I know this thing just keeps going on and on. Sorry but trying to tackle this in one LONG Blog would have made me crazy. So we are at the fun (sarcasm intended) part of the cancer treatment. Chemo. Because of my last experience with Chemo I was dreading this part and when the Oncologist said she wanted to do small treatments EVERY week for at least 4 months you can imagine my joy. Yeah, don't break out the party balloons here.
First we were given assignments by the nurse who walked me through my 'chemo' experience of all the things we need to do to prepare me for treatments. A big one included finishing the front bathroom shower since I wasn't allowed to 'share' bathrooms with anyone. If you want motivation to get a DIY project done in a hurry in your home try getting cancer (seriouly no but wow). We also had to scrub the house from stem to stern to protect me from germs. I also struggled with getting enough water to satisfy the chemo nurses (8 cups a day) so I came up with water bracelets - 8 elastic bracelets with pretty beads (that I made myself) that would start each day on my left arm and as I drank the water I would transfer the bracelets one at a time to the right arm. That way my family could tell at a glance where I was at with my water consumption. This really helped since I lived in a chemo fog and couldn't remember anything - one day sort of blended into the next.
So chemo started on the first Friday of June in 2007 and with it a surprise. New nausea meds that actually worked. Wooohooo. I can't tell you how much that made my day. Not a single barfing moment. Loved it. That's not to say that it was easy - it wasn't, and that I wasn't queasy sometimes - I was, but wow what a difference. I would make it through Saturday and about half way through Sunday before the world would crash down on me and exhaustion would take over but I made it none the less.
On Monday evening the 'fog' and exhaustion would start to lift and Tuesday Morning I was back at work. Yes, I did work through my entire cancer experience with some wonderful support from my amazing Boss and the addition of Annette in my office, I did it. Some of you may be saying why work - truthfully it kept me from going totally crazy. The cancer takes over your life and you just want something normal back. Work did that for me.
I just wanted to stop here and tell you about the amazing support that came from all around me. The Sisters in my Ward (again a reminder here that I am Mormon and am speaking Mormonese - we refer to each other as Brother and Sister since we all believe that we are children of God and 'Ward' means Congregation) took me to all my treatments - every week someone new would pick me up and drive me miles to the hospital where I would get my weekly dose and, even though I offered, not one of them would take payment for their gas. So I got around that by baking goodies every Friday morning for my wonderful Sisters :) I even took some to my fellow suffers and nurses in the chemo lab. I was the hit of the party. My Son (who stopped his life, his schooling and everything else just so he could be there for me) would pick me up after the 3 and 1/2 hour treatment. I had to have someone drive me because the first thing they give you is a 'bag' with Benedryl in it. Snooze city. Can you imagine me trying to drive home after that? Not a chance.
I can't tell you too how many times friends, Sisters from my Ward, family, etc. would show up on my door step with dinner or offers for anything they could help with. My In-Laws would drive over regularly from the Bay Area to take me to dinner and just to let Jeffery and I know that they cared. I have also saved all the emails from that period and am amazed in reviewing them how much love and support we received. I truly treasure the people in my life.
In August I had my first CT Scan - my Oncologist was hopeful about everything since the manual exams seemed to be pointing toward the tumor under my arm feeling smaller. So I drank the 'banana crap' and went in for my first CT Scan since diagnosis. Then came the waiting and waiting and well you get the idea. I don't wait well. Finally I went in to see her. And she came in with a bit of a dance, really - I told you she was cute. The tumors were shrinking and several small tumors on my lungs appeared to be gone - really truly gone. Wooohooo. Dancing with my Doctor :) Now for the bad news - I am doing SO well that we just going to keep doing this for another 2 months on top of the 4 months. Yep - 6 full months of chemo. You won't get a woohooo from me on that one.
One funny item here - my hair - everyone told me that it would fall out so I shaved it really short like last time. You can see this one coming can't you - Yup, it never fell all out. It just got really thin. Stupid.
And so it continued. Next Scan was a MUGGA - for my heart - as long as I was on the Herceptin then the MUGGAs would continue every 3 months. My heart was holding up just fine. Just an FYI here - I continued the Herceptin for over 2 and 1/2 years (even after the main chemo was done) the Radiology tech and I got to be pretty good friends :) Another FYI here too - at one point several months into treatment the Oncologist pointedly asked me if I smoked. No Mormon's don't smoke - it's against our 'Word of Wisdom' revelation from the Lord to do so. 'That's why' she said. Why what? Well apparently smoking destroys whatever it is that the MUGGA is trying to measure. Wow. She had another lady, that was also fighting the same cancer as I was, who was not allowed the Herceptin - she smoked - and her heart would give out long before the cancer would killed her. How terrifying to know there is a drug that can help you but you are denied it because you smoke. Wow. What a testimony builder. You never know when you will see the benefit of following the Lord.
Next - October and the Black Death of Depression. Next link :) Part 8
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