Beverly was diagnosed with breast cancer in the latter part of 2015 and our world changed in the blink of an eye. You always think it will happen to the other person but sometimes it lands right smack in the middle of your life. At first we thought she had been very lucky and a little surgery and a little radiation was all she was going to need. But, following more tests and surgery at least one lymph node was involved and the doctors recommended that she start on chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy is a fancy term for "trying to almost kill you and then hoping to bring you back from the edge of death" to live again. There are a lot of side effects related to each drug and they'll tell you that you probably won't have all of them. Call her unlucky but Beverly seemed to get most of them! They included losing her hair of course, her fingernail and toenails coming off, all the skin on her hands and feet peeling off, loss of taste, plus a few more. A lot of people have the nausea thing but they were able to manage that with pre-infusion medications. She went through eight chemo treatments and finished up in May, 2016, ready for a rest period before radiation started.
Baylor Scott and White in Temple has been our home away from home and many of the nurses, doctors and receptionists have become our friends. It has been a blessing to have them in our lives to encourage us, treat Beverly with respect and love and to lead her along the path of healing. She will continue the battle during the next few months as radiation treatments begin and it will always be a part of our thoughts in the future. But, with the grace and mercy of God and with the prayers and petitions of the saints we look forward to the future.
We met John in Stephenville at the Pizza Place to tell him about my cancer diagnosis.
This is one of our old hang outs and one of our favorite places to eat! We only spent
three and a half hours visiting!
John restored this early model Toyota Land Crusier and even had it pictured on the
cover of a Texas Toyota magazine during a rally in Llano.
Our home away from home during Bev's inital treatments. When you have as many tests
and procedures as she's had, you learn the inner working of the hospital well.
First procedure was in the installation of a port so that the chemo drugs could
be infused directly into her body. They called it "minor" surgery but she said "it's only
minor when its happening to someone besides you!"
Pretty isn't it? It's the portal to my soul, or at least my veins!
Let the fun begin! Thankfully the protocol called for a couple of anti-nausea drugs
prior to the infusion of the chemo and they worked!
Since the treatments can take five to six hours to complete, the chauffeur had to find
ways to pass the time. People and squirrel watching, TV and reading usually led to sleeping!
My lucky charm bracelet with all the reminders of why I'm doing this!
Jordan gave me this "I Love You" charm to remind me that I had
lots of people praying for me!
Dr. Henderson, my oncologist, has been so helpful and supportive during all of this.
A good friend brought this beautiful reminder of their support!
Beautiful drawing by my bedside from Leighton. All the other kids and grand kids were constantly
calling and writing to encourage their Bebe and it meant so much! I think friends
sent me well over 100 cards of encouragement.
Beautiful flowers!
And then it began.
Treatment on Friday, Monday morning I woke up with my hands swollen and red!
This was only the beginning. Get ready hands! Your skin is about to come off!
Pretty isn't it!
Dr. Henderson said I must have had a bad reaction to Taxotere! Really?
It was a long process, but today I have all new skin!
Flowers to brighten my days at home.
With a depleted immune system, it was important to try and avoid germs.
Why then would I be in the "cesspool" of germy places, Walmart?
Is it real or is it Raquel? Only my hair dresser and my husband knows for sure!
Eat all of this? I really don't want it but I'll try.
Let me tell you, I got pretty tired of eggs.
