We apologize for not sending out an update sooner. This most recent 12-week series of chemo treatments has been rather exhausting, but it comes to an end next Tuesday, December 29. The treatments have been weekly, with a “harder” treatment every third week. Allison has been very tired throughout this whole series; the hard treatment every third week really knocked her out for about a week to 10 days each time. One of the drugs that she has been given during this round makes it so toenails and fingernails can “die,” so she is feeling very lucky to have lost only one during this time. She is also very excited to be at the end of this series of treatments!!
Allison will find out her radiation schedule on December 29. She will be on chemotherapy every three weeks from January until October, with a 6-week round of radiation thrown in, beginning probably the end of January or first part of February. The chemotherapy will be of the “lighter” variety, so she will not have to worry about the extra shots to boost the white blood count but the doctor said the energy level will be down for several more months. The radiation will be daily during the weekdays, with the weekends off, for 6 weeks. She’s told that compared to chemotherapy, radiation will seem like a “first-class upgrade,” so she is looking forward to that.
During this past 12-week series of treatments, Kirk has been taking on a lot of the cooking. They have kept meals coming in to the home at a minimum during the busy holiday season, but Kirk has been especially grateful for the meals on the days that they have been brought. The girls have also been learning how to cook. Once Allison has her radiation and chemo schedule for the next 10 months, we will plan meals and have dates available on the calendar.
On Sunday, Allison had to say goodbye to Sister Karen Fife, who, along with her husband, has completed her year of missionary service, and returned to California. Karen has literally been Allison’s right hand through all of this, driving her to chemo appointments, teaching the girls to cook, and generally being of service in every possible way. Karen’s service was greatly appreciated, and she will be sorely missed.
Allison is so very, very grateful for all who have taken on the responsibilities of shutting the kids back and forth to their various activities and commitments. Driving doesn’t seem like such a big endeavor until you try to do it when your bones ache from chemo, and you need a nap after going from the house to the car. Allison literally could not have made it through these 12 weeks without the many kind drivers, and she will continue to gratefully rely on the drivers through the coming months of treatments.
In addition to driving the kids, now that Karen is gone, Allison will need rides to her various chemo/radiation appointments. We will be setting up a schedule on the Care Calendar as soon as she knows all the dates and times. Her immediate need is for a ride to Evergreen Hospital on Tuesday, December 29. She will need to be picked up at 9 a.m., to arrive for a 9:30 a.m. appointment. The appointment will be a long one; 2.5 or 3 hours in duration, after which she will need a ride home. Please call Allison directly or leave a comment here on the blog if you can be her escort and her companion that day.
Thank you to all of you for whatever role you have played in supporting Allison and the Davis family in the months since she was diagnosed. The blessings have been marvelous and great and they are so very grateful for every act of service they have received.
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