The Chemo Drugs are working....

9:22 PM October 27 I receive a text from Dina...actually it was a picture with a sad face...

So I will insert my own sad face here too..Seeing the evidence here is heartbreaking,  but as sad as this makes us, knowing the drug is working brings hope and joy to us.  I immediately called her...she said she was just brushing her hair before bed and it was easily just coming out...she could run her fingers through her hair and it would be in her hands.  She had to stop herself from raking her fingers through her hair.  We talked about what her pillow will look like in the morning.  She said you can't really tell that she lost the hair, no bald spots...just kind of all over...we will see what the morning will bring.

The reality is hitting us and this is only the first wave...her first treatment of chemo did bring nausea and lots of sleepless nights along with tiredness...But during the first 17 days she did not have any vomiting only nausea and being tired...her sacrum is not even hurting her as much, although she paces herself so she is not standing or walking a lot to make it ache.  Now we have the beginning of the hair loss.  In six days she will have her second treatment of chemo.  The doctor said that as the treatments progress the fatigue will be stronger and there will be less "good" days between the treatments...one down, five to go!  We CAN DO THIS!  (Do you like how I say "we"....I know, we are all supporting her and feeling her pain...we cry right along with her...but these tears are tears of joy for the end result of wiping out the cancer!)

But we have to remember that this hair loss is a GOOD sign...it means that the drugs are working...it is killing off all those bad cells and obviously it has to get some of the good ones too...but we can sacrifice a few good cells (like hair cells...is that what they are?)  for eliminating all the bad ones.  That is our goal, right?  And hair just grows back, right?  So we are staying positive and looking at the end results here!

I suppose my next picture will be one with NO hair...and maybe a wig...???  maybe a hat? ... maybe a scarf?..whatever she wants!

Thank you for your continued prayers, we appreciate everyone imploring our Lord to heal Dina.  And to give her strength to conquer this battle.

I just discovered that November is Carcinoid Cancer awareness month...now how ironic is that?  And September was Lymphoma awareness month...the month she was first diagnosed.  Oh, and the colors for carcinoid cancer?  Zebra color!  Yes, we ordered some zebra print wristbands that say:  No one fights alone!  Were you even aware there is a color for every kind of cancer?  Pretty amazing...I think we all just know the PINK so well for the breast cancer...but all cancers have a color...pretty cool!