Family Affair Ratz
Part three of my prayer request for this battle I am fighting with God's help!
Feb. 12, 2008
First prayer request sent out to friends on a message board.
Feb. 13.
A brief informational request for prayer!
March 4
Information for diagno
sis
March 10
Chemo delay, error in testing detected by Dr. Bagdasarian
March 11
An unexpectedly quick chemo re-authorization
March 13
After the first chemo session
March
23
After first chemo cycle, better idea of side effects
March 30
Just before second chemo session
April 8
MRI, measure of tumor, right side clear
May 2
God in Hollywood, or my bald teamster brothers and movie people
May 23
Pet/ct scan, called in early because of a cancellation
May 26
Pet/ct results, Great news!
June 25
End of first chemo regimen!
July 1
Doppler test results
July 18
Next pet/ct
July 21
Next steps in depth
July 28
Surgery date set!
July 31
Harry's appeal
August 3
Two days after the
mastectomy
August 7
My body's out of shock! Good news!
August 25
"Boob and church" story
September 17
Next pet/ct
September 22
Mom's appeal
September 22
Real World Issues
September 24
What a turn around!
September 29
Rat fancy update
September 29
Second portocath installation prep.
October 8
New portacath is working!
October 28, 2008
Keeping on keepin on!
11-24-08
I have felt so good this past week!
12-18-08
Ding Dong the cancer's dead!
1-26-09
Close to finishing!
3-23-09
Herceptin and back to work
01-07-2010
Approaching the end of my treatment
daily blog.
Amy is doing well after her mastectomy.
She is now on a new regime of chemo.....three weeks on
chemo on Monday, one week off, and another three weeks....
for 6 rounds. Chemo is hard. She has it on Monday, and
usually "crashes" a bit on Wed. It is trying on her and she
is just plain tired of being "brave" at times.
Today, a prayer request has surfaced. She was told today
her leave papers and red tape with her employer are all
messed up and they have said if it does not get straightened
out by Oct. 5 she will be terminated (after 20 years or so)
and lose her benefits. She was under the impression she
was ok until Jan. or Feb 2009. She has not
been ok'd to return to work until that time because of
chemo. She had no idea anything was missing or that there
would be a problem. Her immediate contacts at the school
are doing all they can to straighten the problem out (this
is a little frightening to say the least.) She says
everyone is doing the best they can to help her....it is
just really messed up and in a huge district things get
lost in the shuffle and take time. She wants her insurance
coverage to treat the cancer. She filled out some papers
today, made some calls, but prayer would help, especially
prayer for an unusually quick and efficient processing of
the paperwork and a solution of the problem. She needs
confirmation that it is all settled so she can focus on
getting rid of this cancer. I am praying that God will not
only be her "Great Physician" but the "Great Benefits
Specialist", "The Great Payroll and Leave Specialist" and
"The Great Controller and Problem Solver of this Situation".
Dewey, she is so precious to us. We have been so blessed
all of these years and will be for many to come.
She is a fighter and a survivor!
Thank you so much prayer warriors for caring and praying.
I am so grateful.
**********************************
Sent 9-22, same subject as above entry
From: Amy Schultz
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:22:28
Subject: Amy's update 9-22-08
Hello my dear friends and family!
I hope you are all doing very well. It's time again for
another update. I know it hasn't been that long since the
last one, but there has been a lot happening! I'm sorry to
say that I am writing to you today feeling a bit disheartened
and discouraged. I have not had terrible news, but I am
feeling very helpless right now. I have had a tough week!
Last week there was some trouble accessing my portacath
(what they do the i.v. infusion through, a port that is
under my skin that they insert a needle into that goes
directly into my veins). After missing it the first time
and injecting saline into the muscles around it (ouch!)
they got it with the second needle, but it swelled
up the next day. It was quite hard and uncomfortable all
last week. I went in this morning for my infusion, and
when they tried the portacath it just did not work. They
could inject the saline, but it did not go into my veins,
instead the skin around it puffed up a bit more. They
determined that either the top of the portacath was torn,
or it had pulled out of my vein. When the doctor saw the
redness and the leftover swelling he declared that he was
worried that I have an infection in the area, and that
there would be no chemo this week and he was going to give
me a strong antibiotic to fight infection.
