and chemotherapy due to the surgery.(Even I knew that was not an option!) I’m proud to say that I only missed one day of radiation and my weekly chemotherapy was not postponed even 10 min bc of the emergency surgery!

I’ve been home for four days now and to be honest I’m not quite feeling as chipper as I’d like to be. I’m half way through the first phase of my treatments and my side effects are starting to present themselves. On the bright side, so far my numbers look good and I’m staying motivated! Now if I could just eat or drink something/anything without suffering for it later, life would be good!!

BTW, if there is a next time that I’m unexpectedly thrown into the hospital again, I’m taking my camera!

Love to you all,

Leslie

Well, it has been a while since I’ve posted on the old blog. Life has been a little scary around here lately. I had some lymph nodes removed and then suffered from some complications after that procedure. Two blood clots formed in my legs and also we had another mass form in my right leg, too. These required another extended hospital stay, but I was able to begin my chemotherapy and radiation while I was an inpatient.

Many thanks to the wonderful staff of unit 4-J! They helped make my stay as pleasant as they could!

I’m now on a blood thinner and I give myself two shots a day to keep the clots under control which is LOTS of fun! ;-) I’m cking in at the Coumadin Clinic every couple of days to get my levels under control. I’ve been home for a few days with a couple of short trips to the hospital since then, but I need to get used to it. From here on out I go every day for the next 5 weeks or so. (Progress. Progress.)

On the plus side, this weekend Melanie got to go to our beloved St. Paul’s yesterday and see her old friends from church. So many were shocked to see the 5 ft 9 young lady that she has become …since the last time they saw her she was in the first grade wearing little Laura Ashley dresses with a big bow in her hair. No one could believe it! But, it is good to be “home” where everybody knows your name. (Humming the Cheers theme song now.)

Thanks for all of your emails, letters, calls and flowers! They keep me smiling.

Leslie