from Princess Fiona/Katy

It is hard to know were to begin. There are so many potential punch lines when you find yourself green (which consequently makes blonde hair look pink). Several nicknames have already been suggested Princess Fiona, Emerald Princess, Jolly Green Giant, and many more. Needless to say, this week has been quite eventful. I began my IV and chemo treaments on Monday feeling well, but finished looking slightly yellow and feeling sick. Tuesday I felt much better, turned greener faster, and then got a rash which is probably a reaction to one of the many medicines I am on. Wednesday and Thursday I continued to have a rash so I earned Friday off from the IV and chemo and will return on Monday to do my last treatment for this round. Most of Thursday and Friday I spent resting due to my large consumption of Benedryl. I am feeling much better today and am almost back to my normal color, so hopefully I will be able to finish this round and determine what I am allergic to. Thanks for praying!

All my love,
Katy

Heather & Katy

Saturday night, from Katy

Friday morning before heading off to the famous "Lake Day" with busloads of my favorite kids, I took the last available spot on the Temodar/Motexafin study. I was able to see the room where I will do my infusion five days out of every month, and met a woman just finishing her first week of the trial. Despite hearing that blistering on the fingers and knuckles is common with the Motexafin, the woman that I met was blister free. The nurse explained that wearing sunscreen on the hands and keeping them out of the sun at all times is showing some success with preventing this side effect. Each day that I have treatment I will take Zofran (to help with nausea), and will go to the hospital for my IV of Motexafin (which is dark green and may temporarily turn my skin and the whites of my eyes green. Eat your heart out Hulk!). Then later that same day I will take my Temozolomide and more Zofran. I will do that five days in a row and then have the rest of the month to recover. The study lasts for three months. If I like the Motexafin I can continue, and my doctor is going to decide whether I need 6 or 12 months of chemo once he sees how I am responding. I feel a great sense of peace about this decision. I am trusting God for this next phase of my treatment and what he has in store for me.

Huge answers to prayer:
1. I am completely off of steroids and headache free!
2. My Dad is back in Phoenix for a visit and Lenny will be here next week
3. I have been given the ok to drive

Love,
Katy

Friday, July 8th, Kids Club Lake Day @ Canyon Lake