Kelly and I went to chemo yesterday. I wanted to wait and see how I felt to blog about it. Well so far I feel fine. A tad tired. Not at all sick. Dr. Demichelle said I should expect it to be hard on my white blood cell count. And I will for sure be”bound up” if you know what I mean. I plan on continuing acupuncture so Ed is going to help me with that. 10-20% of patients experience hair loss/thinning. I really hope to keep mine. I really like it. Being bald was an interesting experience but I think I am over it.
I will get Navelbine on a weekly basis. I will get zometa once a month. Zometa will fill in the holes in my bones and therefore reduce my need for pain medication. I am also seeing a therapist in the breast cancer center once a week. He thinks I am funny. And I am going to physical therapy for lymphedema. So my dance card is still full. Having cancer really is a full time job. I am going to get ct scans roughly every three months during treatment to assess where things are. As long as everything is working I will stay on navelbine for a long period of time. There are people who have been on it for years. If this chemo fails to work for any reason we will regroup and try a few other things. I need to mention that is very important that you do not visit me if you have a cold or may have been exposed to anything, this goes for children as well. I will have a depressed immune system while on navelbine. I am going to rely on you to let me know that you have a cough,sneeze, or tickle in your throat. I am telling you now because any illness can land me in the hospital.
Despite the immune system suppression navelbine is a good drug. It is less harsh than other chemo. I pray that we have one that will be able to halt the progression of my cancer. My body is like a game of pac man. Eating little holes in my bones. This has to stop. I am very happy though with all the care I receive . I am very confident that my oncologist wants exactly what I do.I am being well cared for. And my dear Dr, Demichelle wants to be aggressive as well.
I feel strong and prepared for this battle. I guess as strong as I can. I am still weak and sore from all that I have already been through. But still I know this is a less intense chemo and I can handle it. Acupuncture aided me a lot last time and I expect that it will help again. I also think that Reiki has helped me a great deal. So I have a few tricks up my sleeve to help me feel good.
And I also realize we will need to be aware that a time may come where this chemo regimen may fail. I am not exactly hopeful right now. I will try to be though for your sake. I am not a pessimist either. I just keep praying for God’s will. So today I am feeling well. Tired but happy. I love you. Andrea