Hey there! Thanks for visiting! I hope to keep these treatment updates short – this first one may be a bit longer to get some context and details, but future updates will (hopefully) be shorter 😉 …

Welp, We had our first treatment on 5/31/22. As we got to the office where treatment would be, we were walked back into the chemo zone and crossing that threshold again brought back some emotion for sure. I struggled and failed to contain my tears – ok let’s be real, sobs. Thankfully, Kev was there with me and we had a great nurse who worked through the emotions with us. I decided to get a port this time around as my veins like to play hide and seek and I couldn’t fathom potentially 2 years of missed veins to get the IV treatments. I was super anxious because I didn’t know what to expect, but it really was a much simpler process and I am glad I had it done now.

I am on a combo immunotherapy drug called Opdualag. It is a new drug that was approved in March 2022 (God’s miracle for me??). It is given through IV and I have 1 dose every 4 weeks.

I am a little over a week post-treatment and I am doing better. The first several days were tough. Day of treatment after a few hours I began to experience what I hear people describe as flu-like symptoms – low grade fever, chills, sweats, horrible body aches, headache (may or may not be related, I get headaches normally anyway), fatigue, etc… Slowly day over day it started to get better and ibuprofen helped a TON and really made me feel so much better. So, I tried to rest as much as possible and push through. Today, I’d say I’m probably at 90%. I feel much better and I have more energy than last week. I still have fatigue issues that come on and pretty bad body aches. I also have a weird tongue/mouth thing going on. Have you ever eaten too much and/or unripen pineapple and got this weird tenderness and sensation on your tongue/mouth – explained here? That is what I am experiencing.

My next treatment is set for 6/28/22. I have an appt with my oncologist prior to treatment to discuss everything going on, etc…

I think that’s about it for now. Please keep on praying for us. we appreciate it!<3

Also, if you have any natural remedies to replace ibuprofen, I would love to know as I don’t want to rely on ibuprofen to get me through this. I have tried tarte cherry, so far it isn’t helping, but I am giving it a little more time. I’d appreciate any other suggestions.

With love – you are loved and chosen my friend.

Here’s a verse that is helping me:

Isaiah 43:1-3a

Now this is what the Lord says—
the One who created you, Jacob,
and the One who formed you, Israel—
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
² I will be with you
when you pass through the waters,
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not overwhelm you.
You will not be scorched
when you walk through the fire,
and the flame will not burn you.
³ For I Yahweh your God,
the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior,