So far, being on chemo is like having the perpetual flu or pregnant (like I'd know about that one?). Out of all the more common ailments to get during the winter, I really hated getting the flu. I would religiously get my flu shot every winter. I'd do anything and everything to avoid any events leading up to the hurl.
After chemo and I had to go back to the doctor's office to be re-hydrated via an IV the next day. The nurse said to me, think of the nausea as it feels like to be pregnant. I half-laughed and said, "I have no clue what that feels like." I then made a joke later to my mom about how God is getting me back for avoiding the experience of pregnancy within this life-time.
My white-blood cell count is supposed to be at their lowest levels, so I can't do anything/see anyone, this weekend. All I want to do is recover from all the nausea. Next week I have off from the chemo and I have a meeting with the doctor.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
This is supposed to be the "easy" week of chemo?
I had chemo this morning and subsequently threw-up this evening. And I was told this was the "easy" week because I only have one chemo drug administered.
I was starting to feel a bit better after the last week of chemo. I suppose I took it for granted by having a panini sandwich just after I had this last session.
I can't think of how long this whole process will take. I can only break it up into pieces just to get through it. For example I'm starting 3 rounds for now. I'm now a 3rd of the way through (for now). My next chemo treatment I will be 1/2 through.
I talked to mom today and she told me how people would become much, much more ill 20 years ago, than I am experiencing from chemo today.
I'm really, really tired today. Sometime this week, hubby & I will be giving me a buzz-cut. All my hair is going to fall out anyway. Might as well stop it from clogging the drain.
When I'm feeling better I'll talk about my visit to the cancer-patient wig store.
Too tired for now.
I was starting to feel a bit better after the last week of chemo. I suppose I took it for granted by having a panini sandwich just after I had this last session.
I can't think of how long this whole process will take. I can only break it up into pieces just to get through it. For example I'm starting 3 rounds for now. I'm now a 3rd of the way through (for now). My next chemo treatment I will be 1/2 through.
I talked to mom today and she told me how people would become much, much more ill 20 years ago, than I am experiencing from chemo today.
I'm really, really tired today. Sometime this week, hubby & I will be giving me a buzz-cut. All my hair is going to fall out anyway. Might as well stop it from clogging the drain.
When I'm feeling better I'll talk about my visit to the cancer-patient wig store.
Too tired for now.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
What does being a cancer patient feel like?
Well, I suppose that depends on the person.
Let me pose this to you.....if you knew you would be afflicted with some health problem sometime in your life, what could YOU handle.
Back-track to my early 20's. I had a serious health issue during that time that I had a great deal of difficulty handling on an emotional/intellectual level. I had a nurse tell me that if it were anything else (such as cancer) maybe I would handle it better. Kind of ironic here I find myself today with this diagnosis. Scary? yes. mentally crippling? No.
Try dropping the "C" bomb on your family when you have to tell them. I really hated doing that! The reaction from them ran through a range of emotional reactions.
I've had 1 round of chemo. My surgery for my chemo port instillation is still healing. I'm nauseous all the time. In fact, I threw up this morning. I have dropped some weight already. Never thought I would be glad that I'm slightly overweight like I am now. I am guaranteed to lose some poundage during this odyssey!
I'm trying to eat about every 2 hours just to be sure I get enough calories. Eating 1 small thing takes about 1/2 hour. I had to lay in bed this a.m. to finish the oatmeal I was trying to eat. Mornings are the roughest part of my day, thus far.
Oh yeah, the fatigue is constant. I'm told that it will be at the roughest point during week 1 of a round of chemo. That is when I am administered the toughest (taxotere) chemo along with Gemzar. The second week I am given Gemzar. The 3rd week I rest.
I was hoping to go back to work in some capacity. After this week, I'm thinking it will have to be in the capacity of sitting down most of the day. I'm constantly on my feet as a medical assistant. I won't be going back to that anytime soon.
Let me pose this to you.....if you knew you would be afflicted with some health problem sometime in your life, what could YOU handle.
Back-track to my early 20's. I had a serious health issue during that time that I had a great deal of difficulty handling on an emotional/intellectual level. I had a nurse tell me that if it were anything else (such as cancer) maybe I would handle it better. Kind of ironic here I find myself today with this diagnosis. Scary? yes. mentally crippling? No.
Try dropping the "C" bomb on your family when you have to tell them. I really hated doing that! The reaction from them ran through a range of emotional reactions.
I've had 1 round of chemo. My surgery for my chemo port instillation is still healing. I'm nauseous all the time. In fact, I threw up this morning. I have dropped some weight already. Never thought I would be glad that I'm slightly overweight like I am now. I am guaranteed to lose some poundage during this odyssey!
I'm trying to eat about every 2 hours just to be sure I get enough calories. Eating 1 small thing takes about 1/2 hour. I had to lay in bed this a.m. to finish the oatmeal I was trying to eat. Mornings are the roughest part of my day, thus far.
Oh yeah, the fatigue is constant. I'm told that it will be at the roughest point during week 1 of a round of chemo. That is when I am administered the toughest (taxotere) chemo along with Gemzar. The second week I am given Gemzar. The 3rd week I rest.
