I am happy, very, very happy, - no, ecstatic! to say that I am DONE WITH CHEMO!!! I hope forever, but there are no guarantees of course.  Thought I was done forever after the first time, too.  I am looking forward to getting past the first side effects that hit in the first week, and then continuing to feel much better as Christmas nears.What I feel really good about is that I won't need to be going to the stores and fighting the crowds to do any shopping.  I either already have my gifts, or they have been ordered. That is a big relief.

While I am done with chemo, there is more "treatment" to come.  I will not be having radiation, but instead will have a mastectomy in February and a hysterectomy later on in 2014.  This is to prevent cancer from forming in those areas in the future - if it's not there, there is no place for the cancer to grow, right?  That is the thought anyway.  I had some genetic testing done and I do have a mutated BRCA gene, which is connected to breast and ovarian cancer, along with a few others, but those are the main two.  And those are the two I can do something about.  Skins cancer is another possibility, but I can't have my skin taken off, so I'll just have to be checked for that annually.  Talking to the genetic counselor was anything but an uplifting experience.  He had no good news for me, except to remove things and be checked for other things.  In other words, maybe I'm done with chemo, but I'm not done with doctors and being checked for some kind of cancer on a regular basis.

Still, even with that rather "down" news, there is life to be lived in between doctor's appointments and I'm trying to live it.  There is hope beyond the doctors, and I cling to that Hope in Jesus Christ - always.

Long Overdue Update

It has been quite a while since I have written here.  I guess there just wasn't much to say.  Once I got into the second round of chemo, the pattern was pretty much the same, I feel very tired with a few other side effects for about a week, better for another week, really good for another week, and then I start over.  The good thing is, there is very little variation and no bad surprises.  Overall, as nasty as chemo can be, my experience is fairly mild.  Some people have trouble with white blood cell count coming back up, I have not had that problem.  Some need shots to boost their platelets, I have not.  Some have trouble eating and lose too much weight.  I have not, I think I might have even gained weight, who does that during chemo?  I have to eat or don't feel well, (possibly blood sugar drops, don't know for sure), so I find something I can eat even if I don't want to.  Soup is often the choice of the day when nothing else sounds good.  I do have some odd cravings at time, and other times I can't stand the thought of eating something today that sounded terrific yesterday.  Chemo messes with your taste buds and your sense of smell, among many other things.

Here's my really good news.  Yesterday was my 4th chemo, so only 2 treatments to go.  I should feel pretty good by Christmas.  And here's something kind of funny.  When I saw my oncologist yesterday, she noted that this was my 4th treatment, so I was 75% done.  Now, I don't know about you, but my math says that 4 out of 6, or the fraction 4/6, would be 2/3 or 66.7% done.  Just goes to show, you may know lots about medicine, but maybe not so much math.  Just sayin......

Day #8 Following Chemo #1

I can finally say that I feel good, not just better, but GOOD!  On D6FC1, I was better and wondering when I would feel good again.  I woke up on D7FC1 and I knew that I felt good.  It was rather strange, because I didn't feel good when I went to bed.  It seemed like a long week of feeling tired, having trouble with my digestive system (which I will not go into here, some things you just don't want to know about), but maybe that makes GOOD feel even better.

On D7FC1, I went in for my weekly blood work.  They always check the white blood cell count, among other things.  They know it's going to drop about a week after a chemo treatment, and mine had.  I don't think it's terribly low, but low enough that they want me to be careful about being around someone who is ill.  My body isn't going to be able to fight off infection with the low WBC, and when you're having chemo, the last thing you need is an infection.  This was not news to me, as all of that hadn't changed in 10 years.  One added twist to having a low WBC is not eating any raw fruit or vegetables that I can't peel.  I can cook them, or peel them, that's the only way I can eat them.  No salad full of raw veggies, like I am used to eating regularly.  No strawberries or grapes.  This isn't as big a problem for me with fruits as it is vegetables.  My liking of vegetables are mainly in raw form.  But, this will force me to steam some green beans which I like, or stir fry some veggies, which I also like.  I have to do this for a week, until my next blood work.  Then, as long as my WBC is back up, I can resume my regular raw veggie eating.  That assumes that my digestive system is working well and I don't have to resort to a bland diet like I did this week.

More fun and adventures of enduring chemo.  But, at least maybe I can do more around the house and enjoy life more overall for 2 weeks.....

Day #4 Following Chemo #1 (D4FC1)

I skipped Day #2 and Day #3, they were much the same and not much to write about, and I didn't have the energy to do so.  Yes, very tired and didn't do much but sleep and rest for those 2 days.  I feel better today, though still not much energy, and I tire easily, but still it's better than the last 2 days.  I am hoping that having had minor surgery 2 days before starting chemo may have added to the tiredness, plus the steroids that interrupted my already easily interrupted sleep cycle on Thursday night.  I must find out the benefits of the steroids, it may turn out not to outweigh the harm.

So tired that I couldn't go on the trip I had wanted to with my daughter. Boo hoo!  Very disappointing, but not a big surprise.  I hope this first 3 week cycle gives me an idea of what the next few months will be like so I have some idea when I can visit my son, see him march in the marching band, do grocery shopping, cooking, etc.  (My family is helping with groceries and cooking and cleaning, but it helps to feel like you are contributing, as well as it helps to do normal things.) Sometimes, when going through chemotherapy, you feel like all of your time is spent taking care of yourself, and what energy you have left over is spent taking care of your family.  I always question what part my business will have during this time.  That's always a tough balancing act, even when I'm healthy.

