Health Update

Pumping Iron!

I’m at the half way point on my radiation.  As you can see, I’ve been shooting a lot of hoops. (Don’t worry, I’m not over-doing it.) Okay, here’s my report:

• ·         I’m tarred and feathered!  Say it like a Redneck – “tarred.”  They say this will happen with radiation and it may continue for weeks after I’m done.  As tired as I am, I’m not sleeping very well. I don’t seem to get tired at night; it’s the morning. I get up around 7am, take my pills, eat breakfast and take Becca for a walk.  Then I want to sleep. If I lay down, it’s for a good three hours. I try not to do this because I want to do something constructive but I sometimes I just have to sleep. The radiation isn’t giving me a sun burn yet.
• ·         I went to a Breast Cancer Survivors Luncheon.  It was interesting.  They had a speaker, Krista Newgent, PT.  She specializes in Lymphedema.  She says that even if you have one lymph node removed you are susceptible to this condition. If one contracts Lymphedema, they can’t get rid of it.  Krista says I need to get a compression sleeve to wear on my right arm when I’m doing housework or lifting anything, I also need to wear it when I get on an airplane.  Apparently swelling can occur when faced with a change in altitude.  This is all new to me.  Well, that's not completely true. I'm sure it was discussed, but in my chemo-brain head, I couldn't address it. Anyway, I brought this up with Dr Toma and her office is working on getting me an appointment with Krista for an evaluation.
• ·         My weight is staying the same despite my eating calorie ridden confections like chocolate cheese cake, chocolate pudding and coco-coconut butter.  I’m starting to like more foods.  I’m still not big on beef or cake though.

That's about it for now.

Overdue Update

I know this update is overdue...sorry.  

I finished my first week of radiation treatment.  There really isn't much to report.  I go in everyday at 3:20, take off my shirt, lay face up, the two girls who are the techs line me up and then I'm conveyer-ed back a few feet under this machine that scans around me.  It takes about 5 minutes. Then I put my shirt on, say good bye and I'm on my way.  Lather, rinse, repeat...

I haven't experience any of the redness I'm going to see. It will appear, probably next week.  I have a prescription lotion I have to put on three times a day.  I'm fatigued a lot but that's still from the chemo and the drugs I'm taking.  It may or may not get better before it gets worse.  I do stuff and then I lay down.  It's all good.

Funny story:  I was checking out at Dr Toma’s office (my oncologist) and I told the lady, Beverly, about the benefits of having a mastectomy.  I lifted by shirt and said, “I can flash you and it’s not indecent exposure!”  She laughed, a lot and said, “no, but it might be considered disturbing behavior.”  Aw man, she got me!  I guess I never saw it from the standpoint of the flashee.  And to think of all those poor people I've exposed myself to. (just kidding...Beverly was actually the first...seriously.)

I'm still have the neuropathy despite the Neurotin but that may be how it is.  A small price to pay for being cancer-free. 

So it's all good.  Stay tuned for another exciting post. :D

One month Boob-free

Okay, sing this song to the tune of Born Free (the Andy Williams version, not Kid Rock's)...

Boob-free....as free as the wind blows

as free as my bra blows

without mam-mar-ies

Okay, that's all I wrote of it.  Catchy, huh?
I am doing physical therapy to help with the range of motion in my right arm.  It's not straightening out completely.  PT should stand for Physical Torture!
I met with my radiation oncologist, Dr Young, on Friday and here's the scoop there.  I had a CAT Scan and they gave me three tattoos.  No, not a heart or an angel; just a little dot.  But I have to say, each one hurt. I mean not to the point of doubling over in pain but enough to make me cringe. If this is what it's like to get a tattoo...a picture of something permanently etched in my skin, forget it.  I'll pass.  Anyway, I have to go back on Friday (9/16) for some kind of check and then on Monday (9/19) I will start the treatment.  I will go every weekday afternoon for six and a half weeks.  The entire process takes about 15 minutes.  So the travel time is longer than the actual treatment time.  I will experience more fatigue and my chest area will have some kind of reaction to the radiation...like a sun burn.  They will give me a prescription for some special lotion.  I'm not allowed to wear deodorant under my right arm so I'm only going to stink on one side of my body.
So that's my report.  Good day!

