Laying Low Over Memorial Day Weekend

On Sunday Rianne woke up around 6:30 feeling well-rested but not feeling well. She had trouble getting a good breath of air. This situation has occurred several times during her treatment. We’ve been told that it is due to her bone marrow reproducing white blood cells and that the sternum is one of the most active areas in the body where blood cells are produced. The ribs, hips, pelvis and skull are other very active areas. When this occurs, Rianne feels a pressure in her chest, but not around the heart – instead it is painful from her collar bone down to her upper abdomen. She describes it as if her sternum feels like the weight of an elephant is upon it. Because of this, she didn’t feel as well as she did toward the end of the week.
She really wanted to go to church, so we did. We stayed to take the Sacrament but both felt that it would be a good decision to leave as soon as possible to avoid the possibility of her getting uncomfortable. We returned home and laid low. She spent time trying to relax, yet kept herself busy enough to feel like she was making her brain work. She is very concerned about “chemo brain” and wants to keep active enough so that she gives her brain a “workout.”
We took a break and watched a movie, then decided to go ahead and watch another. I could tell that it was just what she needed. Rest is absolutely critical during the recovery process. While watching the movies her pain lessoned and she began to feel a little better. She went to bed feeling better than she did when she got up. Like we’ve said before, we are trying to take it a day at time and this was what worked for us yesterday!
Today is Memorial Day and it was a better day for Rianne. She slept in until 8:00, which, believe it or not, is good for her lately. She talked on the phone to her Mom for awhile and discovered some new information about her Thallasemia condition. We wanted to get out and go for a quad ride, but with the forecast of rain all week I decided to get that jungle of a lawn mowed or I’d pay for it the next time I‘d get a chance to mow. Rianne put herself to work in the house while I was on the turf and accomplished one task after the next. By now she knows her chemo routine and wanted to get some things accomplished before tomorrow’s chemo infusion kicks in. She knows during the end of the week that she receives an infusion that her body will attempt to shut down. She then won’t have the strength to accomplish much, which is why she thought ahead and worked hard today. That's my wife let me tell ya! Every hour I asked her how she was doing and she honestly replied, “I’m doing good.” I could see that she felt good and was content with keeping her brain busy.
She wanted to try to go for a quad ride, so around 2:00 we tried to get her quad running. Even with a new battery it didn’t want to start, so we changed the plan and stayed put. She found a new project to work on in the house and kept herself busy for the rest of the day.
Tomorrow is Chemo Infusion #3 in Coos Bay and marks the beginning of the 3rd cycle of her treatment which is scheduled for 6 cycles before radiation. She’ll rise early and return home late once again. Rianne gets some anxiety on the ride up, but once she sits in the recliner and the Oncology Nurse taps into her Port she settles in for the day.
Ahead of time we want to thank you for your prayers, love and support as she enters her 3rd cycle in the morning. Hard to believe that she has been undergoing treatment for 6 weeks and that tomorrow begins week 7. Rianne is one tough woman with a heart of gold and I truly am fascinated by her willingness to get up each day and fight this cancer with the attitude that she has!