IG lines and Trader Joe's

I hope ya'll are having a great Thursday!

 

I went back to the Hemapharesis clinic today to have my IG line taken out and just get a once-over to make sure everything was going well and I could go home.

Everything is great! We were shooting for 4-5 million cells & we got 5.1!

I'm so thankful. My platelets are still low (a combination of my chemo and the Neupegen shot I was taking to boost stem cells) so I got an infusion (which my body didn't really take in) and then went back to the clinic to have my IG line taken out.

I really work myself up over stuff like that and I had convinced myself it would go haywire, blood would be shooting out all over the bed, floor, nurse and myself...but that was not the case.

She removed the tape (ouch!), cleaned me up, snipped the stitches (bigger ouch!) and had me hum while she pulled the line (didn't even hurt -- barely felt it and it literally took 2 seconds!).

Put pressure to the wound site for 30 minutes (due to low platelets) and then applied a pressure dressing which I will take off in 48 hours.

My neck feels soooo much better. It didn't hurt to have the tube in, but it was just awkward and uncomfortable. I'm glad it's out.

 

What it looks like when you have an IG line taken out and have a pressure dressing on.

What? You didn't know this was Europe's latest fashion? :)

 

 

After we left the hospital, we made a trip to Trader Joe's because I'd seen several here in Atlanta and I've always wanted to go to one.

I was not disappointed.

I could stay in there for hours, I think. I'm funny like that in a grocery store, especially one geared towards healthy eating -- everything is just so neat.

I picked up a few things for the house and supper for tonight.

We're having peppercorn chicken, basmati rice, and salad with arugula, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and asian sesame dressing, by the way. :)

 

I hope you have had a wonderful Thursday & I hope your Friday is better!

Are you ready for the weekend, baby?! :)



give me those stem cells, baby!

 

Well, this week we collected stem cells for my stem cell transplant.

Yes, this means my bone marrow biopsy showed I am leukemia-free. :)

Using your own cells in a trnasplant is tremendously easier and less risky than using a donors.

I am very, very thankful that I can use my own!

 

Monday morning we went to Radiology bright & early,

where I was to have a chest line (catheter) placed.

My platelets were too low for that, so I had a temporary IJ line placed instead.

Without sedation.

It wasn't completely pain-free, but it wasn't awful, either.

They couldn't begin my stem cell collection then because of my low platelets,

so I went for platelets & blood.

We got home around 8 that night.

I made asian sesame salmon (sooo yummy!), fresh cucumbers & tomatoes, & potato salad.

I was going to do quinoa salad, but....ya'll, that stuff is not good.

Maybe it's because the deli didn't make it right, but I don't know.

I wanted so bad to like it - but we just don't. :(

If you have any ideas on how to fix it at home, let me know!

 

Tuesday was much easier. Again, we were at the hospital from 7-6,

but the stem cell collection went great -- you need about .2.5 million cells for transplant,

but the doctors like 4-5 million to be on the safe side.

I got 3 million! Yay!

By the way: stem cells look like tomato gravy.

I may never be able to eat tomato gravy again!

Platelets were still low, so we went and got another round of them and some antibiotics as well.

Last night we got home so late that we just had whatever we could throw together.

Michael had cereal, I had a pre-made salad from Publix. They are really good!

 

Today we finished up stem cells & got more platelets.

We got back to the Hope Lodge at 5 pm.

I'm pretty whooped today, so I'm going to take it easy for the rest of the night.

I don't have to worry about supper because an organization is cooking here tonight.

 

I hope you are all doing well! I will be back soon!



happy third birthday, Junebug!

Today is our sweet June Claire's THIRD birthday!

She is our miracle child and my inspiration.

She came 13 weeks early while we were on vacation at Disney. We moved our lives down there for three months and I watched her fight every day for everything it took to make her healthy.

The first time I walked into that room and saw my precious baby with no lines or leads was the day we took her home. I remember , on  9 hour drive home, sitting in the backseat of our Dodge Magnum between two car seats, watching her every breath and being so scared that she was sleeping so much and not wanting to eat. Now that girl is the complete opposite! 

She rarely sleeps and she's ALWAYS eating!