Oncology Office visit Report

I saw Dr Toma this morning. Here is what I found out.

• I am down 27 lbs from when this all started. Dr T wants me to gain at least 12 lbs back. I wasn't overweight to start with but I don't want to gain more than 15 lbs.
• Dr T says that Dr Henric did a great job with my surgery. She was very pleased with it.
• Dr T wants me to increase my prescription to hopefully fix my neuropathy since that is still an issue. Hopefully it will but she says it's not out of the question that this never gets back to normal. I may always have problems with it. Let's just hope not; let's hope the additional medication helps.
• Dr T wants me to walk 10 minutes a day for now. She told me that studies have shown that woman who have had breast cancer who walk 30 minutes a day are less likely to have a re-occurrence. This is definitely food for thought.
• I thought that I'd be getting a scan of some sort to see if I'm cancer free. Dr T says she will not be doing a PET scan or an MRI. PET scans are used to see if cancer has spread; not to see if cancer is detected. I didn't know this. She says I am as cancer-free as anyone is. My radiation and an anti-cancer pill (I'll be taking for 5 years) should ensure a cancer-free status.
• Did you know that if breast cancer spreads to your lungs or liver or another major organ you can not be cured? I didn't realize this. I am so fortunate that my cancer did not spread. If it had, the best Dr T could do was give me time. That's so majorly scary.

So, all in all, I am very lucky! I will see the radiologist on September 9th. I'll have more info about that then. Stay tuned.

Stop my Body I want to get out

As I posted on Facebook today, I got my drains out yesterday. Aw man I was so happy. Before going to the surgeon I was in the shower crying my eyes out asking for God to please let the drains come out. I think I wanted this more than the surgery to be over. It was so uncomfortable. Well, the Dear Lord listened and the drains came out. It was so simple. Dr H just snipped at the stitch and took them out. I had my eyes closed so I have no idea what was actually happened. Many had told me it was going to hurt but fortunately for me: no pain. None. Hallelujah!

Now here comes the really weird part. After Flora took me home, she and I were visiting in my living room. All was well until my legs started twitching...more like I just couldn't keep them still. I told Flo about it that I had to get up and walk around. We made our way into the kitchen and still my legs just wanted to run a marath0n or something. Flo sensed that I needed to rest so she left. As the afternoon went on it got worse and worse. Even my arms wouldn't stay still. I couldn't read or write or even Facebook because I couldn't stay still. So I took a relaxing bill that was prescribed to me to help with the anxiety of getting cancer. It didn't help much. I would lay down but it was ridiculous; I was like a live fish on the beach, trying to flop my way back to water. I know this sounds crazy but it was happening. I decided to try to take a walk but the relaxing pill was making me dizzy so I came back and tried to lay down again. Fish flopping resumed.

In my confused state I remembered that my Percoset said I could take 2 pills at a time. I got this confused with my relaxing pill and I took another. By the time Phil came home I was a mess. I was still flopping around but as I walked I was running into stuff. I had so little control. Jo came over and it looked like I was having what she thought was "restless body syndrome." We're not even sure this exists. I barely remember much of it. It was like I was drunk. I even called Dr Toma's office but had to leave a message. I kind of remember doing that but I have no idea what I said on the message. Vicki from her office called back but talked to Phil because I was in and out of sleep. Jo left, deeply concerned. Finally I did sleep. I didn't have any dinner. I woke up a couple times during the night but went back to bed. This morning I got up and moved to sofa and slept a little more. It was so weird. Now I'm afraid to eat sugar or caffeine.

Nothing to spoil my freedom from those lousy drains, for sure. If anyone can relate to anything I just said, please let me know. Cause I'm baffled.

