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Word From Jen – December 1

Good morning all!

Last night was a good night. My rash is slowly giving way. I was able to get some good sleep last night even with the early morning vitals and blood labs.

This morning they had to redo my labs to check to see if the first labs were right. My hemoglobin dropped from an 8.2 to a 6.9 and then read a 7.0. So l will be getting a hemoglobin transfusion. I don’t need platelets or anything else which is good.

With being on chemo and IV fluids my counts are going to drop. The fact that I have gone almost 2 full weeks without needing a transfusion is amazing.

My sister Jessica Crawford stayed the night with me. We played countless rounds of rummy and learned how to french braid my hair….well sorta.

Yesterday we went on 2 walks around the hospital and my own floor which will reduce the heparin shots that I may need.

Today we did another quick walk around the floor before I was due for a refill on my chemo and my transfusion.

The nurses and PCA’s here love my hair Laura Moreo. Already planning my next color!

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My brother Matt Honigford is coming down to see me this afternoon/evening and I believe mom and dad will be back down tomorrow.

They keep talking about moving me down to the 15th but that hasn’t happened yet so I am not holding my breath. I don’t mind the 16th floor.

If you want to send me an ecard or a present my current room number 1604. If I happen to change rooms before it gets to me they will make sure I get it anyway.

I really appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers and the donations. It really helps more than you know.

If you want to visit please let me know and we can set that up 🙂

Keep my family and me in your thoughts and prayers as well as those in Tennessee. Those fires are scary and can’t imagine what the people of Tennessee ate going through right now.

God bless!

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Chemo Started

Today I started Chemo. I am doing what’s called 7 + 3 which is 7 straight days of chemo and 3 of those days I get 2 bags of chemo.

I was also giving a heparin shot to prevent blood clots.

Doctor’s haven’t been in yet. Mom went home for the day to get things since we weren’t prepared to be admitted early. But my sister is here to spend the day with me 🙂

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Good News/Bad News Kinda Day

So plans have changed.

One of the common side effects of this clinical trial drug is a rash. Last evening Jen noticed she was itchy and today as we are sitting here at the James, she developed a rash. It has become more apparent as they day has progressed. It covers about 70% of her body and since it is more then 30%, she is being admitted.

So the good news is her chemo will start two days sooner then expected. The bad news is she will not be able to be home for the next several weeks.

She will get chemo for 7 days. On two of those days she will get two chemo drugs. They call this 7+ 3.

About day 10 her counts will fall dramatically. This is where she is at most risk for infection. About 2 weeks in her hair will begin to fall out. 4 weeks we should see a rebound in numbers if everything is working. When numbers improve she will be able to go home.

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Thank You

Week 2

The ‘thank yous” for week 2 is going to take me awhile to write. 1. because I am cooking a late dinner tonight due to not getting back from Jen’s hair appt until 7:30 and 2. because the list is so long. It may just end up taking a couple post to complete.

✓ Thank you again Diann Neal and Ernie Nealfor allowing Jessica and Jennifer to stay with you last week so that they were able to get to their early morning appt.
✓ Thank you Deb Spieles for your message this week. I am looking forward to seeing what you and Jessica have planned.
✓ Thank you Kimberly Bair for the conversation. It is nice to have your insight about these battles that lay ahead.
✓ Thank you Alex Warnement also for planning an event for Jen. And also Jessica Crawford for taking over some of the load in planning it.
✓ Thank you Dolores Johnson for sharing with me about the chapel at the James. Randy and I took a tour of it when we recognized the names outside the door. It is such a peaceful place.
✓ Thank you Angela Gamble for the nice conversations over the last week. I hope your battle with this horrible disease is a short one and life can get back to some normalcy soon for you.
✓ Thank you Tabitha Maag for your messages through out this week. I was feeling pretty low a couple of times, and those words and often snapchats of those cute babies are really helpful. Also thank you for setting up with Laura to do Jen’s hair. The smile on her face will push me through.
✓ Thank you Laura Moreo! She is still smiling! Her hair looks amazing. You did a wonderful job and your kindness will not be ever forgotten.

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Heros

Heroes always show up in those moments you need them most. On the afternoon Jennifer was to have her bone marrow biopsy, I had one heck of a stomach ache and needed tums so badly. But fear if I went down to the gift shop, they would show up to do the biopsy and I wouldn’t be there for Jen. I prayed my stomach ache would subside as I needed to be at her side. But it was not letting up.

In desperation, I asked her nurses if they had anything I could take, but they directed me to the gift shop. That day, Jennifer’s personal care assistant was this spunky young woman. She had a beautiful bed side manner and always a beautiful smile on her face. When she heard of my problem, she came in the room and told me she would run to the gift shop for me. Not 10 minutes later, she showed up with tums. I immediately took them and my stomach ache subsided quickly. Soon there after the team showed up to do Jen’s biopsy and I was able to sit near her and hold her hand through it. I am so grateful for my hero that day. And that God sent her to me.

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Happy Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful to be home with my family. Thankful for my doctors and all of those on my care team at the James. All of those who run the clinical trial. Those who made things happen as quickly as they did when they discovered I was sick.

Thankful for all those who are praying for me and my family. Thankful for those who have sent me cards, gift cards, gas cards, and food. Thankful for those who visited me in the hospital and here at home.

Thankful for my amazing family and their strength. Thankful for my cousin for being here when I can’t be. Thankful for my friends at church. And thankful for my continue faith in God.

My road ahead of me I know is a long and rough one. But I know that I will have God, my family, and friends on my side.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Count your blessings, even the small ones. They matter!

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Upate – Tuesday, November 22, 2016

This evening Jennifer is headed to Columbus with her sister Jessica for early morning appointment with the clinical trial folks at the James. Thankfully they are able to stay with Randy’s aunt Diann. She is preparing them a late evening meal when they arrive which is super nice of her.

Jen overall felt ok today. She has a bit fatigued and light headed this morning but as the day progressed she felt a bit better.

A bit of bad news for her today was the place she was in contact with to harvest her eggs after chemo told her they don’t except her insurance. So I’m not sure if there may be another place she can do this with or if we will need to figure out how to pay for that out of pocket. The initial visit over $250 and without knowing additional cost from there it is definitely something to figure out. This is one of those things I need to let go and let God lead us to the answer. Prayers needed in that department.

We decorated today for Christmas and listened to Christmas music nearly all day. Every year we question why there are so many versions of the song Last Christmas, one of Matt‘ s least favorite Christmas songs.