Relieved and Reprieved - Chemo Day 4

I guess I should actually be calling this Chemo Week 4. This week there were no changes in the chemo. The oncologist wasn't there and she did not want to make any changes unless she was there. So they did not increase the dosage and they did not add in the oxaliplatin. So for this week I got a reprieve. However, on Wednesday I did experience my first bout of naseau. It was only slight, but none-the-less, uncomfortable. I also spent most of Wednesday sleeping, but this is becoming the norm for the day after chemo.

When I left the office Monday, the oncology nurse said, "See you next week, then we will probably add in the oxali." "Yeah", I said. "That's when the party begins." to which she nicely replied with a smile!

The oncology nurses are great, Shannon, Cathy, Tricia and Ruth. Actually, the whole office staff is very nice! They make me feel comfortable and they are genuinely concerned with my welfare.

Anyway, that is week 4.

Time marches on...Sherri

Memorial Day 2008

As the weekend stretches out, please take a moment between your yard work, hot dogs and hamburgers and whatever else your plans are for this weekend, to remember those who have given their lives so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have today.

It actually saddens me to know that the principles this great country was built on are being so sorely compromised by these very freedoms. As I reflect upon the words at the base of the Statue of Liberty; Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.Send these — the homeless, tempest-tossed — to me;I lift my lamp beside the Golden Door, it saddens me to know that the reasons so many have sought our shores, the freedoms that we are so lucky to have, are now being compromised by these same peoples who want to change the "American" way of life into what they left behind. If what they left behind was so wonderful, why are they here?

This is America, we speak American and we believe in the American way of life. We believe that our country was formed as "One nation Under God", we believe in waving the American flag, and singing the National Anthem, we believe in baseball and apple pie.

However, please remember that the "American" way of life came with a price tag. For all of those who fought the brave fight to keep this way of life, thank you. To those who died defending this way of life, I remember and honor you.

Freedom is Not Free, God Bless and Keep America.

Sherri

I get a B- Chemo week 3

By that I mean I am up to 80% of the chemo drug. The doctor upped me from 60% to 80% due to the fact that I am holding my own and not having major side effects. I have experienced major tiredness and I am still having the burning watery eyes, but that I can live with. All though the tiredness did last longer this week. Of course the lovely rainy weather didn't help spark any energy either! My blood counts are holding and my iron level is coming up, so all is good. I do have to go this morning and have blood counts done again. This is to make sure everything is staying where it should after the increase and also because next week, if all is still well, they want to add in the oxaliplatin.

And that is when things could get exciting!

Sherri

http://www.answers.com/topic/oxaliplatin?cat=health

Should I Get a Refund...

What is "But, You Don't Look Sick"?

You almost feel as if you should apologize for not looking different or sick. I find it interesting that people who haven't seen me are expecting me to somehow look different. That is what happens when you have an invisable disease.

Chemo Day 2
Aside from the rainy, windy miserable day, my second treatment on Monday, 5/12/08, went well. They increased the dosage to 60% and so far I have had no major side effects. It seems that I get tired at the drop of a hat, like a wave coming over me and I have to sleep. The appetite isn't the best and I have been experiencing some light headedness along with some dizziness (no comments, please). But I make myself eat, and the rest comes from having low iron. I am taking iron supplements (750mgs per day) and my red blood cell count is coming up slowly, but is still below normal. The only other side effect which I find to be the most bothersome, is having watery, burning eyes. The doctor looked at me strangely when I mentioned this to her, but it has happened with both treatments. Maybe it is coincidence with allergy season. Time will tell.

So, that is how the 2nd chemo treatment went. Hopefully all future treatments follow the same path.

Sherri

Brighton Beach Memoirs

Why this title you may ask? I remembered this movie while riding home from Allura Wig Salon today. Now I may not need a wig, I may not lose my hair, but I don't want to walk around all wispy with 3 or 4 strands attached to my scalp either. So like the Boy Scouts, I am prepared. Now what does all of this have to do with Brighton Beach Memoirs? For those of you who are not familiar with this movie, or the play (both by Neil Simon), it is a story of coming of age in New York in 1937. Young Eugene Jerome lives with his parents and some of his extended family, one of whom is his Aunt Blanche whose husband died of ((((cancer)))) 6 years prior to the start of the story.

1937, a year when people still whispered the word ((((cancer)))), as if saying it out loud would bring the dreaded disease to their doorstep, like the final plague of Egypt (Exodus 11:1-12:36).

So, I got to wondering, how far will people go to avoid saying the word ((((cancer))))? I tried to Google slang words for ((((cancer)))) and couldn't really find any other than the "Big C" or the "C Word". I guess it has been whispered for so long, that slang hasn't had a chance to develop. Now mind you, I am not making light of this indiscriminate opportunist, but I am keeping light hearted.

