Tanya's Cancer Blog
November 29, 2006
| 3 down, one to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | Views: 111 |
Yesterday was my third chemo treatment which means only one left! It’s scheduled for Dec. 27, a week later than usual so I’m not sick the week my family comes to visit. I also have an app. with Dr.Comerci, my gyn/onc that same afternoon to discuss my hysterectomy for Feb. or so. Big day! Irvin will be joining me for the last treatment since he’s been unable to make the first 3 due to his crazy work schedule. Poor guy, he feels so bad he hasn’t been able to make it…having my mom and sister-in-law here has been a real life-saver.
Sooooo can’t wait to start putting this all behind us! Irvin and I are hoping to take a little mini-vacation somewhere by the ocean or maybe even to Europe to celebrate the next phase of our life together. We haven’t gone away together since our honeymoon! Way overdue!
I want to apologize for my last ranting email. I was a little frustrated! I do believe that we’re meant to be parents, and despite all of the obstacles we will be. I have a neice on the way (any day now Julie!), and I sooo can’t wait. I won’t get to see her until she’s almost 6 months old, but after that she will know her Auntie Ta VERY well. I already have a wonderful nephew, Brandon, and how lucky I am! Now that the entire family (except for Pete, we’re working on him) is going to be in the New England area, we’ll be able to be that family who does brunch on sundays and gets the kids together on weekends. I can’t wait…things like that mean so much more to me these days. I want our kids to have cousins, uncles and aunties, grand-parents, and brother’s in-laws (that’s you, Jan, Ray and Brian!), all close by.
So here’s the summary for yesterday.
Only three needle jabs, again, but this time I understand. I requested the vein in my right hand since it’s pretty big. The nurse agreed, but turns out my veins are rolly-polly. After a few pokes she was wise and switched to another one before it blew. She went for one on the inside of my arm below my elbow and it worked like a charm. Now I know! And jab # three was for a blood draw for the CA-125 test. It’s a tumor marker/cancer-antigen test, but isn’t always that reliable. They’re basically looking for a huge jump in numbers. To give you an idea, below 35 is considered safe, and mine at first was 40, and then 49. Still pretty low, some women go up to the several hundreds. I’ll keep you all posted when I get the results. Speaking of blood results, my blood counts were all amazing! My WBC went from 3.2 last week to 6.8 with drugs! Normal range is 4.0 – 11.0. Before any chemo mine was 8.0…the doctor said whatever I’m doing keep it up. He’s amazed that I haven’t barfed or anything… I’m attributing it to expensive bottled water (with electrolytes and oxygen), a really healthy diet, and yoga. I actually did a 6 mile hike with the fam last weekend and felt as good as possible considering I’m out of shape. It’s the most I’ve done in 6 months, and it felt great. The yoga has been amazing too. I could just feel my body thanking me, especially after I managed to crack all of my vertebrae down my spine; that usually costs money! Highly recommend yoga to everyone!
Well, yesterday wasn’t perfect. I have to take lots of pre-meds to get my body ready. The night before I take 50 mg of benadryl along with 40 mg of decadron (dexamethasone), steroid. It kind-of feels like taking too much cold medicine, the decadron makes me jittery and my heart races (great for someone who has anxiety problems already) and the benadryl, well you know. So that I take at midnight, and then the next day at 8 am I do the same. Now the weird thing that’s been happening to me is my temp shoots up to around 100, and has done the same thing all 3 times. So this last time I got wise and took my temp the night before, and the morning of, before and after I took the pills. no temp at all. Sure enough, as soon as I get to the doctors office the nurse takes my temp and it’s 99.6. I told my onc, and he said it’s most likely the steroids (decadron) and will see about lowering my dose. I also asked him if there’s anything other than anxiety that would be making my heart race, which it does for days after the chemo, and again he said the steroids. Uggh, my little sensitive body! So right after they hook-up my IV I get another 20 mg of decadron and 50 mg of benadryl! This time I only get 10 mg of decadron, and hopefully it’ll make a difference. I still felt like a crack head. But I guess in the bog picture that’s not so bad. My mom and watched the hbo version of sex in the city…perfect.
The other thing I’m having a bit of trouble with is chemo-brain. Yes, it’s a real thing! A friend of mine sent me an article from med-page about a study they did on breast cancer survivors, and found that they had significant brain shrinkage during chemo! Fortunately after 3 years there were no detectable differences. My biggest problem is that I’m forgetting how to spell, even really simple words I sometimes have a hard time with. And I’ll get up to do something and completely forget what. I’ll listen to a voice message and 3 min. later forget who it was from! Not horrible i suppose, and maybe normal for some people, but I’m usually so on top of everything it’s strange for me. I may go get one of those brain-games like soduku, I believe they work. I think typing all the time helps too, so sorry if the blogs are getting long! It’s therapy! But, in a way, it’s not so bad. I’m such an over-thinker, and my brain is normally on hyper-drive, so I’m trying to think of it as a little brain vacation.
Tomorrow I’ll probably start to fell crummy, and Friday is usually my worst day. My mom brought her juicer so we’re going to get into that more…fresh pineapple/orange juice is amazing!
I’ll keep you all posted!
: )
Ta
3 down, one to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, 
4 comments)
11.07.06 - 
Thanks for your support -
Tanya – what a great post. It really gives us a better picture of what you have to do when taking chemo. and you are so positive, hiking, yoga, juicing. way to go. keep planning for that vacation and taking care of yourself. cheers!
It seems to me Tanya is doing more for me than me for her, is that correct English! I have de-stressed and “way too” relaxed. Time to juice, read, shop, exercise, swim in the outdoor pool, and paint. Ta loves hearing from everyone and so appreciates your encouraging words…she’s an amazing woman and will touch many others with her strength and encouragement…my precious daughter.
She now goes many places without her scarf and people love looking at her and her beauty, outside and within. Funny thing, when with Tanya at the hospital, they are trying to sell ME the wig. :-)
Tanya-You are such an inspiration. We are thinking and praying for you everday out here on the West Coast. My mom, dad, brothers, Aunt Chris and I would be there in a heartbeat for you if you need us. We are a day’s drive away. I still think of you when I drive past a palm tree; remembering when you came and visited in 5th grade…those were the days!
Your last treatment is on my Bday. Now you’ll really remember, hu. No presents it’s ok. Good luck, Alex