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| Jeanne - Final Chemo Treatment |
Today was my final chemotherapy treatment! Yay! My name was called to go into the Chemo Unit today, and I thought for a few minutes that it wasn't going to happen today! They forgot to order all of my blood work yesterday, and two very important tests were missing... one to check liver enzymes which must be done before receiving Cytoxan and one to check kidney functioning before receiving Taxotere. I was told that even if the blood work was sent as STAT, it could be as long as 3 hours before receiving the results, and by then it would be too late in the day to start chemo. So they wanted to reschedule for tomorrow. They apologized, but I told them that I had already taken the day off from work, and I felt certain that my boss had come back from vacation early to fill in for me. It just sickened me. I also had my heart set on this being the day for my last chemo. Carrie said she would go talk to her supervisor and see if there might be any other alternative. She came back quickly and said, "We're going to do it. It was our mistake and we're going to make it right!" They were willing to stay late to make sure I received chemo today. So the necessary blood was drawn, a phone call was made to the lab, another nurse hand-delivered the blood to the lab immediately. I went to the cafeteria and had lunch. About 5 minutes after getting back to the cancer center, Carrie called my name. The lab results came back in a little over an hour!
What's next? A few weeks of recovery from the side effects that happen after chemo. Since there is a cumulative effect, things may be a little more severe this time, but it will be the
last time I deal with them... so I'm cool with that. The radiation process will begin next. Some scans will be done, mapping of the radiation therapy, etc. and then six weeks of radiation, 5 days a week. Time consuming, but pretty much painless, at least for breast cancer. There is a lot of fatigue as a result of receiving almost daily radiation, but I can manage that. When chemo is over, the worst is over. Chemo is like running a race with a lot of hills and valleys... Radiation is like running on flat ground! (I must say that radiation for breast cancer is relatively easy. I'm aware that it is not a painless process for other types of cancer, by any means.)
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| Donna |
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| Connie and Carrie |
Chemotherapy delivery is always easy and painless, so all went well today. Since I didn't get to sleep until after 5:00am this morning (yep, steroids again), I thought I would sleep through chemo, but I didn't. I worked on my Spanish homework until Ric came and then we talked. Thanks to Carrie and my nurse, Connie, I was able to leave much earlier than expected. It was bittersweet to leave. Certainly, I am glad this part of the treatment is over (and will be even happier when the resulting side effects subside), but the chemotherapy nurses are such incredible, caring women, and the bond they make with their patients is so strong, that's it's hard to say goodbye! They are highly intelligent, know their jobs well and thoroughly, are able to help every patient relax by answering all questions and providing needed information. The icing on the cake, is that they become your friend as well. Every day they deal with folks who are confronting a frightening disease, yet their dispositions remain sunny and bright. We share pictures of our children and pets. They bring us water, soft drinks, pretzels, crackers, cookies, if we want them. (We never have to ask, they always offer.) The let me take pictures of them and post on Facebook. I can't think of a time I've dreaded going to chemotherapy... I'm eager to get there. Oh! The
very first time I went (in 2006), I
was scared to death! Walked out of work holding onto Ric's arm, feeling like I was going to throw up, tears streaming down my face. Once I got there, the fear didn't last long. Donna was my very first chemo nurse and she laid the groundwork for me to have a positive experience at David Lee Cancer Center!
I'm thankful that David Lee Cancer Center is
here in Charleston. A top-notch facility with top-notch oncologists! I have felt safe and secure in this hospital always. Because things were so well explained to me, I have always felt confident in the treatments I have received. I'm also grateful to have a cancer center right here in the area where I live. Because of this I can continue my life outside the center as normally as possible! I continue to work, I have support from friends and family, I can live in my house, walk my dog, and more. For me, it's very conducive for healing! I, personally, think I would constantly be in a "sick" mindset if I were living out of town while undergoing treatment for cancer. Now a lot of people travel far to receive their treatments at David Lee, but most are still able to go home after treatment, with some staying overnight to get the Neulasta injection the next day. There are some critical physical problems at the center: Most of the units in the current building are very small and crowded. Today Ric's chair was actually partway in the hallway, because of the limited space. Hopefully all that will change in the next few years, as a fantastic new cancer center is planned and funds are being raised to build a stand-alone facility across the street, complete with more space, and some really nice "extras." Exciting! I'll write more about that in a separate blog entry. You can find out a little more here now:
Charleston's Cancer Center of Tomorrow
This evening, I am feeling pretty good. Tired, but not sleepy yet.
Yikes! I was hoping to be snoozing by now. Last night I took a
Phenergan (anti-nausea) along with the Decadron (steroid). Someone
suggested that since the Penergan creates a lot of drowsiness, it might
help combat the sleeplessness of the Decadron.. Tried it. Didn't work. But I'm going to try it again
tonight!
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