3 down, 1 to go

Well I've just finished my third round of chemo. I'm a little tired, but so far not too many other horrible side effects. My mood is good and I've watched so many movies this week. I've been taking it super easy all week long so that I will have the energy to do all the exciting things I have planned for this Christmas season.

My last chemo cycle will be in January. As of right now, I am planning to take the winter intersession off from school so that I am fully recovered and ready to go for the Spring semester. And then on to graduation in May!

I'm also planning to have the colostomy reversed over the Spring Break, but that too is subject to change. I'm thinking it would be a good idea to be ready to go to work as soon as I graduate, rather than still having health issues to take care of.

Well my Christmas tree is up, and plans are to have Christmas at my house this year. Now I just have to get the gifts wrapped. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Best week in months

Well I've just had the best week since I found out I have cancer. I've been feeling almost like my normal self again. I've had energy, and I've been joking and smiling almost every day since Thanksgiving. It really makes me feel like I am going to truly survive the cancer treatment and return to my normal life.

Next Monday, the 8th, I start the third cycle of chemo. I've done so much this past week so that I can really take it easy once the treatment starts up. I plan to sit on the couch, watch videos and DVDs, and eat homemade applesauce and potato soup. I'm going to really take it easy this time through so that hopefully the recovery period will be shorter.

Classes are almost done for this semester. I can't believe how fast the semesters fly by! I'll be done with cancer, chemo, the ostomy, and school before I know it.

I'm really looking forward to this Christmas. It is going to be a simple one this year without all the extravagent gifts. Tomorrow my tree goes up and I can't wait to get out the ornaments and decorate.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Finally feeling good again and more...

Well once again that last round of chemo kind of kicked my butt. I was so tired and got to the point that I was starting to get depressed with all of this cancer treatment. My oncologist suggested that I talk to my primary doctor about anti-depressants so I did and that has really helped. I guess it is fairly normal for cancer patients to get depressed with everything we have to go through.

Well I'm feeling much better now but I've had a really busy week so I haven't had time to do some of the things I normally do. Last Monday I finally finished up my 5000 word paper that was due for my nursing class. What a relief to have that done. Now I just have to wait for the grade, and I'm hoping I did well on it.

Then along came Thanksgiving and I went on a cleaning spree. It was nice to finally have the energy to get some very needed cleaning done. My boyfriend and brother came over for Thanksgiving and we had a wonderful time. I hope everyone else had a good Thanksgiving too. I spent Friday recovering from my cleaning spree and Thanksgiving because I still get kind of tired with all that extra energy expenditure, but Saturday I was back to cleaning. I cleared out lots of space in my kitchen and bedroom and have lots of stuff to donate to the Salvation Army tomorrow.

Today I've been catching up on homework for my race and ethnicity class. I've made a huge dent in my homework and will definitely be caught up before class tomorrow. This semester has flown by and I'm glad that I've been able to keep up with it.

I didn't realize how devastating cancer could be before going through it myself but I am almost through with the chemo treatments. Two more cycles to go, one in December and the last in January. I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of it though. I just have to be sure to take it super easy during the week that I have chemo and then wait about 5 days afterwards before I get any sort of energy back.

I'm beginning to look forward to the Christmas season now. My mother, sister, niece, and I have plans to spend a few days together celebrating being together with family. That's what Christmas is all about anyway if you ask me.

Have a great week!

Round 2 is finished

Just a quick update. I finished the second round of chemo last Friday and I've decided chemo really is no fun at all. I finally feel better again today. I spent the last few days trying to force myself to eat and drink because I didn't want to end up in the hospital again. The chemo really took it out of me this time, but I only have 2 more rounds to go. I'm thinking I am going to make it through this after all. I just have to make it through January now, and that's right around the corner.

Halfway through Chemo Round 2

I started feeling much better last week. I guess my body really needed some extra time to get over the surgery and chemo. Lots more time than I expected.

I started my chemo week last Monday. So far so good. I feel a little more tired than I had, but not too bad so far. The only real problem I have is with the Decadron they give me before the start the chemo infusion. It's a steriod and one of the side effects it has on me is that it makes it difficult for me to stay asleep, even with the sleep medication my doctor prescribed. Oh well, it's only for one week.

Last Saturday I got to see my niece. She came up from college for the weekend and we had a very nice visit. I got to eat at my favorite Mexican restaurant, and we sat around and talked, looked at photos, and discussed photography. She has decided to minor in photography.

