You may be familiar with the #1 bestseller with the same name as this post written in 2007 about a Navy Seal whose team of four was ensnared in battle while on a mission in Northern Afganastan. Only one survived. It was the story of that Texas native's survival. Today the author, Marcus Luttrell, was in town signing books and the Reichert's had his two books signed for us...for our battle...for Shermance's survival!
Today our chemo nurse greeted us again with her broad smile before Shermance was given her dose of Newlasta to keep her white blood cell count high to ward off infections and sickness during chemo. Unfortunately she had to be stuck in the arm instead of in the port. "Do you have to take a picture?" Shermance asked...I guess it wasn't the best time since that shot hurt. Instead I took a pic with Andrea, our chemo nurse (see below).
The BIG SURPRISE of the day was the new Coach sunglasses Shermance received from her cousin Audra. She wrote that Shermance needed to have some fierce sunglasses to go with her fierce Coach purse (of course, right?). They retail for something rediculous like $250, but we hear she got a smokin' good deal. Wahoo!
Shermance braved going out in public today without any head cover. She felt like everyone was looking at her. Nevertheless, she held her head high and let 'em gawk. It is what it is...and no one is going to stop Shermance from getting through this. In our second appointment it seemed even the surgeon was taken aback by seeing Shermance sans hair, but he understood her need to take charge. Dr. Bombach was very encouraging about the micro-metastatic carcinoma and he believes it hasn't spread beyond the sentinel node - a good sign. We'll check with a sonagram again in July. That gives us a goal and a target to attack that cancer with all our might leading up to the July sonogram. From the outside, it seems the tumor is already smaller, though hard to really tell at this point!
Our youngest, Parker (8), is also still in shock with the hair change. He said, "I like hairy mom better". To which I responded that we don't have choice and we'll love mom whether she has hair or not...of course! Most of the responses have been that Shermance has a pretty head and nothing to be ashamed of...WE AGREE! Shermance feared a blotchy head, conehead, platapus head, dry scalp, razor burn/pimples, or blotchy spots. None of the above, it looks great.
This evening we looked for Shermance's steroid pills (Dexamethasone) that were left on the counter. They disappeared. Turns out our dear dog Carmel wanted to chew up the plastic container, yet fortunately she wasn't too interested in the pills inside. We still called the emergency vet to understand the possible symptoms of an animal overdosing on the meds - though we were told it was highly unlikely. If nothing else we now have a super hero mighty dog to go with our cancer-fighting heroine, Shermance.
It's ok now for Shermance to resume normal upper body exercise, including push-ups for Tae Kwon Do - another small victory. And speaking of normal, we look forward to a "normal" day tomorrow without any doctor visits...what a relief!
1 comment:
Shermance, I love your spunk and your spirit, and of course being married to Dale you must also have a great sense of humor.:-) Sorry Dale, couldn't resist.
Anyway, God is with you, and will be with you all the way thru. Don't tell Him how big your problem is, tell your problem how big our God is! This is a time to be on our knees in humility before an awesome God in prayer and intersession. That is where I will be. God bless you both.
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