Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Sugar, spice, and everything nice
As part of our Christmas, Megan and Alex told us that their baby due mid-May will be a girl. So with Daisy dog, Megan and baby girl Campbell, the balance of power in their household will shift to the feminine persuasion. Yeah!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Christmas eve chemo
Got two lines into my port today as I wanted to get out of the chemo ward early. One took the premeds and Taxol while the other gave me 4 grams of magnesium, which I have been needing each time I get chemo. The magnesium takes two hours for 4 grams while the Taxol is only an hour.
I got a CA125 and it dropped to 31.3 which is in the normal (0-35) range. This is the lowest it's been since the summer of 2007 so am hopeful the Taxol is eating my cancerous cells throughout my body. Will probably have to finish series #5 and do #6 in January before having a PET scan to actually see if there are cancer cells anywhere.
After I left chemo at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, went to visit my ex-husband at nearby University of Maryland Medical Center. He was still in ICU from procedure to drain his bile ducts. I stayed with him while Megan & family, Deborah Krisko & family (who had driven down from Boston) and Dylan and girlfriend Christine grabbed some dinner in the Krisko's hotel room nearby. UMMC moved Lloyd back to a quieter room on the 13th floor around 7 p.m. and he was able to have instant coffee for the first time in a month. He also got green jello and some apple juice; he was happy to have something other than IV nourishment. Once Lloyd was settled in his room, the kids arrived to sing Christmas carols with Lloyd. We then went to Megan's to open gifts. Brian, Teresa and her boyfriend Mike joined us there.
I got a CA125 and it dropped to 31.3 which is in the normal (0-35) range. This is the lowest it's been since the summer of 2007 so am hopeful the Taxol is eating my cancerous cells throughout my body. Will probably have to finish series #5 and do #6 in January before having a PET scan to actually see if there are cancer cells anywhere.
After I left chemo at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, went to visit my ex-husband at nearby University of Maryland Medical Center. He was still in ICU from procedure to drain his bile ducts. I stayed with him while Megan & family, Deborah Krisko & family (who had driven down from Boston) and Dylan and girlfriend Christine grabbed some dinner in the Krisko's hotel room nearby. UMMC moved Lloyd back to a quieter room on the 13th floor around 7 p.m. and he was able to have instant coffee for the first time in a month. He also got green jello and some apple juice; he was happy to have something other than IV nourishment. Once Lloyd was settled in his room, the kids arrived to sing Christmas carols with Lloyd. We then went to Megan's to open gifts. Brian, Teresa and her boyfriend Mike joined us there.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Sad and tired
Friday Megan I went to University of Maryland Medical Center to visit Lloyd. He had difficulty finding a comfortable position to sleep. Noises from street (despite being on the 13th floor) and talking from nurses' station across from his door don't help. Underground parking neccesitated walking a block in the cold and rain to get into the building. I'm not impressed with the UMMC facilities & care. But am hoping, for Lloyd's sake, that they're better than they appear.
I think the week exhausted me mentally and physically because on Saturday I slept most of the day. I kept turning on a movie/TV show only to wake to the music from the end credits.
Neuropathy in my feet and fingers is worsening, and the Taxol (chemo) is continues to do a number on my fingernails. Colorless iodine really helps prevent infection underneath so I put it under my nails several times a day. I've also shortened my nails so they don't catch on anything and possibly pull off.
By Sunday I was rested enough to continue my gift wrapping. I had wrapped and UPSed all my gifts to Massachusetts, Illinois and New Jersey earlier in the week. As I get older and have less energy, I understand why my step-mother used to send me a check and ask me to purchase/wrap gifts for my kids.
I think the week exhausted me mentally and physically because on Saturday I slept most of the day. I kept turning on a movie/TV show only to wake to the music from the end credits.
Neuropathy in my feet and fingers is worsening, and the Taxol (chemo) is continues to do a number on my fingernails. Colorless iodine really helps prevent infection underneath so I put it under my nails several times a day. I've also shortened my nails so they don't catch on anything and possibly pull off.