But better times ahead! :)

Cookies and other good things

OMG, I'm eating the best cookies ever! And my taster is really liking them. That's the amazing part. Yeah, it's not love yet but it's getting there. These great cookies came in the mail today from Carolina Cookies and were sent to me by Jan Moore and Chris Yawney, two co-workers from my days at Jaeckle Fleischmann. Here's a picture of the cute box they came in and also that of Becca who is waiting patiently for me to give her one. (I didn't) But isn't she adorable?

Okay, now for the report from Dr Hemric....I have to keep the drains in. This sucks but I can take a shower. He wants me to keep the bandage off so air can get into it. It feels very naked without the bandage. I have removed the compression bandage which he said I don't need since the drains are in still. He gave me the physical prescription for Percoset but I wasn't able to get in filled since Phil had to get back to work but he'll pick it up on his way home. Also, regarding the lymph nodes he removed, he took out 8 of them, one had cancer cells. It would be better if none did, but one out of 8 is still good.

I still can't drive. I can start to exercise my arms but I think just using them is exercise. I had to make Phil carry my bag because it was just too heavy. He was really good about that even though it didn't match his shoes. But I can carry some things. Yesterday I folded clothes out of the dryer. That was kind of an exercise. I didn't lift the basket when I was done though, I know my limits.

Dr Hemric promised the drains will come out next week. Yeah! So we're on the right track! Stay tuned.

One week boob free

I need to write. So I have this new keyboard that lets me write fairly fast on my IPad and I really haven't used it. I need to record important things like...

Today I took a crap. It's been over a week so I really believe this is a good thing. Surgery really screws you up. So does morphine and Percoset because they hinder the flow of number two on the intestinal dial. Yeah, so glad I just shared this.

I really want these drains out. (Pictured pinned to the edge of my shirt in the mirror.) I so hope Dr Hemric takes them out tomorrow. I'm down to my last two Percoset. I can't have Dr Hemric's office call in the prescription because it's a controlled substance. I have to physically go to his office; get a written prescription and physically bring it to CVS for it to be filled. In this day and age of electronic everything, I'm surprised by this stone-aged way of doing it. I suppose the extra work of getting it is supposed to discourage me from getting addicted. I have no other choice but wait until tomorrow.

I have an idea for a story to write but I'm not sure if I can really make it into a story. It's about a woman who turns her back on her friend who has breast cancer. It's purely fiction because friends don't do that. Friends are with you every step of the way. Friends don't block you on Facebook either. I can understand not wanting to be someones friend on Facebook but to actually block you; to add her name to the list of people you don't want to know anything about even though you share other friends..well, it just doesn't seem like a friendly thing to do even in fiction. It seems hurtful and mean, especially if the person is going through a dreadful disease. I will have to think of something more ...something to make the story more plausible. Maybe I should include all the friends I have on FB who have really been there for me. I owe Facebook a lot. Who would have thought that?

Time of my soap. Later gator.

Facebook Response:

· Brian J. Walker Wow. I've been away, and had no idea all of that was going on. Good luck with your recovery!

· Maggie McGill Wallum Those drains are a pain. And, they are gross, but they will be gone soon. And, you'll have more drugs!! Win Win. :)

· Arlene Yeates Cooper You have a gift for writing -
Be it fact or fiction, we will read it !

· Sheri Graves I only wish I could write as half as good as you. I have so much in my head I wish I could write down but when I try the words escape me. Good luck tomorrow. I sure hope those drains come out for you. Honestly Eva, I wonder the same thing about medications... Jordan has been on the same meds since he was 5 years old and I still have to go to the dr every 30 days to get a hand written prescription, take it to the pharmacy and pick it up, all within a 24 hr period. Talk about inconvenient!! lol GOOD LUCK !!!

· Eva Mahoney Boobs are so over-rated Eva. Just look at all those tall flat chested girls...what do they call them... Oh, yeah, supermodels. :)

· Gemma Zotara The person who blocked you on FB you DO NOT need...they are not your Friend. You have so many Friends who love you, care about you, pray for you, support you and will be with you through your recovery, your ups and downs. Do not focus on on what you no longer have but what you have today and will have in the future. Love you!♥

· Eva Dinkuhn Mahoney Gem...I know this. I just can't believe someone could be so cold-hearted.

