One down, three to go! I had my chemo today! Just Abraxane. The whole process took a lot longer than 1/2 hour. But there was a reason for that. I got added at the last minute and they had a packed day. There was no room at the inn when I got there. So we had to wait a while. But I need to digress...
Got to Dr. Mathia's around 10:30. Finally saw her around 11:25. She said everything looks great and she'll see me in 3 months. Then I had to call the infusion clinic to let them know I was in town and would be up there in about an hour. The Abraxane needs to be mixed up and then settled for about an hour, so they get that done before I come up, which is nice.
After lunch, we headed up to the hospital. Once a room opened up, we went back and they started the saline drip, then a steroid. Yes, steroids! Ugh. At least it wasn't Prednisone and it's only right before the chemo - not during the entire course of treatment. (They are going to PUMP ME UP!) Then I had the Abraxane (max dose, since no cytoxan was given with it). But the clinic was so full that my nurse (Dawn - who was absolutely wonderful!) had to run around working on everyone, so everything took longer than "normal." We got to the hospital around 12:30 and left a few minutes before 5. Wow. How long would it have taken had I had to have taxol or taxotere, which take a minimum of 3 hours to infuse???
Anyway, all went well. I didn't even have a bad taste in my mouth, which the nurse said had happened to others. And no nausea, which was another thing she said several patients experienced while there. I am just tired. But that's because I can't seem to get to bed before midnight! In fact, it's really Friday right now and I have disobeyed my husband's mandated 10:30pm curfew!! (Now that's a surprise, right?)
Oh, and I have to pick up my Neuprogen (not Neutrogen) tomorrow and inject it into myself. More fun. It just doesn't stop! Whoo-eee! :-) But I can deal with that. I get to pick up my real wig, too. (90% hair loss rate on Abraxane. So it's pretty definite my head will get some tan this summer!) I'll post pictures!
Next treatment: March 7, 2007 - 11am!
Friday, February 16, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The Little Girl and the Big Boys
Ok. I just have to put on some gratuitous kidlet pics. Especially of the little girl. (My nicknames for her are "the little girl" and "beauty queen.")The first one is from last month - it's The Little Girl with her Auntie Gale. Or should we call her little chunky cheeks!?! She gained 4 pounds and 4 1/2" in two months. Whew!
The next ones are of Brenden and Ian opening their Valentine cards from Grandma Jane. (Thank you, Grandma Jane!!!) They were so excited getting mail. Ian even opened his own. It was pretty funny, though. He opened the envelope, got the card out, and then ooohed over the front of the card, then flipped it over and ooohed over the back. He didn't open it until Brenden told him to.
This picture I took today. She's getting so big. She was trying to bounce herself in her megasaucer. And then she REALLY started bouncing! I couldn't believe it! Wow! Then I noticed that Brenden had his feet on it and was doing the bouncing. So she really isn't getting ready to try for the Olympics after all. What a let down. :-)The last two pictures are from Twistar's in Dewitt. Sean, Tess, Megan and her little sister Bethany, Brenden, Ian and Larra all went. Sean is one of Brenden's best friends from preschool. Mary, Sean's mom was nice enough to invite us to a play date. The kids all had a great time and we had pizza and cupcakes. Sean's birthday is only 3 days after Brendens!
The picture of Brenden is him and two girls he's never met - they were just other kids there at Twistar's. Too funny. And Ian was just running around like crazy. This picture is of him right before he crashed to the ground. He would run, then crash, and then roll over a couple of times before getting up and doing it again. Ah, to be young and have a body that can do that!
2007-02-14 Update
Happy Valentine's Day!
Well, tomorrow I get my first chemo treatment. It got switched from Friday to Thursday, since I am definitely getting the Abraxane. They said that I should be in and out in 2 hours! Wonderful. So I see my surgeon for my post-op in the morning, then head over to Mount Clemens General for the treatment after that. Woo-hoo. I must admit, I'm a little nervous!
With the Abraxane, I don't have to take Prednisone. Yippie! I hate that stuff! I've seen what it's done to my aunt and it's just awful. So I'm very thankful I won't have to have it. I will still loose my hair. Soooo...Suzanne and I went wig shopping on Saturday. (There's a pretty long story behind our "shopping," but that's another blog...) I found the perfect wig! It is so cool! Matter of fact, Suzanne is buying one, as well. I can't wait until we go out dancin'!