By Sunday I was rested enough to continue my gift wrapping. I had wrapped and UPSed all my gifts to Massachusetts, Illinois and New Jersey earlier in the week. As I get older and have less energy, I understand why my step-mother used to send me a check and ask me to purchase/wrap gifts for my kids.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Awful news
Drove to Baltimore late Friday (12/12/08) to get my Neulasta shot (promotes white blood cells). Megan phoned in evening to tell me her father had phoned with bad news. He has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. A tumor is pressing on his intestine. His GP got him into the local hospital for a PET Scan to determine extent of cancerous cells; afterward he was transferred to University of Maryland hospital in Balto where specialist is doing a procedure this afternoon to unblock his intestine and insert a stent.
A parent has been diagnosed with cancer shortly after each of Megan's pregnancies. She offered to never get pregnant again. I advised that her preganancy was not the cause. In either case.
Not good news at any time but especially before the holidays. Lloyd's wife Jeanne thinks he'll be home mid-week so we will be able to spend Christmas Eve as a family enjoying Tyler's 2-year old antics.
A parent has been diagnosed with cancer shortly after each of Megan's pregnancies. She offered to never get pregnant again. I advised that her preganancy was not the cause. In either case.
Not good news at any time but especially before the holidays. Lloyd's wife Jeanne thinks he'll be home mid-week so we will be able to spend Christmas Eve as a family enjoying Tyler's 2-year old antics.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Glad this week's nearly over
This week's been a doozer. Monday began prep (all clear fluids for the day) for Tuesday's colonoscopy. I'd had one in 2001 and this was my 7-year follow-up. All was clear with reports to that effect sent to my oncology surgeon and my primary care nurse practioner. Nice to confirm a necessary body part is AOK!
Yesterday had Taxol 4C, the last in my 4th series of 3 weeks on and one off. Nurse Ellen was my caregiver and all went ok. Port worked well, and I was out of the parking garage and into rainy Baltimore rush hour traffic by 4:40 p.m.
Stopped at BJs on the way back and got gas for $1.45 and lamented I only needed 6 gallons. Also picked up some staples as I'm always jazzed after chemo because of all the anti-nausea meds (steroids) that precede the chemo. Even with all the stuff in a rolling cart, the neuropathy (numbness) of my feet bothers me walking up and down aisles. Was glad to put my feet up when I finally got home.
Next week is my "bye" week. I only have acupuncture (relaxful pin-sticking to help my immune system) scheduled and a local blood draw which sends the lab results to Weinberg. And our office Christmas party catered by the Saucy Salamander, which offers some of the best food in Annapolis including my favorite sandwich, Hearts and Sprouts.
Yesterday had Taxol 4C, the last in my 4th series of 3 weeks on and one off. Nurse Ellen was my caregiver and all went ok. Port worked well, and I was out of the parking garage and into rainy Baltimore rush hour traffic by 4:40 p.m.
Stopped at BJs on the way back and got gas for $1.45 and lamented I only needed 6 gallons. Also picked up some staples as I'm always jazzed after chemo because of all the anti-nausea meds (steroids) that precede the chemo. Even with all the stuff in a rolling cart, the neuropathy (numbness) of my feet bothers me walking up and down aisles. Was glad to put my feet up when I finally got home.
Next week is my "bye" week. I only have acupuncture (relaxful pin-sticking to help my immune system) scheduled and a local blood draw which sends the lab results to Weinberg. And our office Christmas party catered by the Saucy Salamander, which offers some of the best food in Annapolis including my favorite sandwich, Hearts and Sprouts.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Taxol 4B opens December
Thursday I continued my fourth treatment of Taxol. Chemo nurse Donna drew me so drew blood from my lateral lumen (the outside of two places in the port to my vein) and sent if off to the labs at 10:20 a.m. By 11:30 labs had come back, I'd been visited by Dr. Im who had ordered the chemo to proceed. I got Benedryl by mouth, then a bag of Dexamethasone and Zofran by IV (to quell nausea) followed by a bag of Cimetidine (to calm gastric juices) before Taxol was started at 1:11 p.m. It was done by 2:04 and then had to wait for the magnesium (important to keep muscles--including the heart muscle--functioning) to show up. I got 4 grams of mag by IV; they take two hours to go in.
