SolandMonica.com

Well, I have been wanting to update since the game, but haven’t found the time!  It ws soooooooo much fun!  We were able to connect with Brian at Angel’s Stadium, and he took us (Sol, myself, Bianca and Jeremy) on a tour of places we’ll never get to sit!  It was really fun!  We went down and saw the underground batting cages, the doors of where the owner sits, and the Dugout Seats where we watched batting practice from!  We even touched the dirt!!!  🙂   The game itself was a lot of fun, too!  We stayed all 12 innings and the score kept going back and forth with the Angel’s losing 10-7.  Some football scores aren’t that high!  🙂  Not only was everything paid for (from parking to food), but during the game our entire section won $5 gift certifcates to Claim Jumpers Restaurant!   I was even given a ball signed by Vladimir Guerrero!  How cool is that?!?  it was such a fun time and we were extremely blessed by the Angel’s organization (and Shelley and Lore who, with their daughters, watched Kai).  Thank you Patty, Shelley, Lore and Brian for making this happen for us!  We are so thankful!

Sea World…Kai and I went with Sunshine and Madison to Sea World on Thursday!  It was so much fun!  Kai was in such a great mood and loved every single minute we were there!  He was so interactive with the shows and even was clapping and cheering for Shamu to splash everyone!  He loved feeding and petting the dolphins and bat rays, as well as seeing the sea lions, otters, penguins, polar bears, baluga whales and all the fish!  He was captivated by it all and will tell you all about it (complete with hand motions) if you ask him!  It was a great day and I am so thankful for feeling well enough to spend such quality time with him exploring the world of the oceans!  It was a precious gift to share that day with him.

Tonight I had a girls movie night with Laura and Dawn, and we saw “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2”.  Laura and I had seen the first one together as well.  Cute movie and a fun night of popcorn, soda, peanut M & Ms and a chick flick…my favorite things!   

Thank you so much for praying that the bone pain would go away.  I felt pretty good both days and was able to really enjoy them fully!  Please pray as next week approaches that my white blood cell count would be high enough that they would be able to give me chemo and not have to give me any shots afterwards!  Wouldn’t that be wonderful!

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying time with your own families and friends!

Love you and good night! 

Monica

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Happy Tuesday,

I am so happy that I felt well all weekend and finally made it to church for the first time in a month.  What a blessing the service was with a focus on communion and what Christ did for us on the cross.  This world is not all there is, and my hope is in the Lord.

My hair?  Still mostly there!  Yay!  Today, though, I began having some bone pain from the white blood cell booster shots.  Last night was the first time it showed up, but I had it in my first round of chemo last year.  It’s pretty painful.  I couldn’t sit last night without pain.  I took some Extra Strength Tylenol and used a heating pad, and that seemed to help.  Today is a little worse.  I just took some Tylenol with Codine and am hoping that it kicks in soon.  The pain is mainly in my hips and lower back.  Please pray that it goes away or is controlled with drugs!  Tomorrow is the Angel’s Game, and that means a lot of sitting.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support.  I have been so blessed by so many of you!

Love,

Monica

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Hello Everyone,

Today was Chemo week 3.  It was two drugs Taxol and Avastin, which gave me VERY bad side-effects last time.  I got to the doctor’s office right on time and was told that I would have to wait until they heard back from Dr. Freimann.  My white blood cell count was too low, and they were going to see whether or not I would get chemo today.  Well, after waiting for a while, they said that I could get it but that the Taxol dose would be lowered and the Avastin would be the same.  Then they said that I am going to have to come in for four days for white blood cell booster shots.  So I’ll be having injections Friday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.   🙁   Last time I only had chemo every three weeks, and they could give me a Neulasta shot (white blood cell booster) that worked for ten days.  Since I am having chemo every 7 days, they can’t give that to me ; I have to go in daily.   So, I guess I don’t get a week off…at least I get a break from chemo next week.   When I had the shot last time, that’s when I got bone pain.  So strange and so painful!  I am really praying that doesn’t happen with these daily doses.