Again, this is not the end of the world. But I admit to
being wiped out by the thought of another surgery that will
be necessary in order to get a new portacath. I am
disheartened by the thought that I am needing to stop chemo
to heal, even for a week, because one of the strongest
positives of my treatment is that it has stayed on track so
very well! Now most people going through chemo do have
little setbacks like this, I understand. It was just hard
to face this morning!
The "icing" on my illness cake came along last Friday. I
went in to volunteer in my classroom (the one I will be
taking back in the new year) and found out that because of
a lack of communication on the district's part, and perhaps
a lack of understanding on my part, I was not given the
correct paperwork to fill out, and I am considered
missing in action, and that my illness leave and benefits
will all stop this upcoming month. I have some wonderful
co-workers, who have offered to give me some of their full
pay illness leave (something possible in LAUSD) which is
very sweet, but I am really struggling with this. This too
will work out, as Harry got on the phone to his driving boss
and has arranged for his insurance to kick in at the same
time mine will run out if we can't fix the paperwork issue.
I know God is bigger. God can handle this. God is
handling this.
But I am feeling so ashamed of my arrogance in thinking
that this would be any kind of smooth sailing. I am
looking for purpose and reason. I know that good will come
out of this, God has shown me that time and time again. I
am just having trouble seeing it right now. Please keep
praying for this my friends. This is just another moment
where I need the faith and prayers of my friends and family
to keep facing this. I thank you all so very much for
lifting me in prayers. :0) Amy
*******************************
Sent 9/24 when things started looking up again, thanks
to prayers!
From: Amy Schultz
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:05 PM
Subject: Better than I thought......Amy's update part 2
(short)
Hi all!
Thanks so much for the prayers and encouragement!
What has happened since Monday:
I have already had the portacath removed (this morning,
local anaesthetic, no bloodwork needed, hurray!) A bit
uncomfortable, but not too bad! New portacath will be
inserted Wednesday, Oct. 1 at noon, also local anaesthetic,
no bloodwork needed, hurray!
My office manager, principal, and various teacher friends
have all donated days to my illness leave, and I am only
four days short from having enough to cover me until Jan. 1.
God is great, good friends are wonderful too!
Harry's insurance has actually kicked in now, so I could
switch over if I needed to. His insurance is actually
very similar to mine, so I probably won't have to change
doctors or have any significant changes in coverage.
Chemo should go on as normal next week. Thanks so much!
Love, Amy
*******************************
Sent Monday, September 29 to my friends in the fancy
rat world
Hello my ratty world friends! I just wanted to say thank
you to all of you that send prayers and good thoughts my
way. I wanted you to know that my last scan came back and
my organs are still clear of cancer.
There is still a bit in my bones, but the doctor says he
sees more and more healing each time we do the scan, and
that is very good news indeed. The rest of me is clear.
He says that I am responding very well to the chemo!
Thank you all so much!-Amy
*******************************
Sent Monday, 9/29 after chemo
From: Amy Schultz
Subject: Amy update 9-29-09
Date: Monday, September 29, 2008, 4:56 PM
Hello my dear family and friends! I hope you are all doing well! Thank you so much for the prayers and
good thoughts sent my way last week. It really turned around! Today I had my chemo (portacath is out, so they did it in my arm, not
too bad,though!) It went well, I am very tired, though! I got my
pet/ct scan results back today. The doctor says, "This is very good
news! I see more healing in the bones" {There is still some cancer
there but he says it is "mild" okay, I don't really understand that
one, I will ask more next week!} He says that I am responding very
well to the chemo, and he is quite happy with the results of the scan.
That is good news, huh? My organs and the rest of me is all clear. I go in for outpatient surgery on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 12:00 noon.
Please keep me in your prayers on that day! It will be under local
anaesthetic, so I am not nearly as nervous. Thanks for thinking of my friends and cousins as well. There is such a
need for prayer in these circles, and so many people searching for faith.
By the way, my friend that is an atheist/agnostic (she can't decide
which) that I asked you to pray for, she told me today that while she
is not comfortable with the idea of God, she has decided to accept
prayers from people. She also says that she believes in the idea
behind the story "Footprints in the Sand" Hmmmm.....sounds like God
is preparing a heart for His presence to me! Please keep praying for
her! :0) I love you guys! -Amy *******************************
I hope that all of you are doing well!