I was hoping to go back to work in some capacity. After this week, I'm thinking it will have to be in the capacity of sitting down most of the day. I'm constantly on my feet as a medical assistant. I won't be going back to that anytime soon.
World turned upside-down
Just less than 3 weeks ago I had no idea that I would be diagnosed with Uterine Cancer - lucky on one hand that it was detected. Supposedly it is rare to have at my age. Typically it manifests in women in their 50's to 70's. There are no symptoms. I happened to have some symptoms of a prolonged menstrual cycle accompanied by ever increasing pelvic pain. I was encouraged by the nurses at the clinic where I work to seek medical attention after I described my symptoms.
The details somewhat elude me in the last 2 weeks as things happened so fast!
I had 3 urgent care visits. During the first urgent care visit several tests were given to rule out pregnancy. One of the tests was an ultra-sound - that showed a mass inside my uterus. At this juncture Cancer could not be confirmed. That would take more testing to determine. The Urgent Care doctor was going to refer me to a gynocologist. The wait for that would have taken at least 2 weeks to get an appointment. I instead called a private practice Ob/gyn M.D. I knew well and that I had established care with previously.
I called her office and described my symptoms. I was seen the very next day. During the physical examination she did note something unusual and had to send out a specimen for biopsy. She then referred me to a gyno/oncologist, Dr Bahador. At this point I knew I would have to scramble to get my records together and have releases signed - just in case.
W/in the next several days I ended up in Urgent Care 2 more days, and mom worked hard to make sure all my records were transferred to Dr Bahador. I was scheduled to have an appt w/ Dr Bahador on Jul 22nd.
To recap that week: From Tues to Friday I was in the Urgent Care 3 times with symptoms of ever increasing pelvic pain. On Saturday the pain was so bad that my husband and mom took me to the ER. The ER doctor was going to release me from the hospital with the same medication (percocet) as I had received in Urgent Care. Obviously the pain medication was not working and I needed something stronger. My husband was able to help me be admitted to the hospital - if at least for pain management.
Within the next 3 days I met and was examined by Dr Bahador, had a CT scan, and a PET scan.
Upon the initial physical exam by Dr Bahador he did confirm that it was cancer. The extent of how much it spread was confirmed by the CT and PET scan. After the tests I was advised that I am at a level 3c in stages 1 through 4. 4 being the most difficult to treat.
Dr Bahador gave the foundation of my treatment plan which so far consists of: 1) 3 rounds of chemo over 9 weeks 2) possibly surgery at this time if it is determined more chemo is not required. 3) after surgery more chemo 4) radiation. This is subject to change based on treatment factors and how the cancer responds to said treatment.
I was in the hospital from Sat through Wed. On Jul 21 I went in for surgery to have a chemo port put in. Later that day I began chemo (Taxotere and Gemzar).
So to sum things up, my turned upside-down in less than 2 weeks.
The details somewhat elude me in the last 2 weeks as things happened so fast!
I had 3 urgent care visits. During the first urgent care visit several tests were given to rule out pregnancy. One of the tests was an ultra-sound - that showed a mass inside my uterus. At this juncture Cancer could not be confirmed. That would take more testing to determine. The Urgent Care doctor was going to refer me to a gynocologist. The wait for that would have taken at least 2 weeks to get an appointment. I instead called a private practice Ob/gyn M.D. I knew well and that I had established care with previously.
I called her office and described my symptoms. I was seen the very next day. During the physical examination she did note something unusual and had to send out a specimen for biopsy. She then referred me to a gyno/oncologist, Dr Bahador. At this point I knew I would have to scramble to get my records together and have releases signed - just in case.
W/in the next several days I ended up in Urgent Care 2 more days, and mom worked hard to make sure all my records were transferred to Dr Bahador. I was scheduled to have an appt w/ Dr Bahador on Jul 22nd.
To recap that week: From Tues to Friday I was in the Urgent Care 3 times with symptoms of ever increasing pelvic pain. On Saturday the pain was so bad that my husband and mom took me to the ER. The ER doctor was going to release me from the hospital with the same medication (percocet) as I had received in Urgent Care. Obviously the pain medication was not working and I needed something stronger. My husband was able to help me be admitted to the hospital - if at least for pain management.
Within the next 3 days I met and was examined by Dr Bahador, had a CT scan, and a PET scan.
Upon the initial physical exam by Dr Bahador he did confirm that it was cancer. The extent of how much it spread was confirmed by the CT and PET scan. After the tests I was advised that I am at a level 3c in stages 1 through 4. 4 being the most difficult to treat.
Dr Bahador gave the foundation of my treatment plan which so far consists of: 1) 3 rounds of chemo over 9 weeks 2) possibly surgery at this time if it is determined more chemo is not required. 3) after surgery more chemo 4) radiation. This is subject to change based on treatment factors and how the cancer responds to said treatment.
I was in the hospital from Sat through Wed. On Jul 21 I went in for surgery to have a chemo port put in. Later that day I began chemo (Taxotere and Gemzar).
So to sum things up, my turned upside-down in less than 2 weeks.
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