Making Progress - I'm a survivor!

I was worried about the compression; did I have enough or could I loosen it a bit so I wasn't so uncomfortable? I wasn't sure. Last night, my neighbor Jamie who is a nurse, came over and took a look at my wrapping and said I could loosen it a bit. She made me feel so much better; just knowing I was doing it right. She said, based on the lack of spotting on the bandage (not the compression one) that it looked good. She also said that if my fluids are getting less than I might be able to get rid of these darn drains. I think most of my pain is coming from the drains..where they are inserted in my body.

I am sure that the worse is over. As I suspected, as well as all my friends, I'm going to be a breast cancer survivor! I knew this all along but now I can really wrap my fuzzy brain around it.

I see my surgeon on Thursday. I would imagine he'd have the results of my lymph nodes...if there was any cancer in them. I had the BRCA testing done and it was negative. This is very good news. It's all good news.

Facebook Response: · Mary Jo Borzelleri Miller Praise the Lord, Eva!

• Sheri Graves You ARE a survivor! You are an inspiration to women every where. You are MY HERO! =D
• Maggie McGill Wallum You ARE kickin' some cancer ASS!
• Suzanne Leone Hummel Very Inspired...I wish I was half the woman you are ♥
• Arlene Yeates Cooper Love seeing you say those words- you are more than a Survivor !
• JoAnn DeFilippo Zoda Eva...so glad you are doing better! You certainly are an inspiration!
• Holly Hecker I love the way Maggie put it, Eva - you sure are kickin' some cancer ass!! You go, girl! (And feel better and better every day.)
• Gemma Zotara Just read your blog...so happy to hear the good news...you truly are amazing and we all knew you would beat it, and now you can believe it too! So very happy for you!♥:)
• Janice Moore It was great talking to you yesterday - you sound just like your old self! Your are truly a "survivor" in every way and things will just keep getting better from now on!

Surgery is over!

So my boobs are gone. They are bandaged plus they are bound up pretty tight. I have four drains. They dump into these four little Christmas tree ornament shaped receptacles. Really look like ornaments and mostly what is collected is blood, they really look Christmas-like. Sorry to be so graphic.

Wednesday morning our power went out when a storm came through. We had to get ready by flashlight/cell phone light/candlelight. We got to the hospital at 5:20am.

I posted on Facebook:

Eva Dinkuhn Mahoney
Is at Integris to be de-boobed and de-ported. :)

• Gail Tedder Good luck sweetie will be praying for you.
• Arlene Yeates Cooper You're a trooper - best wishes for speedy recovery - Make sure hubby or bro let us know how you are doing!
• Jessica Pearson Anderson Prayers for you. Kick that cancer to the curb! Speedy recovery, please
• Chic Ciccarella Bazydlo ‎*++**+*++*+*+*+**+*+*+*+*​*++**+*+ I'm there with you my friend
• Nita Hedrick Benefield Eva ~ It's been 3 years since I had mine, I know what you're feeling and this too will pass. You have a lot of love and support from family and friends who will keep you strong. Sending you prayers. ♥
• Timothy Corcoran Thinking about you...
• Sarah Shanaway Lane Prayers
• Kimberly Abram Thoughts and prayers with you today!!!!! : )
• Peter Marion thoughts!!!
• Renee Pinto Stonitsch prayers for you, Eva.
• Bill Giroux Hope everything goes according to plan.
• Gemma Zotara Love and Prayers♥♥♥\
• Carla Ellison Steffan Thinking of you
• Susan Keffer Praying for you :)
• Holly Hecker Sending you strength, luck and love!
• Lynn Patterson Keeping you in my prayers Eva......much love to you
• Mary Jo Borzelleri Miller Hugs, Eva.
• Kim Dahlberg I'm praying for you!!
• Jean Marchant Berry ♥ ♥
• Tim J Doyle In our prayers,love !!
• Romy Romano Wishing you well, in every sense of the word, Eva.
• Belinda Davis Eva, whatever the term you are in my prayers and I wish a quick and full recovery for you. I also like your new hair cut.
• Phyllis Grogan Thinking only good thoughts for you!
• Christine M. Ralph Stay Strong, Eva, you are on the way to a speedy recovery. You take care and rest up to getcha back to HEALTH.That is all that matters. You have a great attitude to continue to draw your strength from.
• Daryl Moore My prayers are with you Eva.
• Carole Lopez Angels are on the doctors shoulders ensuring all goes well. With them are prayers on each wing feather!
• Linda Just Sending healing light through prayer for across the miles.
• Joann Ellis Eva, you are in the hands of an amazing God. My prayers are with you.
• Kitty Keohane Scott Stay strong. I know you can get through this ordeal Eva.