Just to let you know, things are going pretty well. My
portacath was put in last Wednesday, and is healing nicely
according to Dr. Carvajal. We used it for chemo on Monday,
and it was painless and worked very well! My old portacath
site is still red, but Dr. Carvajal says that he thinks it
is irritation from the chemo being injected into the area.
If it were infection it would be getting bigger, not
smaller! I am grateful for that. An infection and
antibiotics on top of the steroids and high sugars can be
really hard for a diabetic to deal with! :0) I got a
prescription for a prosthetic today as well. I went in to
the surgeon's office and he very kindly listened to my
concern. I stated that part of me looked 28 years old,
part of me looked 41, and I'd really like to match! He
got
out the prescription pad right away!
I went back to tae kwon do yesterday after a couple week
hiatus for the surgeries and tests. I could do a bit, not
much, but felt better for having gotten my blood
circulating! Doctor tells me mild exercise is okay,
nothing strenuous yet...
Harry's insurance is starting. His coverage is actually
better than mine, better deductible, higher copay but
smaller overall deductible, and they pay 100% after a
certain amount. I can keep all my same doctors even if I
am not able to stay with the district! I don't know how
that is coming out yet. The wonderful ladies trying to
take care of this for me are checking with the employees'
unions to see which of the illness hours from my coworkers
can be used...(I don't really understand this, but it is
part of the process) I'll find out about this later this
week or month. Haven't gotten a paycheck, or even a
partial this month, but I should hear soon what is going
on with that.
Blessings: Portacath works well, is painless, and is much
bigger and much less likely to be missed! Portacth site is
healing well, actually, both the old site and the new site
are healing well. Insurance issues are clearing up, and
working out well. I have amazing friends and family that
have been praying, encouraging, smiling, hugging, lending a
car (THANKS CARMEN!) crying with me, etc. My husband is
doing very well, my son is amazing and doing very well. I
continue to be blessed by my chemo brothers and sisters.
How wonderful to smile at them through tears and know that
they not only empathize, they really get it!
Prayer needs: Healing, healing, healing! For me, my chemo
brothers and sisters, my cousins, other people that have
shared with me. Please pray for my family and all the
families of those we know that are impacted by cancer.
Please ask for God to continue to bless my husband and son
with health and strength and an awareness of His presence.
I ask for strength, health, strong immunity, a continued
strong response to the chemo so that the chemo kill
cancerous and future cancerous cells, but doesn't hurt
those cells that are healthy and conforming to God's plan.
My chemo sisters still need prayer....L. C. for her
platelets and white blood cell counts, L. who is having
surgery on her lungs, E. who is working on fighting a
cancer that no one really knows how to treat...Thank God
for Dr. Bagdasarian who is figuring this out with her!
Also healing for my cousins and my aunt....
Now for something a little different:
Many of you know about the Schultz family pets, our fancy
rats! I have put a record of this cancer journey (in
progress, of course!) as archived by these prayer requests
onto our ratty website. If you can handle the pictures of
our pets on the homepage, please feel free to browse the
journey if you'd like. Please know that I have only
documented one small portion of the journey. I have not
listed the amazing supportive responses that God uses to
pull me through so many of these difficult moments! Here
is a link if you are interested!
http://www.familyaffairratz.com/Amy_s_Battle_I.B.C.html
As a natural pack-rat myself, I find it difficult to
throw out items that have been useful to me.
Here is what I finally decided to do with my
pre-mastectomy bras, that is, after I realized
that it really wasn't going to grow back :0)
'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 37.Amy's update 10-29-08 The assistant told me that new mets are unlikely when the causing cells are dead...The healing will happen as I continue the zometa. 'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 37.Sent 01-26-09
This Email in a nutshell:
All is going well on the homefront.
Chemo continues, I need prayers for continued healing and strength.
My cousin is doing well after her surgery. My friend L.C. is doing well.
My chemo sisters, L. and B. all need some extra prayers for healing and God's presence to be felt in their lives!
Hello my dear friends and family!
