I’m a bit overdue on an update to the journal – I’ve started typing at least two, then I get to a point that I just scrap it..

To summarize the last few weeks – We’ve been back to the hospital a few times.. Stef is now drain free, and has picked up a chemo port. There were some complications with her original incision which caused them to put her under for a minor procedure – opening a small bit up, cleaning it out, and then leaving it open. To say the least, it’s a little disturbing to initially look at it. It’s basically an open wound – I think it looks like a bullet hole toward the top of her stomach. I think she could pass it off as one when it eventually heals up.. It requires careful maintenance, daily cleaning and redressing. I asked Stef, “doesn’t that hurt?” She doesn’t much notice it anymore. I offered to put some duct tape over it if needed… That way she’d be waterproofed and could then be ready for the next triathlon, right?

Aside of that, today was the first chemo session. We arrived at Mercy around 8:45am, and after some initial administrative procedures, a wound cleaning and redressing by Dr. Rosenshein’s team, Stef was having the chemo IV attached to her port.

Stef has been doing great with her meds – I’ve lost track of them all now. My chalkboard ended up getting routine initially, but the pre-chemo meds and the current on-going meds have thrown me off. She’s on a schedule – keeping up with things. She goes back on Wednesday for a shot, and then back each of the subsequent two weeks for routine blood tests before returning a few days before Christmas for her 2nd chemo treatment. We had the option of waiting until the week after, but right now, we’re feeling up to it, so we’ll see how she reacts to the potential oncoming side effects of this first treatment. For now we just need to keep the germs to a minimum around her!

Lastly – big thanks again to everyone who has been so helpful – folks bringing meals, helping with the nursing duties, just stopping by, calling, sending texts, I could keep going – big BIG THANKS for all the love and support.