New news!!!

After my last conversation with my doctor I was so excited!!! I decided to start keeping track of my progress too! I asked my doctors office to start faxing me the results - I was so proud of my reduction in viral load!! I anxiously awaited the fax to come through...........when I received it the numbers didn't quite match what he had told me my viral load had reduced to, so I called him and left a message for him to call me back. When he called I was on my way to pick up my sister from the airport, and almost missed the exit when he confirmed my findings! I was elated when i originally spoke to him about my new viral load results that I mis-understood him......I thought he said they had reduced to 400,000 but I was wrong....HE SAID 4,000!!!! OH MY STARS!! I am so far ahead of the norm! I am so going to beat this thing! It is news like this that makes the next shot and the next dose of medications so worth it!

Believe

Monday was a really busy day for me, our company had just launched new products and I was out showing them to the world :) I finally landed at my favorite Nail Salon for my appointment. I was talking with my nail tech about how the fatigue was really starting to get to me and how I sometimes wonder.....is it all just too much?.... and my phone rang. Normally I would simply let it go to voice-mail while at my appointment but this time it was my doctor. About a week ago, I had a ton of blood-work done to see the what levels the disease is currently detected in my blood, how my body is reacting to the treatments, all basically to see if the treatment is working and how the treatment is effecting everything else in my body. So when I saw that it was Eric, my doctor, calling I answered the call. He told me that my viral load in the beginning was over 1.4 million and after only 6 weeks of treatment, it had dropped to around 400,000! The white blood count was holding steady at 1.8 (should be at 5+) and my red blood cells were within normal range! My nail tech told the other ladies "Lori's on the phone with her doctor and I think she's getting good news" You would not believe how excited everyone was in that nail salon! The Ladies of "The Nail Jail" have been a huge support to me! They were in tears right along with me :)
Just really goes to show you that even on the days you just wanna quit........the days it seems like it is just too much.......the days you wonder "is it really worth it" - You have to continue to believe..........believe that GOD has a purpose for you. Believe that there is a reason you are going through this and believe that you will be a better person for it.

Yesterday

Yesterday was such a great day! My hubby went to church with Jaxon and i, it was a great service! Jaxon was somewhat hesitant to let Pappa leave the 2-3 yr old room, but he eventually did.
The music was awesome as usual, and again the sermon was Identity theft.... this time the Pastor spoke of the difference between the way we want the world to see us and the way GOD wants us to be seen. I thought it was great! It reminded me of how much I worry about what people think about my disease - how I got it - how long I have had it - how bad it is....sometimes I feel like a leper when people ask about it. In the pastor's sermon, he spoke of not letting how other think or feel determine our destiny. We should always be focusing on what Jesus thinks and feels about us. steadily moving in the direction of the image of GOD.
After church Pappa took us for a ride to see the elk, he and Jaxon had a wonderful time feeding them....it is so different when you see a domestic Elk like that - one that will actually take food from your hands.


I am finding that the side effects have a mind of their own.....in the beginning i was a slave to Tylenol and now I haven't needed any in days! This is a good thing! I am running out of energy fast now, however. That really wouldn't be so bad if I could sleep longer than a few hours at a time. I think everytime one of the side effects get better, another takes it's place.

My Sister

I am so excited!! My sister is coming to see me :) She is so funny.....the will arrive on "Cure Day" (Thursday) so she wants me to wait to do my treatments until she gets here so she can give it to me! I told her she was crazy! I think she just wants to stick a needle in me to get back at me for some things I did to her as a very small child. :)
She is not the only one who has asked me this......here's how I feel about it....
When someone other than myself gives me the treatments, I feel like a patient.....like I need someone else to take care of me - treat me....
When I do it myself, I feel more in control of my future.....I feel like I am in control of my disease. It helps me to stay positive and keeps me having a good outlook - I need as much of that as I can get! A bit of the depression is starting to set in.....the good thing about that is the fact that I can see it and am very aware of the consequences that come along with that. I am doing everything I can to stay positive and my sister coming to visit me is the perfect medicine and this point!

3 AM

Seems my internal clock has decided that 3am. is the best time for me to wake......doesn't matter what time I go to sleep :)
So I must make the best of it! As I sit here in the dark, I am contemplating all the good things about 3am....
1. It is definitely time for me to enjoy that first cup of coffee completely uninterrupted!
2. I can catch up on cleaning out my inbox.
3. The peace & serenity of listening to the silence of the night allows me to reflect on my blessings.
4. I can exhale..............

Home from Chicago!

WOW What an amazing trip!!!
From the moment I arrived to the moment I left I was so VERY blessed!!
Many of my peers were there letting me know of their prayers and support for me!
AND.....there's more!!!
The medication for the burning in my mouth - WORKED! I was feeling so much better within a day or so!! It was wonderful to be pain free and able to taste my food!!!
I was somewhat concerned about doing my treatment while in Chicago but it worked out very well - Not much for side effect this time - I think I was so excited and the adrenalin in my body from seeing everyone and learning about all the new products and opportunities to make a difference was kicking in! There were moments that I felt like a MAC truck hit me but they were only moments!
One of the best things that happened was an email I received from one of my sister-in-laws. Here is what she said....."I read a book recently about angels. It said that Mary the mother of Jesus, having made herself visible to the children in the village of Medjugorje in Bosnia, told the children, "It is very important to pray for others, because when you pray for someone, an angel goes and sits on the shoulder of that person." At your worst moments of doubt and pain, visualize an angel on your shoulder because many will be praying for you - including me" Thank you Gina....you have no idea what this meant to me :) I love you!