Chemo Treatment #4

Well I am 1/3 of the way through the first phase of my proposed chemotherapy. Things went well today. My white blood cell count is lower than my last blood results, but not low enough to warrant any shots. So, I will have to repeat blood work again next Thursday. I came home tired and took a nap.
Overall, I can't complain - I had a great birthday! My sister had balloons delivered to the doctor's office, our family portraits were delivered today, and we went out for ice cream! If you get a chance you must come see the pictures - FANTASTIC!!!!
I have had a tingling, numb sensation on the backside of my head for at least 3-4 days. I would describe it as the back of your head "falling asleep". I asked about it today. Their guess - side effect of the chemo drug and possibly the hair follicles are dying which means I could start losing my hair very soon! Yuck!
I guess I better get on the ball with that wig shopping! That may be where I am heading for the big "day after Thanksgiving" shopping. How about you? Anyone getting up at the crack of dawn?
So next week - back to regular schedule: blood work Thursday and chemo on Friday.

I know I say this all the time, but that's because my heart is bursting with gratitude and love. Thank you to everyone for all the thoughts and prayers, the emails and phone calls, the home cooked meals, the babysitting, and all the support. I have God to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Even though this is a terrible disease - there is a good reason God chose me. It has brought me so much closer to family and friends. It had made me realize how precious life is and that I want to live it to its fullest with all of you. God doesn't give you anything that you can't handle. I will survive.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families!

Love,
Terrie

Chemo 3

Once again, chemotherapy went just fine. No pain, and no benedryl. I feel a little fuzzy and tired. Dr Popatia was out today, so there were no measurements of the tumor. I think it has shrunk!!!! I will ask him to measure it next time I get to see him. His nurse, Nancy, says everything seems to going well. I have a cold and she suggested just over the counter stuff if I feel it's necessary. She also said to definately have my blood work completed for next week.
So blood work on Tuesday.
Next chemotherapy treatment is Wednesday. And YES, that is my birthday!!!!
I still have the "wig shopping" on my agenda. That is something I'm just not looking forward to doing.
We got our pictures ordered and they should be in after Thanksgiving! Alisa Murray says she wants me in the 2010 Hope & Inspiration calendar. I will need to write a couple of "hopeful and inspiring" sentences for that project. I actually have a lot to share!
Thanks to all for the meals and child care and rides! I'm still overwhelmed with gratitude to all my friends and family. If this week goes as well as last week, I may cut out some of the meals on the Care Calendar. It feels a strange to have all these great meals brought over when I feel normal.
Thats all for now! I will post again after my treatment on Wednesday!

God Bless,
Terrie

Chemo Treatment 2

Much better today! Blood work was fine so business as usual. They decided not to give me the benedryl and watched more closely when they stared the taxol! I had no real side effects except the metallic taste in the mouth. They gave me a smaller dose of the steroid too. The insertion of the IV into the port was less painful today as well as when they removed the IV. They said that the port area will become less sensitive as it gets used more. I just wish the steri-strips that are still covering my stitches from the port would FALL OFF! I completed chemo today in 2 hours and 20 minutes. A little shorter without the benedryl.
I talked to the doctor about my side effects during the week, nausea Monday and Tuesday morning and achy joints as well. I told him it was like morning sickness, went away when I took my meds. He actually asked if I was pregnant - now wouldn't that be a surprise! All side effects are normal. Take Tylenol for the aches and my nausea meds. Days 3-4 will be the worst, that would be the Monday and Tuesday.
He suggested that I go and start looking for hats, scarves, and wigs (if I go that route). So I guess that will be on my agenda in the very near future.
Thanks for all my helpers this week (meals, babysitting, rides, and my smoothie friend)! I love getting the phone calls and emails!
At first I was very open with my diagnosis, then there was a point where I didn't want to talk about it all the time, now - it's just a part of my life!!!! I'm trying to see it as God's way of letting me help someone else. So ladies - are you doing your self-exams, getting regular check-ups? When you say to yourself you don't have time, I'm too young, there is no family history??? Think of me! Do It! Because you don't want to have make the time for what I have to do now. Learn from me and countless others!
I got a VERY special surprise this week!!!! Jim, my fabulous husband, arranged a photo shoot for the family with the very talented and popular Alisa Murray. I may have the privilege of having my photo in her breast cancer calendar of 2010. You can view her work at www.alisamurray.com

I thank God all day every day for my wonderful support system!

First Chemo Day

Well, all I can say is that I'm still physically here. It was a very scary and emotional day for me. I think I kept it together pretty well, especially when Dr.Popatia said I am going to lose my hair. There goes my new "katie holmes hair cut" I got yesterday. It really isn't funny, but that's the best way for me to deal with that right now. I knew I should have gone with the "So What" Pink's hair cut.
As for the actual treatment, the Benadryl knocked me for a loop! I'm am still feeling all fuzzy and it's almost 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I took 2 naps during the treatment. I couldn't even focus on any reading material. Jim laughed because I made him drag all this stuff for us to do (backgammon, cards, magazines), and I couldn't do any of it. The chemo drug, paclitaxel, just game me a yucky metallic taste in my mouth. It might have made me loopy also, just not sure because the Benadryl had such an effect on me. The nurses were talking about not giving me the Benadryl next time. We will see. After the treatment, I came home and went right to bed. I slept from noon to 3.
The port worked great. It did hurt when they inserted the needle, but so much better than a real IV in my arm. They even put lidocaine on the skin to help with the insertion. I go get blood drawn next Thursday, so they can monitor my blood cell counts. If everything is OK, back I go on Friday for more paclitaxel.
Pray that I handle all the drugs with minimal side effects.

love you all,
Terrie

Port n Catheter

The insertion of the port and catheter was a success today. The procedure lasted about 1 and 1/2 hours. The actual chest incision is rather painless, the one in my neck is "a pain in the neck"! It hurts and is really uncomfortable. Doc said it would be more painful because they had to do more tugging and pulling of the connective tissues to get the tubing in place. Thanks Mama for picking up the kids and watching them till we got home. I know they were in good hands!
I will post again after my first chemotherapy treatment on Friday. Pray I bounce back quickly.

Care Calendar

I have had so many of you who want to know what they can do to help. I am posting the care calendar information again.
www.carecalendar.org
calendar id # 8097
secret code # 3972

On the right hand side of my blog is a website link to the care calendar as well. I added the necessary numbers to access the calendar in the title of the website.

The calendar is always being updated as appointments arise, so continue to check back. With chemotherapy finally starting, there will be much more.

Once again, I will never be able to thank everyone enough for all your thoughts, prayers, and help!

Love,
Terrie