Chemo, Thanksgiving, and Friends

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Wow, it has been a long time since my last post. A lot has been going on, and I have been staying busy.

Guess I will start with thanksgiving! We did have a blessed thanksgiving. I was with my family, and the people that love me. And that is what is most important to me. I was SICK the week of thanksgiving. My blood was low, WBC was low, and platelets were also low. I think that week has been the worst I have felt since having cancer. Regardless, I was happy to be with my family.

Last week I had my 29th round of chemo! It’s hard to believe. Most people get 6-10 treatments. It’s depressing when people ask how many I’m going to need. We just don’t have an answer to that question. So most of the time I just smile, and tell them until God heals me.

Last week the ladies at the church had an awesome event for me. I have never felt so blessed and loved by a group of people. Most of you know my friend Christina, she is the one that did the skydive for me. She got to give my message, and tell me story. I thought I would share some of the message with you.
Christina and I did a lot of talking about what we wanted her to say. When I look at my cancer journey, I really do believe God put me in this place for a reason. I do believe I’m suffering for the Gospel. 2 Timothy 1:8 tells us: So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
God has put me in a very interesting place. My story can, has, and will keep touching people. I feel like if people can see me trusting in The Lord during all these hard time, then that will point people to the cross. And that is what my God wants me to do.

The event was a huge success!! I want to thank everyone that came out to support my family. We love each one of you so much. We could not do this without our support system.

So here are so ways you can pray for me:
-complete healing
-praying for my chemo this week
– pray for my biopsy I will be having next week
– pray that I stay healthy during the holidays!
– my sleeping. I need good sleep to take care of my family.
-pray for Brian. I’m so blessed to have an amazing husband. But working full time and taking care of a wife with care plus 2 kids is hard! He is a super hero.

ALSO!! If your sick, please please let me know! My WBC are low, and will stay low during treatment. The smallest thing could send me to the hospital. If your kids play with mine, please make sure they are healthy first! 🙂

That is about it for now! Sorry for no pictures, I will try to post some next time.
Blessing,
Tiffany

Chemo #28

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I’m getting chemo as I type this.

Everything has been going good! I have been staying busy! The side effects for this chemo aren’t too bad. I have been tired. Extremely tired. I am also having some mouth problems. Food is tasting different. I hope this isn’t something that last, and it will go away fast.

I’m excited to tell all of you, some of the ladies from my church will be having a benefit for me! It’s going to be on the 29th of this month. I will post more details as I get them. 🙂

I will be having a liver biopsy next week! I’m ready to get this over. They will be sending is off to a special lab to look at different mutations in the cancer cells. Thanks to Dr. Shah, I will be getting good medicines during this, and will be knocked out of it. I don’t think I could do it awake.

Anyways, that is about all that is going on. I hope all my friends have a good thanksgiving. I know I have so much to be thankful for. This time last year, I didn’t even know if I would be here today. I’m very thankful for everyday God gives me. Please keep praying for me.

Blessing,
Tiffany

The Update

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So, there always seems to be good and bad news in the world of cancer.

Most of you have seen on my Facebook post that there are 2 new small spots on my liver. The doctors feel like they are very small, because their uptake was very little.

The good news is the other spots are still gone, and some of the old ones didn’t have any uptake. Also, in the world of cancer we know it can progress, and sometimes fast. It can move to other parts of the body. Thankfully, we didn’t have that happen.

So, there will be a change in chemo. The new chemo I will be getting is a regimen called GTX. I will be going tomorrow to get the infusion, and I will also be doing the same oral chemo with this. I will also be having another liver biopsy to help find the best treatment for my cancer soon. Please pray it goes good. I already told the doctors they have to knock me out to do the biopsy. 🙂

And again, here is the link for the giveforward page, for everyone asking. 🙂
http://www.giveforward.com/tiffanyscancerfund

That is about all I can think of for now. Please keep praying for me!! I know God has all this under control.

Blessing,
Tiffany

My Granny

I just wanted to send out an urgent prayer request for my sweet Granny. Her health isn’t good. She is so special to our family. I will be going to boaz tonight to spend as much time with her as I can.mi will come home tomorrow to get ready to leave for Houston tomorrow. We leave Saturday. Please pray as we travel, and pray for good news.
Thank you all so much.
Blessing,
Tiffany

P.S. November is the month of thanksgiving. Today I’m thankful for my God. He know all about me.

You Asked For It.

A few people have asked for me to start another giveforward page. I first want to thank everyone that wants to help our family. I have started this page for those that would like to help. It means the world to me and my family to have such caring people on our team. Please keep praying. Our visit is less than a week away.

http://www.giveforward.com/tiffanyscancerfund

is the link. Please feel free to share it with your friend and family.