Sunday, Chris and I went to the Fungus Fair at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. We also took a short walk down the Embarcadero so I could take some photos of the Bay Bridge and stuff. It was really nice being able to get out and do a few things. We also ate at the Delancey Street Bistro at Brannon and Embarcadero. We got there between lunch and dinner, so they only had a limited menu available, but the food was excellent and the prices for San Francisco were great. I would definitely go back there again and again. Oh and free parking on Sundays. That's definitely a plus in San Francisco!

After my chemo treatment today, I am going to the beach to watch the sunset with one of my cancer buddies. We both need to start getting out more and doing some fun things. This cancer stuff has been going on too long for us now, and it is really starting to affect our moods. It keeps getting harder and harder to stay positive with all of the side effects and time we have put into fighting this awful disease.

Looking forward to the weekend, but have a great rest of the week.

Feeling Good!

Hello again everyone. This has been a very good week overall. I had class all day on Monday, and in addition, I spent a lot of time walking all over campus. I finally gave in and decided to drop my History of Religion class. After all the time I spent in the hospital, I was really feeling too far behind to ever catch up. It was an online class and Kaiser doesn't have internet access at the hospital. That's really about the only bad thing I can say about Kaiser though, so I'm not complaining.

Tuesday I was pretty tired from all the walking the day before, but I gave myself the day off and let my body recover from all the exercise. I watched the election results roll in all day as I dozed in and out of sleep. Overall I was very happy with the election, but I'm wondering what people were thinking on some of the issues and that's all I'm going to say about politics.

Wednesday and Thursday were fairly productive. I got a lot of studying and reading done, and it was nice. Friday, however, was fantastic! I really almost felt like my old self again. I was able to go and volunteer and it didn't wear me out. Then afterwards, the volunteer department had a fabulous holiday luncheon for all of the volunteers. The food was great, as was the company.

I did have an appointment with my oncologist yesterday too. We discussed several things, but I was really happy to find out the the 6 mm spot on my lungs has not changed in the past 4 months, which pretty much rules out any chance of it being cancerous. We also discussed this next round of chemo that I will be starting on Monday. This time we are going to be proactive about monitoring my WBC counts to make sure I don't end up in the hospital again. I also had to let the doctor know that if the chemo puts me in the hospital again, I don't think I have it in me to finish the last two rounds. All of this is preventative anyway, and not curative, so sometimes with cancer treatment, the negative outweighs the positive and it's just not worth it anymore. Besides, I'm already cancer free.

I'm really looking forward to seeing my niece today! She went away to college in September, but she's coming to the area for a quick weekend visit. We're going to have lunch and play with her new camera. Should be lots of fun. Well actually, it will definitely be lots of fun.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Happy Halloween!

Things keep getting a little better everyday. I guess it's baby steps, but I'll take any improvement I can get right now. Monday I returned to school after a long absence due to the hospitalization. It was a long day, but I survived it. That was the most activity I've been able to tolerate all week, but I feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel now.

We are starting to get some rain and clouds here. It will be nice to see Northern California turn green again. Hopefully it will continue for a little while longer.

I am beginning to adapt better and better to the colostomy. All of my surgical wounds have healed too. I think that this experience will definitely make me a better nurse in the long run. I'll have so much personal experience to draw upon. I'm even thinking that I would probably make a very good WOC nurse after this is all over with.

I was supposed to be finishing my second round of chemo this week, but following the hospitalization my doctors did not think that was advisable. I have another week for my body to continue healing up and then will return for chemo on November 10 through 14. That will be my second of 4 rounds, and now it is looking like I will be finishing up the chemo in the middle of January. I hope this round doesn't knock me on my butt like the last one did, but I probably had the last chemo too soon after surgery and my body didn't have the resources to deal with it.

Have a happy Halloween all and take care.....

Getting better, Saturday

I thought I should write a quick note to let everyone know how things are going. I am beginning to feel better today and get some strength back. I think part of my exhaustion upon arriving home had to do with all of the interrupted sleep over the course of my extended hospital stay. I've gotten 3 nights of good sleep and am beginning to feel like a person again. What a relief! I was really starting to get pretty down about all of this cancer treatment and just not feeling good, but things are finally looking up again.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! I'm gonna try and do the same.....

Finally Home!

Well I've just returned from an extended stay at Kaiser. Got home yesterday after 10 days in the hospital from a surgical complication. I was having some pain from a fluid pocket that was pressing on my lower spine and I had gotten dehydrated. Eveything was going right through me regardless of how much I drank. I've still got a few issues that Home Health will be helping me with, but I feel much better.