On a strange note, one of the chemos that I saw someone else receiving was BLACK!  It was so strange seeing her tubing all black as it goes into her body!  I wonder what that was?  Martha, my mother-in-law, and Lark, a friend from work took turns hanging out with me today.  It was fun; we played Blokus (a really fun game) most of the time.

So right now, I feel tired and need to lay down, but I wanted to let you know that I am home and doing fairly well.  Friday is when the side-effects hit me last time, so please be praying against all the side-effects (nausea, diarrhea, gas, rash, shortness of breath, pain and now hot flashes to my hands and below my knees) and that the shots won’t give me bone pain!

Thank you so much!

Surviving another day!

Monica

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Our precious little boy has not been wanting to fall asleep.  It is now 10:26 and he fell asleep about 10 minutes ago after being in his bed since 8:30.  He is restless and just tosses, turns and cries when no one is in the room with him.  This is all new.  He had been doing beautifully falling asleep quickly before we came back from Paradise.  I know he’s young, but I believe he knows that something is going on.  He just senses it, and I couldn’t pick him up for over a week, which made both him and me sad.  He has been learning about his emotions and tells us he’s scared when we go in after he’s been crying for a while.  We have had many visitors, and he gets nervous we’re going to leave him whenever someone comes to the door.  Not only is he not going to sleep at night, but he’s getting up around 6:20 each morning.  An hour earlier than before.  I know some of you are probably saying “I wish my child would sleep that long”, but we are just worried about the changes in his sleep patterns.  He’s cutting it short at both ends.   We just want to lift his little spirit up in prayer.

Thanks,

Monica

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Well, like many other nights I wait for sleep to come – only this night seems more sleepless than others.  I cry out to God for healing, and for help in this trial.  I am scared, tired, afraid and overwhelmed.  I don’t know what else to do, but pray!  How come prayer is so often the last thing we come to?  Is it because after praying there is peace that comes and we stop searching?  Or is it because we are fix-it people?  We try everything in our power to do it ourselves, just like a two-year old, and when we realize it’s too much for us we finally ask for help!  Why are we like that?  I look at Kai trying to accomplish some “great feat” beyond what he can do, knowing that he’s going to need my help, and just wait patiently for him to ask.  How much more is God just waiting for us to ask?  We are His children, and He wants to help us.  He wants to hold us like a little baby, taking care of our every need.  I am crying out to Him for his help.  I want healing, and strength for this journey.

Tonight before I logged on to post, I read a devotional from a book my mother-in-law gave me called “More Joy for the Journey.”  It was on God as our Provider.  The verses that went with the devotional really touched my core tonight, and I just want to share them with you.  May they touch your life as well.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  Psalm 46:1

“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.”  Isaiah 40:29

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.”  Isaiah 53:4

“We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:15-17

I know that God is bigger than this cancer and that He can heal me!  I wake up each morning starting new.  Each day is a gift.  No one knows what will happen or when, all we have is today with hope for tomorrow.  “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

I want to end with some specific prayer requests:

1. I go in tomorrow (I guess technically speaking that’s today) to get the port checked.  Please pray that they tell me it is ready to use!

2. Wednesday they’ll be drawing blood.  Please pray that the White Blood Cell Count is normal and that I won’t have to have any shots to boost them or that I won’t have to delay my next treatment because they are low.

3.  Thursday is Chemo.  Please pray that my anxiety will be calmed and that the side-effects would not be as bad as they were this time. 

4. Please pray against any depression of any kind.  This battle is long and I can feel it starting to take it’s toll.

5. Pray for Sol, my wonderful husband, terriffic father, friend, and greatest blessing.  He’s been so strong, but I know that he’s hurting.  He wants to fix it, but can’t.

I want to thank everyone of you who are lifting me up and praying for me.  Keep storming heaven for us! 

Much love,

Sleepless in the Suburbs – Monica 

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This was put together by a good friend…if you can, please pray with us at 10:35 tomorrow morning.

