Treatments Have Begun

It seems like the last three weeks have been a whirlwind. It seems so weird that so much has changed in three weeks. Bel's life has been turned upside down. She no longer can work and has begun treatment. We all keep track on when Bel's appointments are and who will go with her to which appointments. It seemed that with each new update we'd get worse news. From her tumor being a stage 2 to a 3, find another growth in a lymph node in the arm pit, to growing so fast that one of the doctors said they had never seen this type of cancer be so aggressive, she's the youngest breast cancer patient they've had, to moving up her chemo by one week, we just were looking down a dark tunnel of the worst case scenario. We keep her in our prayers, put her name on the temple prayer roll, and keep tabs on how she's doing regularly. 

For FHE on the 23rd we put together a chemo care basket for Bel and drove to her house to take her dinner and the basket and spend the evening with her. We put magazines (to read during hours of chemo treatments just sitting), chapstick, a notebook to journal in, hard candies to suck on, unscented lotion, tissues, sanitizing wipes, head scarf, dry mouth lozenges, chocolate candies, soft slipper socks, and pictures of the kids. She was so cute when she went through the basket. She even said she was so excited! Which made us laugh when she said she's not really excited to go through this. She was just excited for some thoughtful things that she knows will come in useful. 

We had a good evening with her. Good laughs, serious talks about how she's doing and what to expect. We were glad to give her company while Chris was asleep before he had to leave for work. 

Tuesday morning Bel had her PET scan to see if the cancer had spread anywhere else in the body. After that appointment Jaime and I went to pick her up (her friend took her to the appointment) and then we took her to lunch. She chose Zip's for a cheese burger since she won't be eating greasy foods like that for quite some time. After lunch I went to an event for Aidan at his school and Jaime took Bel to her first chemo treatment. She was nervous, not knowing really what to except so it was good that Jaime stayed with her the three hours that it took. She just sits in a chair while the chemo is administered through the port that was surgically put in last week. 

Sitting in her chair waiting to begin. 

Jaime was good to take notes on what doctors said and when her next appointments will be. She has two in a row next week. She is so courageous. She was laughing and talking happily with us almost as if she was completely healthy. I know it's hard for her but she is good at being positive. 

Thanksgiving was tough for Bel. She just stayed home. The three different nausea medications have helped her not feel so sick. She gets lots of hot flashes and headaches. She feels like the flu is coming on sometimes. She's been able to eat some and hasn't thrown up at all. She feels tired and achy too.

I talked to her tonight and she said her hair is already starting to fall out. She's going to get it cut short  just to see how she feels about short hair. She may like it a bit and know how it'll be when it starts to grow back. 

Bel asked me to make her some head scarves. I found one pattern online and finished it tonight. I bought another pattern that I will make a couple more out of that I think she will like. 

I'm doing things for someone I love and am close to that I really prayed would never happen to our family. I'm more than happy to help Bel and fulfill requests she asks of me but it's still heartbreaking that this is the situation she's in. I can't imagine how it is for her. It's all consuming in my thoughts and I'm not the one going through it. 

We have received some good news in all this though. Finally! In all this craziness that's been thrown at our family, Bel's doctor was eager to get the test results of Bel's PET scan so he pushed them ahead to find out the results. The cancer has not spread anywhere! It's just the one tumor in the breast and the lump in the lymph is still not cancer. They will treat it like it is but it's good news that it's just the one tumor that she has. 

So in the mean time she will have chemo and will be feeling sick for a few days after each treatment. We'll be there when she needs us. And when we're not...

The dogs stay by her side. :)