It was hard staying in the hospital that long. Once they got me rehydrated in the emergency room, I was ready to go home but they knew I wasn't ready. My kitties missed me so much and I missed them too. They are still demanding attention, even after I've been home about 24 hours.

Just wanted to give you all a quick update. I'm going to take a break and maybe take a nap now.

Getting better again....

I've turned the corner again. After a good night of sleep and a little more time away from the chemo, I'm starting to feel much better. Today I'm actually able to hold down more liquids and some more solid foods. It actually doesn't hurt to eat today. Wow! Who knew rice tasted so good! I'm actually feeling like I might be up to actually doing something today. Yippee!

Well that's all for now. Just thought I'd let everyone know I'm doing much better than I was last time I posted.

I can't wait until this is all over with........

Well I have finished round 1 of my 4 post-surgery rounds of chemo. I now have 3 weeks off of chemo before I get the next round. Let me tell you that this round of chemo really ended up knocking me on my butt. I was doing good up until Thursday of last week, still energetic and eating whatever I felt like eating. Friday things started going downhill.

This time the chemo has me totally exhausted. Part of that of course may be the fact that I'm having it so soon after my surgery, but I really need to get on with the treatments. School and the economy are basically my driving factors right now. I can't afford to stay unemployed much longer the way things are going these days.

I'm having trouble keeping food down, and the only food I can keep down is not really all that healthy for me. You know vanilla ice cream, Sprite, cheddar cheese, and mashed potatoes isn't the best diet, but I'm hoping that will change soon. I can't even stomach the thought of green vegetables and fruits right now. I'm sure part of the exhaustion I'm feelling is dehydration too. I'm used to gulping down a 1/2 liter of propel or water, but right now I'm lucky to hold down sips of Sprite and propel. That and the chemo is giving me diarrhea too which also adds to dehydration.

I've had to stop my walks around the pool over the past couple of days too. I'm a little shaky on my feet right now and I sure don't want to fall in the pool at this time of year.

I'm trying to keep my spirits up, and I know that this part of the treatment and its side effects will soon pass. I'm sure I will be more upbeat in a couple of days and I will try to post again then so you know that it's not all bad over here.

Have a wonderful week.

Almost Finished with 1 Round of Chemo

Well this past Monday I started the chemo again. I'm having the same side effect that I had last time at the beginning when I started the 5-FU drug.....I'm waking up super early in the morning after only 5-6 hours of sleeping and I can't get back to sleep. I also have the slight queasiness that I wouldn't quite call nausea, but the Zofran seems to be controlling that pretty well. Today I've been up since 4 AM. I've already done 35 laps around the pool (walking), fixed breakfast, and started studying.

I went to see the surgeon again yesterday to see if she could figure out why I have been having rectal area pain over the past couple of weeks. She has no idea what is causing it, but I do get to go for yet another CT scan that may shed some light on the situation. The surgeon did remark that she was really impressed that I had already returned to school so soon after surgery. Aside from that pain, everything else seems to be healing up nicely and I am fairly pain-free otherwise.

I can't believe it has already been almost 4 weeks since I had my surgery. This has been the week that my energy level seems to be increasing the most. I feel like I'm almost ready to return to the gym, but I will be taking it really slowly when I do. It's supposed to start raining out here this week too and right now I really don't feel like doing my walking outside in the rain.

Well once again it is time to stop procrastinating and get back to the studies. I need to get some reading done before I go in for my chemo this morning. Weekend's almost here though....have a great one!!!

Sunday again

It's been a little over 3 weeks since I had surgery now. I am slowly adjusting to all the changes in my life. I guess I should start out with the good news, the surgeon got the pathology report back and there was no sign that the cancer had spread and it appears that they were able to get all of the cancer out. Some days I have trouble remembering the good news, but overall I'm doing fine.

I can't believe how weak I am, but then I've never had major surgery before and didn't quite realize what to expect. I am working on getting some strength back by walking every morning. I started out walking 10 laps around my pool and I am now up to 25 laps. I also try to get out of the house at least once a day to do something.

I have home health nurses visiting me 3 times a week. The abdominal incision started pulling apart very slightly shortly after they took the staples out. There were three little spots that had to be repacked to make sure that they healed correctly. As of last Thursday, I only had one spot that was still slightly open.

One of the nurses that visits me one of those days each week is a WOC nurse (Wound Ostomy Continence). She is wonderful and has provided me with a ton of resources. I have to admit that when I awoke from surgery to find that I had a temporary colostomy I was devastated. I have struggled to keep it in my head that it is only temporary (6 months), and I am trying to see the positive in this. I know that it will have a positive effect on my future nursing practice for sure.

