Post-Chemo Cancer Update

Andy had an appointment with the oncologist yesterday to discuss the results of his most recent CT scans. Basically, these scans were to show us whether or not the chemo had done its job!

We were happy to hear that the cancerous abdominal lymph glands had shrunk considerably in size. As expected, they have not shrunk to normal size so surgery to remove them is still in the near future.

Several other spots that were seen before on the lungs are not there now, which is good news. However, there is one spot that is questionable. It could be something but could also be nothing. The oncologist suggested possibly a PET scan to get a better look and see what is going on there. Because of how these scans are done, sometimes it is difficult to see things accurately.  He was going to discuss it further with the head of oncology and get back to us.

Andy is doing very well. His energy level continues to rise little by little and he is feeling more and more like himself. At this time, we haven't really noticed any lasting side effects from the chemo which we are grateful for. He does still have that dry cough but it doesn't seem to be as bad as it was.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Frugal Friday

In the midst of decidedly not-frugal chemo, doctor appointments, hospital stays and surgery plans, we still try to be good stewards of what God has given us.  Making good decisions with our money and using what we have to its fullest potential saves us money and also prevents waste.

Here are some ways we've saved money and lived frugally here recently:

• Accepted loads of garden produce from neighbors and friends. We've eaten fresh green beans, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, banana peppers and corn on the cob. I have a crockpot full of green beans cooking for dinner tonight using this recipe.  We were given over a dozen ears of corn so I shared half of it with our neighbor as the two of us couldn't eat it all. 
• Used a store coupon at Petsmart for a FREE small bag of dog food. We also had $5 in rewards to use online so we used it to buy some dog treats and selected to pick up in store instead of paying for shipping. I picked up our online order at the same time I got the dog food. Willie is happy.

• Went on a date to Olive Garden and used a gift card to pay for most of our meal. Also, we had enough leftovers to take home and eat for lunch the next day. 
• Used several coupons when grocery shopping.

• Sam's Club runs specials each month where select items are on special. This month, several items that we buy regularly were on special. So I stocked up even if we didn't need them quite yet--$3 off laundry detergent and $5 off dog food. Both are items that I would be buying next month so I saved $8 by buying them now. I also got $1 off a bag of avocados and $.50 off cheese. 
• Submitted some medical receipts for reimbursement. 
• Hung most of our clothing up to dry instead of using the dryer. Still using the dryer for sheets and towels as I don't yet have an outdoor clothesline. 
• Cut buttons off a couple old sweaters before discarding them. The buttons can be used for other sewing and craft projects. 

• Repotted some tiny basil plant "babies" that were in my big planter of basil. I plan to share these extra plants with friends. Also made pesto from some of the basil. 
• Eaten a lot of odds and ends from the freezer. I noticed we had quite a bit of food in there that should be used. I've been planning my menus from the freezer and pantry then only buying what we still need from the store. I plan to clean out and defrost the freezer in August so eating down the freezer is a good idea! Some of the items are only a serving or two but I group a few things together and no one goes hungry!
• Painted our hallway. I have had the paint and primer for a while and have not had time to get to this project.(I got the supplies right before Andy's diagnosis.) I had the week of July 4th off from work so made time to work on it then. The walls are paneling so this took a little more time and effort  than just slapping a coat of paint up. But the final result is very much worth it! Why is this frugal? Well, I didn't hire someone to do the painting for me. Plus, painting is much less costly than ripping out paneling and putting in drywall! (Although that is in the "someday" plans.)
• Requested a book through our library's inter-library loan program. Within a few days, I received notification that the book was ready to pick up. I combined stops while running errands and ran into the library while driving close by there anyways. My library has started something new and now includes on your receipt how much you saved by using the library that day. I saved $24.99 by using the library over buying the book at list price. 

How have you lived frugally this week? Please share with all of us in the comments!

Done With Chemo!

We are done with chemo!

Andy went through three 3 week cycles of chemo. The doctor wanted him to do a full 4th cycle but due to a bad cough that could be caused by one of the drugs, they decided to do only one week of the 4th cycle. Even though all tests for toxicity to one of the chemo drugs came back negative (Praise God!), the oncologist wanted to take precaution and eliminate that particular drug from his regime. 

The first week of each cycle is five straight days of 7 hours of chemo each day. By the end of the week, you can imagine how worn out a chemo patient would be! 

This "heavy week" is what Andy's last week of chemo was and by Friday, he was exhausted and not feeling very well. We were pumped that it was his last day though! 

Unfortunately, he began feeling quite ill in the afternoon and by evening was running a fever and throwing up. Because he couldn't even keep meds down and a fever with chemo often indicates an infection, the doctor put in an order for him to be admitted to the hospital overnight for observation. 

I was so glad we didn't have to sit in the ER waiting to be seen. Within 30 minutes of talking to the doctor on the phone, Andy was being settled in the hospital room! His fever was higher by this time so they gave him meds to reduce fever and got him started on IV fluids to combat dehydration. 

Andy ended up staying at the hospital for 3 nights and was discharged Monday morning. By this time, he was keeping bland foods down and able to get enough fluids. His blood tests looked a lot better too. He was treated for a mild UTI but the doctor was unsure he actually had one. 

So now he's home recuperating and getting better each day. 

He has CT scans scheduled for next week to see the results of the chemo. He has an appointment with the oncologist toward the end of the month to discuss the results of the scan.  We are hoping for a good report! 

Thank you for all your prayers!