Hi friends and family of Monica and Sol Rodriguez.  Monica just had her first CT scan and got a pretty bad initial response from the radiology reading.  She will find out more detail on Monday morning when she meets with her oncologist.  The initial reading had the words malignant neoplasm, recurrence and suspicious new growths on liver/lungs.  These are not terms you want to hear after difficult months of chemo, surgery and radiation.  I am ready to fight a spiritual battle on behalf of my friend, Monica.  If you would like to be on the battle front of this fight, please join us directly after the 9:30am service in the front of the Worship Center (near the communion tables).  The Bible says, “By His stripes we are healed.”  On this communion Sunday, let’s faithfully and unceasingly pray for Monica together as a group of believers.  If you are unable to be there, please pray with your spouse/children/friends tomorrow morning at about 10:35am.  “When two or more are gathered together, there He is in the midst.”  –Keri and Kent Miller

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Sol let me in on more specifics about the report (he didn’t print it, so I haven’t seen it).  He said that there was reports of “malignant neoplasm” on the chest wall.  It also had the word recurrence.  That means that there is some recurrence of cancer near the original site.  In addition, the report said that suspicious new growths were found on the lungs and liver.  Each growth was really small, between 3-8 mm.  That’s the goal of these…catch it early if it does come back, right?   

Only the Lord knows the outcome, but please pray that when they go in for further review that they will find nothing.  Please pray for complete healing!  This is a real blow to us and we are struggling to find meaning and peace in it all.  Pray for us as we wait the weekend out.  We’ll keep you updated.

Love,

The Rodriguez Family

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We got a call back from the oncologist’s office.  His assistant told us that the oncologist has made an appointment to look at all the slides with the radiologist to figure out if the “suspicious” growths are really something to worry about.  I will not know anything until Monday morning.  This weekend is going to feel like an eternity!

Thank you for your continued prayers and your support.  I’ll let you know when I know anything.

Love,
Monica

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Please pray as we wait for the doctor to call back about my CT scan results.  Sol saw the report, and it didn’t look good.  He called the oncologist and is waiting for clarification of what “suspicious new growths” means.  Will post when we hear from him.  For now, please pray for healing and that it is nothing serious!!!  Pray for peace in the midst of confusion and fear!!!

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I can’t believe that today is my last day of treatment.  It is overwhelming just thinking about it.  I am so excited to be finished, that I even went out and bought a new dress for a dinner celebration tonight.  We will be having a party soon!  I wanted to wait until I knew for sure it was the final treatment.  Details will be posted in the next few days!

Along with the excitement that I feel, there is fear.  Today is the day we stop taking action and that really frightens me.  So far, in the whole process we have been very proactive and now comes a time of waiting and trusting.  I think it’s harder to feel like I’m doing nothing in this battle.  I know that I’ve done everything I could to fight this, but the fear still lingers in the back of my mind, and I think it always will.  BUT… there’s a part of me that says, “Maybe, just maybe, this battle is over!” 

Thank you all so much for the support you’ve given to me and the encouragement and prayers you all sent my way.  God Hears!  You will NEVER understand how much each and every one of you have impacted my life and lifted my spirits.  You carried me through some very dark times, and for that I am extremely grateful!  You have provided for my family with meals, babysitting, gift cards, fun times, and gifts of money.  We were able to fly my family out because of you – and that meant the world!  Thank you to those of you who know and have supported my parents and sisters.  I know they are so grateful for you! 

The first part of my journey is coming to a close, but the journey is not over.  Please pray for clean scans over the next two years.  Angiosarcoma is said to have an 80% chance of recurrence in the first two years; however, if it doesn’t come back in those first two years, it’s never coming back.  Pray that I’m in the 20%!  Please pray also for emotional healing.  I began seeing a counselor and am hoping to grieve many losses in my life because of this battle.  Sadness overcomes me, and by nature, I’m not a sad person.  Finally, please pray for decisions that need to be made regarding my job situation for next year.  I will be returning back to the classroom, but I just haven’t decided which postition I want to apply for within the district, yet.  It’s a big decision, and I hate deciding on anything!  🙂

That’s all for now, I love you and will keep you updated.

Monica

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