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January 10 ~ Happy Birthday, RaRa!

Sherryl continues to push through chemo-fatigue and is getting a bit stronger every day.  January 10, we won't say which year, is Sherryl's birthday, and we always celebrate this event on Super Bowl Sunday when our whole family is together.  But since Sherryl's birthday is today, this is the perfect time to re-post "Sherryl, Mom, and Dad," which appeared here on May 3, 2007, as it speaks to the relationship Sherryl had with each of our parents.

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Dad …

¨       Chose Sherryl’s first and middle names, and often called her “Shell-Ann” 

¨      Saved a pot in which Sherryl burned something she was cooking as a young teen, named it her “wedding pot,” and intended to give it to her when she was married.

¨      Used to always say, “Time flies when you’re having fun,” an expression Sherryl has used many, many times over the years. 

¨       Found a very creative way to reinforce with Sherryl the importance of keeping her room clean. 

¨       Always, always, always arrived home from a trip at sea on the same day report cards arrived home from school, which caused “a bit” of stress for Sherryl.

¨       Laughed harder than any other time we’d heard him laugh when Sherryl, perched upon Dad’s lap at age 6, wanted to see Dad’s teeth and asked him to open his mouth.  Dad playfully refused and acted as though his mouth was glued shut.  The game continued for several minutes.  Following numerous unsuccessful attempts to get Dad to open his mouth, Sherryl finally said, “Arleen, go get me a screw driver.”  Dad roared laughing affording Sherryl the perfect opportunity to study his pearly whites.

¨      Laughed hard, too, when playing a game of Simon Says with us as little girls.  When he said, “Simon Says stand on your head,” his oldest and youngest daughters obediently attempted acrobats involving heads on the carpet and feet in the air.  Not Sherryl.  Standing on one’s head involved sitting on the carpet and raising one’s foot to the top of one’s head.  Literal interpretation, you see.  No wonder Sherryl loves Amelia Bedelia books so much! 

Mom …

¨      Panicked within moments of delivering Sherryl because it took the doctor two attempts, not one, to get her newborn baby girl to breathe, leaving a bruise on her tiny hiny that was visible for years. 

¨      Fostered Sherryl’s individuality by decorating her bedroom in an outdoor theme: variegated carpet in earth tones, rattan furniture, two interior shingled walls, and a window treatment that involved an awning coming into the bedroom.  Tres rustique and very Sherryl.

¨       Always thought Sherryl looked exactly like Dad, the love of her life. 

¨       Always knew Sherryl would be the peacemaker in the family.

¨       Hosted many field trips to “Grannie Annie’s house” for Sherryl’s day care, circa 1987. 

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Happy Birthday, RaRa!!!

~xoxo~

Christmas Present

Sherryl's oncologists decided to skip chemotherapy both weeks that preceded Christmas Day.  As a result, Sherryl was not sleepy and was able to sit and enjoy family fun on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Chemotherapy resumed last week and, while she continues to feel tired, she also is feeling a little bit stronger. 

Christmas Past is special; it conjures up many fond memories.  Christmas Future is special, too; it holds promise for new and exciting moments to be shared.  But some years, Christmas Present is the one to be treasured.  This was one of those years for our family.  We hope you have treasured this holiday season as much as we have.

~xoxo~

Determined

The scan that was performed earlier this month revealed a small tumor in the hip joint, so daily radiation treatment to that area began last week and will end in two days.  In the meantime, chemotherapy has continued. 

Sherryl has been very tired the past few weeks and has spent much of the time in bed sleeping.  She continues to use a walker and, overall, she's feeling very weak.  Her radiation oncologist validated today that her body is exhausted, probably due to cumulative chemotherapy treatments.  Sherryl's oncologist is on vacation, so she'll see another oncologist this week.  It is not yet determined if she will be administered chemotherapy this week. 

Sherryl has sorely missed being at day care and has missed spending the holiday season with the children.  But the perkiness in Sherryl's voice is beginning to return, and she's determined to regain her strength.  Determined.  Resilience.

To join the little elf above in cheering her on, here is one of RaRa's favorite Christmas songs.   

~xoxo~ 

Feeling A Bit Better

Sherryl is feeling a bit better today.  She talked on the phone briefly to each of us, and she  had more waking hours today than she has any day since Thursday.  So, just as she's done before, she's coming out of the "chemo tired" phase and will be back on her feet again soon.  In the meantime, a scan is scheduled for Monday.

Thank you one and all for your ongoing love, prayers, and support of our sister.  Every thought you send makes a world of difference to her.  So, please keep them coming! 

~xoxo~

One Step Forward, Thirty-three Steps Back

The holidays have arrived and so RaRa's favorite elf is back to cheer for her and her amazing resilience.  Sherryl loved this elf when she saw it last year, so the season-loving character representing magic and joy has returned.

Although the elf is jumping with excitement, Sherryl is not.  Following a couple of good weeks, she needed her walker to get to the Thanksgiving table at Jonathan and Rachael's home Thursday evening.  When she got home that night, she went to bed and stayed there all weekend long.  She stayed in bed all day Monday, too.  As of today, she feels pain only from time to time, but she's "chemo tired," so much so that she doesn't even want to talk on the phone. 

So, while it felt like progress was made, her tumor marker had dropped, and she was able to work and play and get around, the combination of fatigue and need for a walker feels like a huge setback.  The number in the title, thirty-three, is the one Sherryl most frequently pulls from mid-air when she needs to use an arbitrary number in a sentence.  And since the number thirty-three is a lot higher than the number two (as in "one step forward, two steps back"), it works perfectly here.  Unfortunately.  