Tomorrow I start chemo again. I have to go in 5 times a week for one week out of each of the next four months. This is to kill any of the stray cancer cells that may still be floating around in my body before they have a chance to take hold or form a new tumor. I'm not too worried about the chemo because it is the same drug that I had last time when I did the chemo and radiation and I don't think that it caused me any major problems. I'll probably just have some slight nausea and a little tiredness, but that's okay. It's more of an inconvenience than anything else, having to go to the hospital and wait while they infuse it.

I have returned to school for the fall semester, but I am not doing the same nursing classes and clinicals that the rest of my classmates are doing. I have 2 upper division GE classes that I need to get out of the way in order to graduate, and a critical thinking nursing class. One of the classes is online, and the other two only meet on Mondays so my schedule is quite manageable. I am still planning on being able to graduate in May of 2009 with a few of my classmates that did not consolidate their last 2 semesters.

I guess I had a lot to say since I haven't been on to update my friends in quite some time. Okay now it is time for me to get serious about studying and stop procrastinating. Have a great week everyone and I will do my best to do the same.

I'm Home.....

.....and in record time. Surgery went very well. My doctor said that the chemo and radiation had worked very well and that the tumor had been shrunk to about a half inch. I was up walking the day after surgery, and I had the IV out and was eating solid foods by the third day. The only restrictions I have now are not to lift more than 20 pounds. I am still tired though and will have to update more later when I am up to it.

It's Surgery Day!

I'm all ready to go to the hospital and get this tumor removed. Everything is packed up and now I'm just waiting for it to be time to leave. Surgery is scheduled for 10:30 AM PDT but I have to be there at 8:30. They say it's a 2 hour surgery and I should be up and walking around soon. Only problem is I can't eat solid food for 3 days. Darn! I haven't had solid food already since Wednesday.

Wish me luck, say a prayer, or keep me in your thoughts today.....whichever works for you.

Last Day before Surgery

Well surgery will be tomorrow in the morning so I've been finishing up all sorts of odds and ends today. I've calmed down a bit since Tuesday but now I'm beginning to get a little nervous again. So much to do and so little time.

Tuesday was a really bad day for me between all the doctor appointments and then hearing the news that Matt Garcia was shot. Matt Garcia was one of Fairfield's city council members, and the youngest ever at 21. He spoke at the Relay for Life event that we had here in Fairfield. Not only that, but he is the son of a very good friend of mine.

My niece is here with me today. We've already been out to Rush Ranch for a carriage ride, to the mall for school supplies, and then to the gym for our workouts.

Surgery should begin about 10:30 tomorrow morning.

Labor Day Weekend

I know I haven't been on to update people lately but I've kind of been in limbo. I have finished the first stage of treatments and have slowly been building my energy back up. I was actually surprised at how wiped out I was from the chemo and radiation.

I spent last week in San Francisco and on the coast with my mother. It was a very laid back and lazy trip because I was still so very tired. It was such a nice place to relax though. I fell asleep a few times just sitting in a chair meditating and watching the waves crash against the rocks below.

This week I have been much better. I went and joined a new gym on Monday and have been enjoying working out on the treadmill as well as in the pool. I'm running out of time though to get back into shape before surgery.

I'm taking a mini vacation this weekend to go explore a couple state parks up in the Sierra Foothills with Chris. It has really been tough for me to go through the summer without several vacations planned. Oh well, life on life's terms and one day at a time is really how it has gone for me.

Next Tuesday, the 2nd, I have several doctor's appointments to prepare for surgery on the 5th. I've been getting very nervous the past few days about the surgery. I've never had any surgery this major and I am a little scared right now. I'm pretty confident though that I have a couple of great surgeons, as well as a great oncologist, so every thing should work out just fine.

Once the surgery is finished, I will be beginning chemo again, one week per month for the next four months and then I should be cancer free. Yippee.

I've got a very lite school schedule for the Fall semester and am hoping that the instructors are going to work with me with all of my medical issues.

Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

Thursday and it's over.......

I've made it through the first stage of treatment! My 28 days of chemo and radiation are over it it feels so good to be free of the chemo pump. I'm expecting it will be about a week of recovery before I really feel good again. This last week or so has been the worst as far as fatigue and just not feeling well goes, but I made it through with no significant side effects.

Well it is past my bedtime again but I did at least want to post a brief update. Take care all and I will write more later.

Tuesday and 2 days to go!!

