Chemo - Round 3

Brian finished up round 3 last Saturday. He went into the hospital on Wednesday the 22nd of September and spent 4 uneventful days receiving 3 different types of chemo. He wasn't given Avastin this time because of his earlier ostomy surgery. He will have to wait a few more weeks to be given that drug because of how aggressive it is on the colon. The surgeon doesn't want all of his good work to be ruined!



We were very happy with how well everything went and how great Brian tolerated treatment. We are truly blessed that he hasn't had to deal with any of the awful side effects that we hear about! The only side effect he seems to have is tiredness. For the first few days after chemo he is just so exhausted! On Tuesday morning he walked the little girls down the street to school and came back huffing and puffing. He said he almost flagged someone down to come get me to pick him up. It really tuckered him out and he ended up taking a good nap after that adventure. (It probably doesn't help that it's been so blasted hot here - even at 8:30 in the morning!!)



We will most likely start round 4 of chemo at the end of next week. (He's supposed to go 2 weeks between treatments.) Dr. Kadiyala wants to try it at her office again, which we're not looking forward to! I guess we'll go in to her office for about 3 or 4 hours and then be sent home with a drip that will last 46 hours. It really scares both Brian and I to be having chemo administered over 2 days in our home. Just put him back in the hospital!! Apparently the doctor feels like the hospital is a great place to pick up a staph infection or some other weird germ and would like to keep Brian away from there if at all possible. Yeah, makes sense. But seriously, we have 5 kids and 2 dogs - I'm sure there are some pretty funky germs running around here!

Anslee Michelle

This is my niece, Anslee Michelle. She was named after her favorite aunt - me, of course! My sweet sister Kristen came over one day just to let me hold this baby! Some days you just need a baby to snuggle! Thanks, Kristen!

Hunter's 15th Birthday

Wow - I can't believe Hunter is 15! And I also can't remember why his cake was so small. It looks like my sister Kristen made it, and I'm sure it was delicious, and it was probably eaten on the 4th of July. My brain is not functioning well these days!

I do remember that Hunter and his dad invited their friends over to watch a UFC pay-per-view fight. I bought a six foot sub and then took the girls out for frozen yogurt and a trip to Target. I think it was a fun night! What I can remember of it, anyway!

Teenage Twins!

Sommer and Sydney spent their 13th birthday in Las Vegas! The twins and I had planned on going up to Vegas for the Joe Tremaine Dance Convention - but since Brian was in the hospital I figured it wouldn't be the best decision for me to go with the girls. So I sent them with one of their dance teachers and they had a great time! They actually earned all of the money to pay for the convention by holding a "Dance Camp" at our house earlier in the summer. It was a good experience for them and I'm so glad they were able to go!

When they got home we went to Texas Roadhouse with grandma and grandpa Olsen. Definitely a birthday they will always remember!