Chemo #8
Number 8 is the halfway point for chemo doses, although because AC was bi-weekly and Taxol is weekly, I'm more than halfway in terms of time. Yesterday was also 3 months since my diagnosis. Has it really only been 3 months?! I think I've aged 3 years in that time. I bet I have way more gray hair now -- if I had any hair.
I had a check-in with my oncologist on Monday. She performed a breast exam and was amazed that my tumors are no longer palpable. (Jeff suggested I title this blog post "The joy is palpable.") My oncologist said I've had an incredible response to chemo that's not typical for hormone-positive breast cancer. Guess I better order more flaxseed oil. Not that this changes my treatment plan -- I will still have a mastectomy and radiation -- but she's hoping that when I repeat my full-body PET scan, the suspicious-looking nodes from my first scan (one subpectoral and one internal mammary) will now appear normal. I'll have that scan done in a couple of weeks.
Anyway, I'm back in the infusion room today. Last week was exciting with two different allergic reactions requiring an emergency response team, but today it's quiet. After evaluating my response to Benadryl over the last few weeks, I decided that I can drive myself to and from chemo. I still have Jeff or my mom bring my frozen gloves and ice packs right before I start Taxol. People seem to have a strong negative reaction to me going to chemo alone. I'm not sure why. The infusion room reminds me of Starbucks: it has free Wi-Fi, comfortable chairs, mediocre coffee, and I can entertain myself by eavesdropping on the people around me. Do you know when I do need moral support? When I wash my face at the end of the day and a big clump of eyelashes falls out. My lower left lash line is looking pretty sparse. :(
I had a check-in with my oncologist on Monday. She performed a breast exam and was amazed that my tumors are no longer palpable. (Jeff suggested I title this blog post "The joy is palpable.") My oncologist said I've had an incredible response to chemo that's not typical for hormone-positive breast cancer. Guess I better order more flaxseed oil. Not that this changes my treatment plan -- I will still have a mastectomy and radiation -- but she's hoping that when I repeat my full-body PET scan, the suspicious-looking nodes from my first scan (one subpectoral and one internal mammary) will now appear normal. I'll have that scan done in a couple of weeks.
Anyway, I'm back in the infusion room today. Last week was exciting with two different allergic reactions requiring an emergency response team, but today it's quiet. After evaluating my response to Benadryl over the last few weeks, I decided that I can drive myself to and from chemo. I still have Jeff or my mom bring my frozen gloves and ice packs right before I start Taxol. People seem to have a strong negative reaction to me going to chemo alone. I'm not sure why. The infusion room reminds me of Starbucks: it has free Wi-Fi, comfortable chairs, mediocre coffee, and I can entertain myself by eavesdropping on the people around me. Do you know when I do need moral support? When I wash my face at the end of the day and a big clump of eyelashes falls out. My lower left lash line is looking pretty sparse. :(
Jeff insists that blog posts without pictures are boring, and since you don't need to see another picture of me hooked up to an IV, here is the Lego princess castle that Claire and I built for my Moondragon LEGO minifigure. The pastel pink and purple doesn't suit her, so we pretend that she stormed the castle and stole it from someone else. Can you tell I'm ready for the Game of Thrones premiere on Sunday?
That sounds like great news! And don't worry about the eyelashes; the patchiness gives you character.
ReplyDeleteI watched a good fake eyebrow tutorial by a girl with alopecia and ordered some more supplies, including fake eyelashes should I feel the need. For now, I'm embracing the patchiness.
DeleteSo, what did you think of the Game of Thrones premiere? I didn't watch it myself but it was a big event for others that I live with!
ReplyDeleteThe fashion show sounds like a lot of fun. The only fashion show I was ever in was a comedy one. I seem to recall wearing spruce boughs for a shawl. Sometimes forgetfulness is a blessing.
It was a solid premiere. Worth all the hype. Ooh, spruce boughs. Very avant-garde!
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