Wow! The time really has flown, well at least most of it. As of this Thursday I will be off of the radiation and chemo for about 1 month. I'm thinking I'm going to need about 1 week to recover from everything the doctors have been putting my body through. This last week has been full of minor pains, fatigue, irritability, and lots and lots of sleep. I've just tried to keep my eye on the fact that we are almost through and I can handle just about anything if I know it is only for a limited amount of time.

I'm hoping to get back to the gym as soon as treatment ends so I can get myself in the best shape possible for surgery. I'll also be able to start dieting at that point too. During this first phase of treatment I've been going through, the doctors have recommended not to attempt weight loss and I haven't. I have changed my diet quite a bit to include a lot more fruit and vegetables and less junk and animal fat. The diet change hasn't contributed to any weight loss though. Darn!

Well I think I'm going to take another nap. Hope everyone's having a great week.

5 weeks down.....

.... and 4 days to go! Next Thursday I will be done with the first phase of treatments, that is the daily chemo and radiation. I am so excited. This last week has been rough in that I've been really fatigued. I've had to give up walking to radiation after Wednesday. I was so tired after I got there that I didn't think I would make it all the way home. My body is needing more rest to recover from all of the toxins they are pumping in along with the radiation.

I got the report back from the urologist regarding my right kidney. I do have some hydronephrosis but as long as my kidney function tests remain normal I am not going to get treatment for that. They would put in stents, but the treatment could be more painful than what I am experiencing now.

Surgery to remove the cancer tumor is scheduled for September 5. I tried to get it moved up but my surgeon will be out of the country until that week and I've heard so many good things about her that I'm afraid it might not be a good idea to try and switch surgeons. I'm going to have to miss my first day of classes, but hopefully the instructors will work with me on that one.

Today I am going to the Relay for Life in Vallejo with my friend Karen. She is also a survivor and she couldn't make it to the Relay for Life we had in Fairfield. I think she is really going to enjoy the Survivor Lap and the opening ceremonies.

Have a great weekend. I'm going to have to take mine a little slow, but it will still be great.

Tuesday.....

....and I'm 3/4 of the way through the first stage of treatment. Went to see my oncologist yesterday and it was all good news. Since I haven't had any nausea, vomiting, neutropenia, etc., I most likely will not have any. She says I've got good bone marrow and that keeps replenishing my blood. Yay!

Radiation and chemo have been making me tired though. I've had to have a few nights with 12 to 17 hours of sleep, but then I wake up the next day more energetic again. Today was one of my days to sleep in, so I'm expecting to be more energetic tomorrow.

I'm still trying to walk to most of my radiation appointments and I get to the gym a couple of times on the weekends. I'm sure that has really helped too with the side effects and my good energy levels, considering.

I will be due for surgery in late August, but at the moment I have an appointment for September 5. I am really hoping I can get that changed so that I don't miss another semester of school behind all this cancer stuff.

I'm really enjoying my volunteer position in the infusion clinic. I think it's going to give me a lot of good experience that I would otherwise be missing out on while I take care of the cancer. The nurses are all really nice and they appreciate the help that they get from the volunteers.

Thursday and I'm getting tired.....

Well I've made it halfway through week 4 and I'm starting to feel the effects of the chemo and radiation. I'm much more fatigued this week than I have been previously and I am starting to be much pickier about food too. I slept for about 17 hours last night, but I feel pretty good now.

My mother, sister, and niece are all coming over for Girls Game Night tonight. Last time we had a game night it was a blast. We laughed so hard it hurt a few times.

I don't really have too much to write today. Maybe once I get this chemo pump off tomorrow I will feel like writing more.

Relay for LIfe and other stuff

So Saturday was the Relay for Life in Fairfield. I ended up with a team of 11 and most of them were there at the beginning. It was great being out there visiting and raising money for the American Cancer Society. The relay started off with a survivor ceromony and lap. They read off all of the names of survivors and then we walked the first lap together. Over 150 survivors had registered for this Relay for Life.

I walked 6 and a half miles throughout the day and was exhausted by the end. My sister came out and did over 13, while my boyfriend did just over 10. I can't even remember how many my niece and her friends did, but altogether we walked a lot of miles in our fight against cancer.

We stayed until the end of the Luminaria Ceremony. They had luminarias set up all the way around the quarter mile track and also on the bleachers spelling out "REMEMBER". The luminarias were all dedicated to someone who had had cancer and they lit them with glowsticks. Survivors and caregivers spoke at the ceremony and then a bagpipe player came in to slowly lead the group of us survivors around the track. It was a very intense and emotional lap as all of the supporters watched us make the lap.