My theory is this, if I say the word out loud, and show others that I can talk about this monster that has taken up residence in my body, than maybe they will be comfortable talking to me. Please be comfortable talking to me about this and how I feel, I really don't mind! When you think about it, most of us have a family member or know someone who has, had or died from ((((cancer)))).

Three and 1/2 years ago when I had my first colonoscopy and 9 benign polyps were removed, I was told to come back in 3 years. Now they are telling people with the same results to come back in one year. The standard protocol then is outdated now. The medical profession has learned from people like me. Am I angry, NO! Do I hope that my diagnosis makes it better for others in the future, YES! Do you need any other reason to make an appointment for YOUR colonoscopy?

When I had my gastric bypass, I was not one to regret it, or ever ask "What did I do to myself" ?and I am not now one to ask "Why me" ? I will continue to live my life as normally as possible until I can't.

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross defined the stages of grief as Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. They don't necessarily happen in that order, some never happen and sometimes several happen at the same time. This can apply not only to the one who is afflicted, but to the ones who love them too. It is normal.

((((Cancer)))) is a lot of things to a lot of people. It brings forth many feelings and emotions. Let yourself feel them, work through them. I know I am, I have too. Just remember, at the end of the rainbow is the pot of gold!

By the way, if you didn't grow up when I did with all of my family, you won't recognize the picture at the top. All of "us" will. For those who don't, Breton Woods was our Brighton Beach, drama, laughter and all! I found this picture on Google Images, a bit before our time, but if you took that old car out of the picture, it sure looks like the old club house I remember!

Eugene Morris Jerome:
I'm putting all this down in my memoirs, so if I grow up twisted and warped, the world will know why.

That's All Folks, Sherri

"Cocktailed"

I don't think after Monday I will ever think of a "cocktail" the same again. Not that I am a big drinker or even a connoisseur of what it takes to make a good cocktail, one glass of wine and I'm done. But now "cocktail" does have a whole new meaning to me. Dictionary.com does define cocktail as various mixed drinks consisting of rum, vodka, gin...etc., also mixed with fruit juices or flavorings. Further on in the definition it also defines it as a solution concocted of various drugs...aha.. enter in chemotherapy. By no means was this an unpleasant experience, no awful smells (not that I would be aware of them anyhow), no problems with conversation and gee, cell phones were even functioning. BUT, I was not the recipient of the "cocktail". I'm not sure what I really expected. I kept asking Sherry if she felt anything different or weird, I know she didn't look any different or weird (except when her eye suddenly started itching, but then she just put her glasses on to stop the eye strain). I probably got "mother henish" with her to a point because I just kept thinking something would happen, maybe she would glow or float or forget who I was. But fortunately I just had an over active imagination about all that stuff. After all, this was the first time I ever sat with someone receiving a chemotherapy treatment.

It's the kind of cocktail that I hope most of you never have to experience. However, it is the "cocktail" that will stop the dreaded cancer from finding a new address in Sherry and extend her quality of life and her years longer than any of us know. So you see I would never before have associated the word "cocktail" with hope, therefore I will never think of it the same again.

Happy Cinco de Mayo - - Day 1 Chemo

I thought I would share some famous dates, birthdays and events in history that share today's date:

Oyster Day
Museum Day
Alan Shepard becomes first American in space, 1961
First US Train robbery in Ohio, 1865
Karl Marx born 1818
Tammy Wynette born 1942
National Hoagie Day
Totally Chipotle Day
Make-up Junkie Day
Join Hands Day
Cartoonists Day

Cinco de Mayo

Quite an interesting list, but I need to add one more to famous events on this day in history:

Sherri's first day of chemotherapy.

All in all it went well. The treatment took about 2 hours and began with a 10 minute infusion of an anti-naseau drug, then a 1 hour infusion of Leucovorin (folinic acid, a vitamin), then the IV push of the 5FU (50% solution) followed up with another hour of the Leucovorin. I felt fine throughout the whole process.

I did have some minor side effects later in the day that I noticed and noted. The first thing I noticed was that my vision was a little more blurred than usual when I wasn't wearing my glasses and my eyes were very sensitive to the sunlight. Sort of like when the eye doctor puts drops in your eyes to dilate them. The second thing I experienced was when I laid down to rest later this afternoon. I laid on my back and closed my eyes, oh boy, dizzy (no comments please!). All I had to do was open my eyes and it was gone. The third thing I noticed was early this evening, around 6:30 PM out of nowhere came this wonderfully delightful yucky taste in my mouth. That is still with me but not as strong as at first.

So now, as I get ready to call it a night, I am thankful to have my first day of chemo under the belt. Tomorrow is another day, Scarlet!

Sherri