Treatment Begins

So once we decided we would go with the clinical trial medication for now, instead of chemotherapy, it started the ball rolling to get me registered for that. I had to get blood tests done, sign lots of consent forms and wait... and wait.. and wait. I finally got the call last Friday that I will begin treatments this coming week. So on Wednesday, we will go back to see the oncologist and nurse, receive an injection and then I will start taking medication. This will go on until March of 2014... yes, believe it or not, daily medication for 5 years. Lauren will be 19, Christian 9 and Kori 7 (nieces and nephew) by the time I finish my meds. Sometimes it's so hard to imagine what it will be like then... maybe Jesus would have returned by then and we would not even be here on earth anymore... who can really predict what the future will bring? I know I will be OLDER :-( and may have more aches and pains...

In the meantime, I am still having difficulty with sleeping at night. Frendell has been giving me gentle oil massages, including on the lateral side of the reconstructed area, where I am having lots of swelling. The earliest the PT specialist can see me is Tues Mar 24th, so for now, I hope the oils will help. When we were in the Philippines, one of our friends owned an outpt. PT clinic with a massage place and he told us that the lymphatic massage is painful. So, I guess there's more pain to look forward to :-(  

The weather's been so nice, I've been walking around more. Yesterday, our friend Chris came by and we walked around the park across the street from our house. We also took a peek at the candy store by the Ferrara Pan candy factory on the corner of Harlem and Harrison. Yummy.. they had chocolate covered nuts, choc-covered raisins, lemon heads, sourheads and other things. Next time we walk that direction, I will definitely bring some money and try some lemon heads :-)  So now, that mystery is solved :-)  I have always wanted to know what candy they made there.. way back since 1995, when we first moved back to Chicago and Frendell was pastor of West Central Church. We used to pass by this candy factory every week.... and now, I know :-) For those of you who wanted to know, I'm sorry but they do not give tours to the public inside the factory. They just sell the candy in their little store. Today, Frendell & I walked around the park and on to another block... now my back is sore.. I know I need some serious re-adjustments, but I don't know how soon I can get them. So, in the meantime I have the diffuser on, I've been wiped and lathered with oils, I will take my medicine in an hour, try to recline, put my right arm up on pillows, close my eyes and hope that the sand man will come and sprinkle fairy dust on my eyes so I can sleep :-)  I sure hope all of you will get some sleep as well... Good night.. another week begins.