By 6:30 I was in my room prepping for surgery. I talked with the anesthesiologist and then Dr Hemric at 8am. I was wheeled down to the OR and the next thing I knew I was in recovery. The surgery took two hours but it felt like 2 minutes. I really don't remember how I got to my in-patient room. It's all a blur. I was pretty much in and out until later in the afternoon. My friend Jo Jo came in after she was done with work shortly after 4pm. Glen, her husband came by for a while too. They went to dinner but came back. My other friend, Mary came over too. I was pretty high on morphine by then. I posted on FB to let everyone know I was fine:

Eva Dinkuhn Mahoney

Hey all! I'm doing pretty good (high as a kite) but not bad. I'll be blogging soon...stay tuned.

• Kitty Keohane Scott good, good, good!
• Christine Ferguson Yawney the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter all the time, Eva! soon this will all be behind you!
• Randy Snyder Good for you!!!!
• Crystal Crawford Cox Glad it went well!
• Renee Pinto Stonitsch More prayers for you!
• Arlene Yeates Cooper Awesome!
• Mary Ann Phillips great Eva enjoy the buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
• Jamie McGugan Keller I am so glad your doing better!! Prayers are sending your way and thinking of you all!
• Mary Jo Borzelleri Miller glad to hear it, take all the good drugs you can.
• Linda Just So glad to hear it!
• Jeff Morris I am HAPPY your doing well Eva!!!GOD BLESS YOU,my friend.
• Nita Hedrick Benefield So happy you've got it behind you. The few weeks just take care of Eva!!! Stay Strong... :-)
• Margaret Dick High as a kite is good!
• JoAnn DeFilippo Zoda Eva...glad to hear you are doing good! High as a kite isn't a bad thing! Get some rest...keep us posted. Prayers are with you
• Holly Hecker That is great, Eva! Enjoy the high (because goodness knows, they will wean you off it soon enough). Hope you have a good night tonight - and tomorrow, when they want you up and moving around, do it even though if is hard, because it will speed your healing. I promise!
• Gemma Zotara So glad you are doing well and high as a kite...enjoy the buzz while you can...hope you continue to feel well every moment of every day. I will keep praying for you and sending you healing thoughts and prayers!♥
• Maureen Harrison so glad to know youre doing okay....continued prayers your way! cant wait for the blog..
• Melanie Willoughby hope everything went well, get well soo
• Suzanne Leone Hummel Great news Eva...your positive attitude is amazing!!
• Janice Moore Glad to hear you're doing well - I'll bet you're glad it's over! Better days are coming!!
• Joann Ellis STAY STRONG.......
• Patty Puckett So glad to hear you are doing pretty good. Will watch for more news.
• Melanie Willoughby if you would like, i can come and visit sometime in the near future, now that my daughter is done with her divorce and almost settled. we have to help her move some more stuff in the next couple of weeks that she has at my house back to Kansas City

Wednesday night was a different story. The morphine gave me a headache. Wednesday night/Thursday morning became the longest night of my life. I'd dosed off but when i woke up I thought a couple hours had passed when only 15 minutes had gone by. It was like the opposite of what had happened when I was in surgery but it went on all night. My headache finally went away this morning. Dr Hemric came to see me and let me go home. So now I'm home figuring out what I can do and can't do. Well, no lifting much of anything. No showers. I see Dr Hemric next Thursday. Hopefully I will be able to get rid of the Christmas Ornaments.

