Not sure if this will work, but here is a video of my first chemo treatment. I apologize in advance for :
1. my outfit being hideous. I wanted to be comfortable, but it was not very flattering.
2. Mitch saying a cuss word. At least it was a mild one. I swear he was a sailor in a past life. LOL
Hope this works!
http://youtu.be/ak5vfvLAJdE
Oh, and if you've already seen this on FB, I apologize for repeating. LOL
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Chemo #1.. been there, done that.
Well. I had myself all worked up over nothing. I just knew after my treatment was over, I would either be wheeled to the car in a wheelchair or carried out on a stretcher. lol
I got to Vanderbilt Health Center around 11:30, signed in and almost immediately they took me back to have my port accessed and blood drawn. (got a video of it! haha) The only pain I felt was the pressure of the nurse pushing on the port just a tad to get the needle in. It is still a little tender, but its getting better every day. For those that want to see exactly what it looks like....
The only part I can feel is "A"... the little "button" that the needle goes in to. (I wish I had those boobs!)
Anyway.
Got the blood drawn, and then I was sent to talk to Katie Sibler, the nurse practitioner. My biopsy results aren't back yet from the T3 Process biopsy-- but she did go over all the side effects of the chemo meds. She was very thorough. She spent a lot of time with us and made us feel very at ease.
After a bit of waiting, it was time for me to go to the infusion room. It was a private room, with a large flatscreen TV on the wall. The recliner was comfortable and there was an extra chair for some lucky person to keep me company in. I can pretty much do anything I want while getting my cocktail. Text, watch TV, read, sleep, knit (if I knitted). If I have to use the ladies room, I have to unplug the IV stand and walk it with me to the bathroom. I am surprised I didn't trip over it and fall. I made several trips. Those fluids ran right through me. I got Benadryl, Zofran, and Decadron. Those were my pre-meds to prevent any sickness or allergic reaction. Then came the fun stuff. Taxol must have won the coin toss because it was first. Then came Cisplatin. All in all, it took a little over 4 hours. My next treatment shouldn't take as long.
Mitch stayed with me most of the time (God I love that man). My mom, dad, sister and even Jordan took turns coming in and keeping me company. They won't be at every treatment, but the first one was important, so they were all there.
It is nearly midnight and I have been up since 5am. I am not the least bit tired. (hello, steroids) I know tomorrow I should feel ok but then Thursday I should start feeling the effects. I do expect to be a little run-down feeling but I am really not going to plan on being completely knocked out. We'll see. I will probably feel like I've been hit by a freight train in a few days... but fingers crossed I won't.
I will have my treatments every Tuesday. My main doctor changed my regiment and instead of taking treatments once a week for 3 weeks and then taking a break... I'm going once a week for 6 weeks straight. No break for me. Not unless my levels start bottoming out. I still have to learn about my blood count and all. I was advised to watch my temperature. (Note to self: BUY A THERMOMETER) If I have a fever over 100.4, CALL THEM IMMEDIATELY.
So far, so good. Thank you for the continued support, thoughts and prayers. They will be a huge in helping me win this battle. I could not do this without my faith in God, my medical team, my family and my friends. So, from the bottom of my heart.... THANK YOU.
I got to Vanderbilt Health Center around 11:30, signed in and almost immediately they took me back to have my port accessed and blood drawn. (got a video of it! haha) The only pain I felt was the pressure of the nurse pushing on the port just a tad to get the needle in. It is still a little tender, but its getting better every day. For those that want to see exactly what it looks like....
Anyway.
Got the blood drawn, and then I was sent to talk to Katie Sibler, the nurse practitioner. My biopsy results aren't back yet from the T3 Process biopsy-- but she did go over all the side effects of the chemo meds. She was very thorough. She spent a lot of time with us and made us feel very at ease.