I was amazed at the number of young people out there supporting the fight against cancer. It is really neat to see them involved in something so important. The Relay for Life also had lots of activities for smaller children like facepainting, beadworking, and tie-dying shirts, all free. Participants had lunch, dinner, and breakfast on Sunday provided too. I will definitely try to start a group earlier next year and be more prepared.

I slept in on Sunday. I was completely exhausted and I suspect only partly from the Relay for Life. I think the chemo and radiation is finally catching up with me physically and emotionally. I went to get my blood work done yesterday too and the levels are still within normal limits, although they are getting more and more toward the low end of normal. After I got my blood checked I went to the ER for a suspected bladder infection but they found no signs of bacteria in the urine so I'm guessing it is a side effect from either the chemo or radiation drying out my skin. I'll talk with oncology later today.

I'm going to try and walk to radiation today but if this fatigue doesn't go away I may be driving for my last two and a half weeks. I have to go to get hooked back up to the pump today too and then hopefully out to Sac State to get my paperwork turned in so I don't get dropped from the nursing program.

Have a great week and I'll try and do the same.......

Thursday again.....

My routine kind of fell apart this week. I didn't walk to radiation on Wednesday because I had the "Girls' Night" the night before and didn't want to leave them alone for that long. Then this morning for the first time in a while I didn't wake up at 4:30 AM.

I had to go in early for radiation this morning because I started a new volunteer position at Kaiser this morning. I will be helping out in the infusion clinic on Fridays once I finish training. I think that will help me to stay in the practice of giving patient care so I don't feel as far behind my nursing class when I return to the full schedule next Spring. Besides, it just feels nice to volunteer.

The chemo pump has not been as irritating this week as it was. I guess I'm finally getting used to carrying it around. I still occasionally get the lines hung up on things, but not as bad as before. I'm just tired, but the chemo week will be over tomorrow again and I'll have the weekend free of it. My blood levels have started to drop, but not as fast as I'd expected so I'm still in the lower end of normal for WBCs, platelets, and H&H.

I'm really looking forward to the Relay for Life this weekend. I went out and talked to the American Cancer Society yesterday about what to expect. I formed my team late and didn't get all of the original instructional emails that had been sent out. I'm going to try and get a tent set up tomorrow afternoon so we will have a place for anyone on our team to spend the night. It all sounds like a lot of fun for a good cause and I'll probably try and get an earlier start on the event next year.

The Zofran I'm taking for nausea is awesome! Not a bit of nausea this week and I really haven't to curtail my eating habits too much. My tongue is a bit sensitive though, but not too bad yet. I'm over half way through this first part of treatment with no major bad side effects. I'm getting my kidney checked out tomorrow and hopefully the doctor can figure out what is keeping it from draining like it should.

Have a wonderful Friday and weekend!

Tuesday and I'm back on the chemo pump.

I went in yesterday to get hooked back up to my portable chemotherapy pump. It's the beginning of week 3 and I'm almost halfway through the first phase of treatments. Woo Hoo!! I've been a little queasy all along and had tried two medications for it so far but yesterday they finally prescribed Zofran and my stomach is so happy. Not a bit of queasiness since they prescribed it and I even had some pepperonicis on my salad yesterday. I am beginning to get some pain on my fingers and toes though. They almost feel like I've scalded them or splashed hot oil on them. This is one of the possible side effects that they told me I might experience from the chemo. I'm just keeping lotion on them as much as possible so they don't start peeling and really hurting.

Today my boyfriend's daughters and my niece are coming over. They are all spending the night so we can sit around and make photo album scrapbooks, watch movies, eat popcorn, act goofy, and have a fun "Girls' Night". I figure I better do it now while I can because weeks 4 and 5 of chemo are supposed to be the worst.

I'm still working out at the gym on the weekends after I get the pump off and walking to my radiation appointments during the week. I've noticed that my endurance is not what it was pre-treatment, but it's still pretty good. The blood levels haven't dropped too much yet and I'm not anemic or neutropenic yet. Maybe next week.

Relay for Life is this Saturday through to Sunday. I now have 8 teams members with plenty of space for others to join in. I have to go and pick out my Relay for Life campsite tonight over at Solano Community College. I kind of joined this fundraiser a little late so I don't have the time to do it right, but next year I'll start earlier and really do it up. There's still time to make donations to help support cancer patients and the search for a cure and if you'd like to donate to my team follow this link: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RelayForLifeCaliforniaDivision?team_id=325049&pg=team&fr_id=4390

July 9 I had an ultrasound done on my right kidney to see if my doctor could determine the source of my right-sided pain which was my original complaint about 9 months ago before they found the cancer. She called yesterday to say that I have hydronephrosis which is basically fluid backing up into my right kidney but I am really concerned because of the nephrotoxicity of the chemotherapy if I have any kind of renal compromise. My doctor is trying to get a urology referral but in the meantime I am very concerned. I don’t want to do any damage to the right kidney and I'm hoping to get this checked out as soon as possible. I'm working on getting this put into the proper perspective so I can get my positive attitude back, but for now I'm a little down.