As part of this permanent record I need to include these Facebook well wishers:

Deb Rauch

Good luck to you, my friend! I'm so sorry to hear what you've been going through.

Lee Harmon Eva, You are always in my thoughts!
Good luck today, Eva.

Brian Anderson Good luck today, Eva.

Tammie Schmitz-Anderson Thinking of you today and so sorry that you have to go through everything you have been going through.

I still haven't got the idea that I'm really boob-less. I think it will take a while before that really sinks in. All in good time. :)

Can you say "Neuropathy?"

Remember our deal...I'm not complaining; I'm merely informing. Okay?

My feet have been killing me. Aw man, they have been aching so much for a while now. Sometimes I get this shooting spasm of what feels like electricity running through them. It doesn't matter if I'm standing for sitting or have them elevated or not. They just hurt. Sometimes when I wake up I notice they don't hurt and it's just an amazing relief but then I get up and they hurt again.

So I've put it off long enough and I called Dr Toma's office. Of course they were concerned about a blood clot so I had to go and get an ultrasound of my legs. Fortunately there is no clot. Oh my God, thank the Lord Almighty for that because that would be the worse thing; that would mean my surgery wouldn't happen for a long time and maybe I'd have to have chemo again to ward off any cancer growth and oh my, just the thought of that brings tears to my eyes. So no clot!

But I have Neuropathy. I'm on drugs for this. Hopefully it will help. It's a pretty normal reaction to chemo. I should have complained...I mean informed...Dr Toma's office sooner so I could have started the drugs sooner but...well, I didn't. This should also help with the numbness in my fingers too.

Okay...I'm done informing. For now :)

Time for an Update

I just got back from getting lab work done and fluids at Cancer Specialist. I can really tell when I need fluids because for some reason it seems to happen right around the time I'm extra weepy. The nurse there says if I stop crying I might save on fluids. Yeah, I gotta try that. Oh, now don't go feeling bad; I know it could be so much worse. I keep telling myself that. Anyway, here's the scoop....

Despite not getting the taxitere last time, my fingers, toes and lips are still numb. I understand this may not go away for a while. I'm eating a little more now (10 days after) but still I wish I craved stuff...miss my taster. I know some people probably wish they would stop craving food so they could lose weight, but trust me, it sucks.

My double mastectomy surgery is set for August 10th. I'll probably be in the hospital for one night but maybe two, depending on how I feel. It's not going to be much fun but if I can get through chemo, by golly, I can do this. My brother Jim is flying down that week so that's good news.

Well, that's about it. I'm sure I'll be back as I freak out a little more each day about my surgery so stay tuned. :)

Last Chemo Update

Well, my last chemo was yesterday. On Facebook I eluded to some good news but that may not be as good as I had hoped. I had complained to Dr Toma that the Taxatere was really causing some bothersome side effects...numbness in fingers, toes, feet...even my lips so she decided I didn't need the last dosage. This saved me an hour in the chair and the hope that I'd not feel as nauseous or fatigued this weekend. Well, that hasn't happened much. True the numbness is better...at least the numbness of chemo (not so sure on loosing my job.)

Today I had to see the radiologist because after my surgery I will be needing weekly daily radiation for six weeks. This will not start until 3 or four weeks after my double mastectomy (to be determined). She assured me that the biggest side effect of this is fatigue and maybe some redness at the radiation site. I imagine this to be a walk in the park after all I've been through. Also today, I had my last Neulasta shot. This is good but I feel the bone pain already. Oh well. It's temporary.

So, now I'll be pretty much sleeping this weekend away. In between I will be trying to eat something. I'll probably be making Phil crazy because there are so many things I will try and I won't like and then he'll want to eat them so not to waste so much. But we'll get by. This too will pass and good things are around the corner.

Dear God....

