Travel plans!

We plan on leaving early Sunday morning. Probably around 2am. Then swing by and pick up my sister and we will be Jacksonville bound! A good friend of mine let me know that it was a 9hr trip, but we won't be in any hurry. We have a room booked at a Best Western, about 5mi from Mayo Clinic. Thanks to all the wonderful people I go to school with, friends, and family, this trip is paid for and we shouldn't have any out-of-pocket expense, not our own pocket anyway. Just people making contributions at school, and the hotdog sale, we have over $1,400.00. God has blessed me tremendously! It really touches my heart that there are so many people care about me and want me to get well! I mean, there are guys at my school that have gave me $100-$200, and don't know me, other than I'm the one that the fundraisers are for. If it weren't for me asking, I wouldn't have even known their names! There have been donations from Sunday school classes, from the night classes at school. It just amazes me to no end! Thank you all! My appointment with the dr isn't until 8:30 Monday morning, but I have to be there at 7:30 for lab work. I'm getting a little nervous, I still have no idea what to expect. We don't know when we will be able to come home because we don't know what the game plan is exactly. They could run some tests and send me home, or they may already have a treatment plan in mind and want to start me right away. Either way, I'm thankful that I have the opportunity to go. So for everyone wondering how long we will be down there, I have no clue! Your guess is as good as mine! I do pray that I will be home by the 10th, that's when school starts. The twins will be in 3rd grade and my baby will be starting kindergarten!! I also pray that I will be home on the 25th of August, I will be graduating school that evening, and it's something very important to me to be able to walk across the stage. I'm very proud of myself for going to school, even if it was technical school and not a 4yr program.
Some of you may wonder how I'm doing physically. I've been feeling really good lately, except for yesterday and it was not so good. It could have been worse, but I just wasn't feeling good, at all. Both sides we're hurting all day, my shoulder has really been bothering me for some reason. My oncologist said that the cancer in my liver could cause some shoulder pain, although I don't understand that really, I don't know if it's that or if I have lifted something that has got it sore. My energy level has been a little better since I haven't had any chemo in several weeks.
I don't like asking for prayer, but this is one time I am asking. Pray that we have a safe trip and pray that I can be as calm as possible, lol! Thanks for the prayers thus far, and good thoughts!

The Countdown Begins!

The countdown to my Florida trip, that is. We finally have a date, Aug. 3. Just a little under 2wks. Just like anything else, there are good and bad things about that time period. At least it gives us a projected time, and gives us time to get our things packed, get the kids packed for Nana and Poppy's, and all that stuff. And on the other hand, it gives me time to worry about what is going on inside my body! That's the part I hate! But I will try to keep in mind that it could be worse, because the appointment could have been as late as the end of September! They had to get me an appointment with a different doctor than who my oncologist wanted me to see because she was booked til then. I look at it this way, if they work at the Mayo Clinic, they have to be pretty good. So anyway, Doug and I will be making a trip to Jacksonville, Fl on Aug. 2. We're gonna go down a day early so we can be rested up for the appointment, being that it's at 7:30am.
Since getting the test results from my oncologist, there has been an amazing response from friends and loved ones wanting to do what they could to help with financing the trip. The Tech Center where I go to school is having a hot dog fundraiser tomorrow. A few of my fellow classmates held a yard sale this past weekend, donating the proceeds to us. HMG's general surgery office (where my cute doctor is!) made a huge contribution, thanks Tori, and all the rest of the office staff! The patient advocate at the cancer center I go to gave us a few gas cards. We have had several cash donations as well. I just cannot express how much it means to us, to know that there are so many people that care so much. There are just no words. Thank you so much!!

So, there is good news and there is bad news!

I have recently had some tests done. Last week I had a PET scan and then this week I had a bone scan. My oncologist wanted these done so we could see how the treatment was doing and decide how many more I needed. What the scans did show, nobody expected. The good news is that the places that showed up on my scans in Feb. have responded well to the chemo. The enlarged nodes in my neck had shrunk significantly, and the places that were on the bones were showing no activity. YAY! But the bad news, there were new signs of cancer in several places. There are two small spots on my spine, more enlarged nodes in my chest, places on my spleen, and my liver. The report stated that there "were too many mets on the liver to count." So, obviously, not the news we were wanting, and certainly not what we were expecting. Thankfully I have a doctor that is not letting pride stand in his way, and admits that I need to see a specialist. We're headed to Jacksonville, Fl to the Mayo Clinic. There is a doctor there that specializes in breast cancer and he feel really confident that she is gonna be my best option at this point. He said that if it were his wife, that's who he would take her to, and that said a lot to me. I still am waiting to here from the Mayo Clinic as to when my appt is, but will post when I do find out. There is a good possibility that I have left something out, but honestly, I am mentally exhausted right now. I feel like I have been thrown into a funnel cloud and can't quite get a grip on what is going on. My mind is racing on everything imaginable. Thank you for you continued prayers and support, and I ask that you keep praying. Not only for me, but my husband and kids, as well.