Life Gets Busier, Treatment Seems Littler

So it's been another crazy week since last treatment day. As I said before, all summer I just kind of measured time from one infusion to the next, and now that my kids are back in school there's so much to do and to think about that treatment day has just become the day I can't do a lot of extra stuff.
This week has been marred a little bit by illness. Hunter has suffered the most. He ended up missing part of 2 days and all Friday from school last week, because of stomach flu symptoms. In spite of his illness he was able to play in the JV game on Thursday, which Centennial won. They won ugly, but they won. Mountain View moved the ball on them a lot, but wasn't able to score. The final--13 (all of which Centennial scored in the first quarter) to 6. (Melinda might remember the score slightly differently because I'm not sure if I'm right, but Centennial definitely won). Hunter struggled a bit, I'm sure because he was dehydrated from being sick for several days. The next day the Varsity team also won, but unfortunately Hunter was too sick to go to school at all that day and was unable to be with the team. Greg and I took Taddy and Kate to the game, however, and although it wasn't nearly as enjoyable without Hunter there, it's fun to see Centennial doing so well as a team since they struggled so much last season. Several boys from our own little neighborhood made great plays including Sam Bounds, who lives on our street, Connor Radnovich, who lives next door to Waltons, and Morgan Bradley. I'm having a great time seeing so many kids I know play and perform well in these big games!
Saturday Hunter was fully recovered and able to come with us to the BSU game. He sat in the stands for the first time in several years instead of doing ball boy, as Greg had notified the ball boy boss that Hunter was sick and might not be able to be there. He and Kate sat in the south end zone and got up close and personal with the players while Greg and I sat in our regular mid-field seats. Okay, so the game wasn't exactly a nail-biter, but it was still so much fun. What better way to enjoy the best weather of the year than being outside at a football game for 3 or 4 hours.
Unfortunately as Hunter has recovered from his illness, Rachel has picked up her own. She has more of an upper-respiratory infection she's suffering from, but when you're as busy as she is, you just kind of keep going even when you're sick. While we were at the game her school quartet was playing at an open house. She also has lots of homework already, which is what happens when you take difficult classes.
Now backtracking a little to treatment day, for the most part it was uneventful again. Tammee was able to come with me, always a treat, and Melissa, Chase and Addison entertained Tadman. I've become a real fixture down there now. All the nurses and nurses aids have their little jokes about me and about my reactions of the past. Those aren't happening anymore, however, so they're going to have to come up with some new material. I haven't seen my doctor in person for several weeks. He was at some sort of training when I was there last, but I am getting good care from the nurse practitioners who see me when he's gone. This week I was able to reduce my blood sugar levels by 16 points--in just one week!--and as a side benefit lost 3 and a half more pounds. I've now lost about 29 since I started treatment, but unfortunately don't look healthier and more attractive as a result. I look forward to being done with treatment so I can have some hair again, a little more color in my face, and a little less of the steroid puffiness to my cheeks. I keep wondering how can I have lost 30 pounds and look this much worse than I did before? So I am here to clear up that old argument once and for all, it IS better to feel marvelous than it is to look marvelous, but the best is looking and feeling marvelous! Maybe someday.
The treatment itself, as I said, went reaction-less again. That's three weeks in a row now, so I think the nurses and pharmacists have officially figured out what concoction of drugs works. It still takes a long time since they are cautious about giving the Taxol to me too quickly, but that's just time I can spend with a good friend, talk with all the great people down at MSTI, and have some lunch. What a great excuse I have to just kind of waste a day each week, and how lucky I am that friends are willing to come and waste a day with me.
For all of you who go to treatment with me, who bring meals to me and my family, who clean my house and do my laundry, who watch Tadman, and who pray for all of us, THANK YOU, again and again. We are really doing so well right now because of all the support surrounding us, but unfortunately this journey isn't quite over. As I anticipate surgery and get a little nervous about the implications, especially for my kids, and for the things I won't be able to help them with as I recover, I know it'll all work out because of all the willing helpers we have all around us. I'm trying to find that balance between planning for every eventuality and just enjoying life for today, because I'd rather be able to focus on the subtle changes in the weather, a beautiful sunset (a little earlier each day), or my little Tadman's sweet face.