Huzzah, As a gamer chic I think I most certainly leveled. The actual infusion was not bad, got home and surprisingly did not fall straight to sleep. I did take a small nap tho. Now is the time of infusion night when the side effects begin to creep in, boo hiss! I just need to keep thinking is that it is killing the cancer. I am so going for a PCR (Pathological Complete Response).
I and my husband are currently in the process of making a difficult decision about my upcoming surgery. Hopefully we will make the right one.
Next steps are surgery, pills, possible radiation and reconstruction. So much more ahead of me. Right now I am a mix of emotions, so happy that I am done with Chemo! Angry that all of this is happening to me. Hopeful that everything will turn out okay. Terrified that the cancer can come back.
That is the thing about breast cancer. It can always come back. There will always be a chance that there are dormant cancer cells in my body that the chemo did not kill. I am doing everything possible to prevent that!
Any who, on the positive side, i finished my last chemo today! The hair on my head seems to be coming back slowly and patchy. My nails are growing again. And hopefully we will have spring weather soon!
On the sad side. A wonderful lady from one of my chemo support groups got her wings yesterday/this morning. She was an amazing woman who is leaving behind a beautiful family. I pray for her and her family. She was such an inspiration to all of us in the group. She was so brave and did so well on her whole journey. I hope she knew/knows how much we all love her and how proud of her we are. RIP my sister!
That is all for now,
-I Fight Like a Woman
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Chemo is hell
Hi All,
Sorry for the delay in posting but, chemo has been sucking, with each infusion I stay sick longer.
Anywho, Wonderful news! Tomorrow is my last infusion of Taxotere and Carboplatin! All I will have to continue getting is Herceptin for a year. Taxotere and Carboplatin are a bear but, so far, Herceptin is not that bad. As promised here are photos of a typical infusion day!
It all begins with checking in, getting vitals taken and blood work!
During chemo you become a human pincushion of sorts. But my phlebotomy team is awesome, so it is not so bad.
Then the next picture shows the joy on my face when I get to see the Oncologist every three weeks! I complain about what ails me then they say something to to tune of I know, perhaps prescribe something but the main message is suck it up, only __ this many more!
Then I take my ticket and go into the infusion room and choose my recliner, These are actually pretty comfy. Here I sit waiting for my port to be accessed.
The next picture shows my friend the IV pole that controls the flow of pois *cough* I mean medicine into my body. Aw heck who am I kidding, I get poison IV's every week and I am still here to tell the tale, pretty cool huh?
Next few pictures are of the premeds I get and take to help my body be able to tolerate the poison. I get 5 different drugs to protect me from the Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin. In no particular order, Decadron (Steriod), Emend (Nausea), Benadryl (Antihistamine), Tylenol, and Aloxi (anti nausea).
Port Accessed, time to get the premeds flowing!!
Next pic I believe is the Herceptin flowing.
Best pic, my view from my chair, that is the bathroom across the way, I always try to sit near a bathroom, and you can see the best support in the world off to the side, that is my husband. I love him so, he is the reason I am fighting so hard. I will grow old with that man!!
There are many more steps in this journey until I am well again but I am so happy that the Chemo will be over soon.
For those going through this are about to go through Chemo as you can see, it is scary but all in all not too bad. I promise after the first infusion you get used to the actual infusion, people are nice and it is a relaxing place. Hang in there you will make it through!
That is all for now
-I Fight Like A Woman
Sorry for the delay in posting but, chemo has been sucking, with each infusion I stay sick longer.
Anywho, Wonderful news! Tomorrow is my last infusion of Taxotere and Carboplatin! All I will have to continue getting is Herceptin for a year. Taxotere and Carboplatin are a bear but, so far, Herceptin is not that bad. As promised here are photos of a typical infusion day!
It all begins with checking in, getting vitals taken and blood work!
During chemo you become a human pincushion of sorts. But my phlebotomy team is awesome, so it is not so bad.
Then the next picture shows the joy on my face when I get to see the Oncologist every three weeks! I complain about what ails me then they say something to to tune of I know, perhaps prescribe something but the main message is suck it up, only __ this many more!
Then I take my ticket and go into the infusion room and choose my recliner, These are actually pretty comfy. Here I sit waiting for my port to be accessed.
The next picture shows my friend the IV pole that controls the flow of pois *cough* I mean medicine into my body. Aw heck who am I kidding, I get poison IV's every week and I am still here to tell the tale, pretty cool huh?
Next few pictures are of the premeds I get and take to help my body be able to tolerate the poison. I get 5 different drugs to protect me from the Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin. In no particular order, Decadron (Steriod), Emend (Nausea), Benadryl (Antihistamine), Tylenol, and Aloxi (anti nausea).
Port Accessed, time to get the premeds flowing!!
Next pic I believe is the Herceptin flowing.
There are many more steps in this journey until I am well again but I am so happy that the Chemo will be over soon.
For those going through this are about to go through Chemo as you can see, it is scary but all in all not too bad. I promise after the first infusion you get used to the actual infusion, people are nice and it is a relaxing place. Hang in there you will make it through!
That is all for now
-I Fight Like A Woman
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