I just have to remember that I am really blessed that this happened at a point when medical treatments have come so far. It is so nice not to have to be hospitalized for all of my cancer treatments. Have a wonderful week and I will do my best to do the same!

It's Friday and I'm free.....

...of the chemo pump that is, at least until Monday. It's been a much better day for me. Not nearly as irritable. The weather has cooled down and the wind is picking up and carrying away some of that awful smoke. I've also had more energy again today.

I took the really long route walking to my radiation appointment this morning. Then on the way home, I walked past a garage sale raising money for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. I got home and decided to start my own Relay for Life team. Relay for Life is one way that the American Cancer Society raises money to fight back against cancer. My friend Doug and I have decided to form a team and would love to have people join the team. If you can't join the team, but would like to make a donation to the team, “Debi’s Friends”, then you can use this link for donations: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RelayForLifeCaliforniaDivision?team_id=325049&pg=team&fr_id=4390

After being released from the pump, I went to the gym to work out on the treadmill for a bit. Even though I have more energy than I had over the past 2 days, I really can tell the difference that the treatments are taking on my body. I wasn't able to walk as long or as fast as I could just a couple weeks ago. Once I got home, I had to jump in the pool too. Just enough to say I did it, but it really is wonderful not to be connected to that chemo pump!

Have a wonderful weekend and remember....attitude is everything, so pick a good one!

It's Thursday and week 2 is almost over!!

I only woke up at 5:30 yesterday, and was out front pruning roses by 6:30. Kristy came over and we dyed my hair. I figure it's a good time to experiment, just in case it all falls out. It's quite a bit darker than I'm used to, but all of the greys are gone. How fun!

The weather here has been well into the 100s for a few days now. The air is full of smoke from all the fires burning around California and the sunlight is coming through a little bit pinkish. I'm really looking forward to the weekend and being able to get into the pool again. Wading just doesn't quite get it for me and I can't get my chemo port wet.

I've been quite a bit more tired Wednesday and Thursday than I was before. The radiation therapists say it's because of the radiation. I'm still walking to the radiation appointments, but I've noticed my pace has slowed down. I've also been a bit irritable. It's that darned chemo pump that I have to carry with me everywhere I go. The IV line keeps getting caught on cabinet door handles and anything else you could possibly think of.

Today I noticed that the inside of my mouth has started peeling a little bit too. They told me that would be one of the possible side effects of the chemotherapy. It's probably about time to start watching my diet a little better so that I don't eat things that will really irritate my mouth. So far my appetite has been great and I haven't really been nauseous. Just an occasional slightly upset stomach.

Yesterday was the day that my blood levels were supposed to reach their nadir. It was the 10th day of treatment. Last Sunday when they checked my blood levels, only my platelets, hemoglobin, and hematocrit had begun to drop, but all were still within normal limits. I'll be going in for more blood work this Sunday and it will be interesting to see what my lab values are then.

I've saved lots of easy things to do for this part of the week when I have less energy so I think I'm going to start working on that stuff now. I have to study for my CPR re-certification, and then I think I'll make a few scrapbook pages. Life is good.

I've made it to week 2 of chemo and radiation.....

....and this week is going fantastic so far! I seem to have lots more energy and I've regained all of my good spirits. It has really helped me to focus on what I can do instead of what I can't and to be grateful for all that I can do and am allowed to do while undergoing my treatment.

The nurse that hooked me up to the chemo yesterday did a fantastic job and it is so much more comfortable than last week. That's not to say that the nurse that did it last week did a bad job, but she had to work around the healing incision and the allergic rashes I had developed to the transparent dressings.

I've managed to figure out a way to completely cover the chemo port on my chest so that I can take a quick shower without getting it wet. That has also helped to lift my spirits. Also the weather is heating up here again and my pool is finally getting warm, thanks to the bubble cover and 100+ temperature. Yay! I can't swim with the chemo pump on, but that's okay because I'm more into the sitting in the warm water and talking to friends than swimming.

