Really quick post, just to update you as promised. I got my CT scan results, the mass in my chest is about 50 percent its original size and my neck seems to be clear of cancer completely! All good news and just what the doctor was hoping for. The mass in my chest may never disappear totally. In many people with Lymphoma, the larger mass just shrinks and the cancer cells die. Basically, it is just benign scar tissue left behind. When I am done with all my treatment and in remission, they will do PET scans periodically to be sure that there is no activity.
But all this cancer fighting comes does not come easily and my stomach is already starting to act up, so I am going to take some meds and try to nap!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
March 21st - Chemo tomorrow (again already?)
Hi guys, sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. I haven't really felt motivated to write. As I had mentioned in my last post, my past chemo treatment was hell and I have been kinda feeling down. I finally got over the extreme nausea early last week. But I had really bad kidney pain after that. I haven't really had much a break from it all. I started to finally feel better Thursday and I have been trying to do as much as possible this weekend, as it is all down hill again tomorrow. : (
I don't think I have mentioned the kidney pain I have been experiencing on the blog yet so for those of you who don't know, let me fill you in. Pretty much since my first chemo, I have been experiencing pain midway down my back on both the right and left hand sides. Because of the location, it is assumed that it is my kidneys. The pain started off being very mild, but with each chemo treatment it seems to get worse. The doctor isn't sure what is going on. My kidney function is fine according to my blood work and none of the drugs I am on are supposed to cause such a side effect. Apparently this is not a common problem. So the doctors and nurses have offered all different theories, kidney infection, kidney stones, kidney spasms? (that's a new one, didn't know the kidneys could spasm.) They haven't seemed too concerned about it. But they're not the ones dealing with the constant pain!
I had a CT scan on Tuesday. They took pictures of my neck, chest and abdomen (kidneys). This was just a progress check to see what the cancer is up to, but the doc decided to check the kidneys out at the same time. I am super anxious to find out tomorrow the results of the scan.
I'll be sure to share the results, I promise.
I don't think I have mentioned the kidney pain I have been experiencing on the blog yet so for those of you who don't know, let me fill you in. Pretty much since my first chemo, I have been experiencing pain midway down my back on both the right and left hand sides. Because of the location, it is assumed that it is my kidneys. The pain started off being very mild, but with each chemo treatment it seems to get worse. The doctor isn't sure what is going on. My kidney function is fine according to my blood work and none of the drugs I am on are supposed to cause such a side effect. Apparently this is not a common problem. So the doctors and nurses have offered all different theories, kidney infection, kidney stones, kidney spasms? (that's a new one, didn't know the kidneys could spasm.) They haven't seemed too concerned about it. But they're not the ones dealing with the constant pain!
I had a CT scan on Tuesday. They took pictures of my neck, chest and abdomen (kidneys). This was just a progress check to see what the cancer is up to, but the doc decided to check the kidneys out at the same time. I am super anxious to find out tomorrow the results of the scan.
I'll be sure to share the results, I promise.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
March 10th - My 29th Birthday
Not a lot to celebrate today.
I hate to report that the new anti-nausea regimen the doc tried on me is not working, in fact I am sicker now then ever. They gave me a new drug during chemo called kytril which is supposed to be great and last 24 hours. Well it only lasted about 10 for me and then I was up all night Monday night into Tuesday extremely sick to my stomach. And of course I couldn't sleep because of all the steroids they give me during chemo.
So I went back to the doctor's yesterday as planned and they gave me Aloxi, another "great" anti-nausea drug and more steroids. I did get immediate relief from it and I was told the Aloxi would last 3 days! Liar, liar, pants on fire! Well it did manage to control my nausea until about 5 am this morning. Now I am extremely nauseous, despite taking my 3 anti-nausea pills, Emend, Zopran, and Ativan. And on top of feeling extremely sick to my stomach, I'm having horrible hot flashes and my face is as red as a lobster, thanks to all of the iv steroids.
I really think they should come up with a way to put you in hibernation during your period of chemo so you don't have to experience these things. In the mean time, I am still fighting! I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the long run. In about 4 months from now, I should be in remission and able to declare myself a cancer survivor. I will do my celebrating then.
I hate to report that the new anti-nausea regimen the doc tried on me is not working, in fact I am sicker now then ever. They gave me a new drug during chemo called kytril which is supposed to be great and last 24 hours. Well it only lasted about 10 for me and then I was up all night Monday night into Tuesday extremely sick to my stomach. And of course I couldn't sleep because of all the steroids they give me during chemo.