I know I've been calling on you a lot lately but I have to tell you, I don't see an end in sight. Truth be told, this last chemo session has really kicked my butt, so much that I fear the next go around. I know I have a lot of people talking to you on my behalf and I hope it's okay if I ask for myself as well. It's been over two weeks since the fifth chemo treatment and I'm still feeling the side affects. I know you know what they are: the fatigue, inability to find food that I find worthy of eating; the saltiness of the water I try so hard to force myself to drink; the numbness in my fingertips and toes to the point that I have to keep shaking them so they don't fall asleep; the constant pain in my legs, my joints and the just plain over all crappy feeling. In the past, this has lessened a lot sooner but each treatment becomes worse than the last. I totally fear the next one. The only saving grace is, it will be the last. You willing, dear Lord! I don't think I can take more of this if it is not.
Please dear God, let there me an "all clear" at the end of this.
I never knew how much I loved food; going out and about, doing my own thing; taking a shower without collapsing from the effort. I never knew how much I loved my job; how little of an inconvenience it was to be on hold with Medicare for 30 minutes, how much I loved completed forms with PFD Professional, using my scanner, communicating with my insurance rep contacts and office managers of the clinics to whom I provide a serve. How I can't wait to get back to it. I love making order out of chaos and my job could be chaos if I let it. Before I had left, I had that under control. I can't wait to do it again when I get back. Having my job to get back to is one of the things that keeps me sane.
There is so much I have that's good in my life and I thank you so much each day. Thank you for my husband...he is my best friend and has been so good to me through all this craziness. Thank you for my family and my friends. I'm so grateful for my home, my car, some money in the bank. I have been truly blessed and I know I owe it all to you.

Here We Go Again

Just like last time after Chemo I feel awful. This past weekend I really thought death would be an upgrade. Seriously. I totally understood why some cancer patients decide to refuse treatment and let nature take it course. Of course those people are in a situation where they're not going to get better; they're just asking for more time. I am thrilled beyond words to know this is just temporary but in the meantime....it really sucks. Fortunately, most of the achiness is gone....most of it. I still have nausea but nothing like it was earlier this week.

But now, just like last time, I'm constantly starving and I'm running out of options of things I can eat. One can only eat so much cantaloupe and canned peaches. I have another watermelon I'm going to cut open tonight but I'm so hoping it's sweet enough. The last one, Phil bought at the Farmer's Market. A real farmer told him it was a good one but he was wrong. I had researched watermelon on the net and every site says that the watermelon needs to have a yellowish spot on it where it touched the ground. Absent of that spot means it's not ripe. Now you'd think the farmer at the Farmer's Market would know this, no? Phil paid $6 for that watermelon and it was not sweet. Phil of course is not big on contradicting a so called expert on their produce so he took his word for it. I found one site that says that watermelon doesn't ripen off the vine which makes me think it's really a vegetable. I mean isn't that the difference between a fruit and vegetable? Isn't that the whole argument about tomatoes because they ripen after they are picked? Vegetables don't ripen once they are picked. You don't need to be a farmer to know that.

Anyway, all my Facebook friends have been worried about me since I posted on Monday that I felt like death warmth over. I really did. Sleep was my only salvation. Now eating is if I could just find what I'm looking for. Going to try Egg Fo Young tonight. Let's hope I love it.

I feel like crap

Sorry to share this but I'm sick and exhausted and hungry but that's life on chemo. While I'm at it, I hate reality TV shows, when people say they have been to hell and back but they never had chemotherapy, people who swear on a regular bases...swearing should be reserved for special occasions. That's all I can think of right now..

Chemo treatment #5 done!

Today was pretty good. No problems with my port, no long waiting time. My numbers all look good. My white cell count was at 11 so that's even better than good. Dr Toma says the tumor is getting smaller. I just have to put up with the side effects a little longer. Right now I feel pretty good.

I'm still grossed about about eating ice when I get the red devil treatment. I tried eating an orange Sonic slush instead but it still grossed me out. I can't believe how even thinking about eating ice can make me nauseous. Sharon, the nurse at Cancer Specialist of OK, says that is pretty typical.

