A Conversation with a Friend

I wrote a blog a few days ago about how my 3rd cycle of treatment was going. It was pretty long and in great detail and then I lost it.  So I will start this blog talking about what me and my best friend of over 13 years talked about, that dealt with my breast cancer and family. She called me to see how I was doing.  I was on day 6 of chemo cycle 3 and it was kicking my but a little bit more.  I told her that this treatment is harder than the others.  On day one I was good until I took my first nap and had to get up.  When I rise up and sit on the edge of the bed my heart starts to palliate and it takes a minute to focus.  As I stand up my body feels so heavy and I need to hold the dresser to walk towards the bathroom.  I feel like the gravitational pull is not my friend.  I start to smell things around me that I wish I didn't. She wanted to know everything that I was going through.  I told her that my eye lids feel as through tiny men wear hanging from them and they were very hard to stay open.  Even my face felt weighed down.  My finger nail beds were getting darker.  The worst is the energy.  I have to energy and want to just sleep.

I started to tell her about the next set of cycle. The first four was every two weeks of Cyclophosphamide and Doxorubicin hydrochloride.  The next set is cycle 5-8, which consisted of Paclitaxel. This treatment is suppose to be given every 7 days (3 weeks on and 1 week off) for the next 4 months.  The number one thing to be concerned about is infection. This new drug will lower my white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. I did explain that every time I go to the infusion center they check for a multiple of items such as the following: WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, BUN, sodium, potassium, and Glom filt rate.

We talked about if I'am just lying around and having people wait on me.  I replied by telling her not at all.  The first few days are really rough and yes I need people to either check on me and to be there to give me fluids.  If it was left to me I would just sleep for the first few days and wake up to only pee.  But my family at home is very supportive.  They check on me every couple of hours and make sure I get lots of fluids.  I don't want to eat because of the whole no taste bud, tongue turning black, making me feel nausea after every meal.

I will try to write more but I can tell that mentally I'am moving slower.  I used to multitask mentally and have things planned out 5 steps ahead of anybody else, but lately I just take my time.

My 2nd Chemo cycle of Breast Cancer

I know that I haven't written in a while, but I've been spending a lot of time with my family.  I had to be sure that my boys had their school uniforms, supplies, and I put groceries in the house for the next two weeks.  Both of my boys had summer project that were due on the first day of school. So let me catch you guys up.  The day before my second chemo appointment I decided to have all my hair shaved off.  My husband attempted but he left a lot of patches, claiming that I had different texture of hair going in all directions.  I made an appointment with my hair dresser, and she hooked me up.  I had chemo on August 20.  My uncle E. took me and sat with me during the 3 1/2 hour session. The first 3 to 4 days for me are hard.  I don't like or don't want to eat. I have to constantly drink fluids, seems like every hour on the hour.  I found out that I do like the GNC strawberry protein shakes and the green Naked smoothie drinks.  When I do eat I have hardly any taste sensation from the chemo and the chemo is turning the sides of my tongue black, as well as my finger nail beds. I try to stay cautious when dealing with germs.  The first 7 days after chemo I don't do lanudry, wash dishes, clean bathrooms, or even empty trash can in my house.  The goal for me and my family is: if I don't get sick then we have been doing something correct in the house by keeping me safe and away from germs. In case some of you don't understand, my white blood cell count right after chemo is shot down to about the 50's and a normal neutrophils count is about 1500. My platelet counts are very low and they always ask me did I bruise myself or get hurt, because I can have complications where I will not stop bleeding.

Around day 7 I'am ready to at least walk my block a couple of times.  Instead every morning I walk my son to his bus stop which is actually 1.15 there and 1.15 miles back to the house.  I really enjoy our talks and we take our time, mostly for me.  When I get back home, I'am ready to get my day started.  For example here is a typical good, energized day for me: Walk my son to his bus stop and I walk back home, organize the bills, get in the car and pay some bills, grocery shop, and run little errands for the household like (my son called and needed his gym clothes) so I had to drive to his school 25 mins away, later that day I would cook dinner.  Well the good news from this message is the lump in my breast is going down.

Well unitl next time. (Don't forget I'am not a writter, so don't judge me). Please make comments and ask questions.