We didn't do a big blowout bash this year, but we just kept it small and had my parents, sister, and cousins over. We grilled hamburgers & hot dogs & let the kids bust open a pinata. She got some good stuff, too -- a LeapFrog iPad (that she LOVES....maybe now we can actually get to play our real iPad!), a new bike with a baby doll seat on the back, some princess dress up stuff, a whole pack of REAL preemie-sized diapers to use on her baby dolls,, and some new clothes!

I made strawberry cupcakes but my icing lacks a lot. 

Maybe by the time they graduate high school I will be able to do it better. :)

Simple decorations. :)

My azaleas are in full bloom and were so pretty I wanted to get some pictures of the girls in front of them. Of course -- wouldn't you know the battery to my nice camera is dead & I can't find the charging port anywhere, so I had to use my cell phone.

I have way more pictures but my computer has shut down three times in a row while trying to operate iPhoto + Blogger, so I will share them later this week....
along with our Disney pictures from Easter weekend!

Dear Junebug,

You're THREE now! I can hardly believe it. This year has been full of so much joy that you've given us. You have grown to love all things baby doll & electronic...phones, iPads, computers -- if it's a gadget, you're gonna love it! You also love Laney & Max (the doggies) and especially love to cuddle up with them. You adore Brave (the Disney movie) and could watch it every single day if we let you.Your language has exploded and you have left babyhood behind forever.

I am so proud to be your mama. I have cherished each moment and hope to have a million more.

Love,
Mama

creamy peto spaghetti bake

Hey ya'll!

First things first -- I'm doing GREAT! I'm waiting on a transplant -- we will hopefully be using my own cells. This is awesome and much less risky than a bone marrow transplant. But if we have to go that route, I have been fully matched with SEVEN (yes -- you read that right! God is SO good!) donors. I have been through three rounds of high dose chemo and am ready to get this show on the road! I feel great, just tired, and have only been hospitalized once due to infection.

 

 

But that's not what this post is about, so let's gt on with it!

I watch Cullen & Katie

 on YouTube (great daily vlogs & they are from Alabama to boot! Can I get a ROLL TIDE?!)

and the other day she shared a recipe.

Creamy pesto spaghetti bake.

These words will forever change your life.

I ain't even joking!

 

This is what I used. Yes, I know the Greek yogurt has fruit, but I didn't use it. Our grocery store just didn't have plain Greek yogurt without fruit.

 

 



 

Gotta salt that water before you put the pasta in!

 

Basically you just cook the spaghetti like you normally would. Mix the sauce,meat and noodles all together. Then you take about 1/4 cup pesto, 3/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 block of cream cheese and mix it all up. Put a layer of noodle/meat/sauce mixture down in a 13x9 baking dish, spread Greek yogurt/cream cheese/pesto mix over, and put another layer of noodle mixture down. Top with shredded cheese & bake for 25 minutes at 350.

 

You'll thank me later, I promise.

 

(And yes, I know that is a really haphazard recipe.....

but I never follow anything by the book anyway!)



 

I'm Alive!

Hey ya'll!

Yes, it's been a really long time.

It's actually quite shameful. About two months -- I can do better than that.

I just....chose not to.

I relapsed the first week of January, and it was very bad.

The doctors didn't give me much hope (I didn't realize this then)

and I've just been focusing on recovering and spending time with my family.

About a month ago, the long fight my dad has had with infection in his foot/leg

came to an end and he ended up losing it. Not the end of the world, no --

but it's been an adjustment for him. As for me, I'm doing well.

"Better than I deserve" as a dear friend says.

I have had two rounds of chemo (one in January and one in February/March)

and I have another tentatively scheduled in April.

But that may not happen, because I'm meeting with a bone marrow transplant doctor.

Yep, friends, it's come down to this. I can hardly believe it.

But I trust in my Lord and Savior and I KNOW he will bring me through this.

I have complete peace, and so does Michael.

The thing that has bothered me the mos tis knowing we will not be blessed with another child.

 

 

Anyway! On to  happier things, right?  :)

 

I am actually getting a few moments of peace and quiet today.
We stayed at my mom's this weekend, but Michael had to run back to the house to get some things.

He took June with him and Sara is with my sister and her family.

To say I'm enjoying it is an understatement.

This afternoon my sister cousin and I are going out to dinner for my birthday...

and a little shopping.

 

This is pretty much how I feel lately, so I will hopefully be picking up some new things.

Wish me luck!