So I went back to the doctor's yesterday as planned and they gave me Aloxi, another "great" anti-nausea drug and more steroids. I did get immediate relief from it and I was told the Aloxi would last 3 days! Liar, liar, pants on fire! Well it did manage to control my nausea until about 5 am this morning. Now I am extremely nauseous, despite taking my 3 anti-nausea pills, Emend, Zopran, and Ativan. And on top of feeling extremely sick to my stomach, I'm having horrible hot flashes and my face is as red as a lobster, thanks to all of the iv steroids.
I really think they should come up with a way to put you in hibernation during your period of chemo so you don't have to experience these things. In the mean time, I am still fighting! I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the long run. In about 4 months from now, I should be in remission and able to declare myself a cancer survivor. I will do my celebrating then.
Monday, March 8, 2010
March 8th - Look at me go! Blogging two days in a row!
Well the forth chemo is over with. And I am happy to report, it was uneventful for the most part.
One thing I have to mention is that I am truly appreciative of my doctor. My oncologist is the best in my opinion. She is not only smart and experienced but, she listens to me. I never have really dealt with a doctor, especially a specialist, who was so receptive to my ideas and opinions. For instance, she didn't want to give me the Neulasta this time, because my counts were so good, but I insisted. I know my body and I know that they are going to crash again without it. I would rather suffer a few days of bone pain then have a really low white blood cell count and run the risk of infection or further chemo delays. So she agreed to continue it. Also, I told her that I was not happy with my anti-nausea drugs and she is trying new ones out on me to try to better control that symptom.
I will try to post again in another couple of days to let you know how I am doing. Thank you everyone for all of your support and prayers.
One thing I have to mention is that I am truly appreciative of my doctor. My oncologist is the best in my opinion. She is not only smart and experienced but, she listens to me. I never have really dealt with a doctor, especially a specialist, who was so receptive to my ideas and opinions. For instance, she didn't want to give me the Neulasta this time, because my counts were so good, but I insisted. I know my body and I know that they are going to crash again without it. I would rather suffer a few days of bone pain then have a really low white blood cell count and run the risk of infection or further chemo delays. So she agreed to continue it. Also, I told her that I was not happy with my anti-nausea drugs and she is trying new ones out on me to try to better control that symptom.
I will try to post again in another couple of days to let you know how I am doing. Thank you everyone for all of your support and prayers.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
March 7th - Night before treatment 4
First off, the good news is all the bone pain from the Neulasta paid off. My white blood cell count was double a healthy persons and 6 times what it was at my last check.
Sorry I haven't blogged in so long. Sometimes I forget that people really do read this as a way of checking up on me and sometimes it takes a friend pointing out my lack of blogging to get me motivated again to write.
Truth of the matter is I really haven't had much to new to say lately. I hate to sound like a whiny little bitch all of the time. I feel like that is what I am turning into sometimes. I have read other cancer surviors' blogs and during their fight they seemed to stay mostly positive. As time goes on it is becoming harder to stay postive.
I am only 3 treatments in and I feel emotionally exhausted. It was easy in the beginning to be full steam ahead, but with each treatment it gets harder. I feel like I am soooo far from the finish line, these have been the longest couple months of my life.
I went out to dinner last night with my husband to celebrate my birthday. My birthday is on Wednesday and I figured it would be safe to go out to eat this weekend because my last chemo was almost 2 weeks ago and I shouldn't still be sick at this point. But once the food arrived I could bearly eat my dinner, kept starring at the bathroom wondering how fast I could fight through the crowded resturant to get there. Would I make it in time? That was about all I could focus on. So I took my anti-nausea medicine (which makes me extreamly drowsy) and was on the couch sleeping before 8:30.
I just want my life back.
PS - I promise to make my next post a more positive one.
Sorry I haven't blogged in so long. Sometimes I forget that people really do read this as a way of checking up on me and sometimes it takes a friend pointing out my lack of blogging to get me motivated again to write.
Truth of the matter is I really haven't had much to new to say lately. I hate to sound like a whiny little bitch all of the time. I feel like that is what I am turning into sometimes. I have read other cancer surviors' blogs and during their fight they seemed to stay mostly positive. As time goes on it is becoming harder to stay postive.
I am only 3 treatments in and I feel emotionally exhausted. It was easy in the beginning to be full steam ahead, but with each treatment it gets harder. I feel like I am soooo far from the finish line, these have been the longest couple months of my life.
I went out to dinner last night with my husband to celebrate my birthday. My birthday is on Wednesday and I figured it would be safe to go out to eat this weekend because my last chemo was almost 2 weeks ago and I shouldn't still be sick at this point. But once the food arrived I could bearly eat my dinner, kept starring at the bathroom wondering how fast I could fight through the crowded resturant to get there. Would I make it in time? That was about all I could focus on. So I took my anti-nausea medicine (which makes me extreamly drowsy) and was on the couch sleeping before 8:30.
I just want my life back.
PS - I promise to make my next post a more positive one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
