An Awesome Easter Weekend

After getting back from Richmond on Tuesday I was pretty wiped out. The couch and my electric blanket with Max the Cat at my feet was most of my day on both Wed and Thurs. The kids were on Spring Break so there was still a fair bit of running around and fixing food and cleaning up, but it was a struggle. I had some tears just being so tired of the whole unending process.

Then Friday I woke up with energy - I think the steroids have kicked in - who knows. Chris had a volleyball tournament in Richmond on Saturday so we went up to VCU clinic Friday afternoon and spent the night in Richmond. My counts were still good and I didn't need anything at clinic. We had a nice time going out to dinner - food is definitely my new hobby. On Saturday we were at the gym most of the day - the boys did great and I had a nice time talking with the parents and watching them play. We made it home late Saturday evening after a fun dinner with our friends in Richmond. Poor Brant had to drive us home while we all relaxed in the car.

Sunday we were able to go to church. I am still a little apprehensive around crowds and Easter is definitely not a slow day at church! But it is one of my favorite holidays with so much hope and promise for the start of a new year (winter is part of last year in my opinion!!) and of course celebrating the Greatest gift the world has received. So we threw the gang together Sunday morning and our friends held us some nice seats together in the back. The music was wonderful and one song "I'm Free" just really resonated with me. I have felt so trapped by this disease lately, especially when my energy is low I get depressed and just want to be DONE WITH IT!! But on Sunday as we sang that song, I truly felt free of it - whether it was there or not. I could enjoy right now, being together, worshipping with our church, feeling strong enough to stand up the entire music time (which is no small feat!!). Anyway, it was just wonderful and I was very happy. Here is our impromptu Easter family pic.

Later we had a nice meal and visited at my parents with Ruth and then for dinner had an awesome time at Brant's cousin's house with his family. We didn't get home until almost 9pm but I wasn't exhausted. My belly was full (did I mention I like food these days??) and I was ready for a good night's sleep. So I had a great weekend.

Today my energy level has continued to be high. I definitely think it is the prednisone steroids. My lips are slowly disappearing into my fattening cheeks (steroid face). Mom thinks it is nice, I hate it. We went up to clinic together today and it was a LONG day. They were very backed up and I needed a blood transfusion. It has been three weeks since my last one so that is really good. Mom and I didn't make it home until almost 6pm but at least the sun decided to come out and the drive wasn't too bad. I will go back on Friday and see the Doctor. My goal is to get off prednisone, although I am sure the best I will get is to have it lowered some. My liver is almost back to normal, but they will most likely taper me to prevent a flare-up.

Next Wednesday is biopsy and seeing the cardiologist. Again, I hope to talk them out of some drugs. But it just seems like when they put me on something and it works, they are SLOW to take it back away. We are eager to hear biopsy results. My wish is that they become more definitive and show that the leukemia is not around. But you just never know what they are going to see.

Well, I better go find something to do with all of this energy. Eating donuts is on the top of my list, but I am trying to be good. My tastebuds have lost the salty/savory sensation and apparently tripled in the sugar area. Bummer. I have put back on about 5 lbs which is good. I think I will start trying to go to the gym and work on building those muscles up. The doctor said I could go if it was the middle of the day and if I cleaned off the equipment really well.

That's the update from here. Hope everyone has a good week.