After a bit of waiting, it was time for me to go to the infusion room. It was a private room, with a large flatscreen TV on the wall. The recliner was comfortable and there was an extra chair for some lucky person to keep me company in. I can pretty much do anything I want while getting my cocktail. Text, watch TV, read, sleep, knit (if I knitted). If I have to use the ladies room, I have to unplug the IV stand and walk it with me to the bathroom. I am surprised I didn't trip over it and fall. I made several trips. Those fluids ran right through me. I got Benadryl, Zofran, and Decadron. Those were my pre-meds to prevent any sickness or allergic reaction. Then came the fun stuff. Taxol must have won the coin toss because it was first. Then came Cisplatin. All in all, it took a little over 4 hours. My next treatment shouldn't take as long.
Mitch stayed with me most of the time (God I love that man). My mom, dad, sister and even Jordan took turns coming in and keeping me company. They won't be at every treatment, but the first one was important, so they were all there.
It is nearly midnight and I have been up since 5am. I am not the least bit tired. (hello, steroids) I know tomorrow I should feel ok but then Thursday I should start feeling the effects. I do expect to be a little run-down feeling but I am really not going to plan on being completely knocked out. We'll see. I will probably feel like I've been hit by a freight train in a few days... but fingers crossed I won't.
I will have my treatments every Tuesday. My main doctor changed my regiment and instead of taking treatments once a week for 3 weeks and then taking a break... I'm going once a week for 6 weeks straight. No break for me. Not unless my levels start bottoming out. I still have to learn about my blood count and all. I was advised to watch my temperature. (Note to self: BUY A THERMOMETER) If I have a fever over 100.4, CALL THEM IMMEDIATELY.
So far, so good. Thank you for the continued support, thoughts and prayers. They will be a huge in helping me win this battle. I could not do this without my faith in God, my medical team, my family and my friends. So, from the bottom of my heart.... THANK YOU.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Just gotta deal with it....
Well, this is not exactly how I wanted to spend my holidays. Thanksgiving is out of the way and Christmas is less than a month away. I don't know how many chemos I'll have under my belt by then and I'm too lazy to figure it up at the moment. Math has never been my strong point, so I would probably miscalculate anyway. I do know that my first treatment is Tuesday, Nov. 29. That is 2 months to the day from when I was diagnosed. I will have one treatment a week for 3 weeks, then take the 4th week "off". Then start again.
I am nervous, excited and praying my body responds to the poison I'll be getting. I have my good days and my bad days (wow.. my chemo hasnt even started yet..imagine my mood swings THEN!?) and I've run down my list of what I have done in my past that could have caused this. I don't smoke. I am not a "drinker", although I do enjoy a Kaluha 'n Cream or Malibu and Sprite on occassion. I don't do tanning beds. I didn't exercise like I should have. I don't eat very healthy. I don't eat fruit. I didn't have regular check ups when nothing was wrong.... bottom line is, no matter what I did or didn't do... I got cancer. TWICE. (remember my little episode with Hodgkin's Lymphoma when I was 19?)
I have tried to live normally, since the only sign of me having cancer is this mass in my breast, a spot here and there (kidney & spine) and this aggravating port that was put in last week. I get up, do what I normally do and pretend I'm ok. Oh I've had my little meltdowns since September 29.... most of the time in the shower. When nobody is around. I stand there and cry, holding on to my hair, begging God to change His mind and let this all be a mistake. But, I know He doesn't make mistakes. He has a plan and there is a reason I'm about to go through this.
Since my diagnosis, I have been blessed to have met so many new people... survivors. Brenda Calhoun was probably the first person I spoke to that had been through it. I'll never forget the first email she sent me. She gave me the run down on what to expect. I cried when reading it. I didn't want those things to happen to me. I still don't. But, in order to get better- they have to happen. She told me a few things that I will hold on to when things get bad. 1. It will not last forever. 2. You can do anything for six months. 3. You will feel like you'd rather die, but don't you dare give in.
Chemo isn't going to be fun. I dread it. But, it has to happen in order for me to get well. I know Mitch will be there every step of the way, and if by some chance he bails-- he won't get far. I know Leeann, Deana, Marnie, Deanna, Tina, Paige, Holly, Robin, Kelly and the rest of my friends will hunt him down and KILL HIM. LOL
Thanks to everybody who continues to check on me... I appreciate it more than you know.
