Stable Again (Hopefully)

I know it has been some time since I last wrote and I am sorry about that.  The past few weeks have been like a blur to me and now that I am home again with my children I don't want to do anything at all except spend time with them and Matt.

The past few weeks were some of the hardest since we started on this cancer journey.  Several dear friends that we met at the cancer center either passed away or in the process of passing away right now.  On the online forum with other colon cancer patients that I am a part of, there was a lot of devastating news as well.  August was not a good month for the Colon Club.  Several women that I have become friends with lost their husbands and one member who was from Phoenix that I was able to meet in person, passed away also.  It is so heart wrenching to lose good friends to this awful disease.

When Matt and I returned to the cancer center the radiologist did an MRI of Matt's spine to see if there was any damage from the tumor there.  Blessedly there was not and we caught the tumor in time.  Matt was given a huge blast of radiation to his spine as well as his hip.  It was amazing that by the next day his back pain had completely gone away.

Matt began the new chemo treatment and he broke out just like a teenager!  I was surprised at how much it bothered Matt.  He said he thinks it brings up bad memories of when he was a teen and how self conscious he always was with his acne.

The doctor was pleased with Matt's rash because in the studies it showed that the more you broke out the more effective the chemo was.  Well Matt's rash is on his face, head, back, chest, and behind so that medicine better be working like no other!!!  :)

They put Matt on the same antibiotic that teens with acne go on and it seems to be helping the rash.  The rash kinda comes and goes.

Last Wednesday was Matt's chemo and the oncologist was happy with his blood work so we are hoping and praying that it is keeping the beast under control.  The dr made a comment that if it does its job it could keep Matt stable for months.  That was the news we wanted to hear.  When we found out that the cancer had spread again we were devastated thinking that the time for no more chemo was quickly approaching.

We are home now and Matt will take an extra week off of chemo so we can take a trip to Lake Powell.  This has been on his bucket list since I have known him.  We are taking kids out of school and we are going.  We are determined to make as many memories as we can. while we can.

The other day Helen was complaining about all the time we spend away from home and are at the cancer center.  I explained to her that if she were to add up the time that she is with us as well as the quality of that time we are together, it would far exceed that of most of her friends.  We are blessed to have this time to spend together, to REALLY spend it together, not just go through the motions of life.  Each day is a blessing and we don't take it for granted.

Next blog will be pictures of Lake Powell!!  Hopefully it won't jump from summer to winter during the week we are there.  October is the month that this phenomena typically takes place!  Hot Hot Hot one day, cold the next; and taa daa....winter is here!