In the morning I read my Washington Post cover to cover, ordered my lunch (from the same choices every day) and usually pull out my earphones (kept in my Mercy travel bag to prevent the hospital the cost of supplying them and throwing them away each week) to watch TV while I eat lunch.
We sit in Lazy-Boy-type reclining chairs with tables on the sides of each arm; can have warm flannel blankets they keep in a warming oven; have access to a coffee/tea/ice water bar and a fridge usually stocked with sodas and juices. IVs are on portable, unplugable with battery backup, when you have to walk your "friend" with you to the bathrooms. Visits from other nurses, the wonderful social worker Sally, Reverend Baker or one of the lovely Sisters of Mercy are frequent.
Or you can talk with other patients. Cynthia stopped by. She had been on Taxol a week or so before I started it, but it wasn't working for her so they switched her to another drug. You'll remember I had three chemo drugs that didn't work for me before the Taxol. So you never know which one will work for you. Everyone is unique. And each cancer is tricky. Trial and error.
But success is great to see. And I think I'll have a good Christmas. I start chemo 5A on Christmas eve (12/24) so I'll have another CA125 then. If the Taxol can take my numbers down another 51% as it did last month, it should be in the 20s and the "normal" range is between 0-35 you may remember. That should make for a very Merry Christmas. And Tyler too! What joy!
In the morning I read my Washington Post cover to cover, ordered my lunch (from the same choices every day) and usually pull out my earphones (kept in my Mercy travel bag to prevent the hospital the cost of supplying them and throwing them away each week) to watch TV while I eat lunch.
We sit in Lazy-Boy-type reclining chairs with tables on the sides of each arm; can have warm flannel blankets they keep in a warming oven; have access to a coffee/tea/ice water bar and a fridge usually stocked with sodas and juices. IVs are on portable, unplugable with battery backup, when you have to walk your "friend" with you to the bathrooms. Visits from other nurses, the wonderful social worker Sally, Reverend Baker or one of the lovely Sisters of Mercy are frequent.
Or you can talk with other patients. Cynthia stopped by. She had been on Taxol a week or so before I started it, but it wasn't working for her so they switched her to another drug. You'll remember I had three chemo drugs that didn't work for me before the Taxol. So you never know which one will work for you. Everyone is unique. And each cancer is tricky. Trial and error.
But success is great to see. And I think I'll have a good Christmas. I start chemo 5A on Christmas eve (12/24) so I'll have another CA125 then. If the Taxol can take my numbers down another 51% as it did last month, it should be in the 20s and the "normal" range is between 0-35 you may remember. That should make for a very Merry Christmas. And Tyler too! What joy!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Taxol nails
Noticed several fingernails on my right hand have dark pink "stains" on them. Chemo nurse Ellen said these are Taxol stains. Then I noticed two nails on my left hand appeared to be coming loose from the underlying tissue. One even started "leaking" clear fluid. So I got out the handy dandy clear iodine that I used to stop my nails from bleeding when I was initially on taxotere and carboplatin.
Sure enough, the leaking stopped and the nails toughened up. I'm hoping the iodine will allow me to keep my nails this time. Only problem is that you can smell the iodine when you bring food up to your mouth.
But the taxol is doing some damage to my taste buds as well. Not as hungry, and some of my favorite foods no longer taste as yummy as they did. Fruit and fruit flavored drinks are more tolerable. So those fruit smoothies are a treat still.
Sure enough, the leaking stopped and the nails toughened up. I'm hoping the iodine will allow me to keep my nails this time. Only problem is that you can smell the iodine when you bring food up to your mouth.
But the taxol is doing some damage to my taste buds as well. Not as hungry, and some of my favorite foods no longer taste as yummy as they did. Fruit and fruit flavored drinks are more tolerable. So those fruit smoothies are a treat still.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