I am nervous, excited and praying my body responds to the poison I'll be getting. I have my good days and my bad days (wow.. my chemo hasnt even started yet..imagine my mood swings THEN!?) and I've run down my list of what I have done in my past that could have caused this. I don't smoke. I am not a "drinker", although I do enjoy a Kaluha 'n Cream or Malibu and Sprite on occassion. I don't do tanning beds. I didn't exercise like I should have. I don't eat very healthy. I don't eat fruit. I didn't have regular check ups when nothing was wrong.... bottom line is, no matter what I did or didn't do... I got cancer. TWICE. (remember my little episode with Hodgkin's Lymphoma when I was 19?)
I have tried to live normally, since the only sign of me having cancer is this mass in my breast, a spot here and there (kidney & spine) and this aggravating port that was put in last week. I get up, do what I normally do and pretend I'm ok. Oh I've had my little meltdowns since September 29.... most of the time in the shower. When nobody is around. I stand there and cry, holding on to my hair, begging God to change His mind and let this all be a mistake. But, I know He doesn't make mistakes. He has a plan and there is a reason I'm about to go through this.
Since my diagnosis, I have been blessed to have met so many new people... survivors. Brenda Calhoun was probably the first person I spoke to that had been through it. I'll never forget the first email she sent me. She gave me the run down on what to expect. I cried when reading it. I didn't want those things to happen to me. I still don't. But, in order to get better- they have to happen. She told me a few things that I will hold on to when things get bad. 1. It will not last forever. 2. You can do anything for six months. 3. You will feel like you'd rather die, but don't you dare give in.
Chemo isn't going to be fun. I dread it. But, it has to happen in order for me to get well. I know Mitch will be there every step of the way, and if by some chance he bails-- he won't get far. I know Leeann, Deana, Marnie, Deanna, Tina, Paige, Holly, Robin, Kelly and the rest of my friends will hunt him down and KILL HIM. LOL
Thanks to everybody who continues to check on me... I appreciate it more than you know.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Port is in....
I arrive at Vanderbilt about 8:15. Everybody in the Interventional Radiology Department is super nice. A man name Collin came in and explained everything that would be done in both the port placement and the spine biopsy. He even bought out a port to show me exactly what it would look like and where it would go and what it did. He sat back there in my room with us and talked with us for a while.... made it very comfortable. Mitch sat back there with me and having him with me helped a lot. He has been my rock through this whole thing and just him being close to me does more for me than any pill I could take for anxiety.
They came and wheeled me back to the procedure room and after administering the Fentanyl and Versed, I honestly dont remember anything. I didn't feel anything. Even after "coming to", I still felt nothing. I thought, "Hmmm, this is alright!!" I then was wheeled back to my waiting area and within a few minutes, someone comes to get me to take me to another procedure room for my spine biopsy. I laid on my stomach (the port area was still numb so I didn't even feel it) I remember just a small prick between my shoulders which was the numbing shot and then that was about it. I vaguely remember some pushing and pressure I suppose when they were getting the biopsy from the bone, but there was no pain involved. The next thing I know I was being wheeled back into the recovery area. STILL NO PAIN AT ALL from either procedure.
Mitch was handed a stack of paperwork, and after waiting about 30 minutes, I was free to go. I didn't even have to use the wheelchair.. I just walked right out of there. NO PAIN STILL.
Well, about an hour before getting home... the feeling started coming back. And it came back fast. My dad drove over some railroad tracks and I thought I was gonna scream. LOL
On a scale of 1-10, right now my pain is about a 7.5. It feels extremely bruised and is very swollen. It hurts to move my arm. It hurts to cough (which I still am) I took a percocet about an hour ago and its not even touching it. I am going to lay down, but wanted to update this first.
Thank you to everybody that has texted, called, and contacted me on FB to check on me. It means a lot to know I'm being thought about and prayed for.
