A Long Day...

I had my first Taxol chemo treatment today. It turned out to be a long day. My appointment was at 9:45am; I finally got "hooked" up to the IVs around; 11am and did not finish up until 4:15pm. A full day at the office!

Overall I feel good. There are about four different pre-medications (IV Benadryll, Zofran (anti-nausea), steroids, and something else I can't remember.) I have to get before I even receive the Taxol. Those pre-meds are the ones that make me feel kind of groggy.

The associated nausea that I experienced after my last cycle has a real medical name - some psychosis blah blah blah. I can't remember the official way to say it. My doctor prescribed me some Atavan (sp?) which is a mild sedative that will help calm me when I go to the office or start to feel queasy at home. It works well!

I am tired but feeling good! 3 more to go!!!

On to Better Things...

I just had my 4th chemo treatment on Wednesday. I am now officially halfway done with chemo. This was also the last treatment of AC (adriamycin and cytoxan) - the 2 worse drugs that have the yuckier (can you tell I talk to a 3 year old all day) side effects. This cycle was definitely the hardest one. Again, it all seemed to hit me earlier than past cycles and I generally felt worse. I experienced my first episodes of nausea. A lot of it though seems to be associated nausea. The smell of the rubber gloves, the odor of the tape they use at the doctor's office, and sorry to maybe gross you out but the look of my red pee...all makes me gag today. This should be the worst of it.

I start Taxol on April 25th. The day of chemo is longer (about 5-6 hours) but the side effects seem better. The most common side effect is neuropathy - a tingling (mild to severe) of the fingers and feet. This could last weeks to months after treatment ends potentially. My nurse practitioner is going to start me on Folic Acid and B6 vitamins and L-Glutamine (an amino acid) a week before my first Taxol treatment that are all suppose to help ward off the neuropathy or lessen the symptoms. Another side effect is some achiness for a couple days after the treatment. This shouldn't lower my white blood cell count so hopefully no more painful Neulasta injections. Nausea shouldn't be a problem either. I don't even have to take the pills I am taking now for it when I start.

It all sounds better than this overall yucky feeling I have with the AC. As each cycle progressed I did notice that the drugs did have a cumulative effect. The side effects started earlier and seemed a little worse each time. But that is behind me now. The next 4 should be okay.

I also found out the other day that the Taxol treatments will be every 2 weeks - not every 3 like I originally thought. This means chemo will/should be done the first Wednesday of June. I will have 3-4 weeks off from everything. Radiation will start the beginning of July and I will be totally done with treatment by mid-August. A lot better than mid-October which is what I first expected. My doctor and nurse practitioner are also going to see if my radiation can be moved to Metrowest Medical Center in Framingham instead of going to Mass General every day for 6 weeks. That would make life and planning for the boys MUCH easier.

4 down, 4 more to go...

Almost Halfway There!

I had my 3rd round of chemo on Wednesday. Again, I am feeling pretty good. More tired this time but this really hasn't been as bad as I had expected it to be.

My head is cold so I have donned the bandana look for now. Easy and maintenance free. Jeffrey is waiting for the stubble to fall out so he can put some of his tattoos on my head. Hopefully he has some pretty ones in mind. Once we are at that point, I will take a picture and post it.

My hair has "fallen down" as Jeffrey likes to put it. It started to really come out as clumps today so I went to my hairdresser and she shaved my head. I have a pretty nice shaped head - no lumps, weird scars, flat spots. Not too bad. I look like GI Jane or Brittany Spears for now but the stubble that is left on my head should also fall out soon. Then I will look like Daddy Warbucks or a paler version of Michael Jordan.

You know what? I think shaving my head was pretty liberating...

2 Down...

Well, I had my second round of chemo on Wednesday. I have 6 total treatments left (2 more cycles of the Adriamycin and Cytoxan - the 2 nastier drugs; and 4 cycles of Taxol). I was worried how this round was going to be because I started to feel more tired and had a mildly upset stomach (nothing bad at all) late yesterday afternoon and evening. Today I feel better. I went into the doctor's office again today for a Neulasta injection (for my white blood cell count) and more fluids to keep me hydrated and flush everything out. I have become anemic but have started on iron pills 2 weeks ago and may also have to add a Procrit shot to my list of medications if my red blood cell count drops any lower. It's boderline for now and might just stay that way.

I was starving tonight and ate a really good dinner. I didn't really eat too well last cycle until day three or so. So far no headache either. I have something stronger to take if I get a migraine like last cycle. My hair has started to fall out. No bald spots yet but give it a week and I will look like Brittany Spears (I plan to shave my head when it starts to get patchy.) I have my wig and it's cute. A little weird to put on but I like to color (my color with more highlights) and the style (a little longer than what my hair was with layers and it's straight). Jeffrey has it on in this picture.

We will see what tomorrow brings! Hopefully more of the same!

~Anne

Day 2 Not so Good

After a great day one after treatment, day 2 (Friday) proved to be more of a challenge. I ended up with one of the worst headaches I have ever had which sent me to bed from 12:30pm Friday until 7:00am Saturday. My stomach felt okay but this headache knocked me down. It might have been triggered by the anti-nausea medication I was taking. I will bring this up at my next doctor's appointment on Wednesday. I also got an injection (Neulasta) which helps boost my white blood cell count. The side effects from this aren't so nice either. When it starts to kick in, the long bones (thighs, arms), rib cage, and joints can get achy. It felt like the flu on steriods. My rib cage is what bothered me the most - I felt like I was getting squeezed every so often. I really can't complain though. I had visions that this would be so much worse. Pain is temporary and what is the alternative really? I will be asking for some help on Fridays (and probably a couple of hours on Thursdays) so that someone will be here with the boys (and me) if I need to go take a nap, lay down, etc.

I have cut my hair short in anticipation that it will start to fall out this week or next so there will be less of a mess when it does. Jeffrey likes it and keeps asking me when my hair is going to "fall down." He has been so cute through this. He takes great pride in taking care of me. He brings me drinks when I need them and makes sure I take my pills (not at the right times but his persistence won't let me forget). He is taking good care of me. The snuggles from him and Collin are quite possibly the best remedy for my aches and pains.

I am tired but good. Even that is getting better each day. I was able to go coach my 6 hour swim meet yesterday - only one day after my bad day. Hopefully this is as worse as it gets. I can do this.

~Anne

So far so good.

Well, last night and today I have felt pretty good. When I woke up this morning I felt like I had a mild hangover. A headache and slight queasy stomach. The stomach part went away after I had something to eat and if I have something in my stomach I feel good. I went in to the doctor's again today just to check in with the nurse practitioner and get IV fluids and a Neulasta injection that will help boost my white blood cell count. The nurse practitioner said that my scalp may start to hurt/tingle/itch as early as sometime next week and my hair will start to fall out. I am going tomorrow morning to cut my hair shorter so it will be less messy for when it does start to "fall down" - as Jeffrey puts it. I am going to pick out a hair piece (aka, wig) on March 10th and hopefully I can trade up to a better hairstyle than what I have now.

Everyone at the doctor's office is so great. They make it so comfortable there and even though you are there for a pretty crappy reason, the atmosphere is extremely upbeat and relaxed. The weird thing is that I am enjoying my time there (for now). It is making me take time for me. When I am hooked up to the IV, I have nowhere else I need to be or nothing else I need to be doing. Amanda went with me yester and Jeff (thank you to both of you) went with me today. We could actually have adult conversation with no interuptions from any children needing anything.

Next week I go just for a doctor check-in and bloodwork. Chemo will be again the following week.

'til next time...
~Anne