The kids love it. And no, I have not lost my hair yet - I'm just trying it out! And yes, I do have a "real" wig, or should I say, "cranial prosthesis" picked out. I was going to pick it up today, but didn't have time. Oh, well. That's what Friday is for. Speaking of Friday...one more yucky thing...I have to get a shot of Neutrogen the day after my chemo. It's an immune system booster kind of thing, to try to keep my white blood cell counts up, I believe. (Lessens the chance of me getting sick from Brenden bringing germs home from school and karate and such!)
Ok. I'm off to bed. Phil is insisting that I be to bed by 10:30. We'll see how well that goes. I really, really want to be in bed that early - it just never happens!
Well, tomorrow I get my first chemo treatment. It got switched from Friday to Thursday, since I am definitely getting the Abraxane. They said that I should be in and out in 2 hours! Wonderful. So I see my surgeon for my post-op in the morning, then head over to Mount Clemens General for the treatment after that. Woo-hoo. I must admit, I'm a little nervous!
With the Abraxane, I don't have to take Prednisone. Yippie! I hate that stuff! I've seen what it's done to my aunt and it's just awful. So I'm very thankful I won't have to have it. I will still loose my hair. Soooo...Suzanne and I went wig shopping on Saturday. (There's a pretty long story behind our "shopping," but that's another blog...) I found the perfect wig! It is so cool! Matter of fact, Suzanne is buying one, as well. I can't wait until we go out dancin'!
The kids love it. And no, I have not lost my hair yet - I'm just trying it out! And yes, I do have a "real" wig, or should I say, "cranial prosthesis" picked out. I was going to pick it up today, but didn't have time. Oh, well. That's what Friday is for. Speaking of Friday...one more yucky thing...I have to get a shot of Neutrogen the day after my chemo. It's an immune system booster kind of thing, to try to keep my white blood cell counts up, I believe. (Lessens the chance of me getting sick from Brenden bringing germs home from school and karate and such!)Ok. I'm off to bed. Phil is insisting that I be to bed by 10:30. We'll see how well that goes. I really, really want to be in bed that early - it just never happens!
Monday, February 5, 2007
2007-02-05 Update
Whoo-hoo! Great news! My surgeon's office called today to let me know that all the tissue they removed was just fine! News a day early and good to boot. Gotta like that!
Now, I just have to go see her February 15th for a post-op check on my port. I'm sure she'll tell me then when I can start chemo.
Now, I just have to go see her February 15th for a post-op check on my port. I'm sure she'll tell me then when I can start chemo.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
2007-02-01 Update
Well, I am back home after surgery today. I don't feel too bad. I had more tissue removed from the left side and a port put in the right side. All seemed to go well. The anesthesia has made me so very, very tired, of course. I'm going off to bed when I'm done here!
We got to the hospital around 10:45. I needed to be there by 11:30. For once we were not just on time, but significantly early! :-) And I had thought we were going to be late, but we had no traffic problems and a smooth drive. They got me right in and ready for surgery as soon as I walked in the door. They even seemed to be in a huge rush - which seemed odd since it was over 1/2 hour earlier than when it was supposed to be. Guess they had a cancellation right before my surgery, so they just moved everything up.
As we were pulling in to the parking lot, I mentioned the port to Phil. I had forgotten about getting that done. Well - the doctor forgot, too! All my paperwork just had further removal of left breast tissue listed. But the doc was there, so she added it to the forms. Guess it was good there was a cancellation, so she had time to do the port, too.
Phil said Dr. Mathia (Dr. Mathia-Oztalay...she is dropping the Oztalay part) told him all went well and she didn't see any suspect tissue. I'll get the path results next Tuesday, I guess. Then I get to see her again for my post-op visit on February 15th, where I'm sure she'll let me know when I can begin chemo.
Phil told me the surgery took a little over 2 hours. I went in around 12:20. Boy, those drugs work fast! I remember kissing him goodbye and the next thing I knew I was talking (only slightly) to one of the recovery room nurses. Phil said I took more time in recovery than in surgery! Well...I kind of did that on purpose! he he. I milked it for every minute. I was so tired from not getting any sleep, and I knew they'd kick me out as soon as I was "with it" so I just slept a bit and wouldn't open my eyes. They were wonderful - I'm sure they knew I could be kicked out of there any time, but they let me rest. Since I had hardly said a word, the nurse told the guy that came to take me back to my room, "She does talk. Really." (Ok. I know. I can hear the comments now. It's something none of you will believe. Me, not talking? Yeah, right!)
Even back in the room to change back into my clothes, they let me take my time and sit in a chair for what must have been over an hour. So very different from when I had surgery on my leg! Man, once I was out of recovery from that, they were pretty much shoving me out the door. I remember one of the nurses getting mad and yelling at me when I fell back to sleep sitting in the chair. (Hey - it's not my fault they recline!)