They came and wheeled me back to the procedure room and after administering the Fentanyl and Versed, I honestly dont remember anything. I didn't feel anything. Even after "coming to", I still felt nothing. I thought, "Hmmm, this is alright!!" I then was wheeled back to my waiting area and within a few minutes, someone comes to get me to take me to another procedure room for my spine biopsy. I laid on my stomach (the port area was still numb so I didn't even feel it) I remember just a small prick between my shoulders which was the numbing shot and then that was about it. I vaguely remember some pushing and pressure I suppose when they were getting the biopsy from the bone, but there was no pain involved. The next thing I know I was being wheeled back into the recovery area. STILL NO PAIN AT ALL from either procedure.
Mitch was handed a stack of paperwork, and after waiting about 30 minutes, I was free to go. I didn't even have to use the wheelchair.. I just walked right out of there. NO PAIN STILL.
Well, about an hour before getting home... the feeling started coming back. And it came back fast. My dad drove over some railroad tracks and I thought I was gonna scream. LOL
On a scale of 1-10, right now my pain is about a 7.5. It feels extremely bruised and is very swollen. It hurts to move my arm. It hurts to cough (which I still am) I took a percocet about an hour ago and its not even touching it. I am going to lay down, but wanted to update this first.
Thank you to everybody that has texted, called, and contacted me on FB to check on me. It means a lot to know I'm being thought about and prayed for.
Monday, November 21, 2011
A little progress, maybe.
First off, let me apologize for taking so long to update.
I did not have the kidney biopsy I talked about in the last post because they couldn't safely perform it. It was such a small place, and in a very difficult location so they were afraid if they proceeded with it, more damage would be caused. The terms "puncturing your bowel" and "knicking your liver" were mentioned. Neither sounded pleasant so I was more than happy for THAT procedure to be cancelled. Even though we spent 3 hours trying to get a good position (flipping me from side to side, repositioning my body on the table, etc..) it just wouldn't work. They are basically just going to keep an eye on it and see if it responds to the chemo or not.
We then went to Jack's BBQ on Broadway (which is worth the drive alone, in my opinion) and guess what? They were CLOSED due to a freaking water leak! JUST MY LUCK. It was just not my day.
So here we are on Monday, Nov. 21 and I guess the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I called Vanderbilt twice this morning to check on things and I found out that not only am I scheduled for the spine biopsy (the T3 area) for Wednesday, but they are also going to put my port in that day as well. I will have the port placement at 9:30. YAY!! Some progress FINALLY. I am nervous and anxious about it, but I know it has to be done in order for me to start the chemo, which HOPEFULLY will be next week. I am waiting on the scheduler to call me back and let me know when my first treatment will be. I'm still supposed to take Taxol and Cisplatin.
So.. that is all I know as of now. I'm going to try to do better on updating. :/
*****UPDATE*****
They just called and my first chemo is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 29th at 11:30. Wow. My first infusion. I guess this is really fixing to happen. :/
I did not have the kidney biopsy I talked about in the last post because they couldn't safely perform it. It was such a small place, and in a very difficult location so they were afraid if they proceeded with it, more damage would be caused. The terms "puncturing your bowel" and "knicking your liver" were mentioned. Neither sounded pleasant so I was more than happy for THAT procedure to be cancelled. Even though we spent 3 hours trying to get a good position (flipping me from side to side, repositioning my body on the table, etc..) it just wouldn't work. They are basically just going to keep an eye on it and see if it responds to the chemo or not.
We then went to Jack's BBQ on Broadway (which is worth the drive alone, in my opinion) and guess what? They were CLOSED due to a freaking water leak! JUST MY LUCK. It was just not my day.
So here we are on Monday, Nov. 21 and I guess the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I called Vanderbilt twice this morning to check on things and I found out that not only am I scheduled for the spine biopsy (the T3 area) for Wednesday, but they are also going to put my port in that day as well. I will have the port placement at 9:30. YAY!! Some progress FINALLY. I am nervous and anxious about it, but I know it has to be done in order for me to start the chemo, which HOPEFULLY will be next week. I am waiting on the scheduler to call me back and let me know when my first treatment will be. I'm still supposed to take Taxol and Cisplatin.
So.. that is all I know as of now. I'm going to try to do better on updating. :/
*****UPDATE*****
They just called and my first chemo is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 29th at 11:30. Wow. My first infusion. I guess this is really fixing to happen. :/
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Bring on the biopsy....
