It's Taxol Time

Another exciting round of chemo here today at Ironwood Cancer and Research Center.  I took a vacation day, because for me, it's almost impossible to try to flex around a six hour infusion.  I have oncolgy nurse Julie this day.  I've gotten past the four premeds:  Aloxi, Decadron, Benadryl and famotidine.  The Taxol is not even half way through and it's 12:04.  Ai carumba.

I talked to Dr. Fastenberg this morning, and he said my white counts are coming up fine enough that we still won't do the Neulasta.  So tomorrow evening, I'll start on the Naprosyn and try to mitigate the pain a bit.  Also, he said that taking the Benadryl would be fine, so I'll have my sisters get me some and start taking it on Wednesday night.

I told him about the ocular migraines and he said if they started up again, we'd have to do a brain scan.  Not that he thinks this could be a cancer problem, but we would still have to check it out.  Esophageal cancer does Metastasize into the brain.

Dr. F does have me scheduled for another round of this chemo on the 12th of July, but some time before that I am supposed to have my CT, chest and abdomen.  We need to have some good news.  I really need to have some good news.

We were just having a fun conversation with some of the other chemo inmates.  Two of them were originally from Ohio, so we talked about snow.

Well, I'm really tired, and not feeling up to snuff, so I'm done for this post.

Be well, all... HUGS!

The Gift of Normal -- kinda

When you’ve been feeling absolutely awful, getting back to some semblance of normal is an amazing gift.  Though getting to sleep took some work, i.e. had to get up to drink some coconut water because I was getting foot cramps, once I got to sleep, it was blissfully uninterrupted until Mr. Sun showed up a little after 5AM.

Today, there is just sporadic pain, and I’m so much in a better place, mentally.  My plans for this evening:  Watch Master Chef, then go to bed.  Exciting, eh? :D  But I need to catch up on my rest, and sleep is so good for what ails you.  Now if it could only cure cancer. :P

Oh, and apparently, I am not the only person on earth that thinks Ned Stark (character from George RR Martin’s Game of Thrones) is a moron.  If you haven’t read the books nor seen the HBO series, you won’t get these, but .. oh yeah, they are right on.  Alas, there are only two more episodes for this book.  They are not going to be very happy ones, either.  Oh well.

Just got off the phone with my oncology nurse from Optum Health.  It's a new one, Patty.  I like her.  We talked about how to manage the pain, and I'm going to talk to Dr. F about taking some Benadryl on the Thursday following my infusion, and see what he thinks about that.  Man, I just don't want that damned pain killer nausea and vomiting again. :(

So, until next time, take care, sleep well, have happy dreams and be kind to someone random. :)

Greetings from Ironwood!

Jane and I have arrived at Ironwood Cancer and Research Center, and we are waiting for my oncology nurse to come by and begin the Benadryl before we hit the Herceptin.  It seems pretty quiet in here today.  But there is a group over here in the corner... one guy getting the chemo and an entourage of twenty-somethings providing encouragement. :)

It's an absolutely beautiful day today.  There is a cool breeze, and the car said it was 69 outside.  Lots of sunshine, although, there are supposed to be clouds coming in again.  We looked, but we don't see any.

So, I got in five and a half hours of work before we had to leave to come here, so I need to do two and a half more when I get home.  I'm so lucky that I can be flexible like this.

Wendy is doing clinicals at nursing school, now, and Kent's school of nursing has their own uniforms that the students must wear.  The problem is that Wendy's so tiny, it was hard for her to get uniform items that fit.  But supposedly, she now has pants that do fit.  So, Deano, I need a picture!  You give me a nice picture of Nurse Wendy in her fitting uniform, and I'll post it here on the blog.  Deal?

Still haven't seen a nurse yet.  But I'm sure one is on the way.  The meds have to come from the pharmacy, and the Herceptin has to be mixed, so that takes some time.  I'll post more later, but that's it for this post.

Love to all!

Infusing

And here we are at Ironwood, getting my Benadryl and getting woozy.  Here is my traditional chemo picture: 

LOOK! I think I detect CURL!  I should call Blanca and make an appointment for a trim.  I know it looks short enough, but it's growing in weirdly, and can use a little shaping up. :)

Oh, lordy, I had to pay my entire deductible when I got here today.  How had I forgotten it was a new year!?

Talking to Darita again, whose husband also works at Boeing.  We're so thankful for health insurance, despite the increase of the cost for us.

Well, the Benadryl is really hitting me today, so I'll close this post with a wish for great happiness to everyone that reads this blog.

A Nocturnal Visitor

Last night before bed, it was time to put my two chihuahuas out to take care of business.  I have to go out with them as well, or they will just stand at the door waiting to be let back in.

"Whoooo!  Who, who, whooooo!" 

In the drizzly night, the sound seemed to come from right in front of me, but I thought he might be in a palm tree about a block away.  I called Jane because truth be told, that whooooo sound was unnerving, and if as I suspected, he was a Great Horned Owl, he would be big enough to take one of my chihuahuas.  She brought the binoculars. :)

He did a bit more hooting, then he took flight, from the palm tree, silently swooping down to a smaller tree.  And there he sat in silhouette, his ear tufts prominent enough for identification.  He was a big boy, or she was a big girl. :)

The dogs finally did what doggies must do outside, and we all trooped back inside.  But the memory of that beautiful owl stayed with me until I fell asleep.

OH, and yes, this post is coming from Ironwood Cancer & Research Center, where I am getting my Benadryl.  Please note, I am wearing Jingle Bells in my ears.

And I am wooooooooooozy, so that's it for this post.  No word yet on the results of the echo of yesterday.

Love to all, and please, PEACE on Earth. :)

My first blog during chemo....

I was surprised to know that the MO wanted to see me pre-chemo, this morning.  I wasn't scheduled to see Dr. Fastenberg until next week.  It turns out that he had a HER2 check run on my pathology bits, and I am positive.  He says that's not a bad thing, but next week, we'll add Herceptin to my cocktail.  However, Herceptin has some unfortunate side effects, one of which is injury to your heart.  He says that's rare, though, and wants me to have a heart work-up soon.

We're not as crowded as last week, and today's oncology nurse is Julie.

I'll write more later.. the Benadryl is making me groggy.