I hope that all of you are doing well! We have been doing pretty well here. Willy is thriving in Jr. High, trying to get out of tae kwon do pretty consistently, and he doesn't always get out of it, just sometimes! Harry is being the wonderful and supportive and hard working guy that he always has been. He has actually been at home a couple of days this week while waiting for his next movie to start. My guys bless me every single day!
I am continuing on with my "kinder, gentler" chemo, that I appreciate for it's lack of horrible side effects, but it is catching up with me! I have been really dragging lately, lacking all kinds of energy. Of course, the way to combat this is to keep my exercise up, but I have not seemed to be able to get back into the groove with all of that since my surgeries for the portacath "fiasco". I actually asked the doctor last week to scold me and tell me to go back to tae kwon do. He said that I needed to go back, that the exercise was a huge defense against feeling run down, but then he told me that I could do something easier, like just walking. So I've just started walking the dogs again. Funny, but the walking tires me out more quickly it seems than stretching in class. It's probably just what I'm used to!
I am having some issues with the meds I am given for protection for my body from the chemo. I take steroids in my infusion each week. These make it so that my body can accept the chemo without horrible reactions. The side effects of the steroids include high blood sugar, irritability, and unfortunately for me, I am not able to sleep more than a couple of hours the night of chemo. Fortunately it is just one night that I am affected that way! But it makes exercise on Tuesday morning harder after a Monday chemo session!
My work and insurance situation is pretty much resolved, I am covered until Dec. 19th, then my illness leave ends and I need to decide what to do after that. Harry's insurance will cover me if I can't go back yet...
I specifically need prayers for continued healing, and for keeping up some of my strength. I need to continue the chemo until every bit of any bit of cancer is totally gone. I am feeling frightened at times that I feel so weak, so lacking in energy, even though it is normal. I ask for prayers that God will guide me in making decisions about returning to work, when, etc.
I want to thank all of you, and of course I want to thank God as well, I am so thankful for all of the healing, for all of the caretaking, for all of the prayers, for all of the love and concern! Thanks for the prayers for my cousin Sharon. She has had her double mastectomy, and is doing quite well after her surgery. I would like to ask for prayers for a couple more of my chemo sisters. L. C. , my dear friend, has finished her chemo and is doing so very well. Please pray for continued healing for her. L., my other friend, has had her surgery and unfortunately is not doing well. Her doctor is just trying to make her comfortable. Please pray for God's presence with her. Please pray for healing and wholeness for L., and that she feel God's arms wrapped around her! One other new friend has reappeared. I saw a young lady named B. at a make-over day at the cancer center. When we met a few months ago she was a stage IV breast cancer
survivor (like me!) but unfortunately I ran into her again in a chemo chair, and her cancer has come back in her spine. She is in a significant amount of pain, and is feeling very discouraged. She is only 33 years old! Please pray for healing and relief of pain for her! Thank you all so very much!
May God bless and protect you all, may He strengthen and encourage you, and may you all rest easy in His love!
Love, Amy
11-24-08 Update on my wonderful friend L.: L. passed away a few weeks ago. She was a woman of faith, and I know she is at peace and happy now. Please pray for her family that misses her so very much!
'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 37.Sent 11-24-08
Things are really going well this week....
Dear family and friends,
I hope this update finds you all well! Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Speaking of thanks, I am so very thankful for all of you and to all of you, for your friendship, your love, your support, and especially your prayers! Believers are called upon to pray for one another, and God uses this for healing!
I had a fantastic week last week. I was actually surprised, went out and walked the dogs on Tuesday, went to Tae kwon do on Thursday, was running all over the place on Friday. I felt really good! Then I remembered it was an off week, no toxins last week! So it made sense....but I needed to be reminded that I don't always feel like (sorry all!) crap! I am back to the toxins in chemo this week, I am just starting my 4th cycle of this chemo, and am planning on doing 6, but I will remember that I will feel good week #4 of each cycle!
I am having my next pet/ct scan, the scan that shows where the cancer is located, in the middle of December. My dear friends, please pray that this scan is the one that says no more cancer present! The scans have been very good, the cancer getting smaller and smaller each time, but I am ready for it to be gone, vanquished! Please pray for continued efficacy of the chemo, that it kill what it is supposed to kill, and work even better than expected!