Well, I have the dreaded kidney biopsy in the morning. We will be pulling out of here at 5:30am (yes, I said AM) and my appointment is at 10am. No food or water past midnight. I hate that part. I am normally not hungry at 3am, but watch-- I will be starving at 3am.
I will do my best to update tomorrow on how the procedure went. Hopefully I won't feel a thing. **fingers crosssed**
I still have this aggravating cough. I don't feel sick. I think its just allergy/weather related. I hope so, anyway. Since my diagnosis, I am paranoid about EVERYTHING.
Sorry for this being so short. The dogs have destroyed the house... and I have lots of cleaning to do before my good friend, Deanna, comes over tomorrow to take care of them while I'm gone.
Will update tomorrow!! :)
Ciao.
I will do my best to update tomorrow on how the procedure went. Hopefully I won't feel a thing. **fingers crosssed**
I still have this aggravating cough. I don't feel sick. I think its just allergy/weather related. I hope so, anyway. Since my diagnosis, I am paranoid about EVERYTHING.
Sorry for this being so short. The dogs have destroyed the house... and I have lots of cleaning to do before my good friend, Deanna, comes over tomorrow to take care of them while I'm gone.
Will update tomorrow!! :)
Ciao.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Is this thing on????
Ok. I am a Facebooker, not a Blogger. I am going to TRY this blogging thing just to save from clogging up my FB with cancer stuff. Its much easier writing "notes", but I'm sure people are getting sick of it already.
I will post this blog address on my FB and probably from now on, I will use THIS as a means of keeping everyone updated on my progress. I'm sure I'll have good days, and I'm sure I'll have not-so-good days. Mitch will have access to this, so if you see a post starting out "Mitch here...." then you'll know I must not be having a good day, and I apologize now for any language you might read. His vocabulary is much more colorful than mine. lol
Well... if you are reading this, then that means you must think enough about me to check on me, so thank you. :)
I will give a short version story of why I even started a blog called "CancerSucks." Because it does. I had cancer almost 20 years ago, and now I'm facing it again. The situations are totally different and I'd give anything if my diagnosis was different this time. Before I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Three months of radiation and it was gone. Bam! Just like that.
About six weeks ago, I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. Its an ugly cancer. A mean cancer. An aggressive cancer. It can be treated, but it is a little more difficult than just your typical run of the mill breast cancer. (just my luck, huh?)
I wasted several weeks in Birmingham, at Kirklin Clinic, and finally got myself to Vanderbilt (thanks, Dad) where they immediately assured me that while my cancer wasn't the kind to play nice, they would do everything they could to save my life. That is all I wanted to hear. I am supposed to start my first treatment this coming Wednesday, so while I'm a nervous wreck over it... I'm ready. Bring it.
I will post this blog address on my FB and probably from now on, I will use THIS as a means of keeping everyone updated on my progress. I'm sure I'll have good days, and I'm sure I'll have not-so-good days. Mitch will have access to this, so if you see a post starting out "Mitch here...." then you'll know I must not be having a good day, and I apologize now for any language you might read. His vocabulary is much more colorful than mine. lol
Well... if you are reading this, then that means you must think enough about me to check on me, so thank you. :)
I will give a short version story of why I even started a blog called "CancerSucks." Because it does. I had cancer almost 20 years ago, and now I'm facing it again. The situations are totally different and I'd give anything if my diagnosis was different this time. Before I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Three months of radiation and it was gone. Bam! Just like that.
About six weeks ago, I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. Its an ugly cancer. A mean cancer. An aggressive cancer. It can be treated, but it is a little more difficult than just your typical run of the mill breast cancer. (just my luck, huh?)
I wasted several weeks in Birmingham, at Kirklin Clinic, and finally got myself to Vanderbilt (thanks, Dad) where they immediately assured me that while my cancer wasn't the kind to play nice, they would do everything they could to save my life. That is all I wanted to hear. I am supposed to start my first treatment this coming Wednesday, so while I'm a nervous wreck over it... I'm ready. Bring it.
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