I've been waking up super early these days. This morning I was up at 3:40 A.M. and since it's supposed to be another hot one today, I thought that would be a great time to make some homemade banana nut bread. I made one batch with my mom's famous banana nut bread recipe and then I tried a second batch with wheat flour instead. This cancer stuff is really making me look at the way I've been eating for several years and I've been making lots of subtle changes to my diet and my life.

I've got more visitors coming today so I'm going to try to straighten the house a little before I walk to my radiation appointment. I've scheduled all of those appointments in the morning so I can walk there before it really heats up. Not only am I not supposed to get sweat or water in my port, but in addition, almost every medication they have me on says to avoid sunlight or at least wear sunscreen. I'm doing the best I can at that.

Have a wonderful and blessed day!!!

Happy 4th!!

I got the chemo pump discontinued this morning. Won't have to carry it around with me all weekend. I will get it hooked back up on Monday again for week 2 of chemo and radiation. It's amazing how much better I feel not having to carry that around with me everywhere I go. I ran into my doctor at the hospital and she said I could swim and take my showers this weekend. I am so happy and oh how I hate taking baths!

Anyway I just realized that I had mentioned the spot on my lungs in a previous post. The spot is still there and although they cannot rule out cancer with the CT scan, they don't believe that is what it is. I will have to have a follow up CT in a couple months to monitor the spot and in the meantime the clinical trial is out.

Happy 4th of July. Enjoy the fireworks.

one week almost down

Chemo and radiation started last Monday, June 30th. That first day was the worst so far, but it might have had something to do with having the port placed surgically on Thursday right before Molly showed up. Then Friday we were off to San Francisco for a few days of "relaxation" before I started my treatments. We returned home on Sunday and then it was an early start on Monday for the first of the radiation and chemo treatments.

Radiation is not all that bad. I just go into the office and lie on the table. Then they position me and start the radiation. I have just about enough time to listen to one complete song on my iPod and then it's over. I'll be going for the radiation treatments 5 days a week for just a little over 5 weeks.

The chemo is another story though. First I was allergic to the transparent dressings they used, and the one that they finally found that I can use is extra sensitive to moisture. I was just a little upset to find out that showers and going to the gym are out while I undergo chemo since anything, including sweat, that gets under that dressing goes straight to my heart. I get a continuous infusion of the chemo drug delivered via a small pump that I have to carry with me constantly. They will take me off the pump on Fridays though so at least I won't have to carry it around 7 days a week.

Molly flew home very early on Tuesday morning. It's great to have such a wonderful best friend like her to come out and see me through my last days before treatment and the first round of treatment. I got up a few hours after Molly left and walked to my radiation appointment. It's just over 3 miles round trip to the radiation oncologist and as long as it is cool in the mornings I can do the walk without sweating too much. Besides the exercise is a good way to keep the fatigue at bay.

Well tomorrow is the 4th of July and I'm not going to try and go anywhere this year. Sure I'm feeling pretty good, but I do get a little tired and queasy at times. The pool is clean and getting warm so we will just have to celebrate the 4th at my house this year.

Wednesday Morning

So I had my appointment with the oncologist on Friday and I wasn't happy with the news. I won't be able to go to Costa Rica this summer.

I will be getting a Port-a-cath probably sometime this week so that I can carry around my continuous infusion of chemotherapy with me in a little fanny pack. No hospitalization for the chemo. I have another appointment with the radiation doctor this Wednesday at 10:30 AM. Apparently I will be getting a couple of little tattoos so they know where to aim the radiation. I will have 4-5 weeks of radiation and chemo and then I will have 3 weeks off until surgery, probably mid-August. Then mid-September I will begin monthly chemo for a week a month for 4 months. That will take me through December and hopefully I will be done.

It looks like I won't be able to take any of the nursing classes this fall. I am hoping that I will be able to get my upper division course and Antropology course out of the way though. One of them is an online class. I am also going to check with the division to see if I could take N169 this fall and then consolidate in the spring so I could at least still graduate with some of my friends and classmates.

Sunday I had to go for another CT with IV contrast. This one was a thin slice CT of my lungs because they saw a 6 mm nodule on my lungs on the CT I had done last week. They want to be sure it isn't cancer too. If it is not, I will likely be participating in a clinical trial on some chemo drugs. I somehow feel compelled to do this, but if the spot on my lungs is additional cancer, I won't be able to do the trial.

I spent the weekend being depressed that I couldn't go to Costa Rica, but I did at least get up to go to the gym both days. Monday and Tuesday much better for me and I got to work on cancelling all of the reservations.

Today I am going to see the radiation doctor for my consult. That's the latest news from here. Hope all is going well.