I have friends that need prayer, in my chemo group, E., N., L., the Spanish lady, the Armenian lady, and the two Armenian gentlemen (they speak little English, but let it be known that they are wonderful, caring people!) My friend L.C specifically needs prayer. She is a strong woman of faith, has finished her chemo, and her cancer is not the issue now...She has suffered heart and kidney failure. She began dialysis last week. She needs prayers for continued strength and please pray of course for healing, but also for wisdom and direction for her and her doctors, and for relief from any discomfort that is not part of healing! As an aside, L. C. came in for a checkup this morning and came back to the chemo room. She and I prayed for each other, and my friend E., the one who "accepts prayers but doesn't believe" told me that she found great comfort in seeing us praying for each other, comforting each other, and lifting each other before the Lord. I told her that we pray for her like that as well! I believe God is preparing her heart....:0) Hurray!
'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 37.Sent 12-18-08
Good news on the latest scan
Woohoo! Praise God! Results of the latest scan shows no hypermetabolic activity...bone damage is stable, which means that the cancer cells are there, but they are not active, not consuming energy, which means they are dead!
My dear friends, I am so grateful for your prayers and your support. This isn't over yet, I have two more months of chemo (I have a conservative doctor, thank you God, who wants to make sure....) and will continue on herceptin for awhile to make sure if there are any rogue cells they will not find it easy to reproduce! He says if it comes back we will be just as aggressive next time.
I can't tell you what a joy this is, I have been so very tired, wondering where I would get the energy to do what has to be done, but I feel totally invigorated! Pain with a purpose, yuck that is working, is so much more bearable! :0)
May God bless you all this holiday season. May you find peace and joy in Him and with your loved ones, and know that you are definitely loved and appreciated here in
Close to finishing chemo
Greetings and blessings in the Name of the Lord!
Greetings and blessings in the Name of the Lord!
Greetings and blessings in the Name of the Lord!
Time for a quick update! Last scan was clear of all cancer. Chemo continues for one more week (Yippee!) I am extremely tired, but very happy to see the poisons go! Last MUGA scan (heart function test to make sure I can continue on the herceptin, as it is heart damaging for some people) has revealed that my heart is actually functioning better than it was before the chemo started. It appears that the tough chemo has actually been good for my heart! Or at least, not working, less stress, taking care of myself, eating better, etc, has been good for my heart. Praise God! Thanks so much for your prayers, and I ask that they continue, as I ask that it never return, as I don't want to do this again....:0) AmyP.S. My friends L.C. and E. and A. continue to fight their battles, L.C. has emerged from the cancer battle and is now battling heart and kidney failure. E. was finishing up chemo but they have discovered two more lumps, non-cancerous, but they aren't sure what they are, so her chemo is extended for two more months to protect her. A. is fighting the same battle as me, but is doing the big guns chemo before her mastectomy. Please lift them all in prayer before the Lord, and any and all that you know that are battling this stinker. Thanks! You guys are the best! -Amy
'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 37.Amy's update 3-23-09
Dear Family and Friends,
I hope you all are doing well! I apologize that so much time has passed since my last update. I have been trying to figure out the post-chemo, still on herceptin Amy.
I finished my chemo about two months ago, and it was just in time. I was devastatingly tired my last cycle, and bid chemo adieu with tears of relief because I worried that I just would not have the energy to even think if it had gone on longer! I am so thankful that it has worked so well! I continue the weekly herceptin and zometa. Standard course of treatment of herceptin is once weekly for an entire year. My doctor is keeping me on it for an additional six months because of the aggressiveness of the disease, and also because I do not have the convenience of tamoxifen or one of the estrogen blocking pills to help prevent the spread or recurrence. Since what I had was estrogen negative, he is using the herceptin to make extra sure it doesn't come back!
I am working on getting my strength back. I am not anywhere near where I was, but I am slowly improving and gaining my energy back. I feel better and better the further I get away from the last chemo....hmmm....no surprise there! I am also taking some healthy supplements, acai juice, resveratrol, and continue with my glutamine and B6 to protect neural function that is still being impacted by the chemo I had two months ago.