So, here I am home again. Got back in town and picked up a prescription for Compazine to help me keep the Vicodin down, if I need to take it. Got sick while waiting for the prescription, but after that I felt great. Even ate a ton of food when we got home (which I probably should not have done, but I was starving, for crying out loud!). I think the anesthesiologist used Toradol on me. I won't be getting that again. It did great for the pain, and I really wasn't as sick as I have been using other medications, but, like Darvoset, I was trippin'! Such interesting images flashing through my head. A baby giraffe sitting in front of me. A blue and green mini-van (thanks, Suz, for the colors) pulling out in front of us. Some old, thin man with really, really, really long fingers cleaning our windshield - first on the driver's side, then on the passenger's side. WOW. I have an incredible imagination!!!
Ok. I'm off to take a Vicodin and head for bed. Hopefully I won't be having any strange nightmares. And thank heavens for our parents! I don't know what I'd do with out my Mom (get well, Mom!) and Mum Quack! They help out with the kids all the time! Mom takes them when I have appointments in Marshall and Detroit. Mum Q. takes them sometimes and is here tonight to help with the kids, so I can rest in a drug-induced coma-like state for a few hours!! :-)
We got to the hospital around 10:45. I needed to be there by 11:30. For once we were not just on time, but significantly early! :-) And I had thought we were going to be late, but we had no traffic problems and a smooth drive. They got me right in and ready for surgery as soon as I walked in the door. They even seemed to be in a huge rush - which seemed odd since it was over 1/2 hour earlier than when it was supposed to be. Guess they had a cancellation right before my surgery, so they just moved everything up.
As we were pulling in to the parking lot, I mentioned the port to Phil. I had forgotten about getting that done. Well - the doctor forgot, too! All my paperwork just had further removal of left breast tissue listed. But the doc was there, so she added it to the forms. Guess it was good there was a cancellation, so she had time to do the port, too.
Phil said Dr. Mathia (Dr. Mathia-Oztalay...she is dropping the Oztalay part) told him all went well and she didn't see any suspect tissue. I'll get the path results next Tuesday, I guess. Then I get to see her again for my post-op visit on February 15th, where I'm sure she'll let me know when I can begin chemo.
Phil told me the surgery took a little over 2 hours. I went in around 12:20. Boy, those drugs work fast! I remember kissing him goodbye and the next thing I knew I was talking (only slightly) to one of the recovery room nurses. Phil said I took more time in recovery than in surgery! Well...I kind of did that on purpose! he he. I milked it for every minute. I was so tired from not getting any sleep, and I knew they'd kick me out as soon as I was "with it" so I just slept a bit and wouldn't open my eyes. They were wonderful - I'm sure they knew I could be kicked out of there any time, but they let me rest. Since I had hardly said a word, the nurse told the guy that came to take me back to my room, "She does talk. Really." (Ok. I know. I can hear the comments now. It's something none of you will believe. Me, not talking? Yeah, right!)
Even back in the room to change back into my clothes, they let me take my time and sit in a chair for what must have been over an hour. So very different from when I had surgery on my leg! Man, once I was out of recovery from that, they were pretty much shoving me out the door. I remember one of the nurses getting mad and yelling at me when I fell back to sleep sitting in the chair. (Hey - it's not my fault they recline!)
So, here I am home again. Got back in town and picked up a prescription for Compazine to help me keep the Vicodin down, if I need to take it. Got sick while waiting for the prescription, but after that I felt great. Even ate a ton of food when we got home (which I probably should not have done, but I was starving, for crying out loud!). I think the anesthesiologist used Toradol on me. I won't be getting that again. It did great for the pain, and I really wasn't as sick as I have been using other medications, but, like Darvoset, I was trippin'! Such interesting images flashing through my head. A baby giraffe sitting in front of me. A blue and green mini-van (thanks, Suz, for the colors) pulling out in front of us. Some old, thin man with really, really, really long fingers cleaning our windshield - first on the driver's side, then on the passenger's side. WOW. I have an incredible imagination!!!
Ok. I'm off to take a Vicodin and head for bed. Hopefully I won't be having any strange nightmares. And thank heavens for our parents! I don't know what I'd do with out my Mom (get well, Mom!) and Mum Quack! They help out with the kids all the time! Mom takes them when I have appointments in Marshall and Detroit. Mum Q. takes them sometimes and is here tonight to help with the kids, so I can rest in a drug-induced coma-like state for a few hours!! :-)
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