I am going to record the side effects that I have been experiencing, which are mostly for my benefit, so you can skip this paragraph if you want.  First thing I noticed was the feeling that my tongue was coated.  This makes food not taste as good as it should, and can cause a mild burning sensation, too.  Not fun.  I have been reading about some ways to counter act this, like baking soda and salt water rinses, brushing teeth often, and brushing the tongue with a soft toothbrush.  I'm going to try them all.  Other than that, it has mainly been the tiredness, a little achy at times, like I had the flu.  I have also been warm, now I tend to run warm anyway, and it has been in the 90's outside, but this is like a hot flash.  Not the worst thing in the world, but not great either.  Maybe if it were 50 degrees in the house instead of 78, it would feel great.  A fan blowing directly on me helps quite a bit, couldn't make it without fans.

Having said all of that, my main goal today: take a shower!  That could be quite an accomplishment!

Day #1 Following Chemo #1 (D1FC1)

Pay attention to the code in the title, I'll be using it alot (because I'm lazy!).  I am actually writing this the day after Day #1, but I was having so much fun yesterday I didn't get this written.  Yes, I said FUN!  I felt like I was on a drug high yesterday - physically and emotionally and mentally sharp - what a great feeling!  I never expected to feel that good after a chemo treatment, not to mention I hardly ever feel that kind of good. Which is probably a good thing that I don't. I received a steroid as part of my pre-chemo drugs.  If this is what steroids do for people, I understand why they want to continue taking them to the detriment of their bodies.  Today (D2FC1), I am still feeling good, but definitely not on the high of yesterday.  And that is fine.

The only downside of treatment so far (and I'm sure there will be many more as the chemo treatments accumulate) is that my taste buds feel like they are coated so that food doesn't taste quite as good as it did before chemo.  If this stays with me, that will be a major disappointment, as this didn't happen last time until much later in the treatment.  A question I will be asking on my next visit. The worst part of the coated taste buds is that I am still my usual hungry self, so I must eat.  It just doesn't taste quite right.

My anti-nausea meds seem to be working as I have not felt any signs of nausea - YEA!  They gave me 2 anti-nausea drugs before chemo, then I have taken some pills as a precautionary measure.  So far, so good.  I expect my hair to start falling out sometime either right before or right after my next treatment, which is on September 12th.  Last time I got a wig, which I hated, so I am just going with soft head coverings (purchased from http://www.headcovers.com/).  They also have some special shampoo that is supposed to keep your scalp in a good condition for when the hair comes back in.  I will start using that soon.

I am feeling so good, that I am planning on going on an overnight road trip with my daughter tomorrow.  If I wake up tomorrow and feel like c-r-a-p and can't go, I will be terribly disappointed, but we know that is a possibility so plans have already been put in place for her to go by herself.  In the meantime, I have a lot of things to do to get ready to go, so off the blogging and onto the laundry and packing.

Chemo #1 - Here we go again.

Chemo #1 done, 5 to go. It was an interesting day for sure. I had the port put in on Tuesday and it was still very sore around the incision, so I was a little nervous about the nurse putting a needle in the port. But, it was fine, just a little prick, and then I didn't feel anything else around the site at all. (Last time I had to hold my arm up in the air to make my catheter work. I didn't want to do that again.) I was told the appointment would take 2 1/2 hours, it took 4 hours. (I definitely did not bring enough snacks for 4 hours that included lunch time.) I asked the nurse if it would be that long the next time and she thought it might be 3 hours plus. They were a little slow in getting things started because I guess the computer wasn't updated on me or something. The first hour of IV's were all the preventive medicines, benedryl, a steroid, and 2 anti nausea drugs. Then they have to wait 30 minutes after all of those to even start the 2 chemo drugs, which take another 1 and 1/2 hours. I guess that's where the 2 1/2 hours come in, but that doesn't allow any extra time that is always spent at a medical establishment for whatever. Feel fine so far, but I will be taking anti-nausea medicine at bedtime and that may cause drowsiness, among other things - just not nausea. Oh my, one drug to counteract another drug to counteract another drug and on and on....

I found a small lump in my left breast (right breast was removed 10 years ago) the end of May.  It was so small that the doctor and surgeon I consulted couldn't feel it.  But, a biopsy was done, and despite it's tiny-ness, the lab results showed that it was indeed cancerous.  Ahh, goodie, more surgery.  I had a lumpectomy this time since it was so small, and just a few lymph nodes removed, so it was overall a much easier surgery than 10 years ago.  One good thing, the lymph nodes were clear, no cancer there.  Not as good, the cancer was not hormone receptor positive, which meant chemo and radiation again.  Had it been hormone receptor positive, I would have had radiation and then taken estrogen blockers for a few years.  But, that's not where I am, so it does no good to dwell on the "what if's" and the "if only-s".  It is what it is, and I will do what I need to do.

Last time I had a catheter, not a port.  The port is very interesting, being totally under the skin.  It feels like a foreign object (which it is) trying to fit where it doesn't belong.  I have had more pain with this very minor surgery to place the port, than I did with the lumpectomy.  Yesterday I wondered how I was going to get through chemo if my chest hurt.  But, my chest didn't hurt as much and it was all fine.  It was the 4 hour stay I wasn't expecting and was not prepared for. Thank goodness they have free wi-fi so I can use my tablet and pass the time, along with some other things.  I also took a short nap as the benedryl knocked me out for awhile.  I will be better prepared with food in 3 weeks.  Yes, chemo is every 3 weeks.  If it is like last time, I will feel fine the day of chemo, not so good for a day or two after chemo, then my white blood cells will be low for a week so I have to be careful what I eat, where I go, etc. so as not to get an infection.  Then just before it's time to have another chemo, I'll feel great!!!  It truly is a cycle.  But, if all goes well, it is doable and still have a life (besides being in a medical establishment and resting in bed) and that is what I'm aiming for.  It helps to maintain a sense of humor, which I try to do.