I went back to work last week. I worked three days, and was very tired. I am only working one day this week, Tuesday, because it is parent conference time, and I honestly don't know the kids well enough to conference! So the sub is doing the conferences. I am a bit confused as to how much authority I should assume since the sub that was there for a year will be continuing on the days I don't go in. I don't want to change things too drastically because the sub has done well, and the kids are used to her routine! I am still trying to decide what the best course of action is for me. It is such a miracle that I am back at work, healthy enough to be back at work! But I am feeling very ambivalent about it. I am appreciating it, enjoying the success, enjoying the kids and my wonderful co-workers, but missing being at home. I am trying to listen to what I am supposed to do, and what is okay for me to do....Please pray that I make the right decision
about returning next year. I just haven't been able to decide definitely one way or the other....
I go in for my next pet/ct scan on Thursday morning. I am excited and a bit nervous. This is my first post-chemo scan. I am praying for accurate results that continue to show complete absence of the disease.
My friend E. was recently hospitalized for a blood clot, don't worry, she's home again. It is one of the common side effects of the taxol she has been on, but something good came out of it. E. is my friend that is slowly accepting prayers from other people.....when Harry, Willy and I visited her in the hospital she actually let us pray for her right there! How wonderful! Please God, let Emily open her heart to you....
My friend A., who has IBC, is finishing up her chemo and preparing for her double mastectomy. Please keep her in your prayers as well.
I have a new friend, D., who just began chemo today. She is at the entrance of this very long, dark tunnel. Her husband J. is standing there with her, and they are both frightened. They are people of faith, and I let them know that I would be praying for them. Please pray for them with me!
I ask that you continue to pray for anyone going through the battle right now. Please pray for specific things as well as general healing, like the chemo working better than expected, the body tolerating the chemo well, healthy, good cells growing back quickly and the bad cancerous cells never coming back, good circulation, freedom from dangerous and life threatening side effects, etc.
You are all amazingly wonderful people. You have all been so instrumental in my healing, lifting me up to God and interceding for me with your prayers. I thank you all so very much. I read in one of those "Chicken Soup for the breast cancer survivor's soul" type books that I would never feel so loved as when I had cancer...and that is very true. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart, and humbly ask for continued prayers for health and healing.
If there is anything that I can pray for you about please let me know. It's a good thing!
May God bless and protect you and yours! Love, Amy
Update 01-07-2010
Thank the Lord I am here for my 43rd birthday!
I am still getting herceptin twice a month and zometa once a month to strengthen my bones, they will both stop in March, making it two full years on them. I am having a few side effects, such as arthritis pain in my joints and other aches in my bones, but I am noticing that they are clustered around the treatments more. When I was getting weekly treatments I was always in a bit of discomfort, now I notice it more because I have breaks! I am thinking about reconstruction, taking steps to start that process as well. According to my doctor I will have scans every few months for quite awhile.
Last scans showed a bit of inflammation, arthritis type, but no cancer. Hurray!
Now for updates on my friends who have been battling.
A. is doing well, her reconstruction is almost finished (it is a series of little surgeries that need to be completed) and she is finishing her herceptin treatments in June.
I have not seen D. for awhile, but she was going strong when I last saw her!
My friend Emily passed on at the end of November. I miss her lots, but am excited to say that I will see her in heaven. She did accept Jesus into her life, so our goodbyes are temporary. She is in heaven now, and for the first time in years free of debilitating pain. Thanks for your friendship Emily! We think about you and miss you lots!
I have new friends fighting the battle now. L., S., F., fighting different cancers. I am praying for them and asking God for miraculous healing.
My dear friends I thank you for your thoughts and prayers all along. Please know that God is listening and answering with a resounding yes, and know that I owe my recovery to your petitions and God's grace!
If interested, contact us to get on a waiting list. F.A.R. always gets p.o.l. Adoption fees are really just a donation to offset the six two plus months of extra care and special enrichment that the mamas get during pregnancy and until they wean their babies. I request a donation of $25 standard ear, $30. dumbo ear. These fees/donations help to cover the cost of cages, high quality food and and health maintenance. Occasionally different fees are requested, as posted. Happy Ratties!
Copyright . familyaffairratz. All rights reserved. Contact us at info@familyaffairratz.com