Just to make this a little better for you, anyone that gives $50.00 or more gets a free Team Tiffany shirt! Just send me an email to tiffanyschwantes@gmail.com.

Pumpkin Carving and Prayers

Hello everyone!
Carter, Madison, and I carved a pumpkin tonight. I wanted to share a picture of it with you all!

They had so much doing it!

Also, I have Team Tiffany shirts for sale! I have sizes 2T, M, and L with me right now. They are $15.00 local or $17.00 shipped. Send me a message on Facebook or email me at tiffanyschwantes@gmail.com if you would like one.

I go back to the doctor this week! It will be chemo number 26 I think. Please pray my liver functions are back to normal. I’m feeling a little bit better everyday. I think so of the reason I felt so bad last week is because I had a little of that stomach sickness that the kids had. This time next week my mom and I will be back at MDA. Please please pray we get good news. Our family is due for some good news. If it is bad, then I believe Dr. Javle will put me on a different chemo.
I will update more later this week, when I know more.

Please also remember my Granny in your prayers. She is back in the hospital. She is very sick. Praying for Gods will. He knows what is best for her and our family. She is so loved.

Thank you for all your support over the past year!
Blessing,
Tiffany

One Year

It’s hard to believe I have been fighting cancer for one year. As I sit here, I can remember everything about that day. I remember who I was with, where I was at, and all the other details about that day. My normal life as a wife and mother had been turned upside down, and my life was changed in just a few minutes. Nothing will ever be the same. I’m a changed person now, I will never be the same.

I go next week to TX. Please be praying for good news. I will update as soon as I know something. Thank you all for your support over the past year.

Chemo #25

I got chemo this week!! My Mom got to go with me this time, I love spending time with my Mom.

Everything seems to be going good. I started a new medicine for nerve pain I have been having. It has seemed to help. Chemo does so much to a persons body, and I’m lucky to not have many side effects, but this one is not fun.

It’s just a few weeks until my next PET scan at MD Anderson. Please keep the prayers coming!! I have a feeling the news will be good / ok. I must say though, I’m ready for a change. I’m so tired of this gemzar / xeloda. But if its working, I will keep on doing it.

Carter’s birthday was last week! It’s so hard to believe that my little baby boy is now 7! Where did time go? Oh how I would love to relive the day of his birth. What a happy day!

Here is a picture of my Mom and I at chemo this week. 🙂

I hope everyone has a good weekend!!

Please remember all my friends in your prayers that are fighting cancer. There are so many, and my heart hurts for all of them.

Update From Hospital Visit

So I guess I will start with Wednesday. Everything was going good, I felt GREAT! had an awesome day, went to church, and then came home. Brian and I were just chilling, and I started to feel as little upset to my stomach. I got up and went to get some zofran, and didn’t even make it. I ran to the bathroom and started to vomit. To my surprise there was a good bit of blood mixed in with the vomit (TMI I know).
So I called the on call doctor and he told me to go to the ER. So I went. They ran all the normal test, and everything looked good, so they admitted me to try to find out where the bleeding was coming from.
The next day I had an upper GI. Everything looked good, there were no places to biopsy, and no cancer any where in my upper parts. The test did show I have some gastritis, probably caused by all the medicine I have to take. The good news is this is something I can control by medicine.
I was in a lot of pain when in the hospital, and had to have some strong pain medicine, so that will explain any crazy Facebook updates. LOL The pain is now gone, and I feel great! No more vomiting.
I got out of the hospital on Saturday and went from the hospital to Carter’s birthday party. I was SO SO sleepy!!! I didn’t sleep good while in the hospital.
Even more good news, my tumor tracker CA19-9 has gone down some more. This means the cancer might still be responding to the chemo. Yay! The count down is on for my next scan. I feel good about it!

Anyways, I had got a LOT of messages while in the hospital asking what was going on. I thought this would be the best way to let everyone know. I want to thank Jill, Lindsey, Jennifer, Eric, Dad, and Brian for coming to see me while in the hospital. Sorry if I was sort of out of it, I just can’t handle the pain medicine, and they make me act crazy!!

I go back to CCI this week for more chemo, so wish me lot of luck! Please keep praying for me! I could not do it without your prayers! I love you all

No Need To Prove Myself!

I don’t need to prove myself to my God. He already knows all about me. My heart, mind, and spirit. He knows everything about me, he understands me, he loves me. I’m so thankful for the intimate relationship I have with him. A lot of people will spend their lifetime looking for love, and someone to understand them. I already have this!
John 11:12
Yet to all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Luke 12:7
In deed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.