Chemotherapy Joins The Team!

     Monday (3-7-11) Leslie's day was motivated with Chemotherapy Teaching shortly after 8:00 a.m. It was then followed by her 1st treatment at 10:00am. Everything went smoothly and Leslie was actually glad to finally start fighting back with a powerhouse chemo recipe! Some side effects seemed to already take action that night - chills, nausea, etc. - but she was feeling better the next morning.
    
     Leslie will receive a chemotherapy treatment every Monday for the first 12 weeks. These treatments will be accompanied by a specific regimen of various drugs to help frazzle the estrogen receptors of this distinct cancer. Actually, this particular regimen also tends to make each treatment more aggressive than normal. After the first 12 weeks, they will back off from the weekly treatments. (We will update the blog as this occurs).


     After Leslie took her seat and the treatment began, she started talking with the gentleman who was sitting next to her and also receiving treatment.  At some point in the conversation, the gentleman told Leslie he was from "Grand Saline"......interesting that he should be from Leslie's home town.....well, to make a long story short, this sweet man was actually the owner/operator of this neat little mom & pop convenience store that Leslie frequented as a little girl with her "Paw T"......

Such happy memories flooded back as she recalled this man being such a "push over" when it came to handing out free goodies to the little kids who came parading through his store; a man with such a sweet spirit and kind heart.  How awesome it was for Leslie to have just begun this sure-to-be exhausting first chapter of treatment and at the same time be so blessed to be sharing it with someone whose only had to mention their shared home town.....prompted her to reminisce with him about happy, childhood memories and keep her mind focused on something so blissful. That's the power of prayer!!!


Memories sustain us in some of our most difficult times.  Memories like the ski photo posted here........Now THAT was a totally awesome experience and sharing it with my sister made it so much better!  We traveled to Frisco, Colorado for a family Christmas adventure and went snowmobiling up a mountain through the Arapahoe National Forest.  By the time we were coming back down the mountain, the snow was coming down harder than I have ever seen, as the sun was setting behind those breathtaking Arapahoe Mountains.  What a surreal experience.....  It's one of those Kodak moments that will never be forgotten. 

Enchanted memories like the one captured in this photo AND the childhood memories of "Bob" and his convenience store.......what a pleasant distraction as Leslie began moving through this chapter.....


Thanks again for all the prayers.....


- Spencer -