Last week, Sherryl's oncologist increased the dosage of the current chemo-cocktail and prescribed a stronger medication for pain she was feeling in her hips. In surfacing a pattern for the side effects of this particular chemotherapy, which is administered once a week for 3 weeks and then there is one week  of no chemotherapy, it is during the off week when the cumulative effects of the medication hit Sherryl hard.  She sleeps all day every day and her mouth is dry.  There is very little talking when she is awake, but she is aware of people and her surroundings.

Sherryl is scheduled to return to chemotherapy this next week, and another scan will be scheduled  within the next few days to determine whether or not there is a fracture that is causing the pain in her hips.

Sherryl did enjoy Thanksgiving and we were very grateful that our entire family was together for Sherryl's favorite holiday.  We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, too.  

~xoxo~

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

Sherryl's favorite holiday has arrived once again and she is happily spending the day with the entire family.  Sherryl has hosted our annual feast every year since Mom passed away and now, it is with great love and pleasure, that she is passing the proverbial baton to Jonathan and Rachael to carry on the tradition of Thanksgiving dinner.  Fun will certainly be had by all! 

Sherryl has been feeling pretty well the past couple of weeks and, in fact, her tumor marker has dropped a bit to 470.  Following a conversation with her oncologist, she believes that the dip in her spirits was due to the current chemotherapy as it is known to play havoc with emotions.  The doctor also prescribed Sherryl a medication to reduce water retention.  She says she doesn't mind pushing through fatigue, but there's nothing she can do in this case for a side effect that involves swelling. 

Sherryl also learned that the results of the brain scan were back.  Her doctor reported the brain and skull are fine.  Sherryl has identified a small spot on her chin that is numb, so the doctor took note and explained that, if there is metastasis in the jaw, that may be the cause.  He plans to watch it carefully. 

On this Thanksgiving weekend, we are so thankful for the people in Sherryl's life who love her so very much.  From longtime friends to nurses to daycare kids and parents to our aunts, uncles and cousins -- you all make such a difference to Sherryl's spirits.  We hope you are spending part of this holiday weekend with those you love, too.  From our family to yours, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

~xoxo~

Not All Days Are Good

Sherryl had her second round of Chemo #6 last week and has subsequently experienced related side effects.  Leg pain, stiff knees, water retention, and fatigue are not a fun combination even by RaRa Resilience standards.  So, in addition to tears and lots of sleep, the walker was needed on Saturday and a cane on Sunday.  Sherryl did feel better Sunday evening, which she attributes to an 15-hour night's sleep.

Backing up to last week, Sherryl decided to be pro-active and ask for a particular test.  She has reasoned that nearly every part of her anatomy has been scanned; the only area not yet scanned is the brain.  So, although she is functioning physically and mentally well, Sherryl presented her rationale to her oncologist with a request for that particular test.  He agreed and the scan was scheduled for this past Thursday.  The availability of test results is pending.  Sherryl expects to get an update from her doctor during her chemo appointment this week.

Sherryl continues to push herself, even through bad days.  Sunday evening, she was baking a birthday cake for one of the children at day care and talking about Christmas gifts she has in the works. 

Resilience.  Here's wishing RaRa wakes up tomorrow morning to a good day.

~xoxo~

Chemotherapy #6: Docetaxel

Sherryl saw her oncologist on Monday and began a new chemotherapy today.  Docetaxel will be administered intravenously once a week for three weeks, then there will be no chemo on the fourth week.  The other news Sherryl received is that her tumor marker is 553.  This high number does not come as a surprise because chemotherapy is suspended during radiation treatment, so Sherryl has had no chemotherapy since before she was in the hospital.  Once radiation was completed, Sherryl's oncologist needed to determine if Gemzar should be resumed or not; the decision was to try another therapy. 

Sherryl's oncologist explained that, although there is "a lot of disease in the bone," it is not overtaking her the body and it has not spread to any organs.  He explained some of the side effects of the new drug, many of which are similar to side effects Sherryl experienced on the first chemotherapy.

After her first dose today, Sherryl says she feels tired, but it's a good tired.  She has returned to day care and continues to slowly but surely push herself in order to optimize her strength.

Special thanks to those who continue to send to RaRa prayers, good thoughts, and hopes for good health.  We so appreciate every thought and every gesture you express for our sister.

~xoxo~

Radiation Treatments Completed

The most recent round of 10 radiation treatments has ended and has left Sherryl feeling pretty tired. The silver lining is that she does not feel as much pain as she felt prior to radiation treatment. In addition to radiation appointments, Sherryl has headed out of the house twice to do errands, and she plans to ease back into work this week.

 

The return of energy is a slow this time, but she seems a bit better as of Sunday night. We're all hoping Monday will be a good day, followed by a week of good days.

~xoxo~

Home Sweet Home

Sherryl arrived home from the hospital Monday evening and is enjoying the comfort of her own bed.  She is cautiously moving about without her walker, and Richard took her out today for radiation treatment as planned.  She also spoke briefly with her radiology oncologist; radiation will continue daily for a couple of weeks.

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being low and 10 being high, Sherryl describes her level of pain today at a 2, which is a tremendous relief from the intensity of pain she felt just a couple of days ago. 

She's already making plans for how she'll spend her time at home until she can return to work.  There won't be any painting projects, but there will be much thinking and planning. 

Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes for RaRa.  We may use the same words to say it each time, but we can never thank you enough for your love and support of our sister.

~xoxo~