New Pages!

Check out my New pages! They are almost finished. I just need to finish researching Alcohol & Breast Cancer linkage and Writing up some tips for the newly diagnosed.

<3 cait

Cough

I have had this annoying cough for a week. Apparently it's not Bronchitis if I don't have a fever. I never get a fever. Humph! Then please explain why I am coughing up green phlegm. I think that counts as an infection and a need for a Z-Pac, but nope no prescription. WTF WTF Since I am luckily allergic to codeine, no cough medicine for me & robotussin is not working.

I also am thinking about going to get a massage the day after chemo next week. I am going to TRY to drive myself there. If I can't drive, I am going to find some other stranded soul (who doesn't work) to drive me there. I hear massage or acupuncture helps. I do not want any more needles coming at me, so I am opting for a nice swedish massage. Maybe even a pedicure with my own tools. Boy that sounds nice...

Now, I am off to the gym to scare people in my head scarf again. I am sure it will scare them more when they see me running on the treadmill again and climbing hills. I bet they wonder how this "Cancer Chick" can still exercise more than 2/3 of the gym.

Being a Stubborn Patient

So far I have met two women in person whom have been through or are going through the same treatment as I am. I also text one of my YSC friends almost 2x a week & have a few girls on my facebook. This has been upmost helpful. It also helps me have an outlet to talk about treatment with someone who has been there & also to vent about our (sometimes silly) concerns. I think that I am just blessed to have these people in my life.

In other news, my hair has flown the coop. I am okay with this, now. It saves much more time. I also have 7 wigs to last me until my hair grows into a tolerable hair-do. I also love my scarves. I am not much for hats, I find them itchy. Scarves are super comfy & I can wear them when I workout (big plus there).

I also want to change my Taxol scheduling (4 treatments every 2 weeks is the same as 12 weekly treatments). I would rather the 4 treatments. I know doctors try to convince us out of stuff, but I am sticking my guns with this one, even if my doctor starts to hate me. My doctor is hesitant due to the amount of bone pain I can get and the length of the infusion.... I am going to talk to him about this. I think he finds me as the most stubborn, research oriented patient. O well. I have had 0 pain from Neulasta. Seriously, if this is anything like the bone pain from my knee injury last year, than Aleve and Icy Hot and Massages will be my best friend. Bone pain, shmone pain. If I have to be at treatment that long, then I can actually get through all these TV shows I have gotten into. O well, not changing my mind. I already put a call in to move up my surgery to April. I seriously just want cancer treatment to be done & out of my life.

Happy Kitty

Finally I feel like I am human again. I was able to do some light exercise today: 45min of slow hill climbing on my treadmill and some upper body weights. I also was able to eat human-sized portions of food and left my house. I called my doctor to discuss how this round seriously wiped me out for the count & this made me a sad, sad person. They are going to adjust my anti-nausea medications. I am also going to try to do what I did my first round to a T, which means like round 1, I need to wake up and exercise. Maybe there was some miracle in that 7am run back on Jan 3.... I will do anything to prevent the nightmare that ensued on Jan 17.

Today I went out and enjoyed the world. I also have been slowly shedding my hair, which is gross & annoying to say the least. I had my mom buzz it. (sorry no pictures of me without a hat or wig) I wore my first wig out today & I felt super pretty.

In the words of Sheldon Cooper...I was a "Happy Kitty"!

Bad Days

Supposedly my first infusion of EC is supposed to be the "worst", I am chalking that up to the majority. This last infusion was by far the hardest so far. It knocked me out all last night, had horrific nausea, and still has me crawling to my bed today. I plan on calling my doctor about this. Anything besides oatmeal, toast, gatorade, and saltines have cause me to get light-headed and dizzy, which has resulted in the ever common migraine and puking. So far the Compazine and Aleve are kind of doing their jobs, but I do not think its going to be much help if I get the spins again.

The Rosacea rash from the last infusion is coming back, which is a pain in the butt. I think it is from the IV Steroids. I have to go see my Primary Care doctor to get medication for this and for my ever cranky mood, as my oncologist wants to limit treatment providers and kinda mainstream everything through him, my primary doctor, plastic surgeon, and gynocologist. This will save me stress and less copay, which I am ever grateful for.

I planned to go back to work February 21, which sounds probable, but if this week is bad until Friday my doctor might want me to wait until March 2, after I start Taxol. Sometimes, or so I hear, the side-effects from EC are cumulative for the minority and just get damn worse.

In the meantime, I am going to lay down, watch Netflix and hope I have some energy later to go on a slow walk.

I think taunting the side-effects last week caused them to take revenge on me this time around.

Dear Chemo...

where are these nasty side-effects you keep bragging about....

I am waiting.

Day 1 after AC

Yesterday was my first chemo session. We did Adriamycin with Cytoxan, due to a lack of supply of Eprirubicin with Cytoxan. A & E are interchangeable, but supposedly A has worse cardiac side-effects. I will be using E during my next three infusions. The plan is ECx4/biweekly followed by Tx12/weekly. It is a much longer chemo than I wished, but I did my research & trust in my physician's instincts.

Before the chemotherapy was started I was infused with Emend & Aloxi (both anti-nauseas), Ativan (used as a muscle relaxant & anti-nausea) and IV steroids. I was also given oral Emend to take three days post chemo in the AM. Due to all the anti-nausea medications, I barely have much side effects. I am a little tired, have a headache and my skin is flushed, minor nausea, and no other issues. I feel like I have a mild case of the flu or I am hungover. I am going to drink more fluids and attempt to drive to the gym I think. If I can't make it to the gym, then I will just get my butt home.

So far, this is not too bad. 1 out of 16 down. LOL. Lets hope my veins hold up because I am not using a port.

Next week my plastic surgeon and I will negotiate when to do my Second - Stage of my exchange surgery. It will most likely be 3-4 weeks post-chemotherapy.

Starting Stage 3

After all that drama last week, I am finally starting chemotherapy today. Sloan dropped the ball & never called me to confirm receipt of test results. I felt like a forgotten, unimportant patient. I decided it is best to go with a doctor whom made time for me & I went back to my original physician at Virtua in NJ.

Wish me luck!