TaTa Wars

Episode XXXI - And miles to go... Taxotere - 2nd Dose With an early 7 am chemo time, I had to get up before 5:30 am to prep my port. It seemed so early. I obviously did not cover my power port area correctly because holy moly they jabbed that sucker in there. Owww! Ouch... port pain! Waiting for chemo pager to vibrate. It was the first chemotherapy visit I have ever had that I actually did not have to meet with anyone. I only had to wait a few minutes before my buzzer went off and I was back in the chemotherapy room. The only one back in the chemo room. I was first!!! Of course, I thought being first would bring me a quicker out time. I was wrong. I still had to wait for my blood work results. During that time other patients began being tended to as well. I went from first to somewhere in the middle. Eventually, my results were good and I was cleared for chemo...

Episode XXX - Menopausal Woman I went Monday to the Gynecologist and they wanted me to come back to have an ultrasound to get an idea how my uterus and ovaries were doing. Seems cancer was going to get me poked, prodded, and scanned in all places! So, back for another appointment and an ultrasound to check out my lady parts. I'm back! Time for another ultrasound... The first abdominal exam required a full bladder, so I had been downing more water than normal. However, all that water required more pee urges. And the exam required a full bladder without urinating first. I was basically walking into the office with my legs crossed! After downing water and having 2 kids, I just hoped that I refrained from peeing myself!

Episode XXIX - I'm going the distance... Taxotere - 1st Dose A day of appointments. A day of waiting. No really... lots of waiting! Before I even got to my Oncology appointment, I had a morning Gynecology appointment. Since I have only seen my family doctor about my lady parts, I needed to establish myself with a more specialized Gyn doctor. I spent over an hour in the waiting room before hearing my name. By the time I got to the patient room there was only 1.5 hours until my chemotherapy appointment. So as the nurse was getting all of my personal information, I was literally opening my shirt and applying Lidocaine/saran wrap to my port. She was a bit freaked out, but there was no way I was going to risk having port pain. At least I was prepared and brought my stuff with me. Always be prepared!

Episode XXVIII - Vacation, had to get away... It was nice to get away, even if I was the only bald chick on the beach or at the pool. Where were you other cancer patients?!?! Apparently, not at the beach with me. I did get a few funny looks and possibly a stare or two, but that was not going to stop my vacation.

Episode XXVII - Na-na na-na na-na na-na na-na na-na na-na CT-Scan Time for a check-up scan between chemotherapy treatments. The CT scan was chosen as a way to view the tumor. Now it seems like I am have worked my way around to almost all the scans. The CT scan had some benefits... It was way less time consuming than the PET scan. It was also less in time and noise than the MRI. Less pushy than the Ultrasound. Overall, the CT scan was the less invasive and time taking scan I have had (yet). As with most tests it did require and IV. However, since I have a Power Port it was used instead. I have learned than any time I go to any medical thing to prepare the port, just in case. I was not told that the port could be used, so it was good that I had prepped myself. Plus, if I am going to get jabbed in the chest I would prefer that it was numb.

Episode XXVI: I will remember... Gone - AC Chemotherapy I was glad to finally make the first check off of my Cancer To Do List!  I can now say I have completed my first round of AC treatment. Yay!!! What a week or two! The last treatment hit me hard and took me down. The combined AC chemos and Neulasta shots over the past months just dropped on me like a bomb. To be honest, that first week after the treatment was a knock out, stay in bed, and hope that the drugs would do something to ease the side effects. Some drugs worked, some did not. I was popping all pills by my bedside table... officially a "legal druggie".