So ....one more treatment and I'm done with chemo. Then on to the next chapter of this long-really-don't-feel-like-reading-this book. But it's okay for right now. I'll update again in the next couple days. I'm sure I'll have something more to "inform" you about. :)

6 Days after Chemo

Well, I'm getting better. Still feel like Superman bathing in kryptonite; still having a hard time finding foods I like; still aching like a son of a gun but it's getting better! Thanks to all my supporters!

Funny thing about healthcare, Facilities and doctors offices are pretty quick at asking for payment, which is normal, it's a business, I get that but when you over pay...getting your money back...they're not so quick with the reimbursement. I'm talking over a grand is owed to me...well, to Visa and I know my insurance carrier sent them their checks back in May..why it takes them so long to post it to my account? Well, that's a mystery. I've been on the phone with them again with a friendly reminder!

In other news: I just finished reading The Help. It was a great book. I find it fascinating how times have changed. I had no idea as a little girl that discrimination existed. I was just totally oblivious to it. This book is set in Jackson Mississippi where the lines between black and white are well, black and white. The Help is coming out in a movie this summer. Should be interesting.

Sorry but this sucks....

Chemo isn't so bad during the process or even the next day but the next few days after that....aw man...I've been hit by a bus. My energy level is in the toilet. Speaking of which, on the positive side, I haven't been too ill; not like last time. But my desire to eat is limited to foods that are cold and wet....melon, watermelon however finding some that is sweet is a struggle. Foods and drinks are all fuzzy. I mean it. It's like everything has a fuzzy feel to it. Like eating peaches. Aw, it's so crazy. And my joints....well, it this is how arthritis feels; I'm in trouble. Yeah, I know it can be worse and I know I'm almost done....only two more treatments. Praise the Lord!

Another update

Good News: Dr Toma, The Boob Whisperer, says the tumor is definitely shrinking and she believes that by the time surgery rolls around, it will be just fibrous material. Also my White Blood Count is good...10.3..that's the high side of normal.

Chemo went well. There were issues with my port again...it wouldn't draw at first so I had to get lab done via my arm. When I went back for Chemo, the nurses finally got it working. Dr Toma switched out my anti-nausea medicine because it was making me, well dizzy and nauseous; also we did the Red Devil last. For some reason my Restless Leg Syndrome kicked in and it was hard to stay still so they gave me some kind of drug that relaxes you. It did a good job: took a nice nap too.

Other News: It looks like my surgery will be in the first or second week of August. I won't look like a chicken afterward. Yeah, I actually asked her that. I said, when I eat a chicken breast all that is left is the bone. She said it will be just flat. I seriously doubt I'll do reconstruction this year. Most breast surgeons don't work on radiated tissue. This is because non-radiated tissue can be stretched using expanders that are ballooned up over a period of time and then replaced by implants. Radiated tissue will fall apart if this is tried so pieces of stomach fat (which I have some to spare) have to be used and basically transplanted to the breast area. It's something to really think about. Maybe in December. I'll need to see what the down time is.

In the "I've been Blessed Department": I've gotten some great cards and emails from co-workers and relatives. The IT guys at HPI, especially Nathan and Mike have been super supportive. Thank you guys so much! I'm working on a special masterpiece for them which once they see it, I will share on this blog. Also Phil's cousin, Lois Hayes, back in Western NY, sent me a wonderful card filled with a ton of support and love. She even asked me to hug Becca. (Becca writes an annual holiday newsletter and Lois really gets a kick out of it.) She also made my Nook app on my IPad happy with a gift card from Barnes and Noble. Thank you so much Lois!

So right now, I'm on top of the world. Tomorrow I get my shot and then Saturday and Sunday, well, let's hope for the best!

10 Day Lab work Update!

Yesterday I went to CS for lab work. My numbers look good! They did give me some fluids because I was down a quart or two. (Dehydration) All the side effects are just the way it goes. My best description is this..I'm Superman and everywhere around me resides low to mid-levels of kryptonite. Seriously. It's like when you visit someone in the hospital....all your energies just get depleted when you walk those sterile halls and smell those antiseptic odors of illness. (Yeah, in case you were wondering, I'm taking an on-line creative writing class...LOL)