The countdown continues.........
Yesterday I began my final chemo cycle. I will have chemo again, with Herceptin, next week and only Herceptin the following Monday. August 14 is my "post chemo" office visit with surgery scheduled the following day. Phew! I won't even begin to touch the proposed schedule for Herceptin treatments and radiation treatments yet....it is all pretty intense and hard to track.
Speaking of hard to track......I managed to goof up my appointment time yesterday. I had 10:30 written down on my calendar and planned to take care of paperwork, etc. early in the morning before heading into Houston. At 9:15, as I was finishing up, I needed to glance at the purple calendar from the doctor's office. At that time I saw that my appointment time was scheduled at 9:00. ACK! Actually, my groan was much more like Macauley Culkin's shriek in "Home Alone!" I could not believe that I had messed up so badly - I was already 1.25 hours late with a 40 minute drive ahead of me! Later, while trying to figure out what had happened to my calendar, I discovered that I had incorrectly entered 2 times, last week's too. So, that means that when I showed up my my appointment at 9 last week, I really wasn't supposed to be there until 10:30!!! Did anyone in the office say anything to me......no.......if they had, I would have been able to fix this week's time. Oh well, humility is a good character quality to work on this week, I guess.
So, I hurriedly called the doctor's office and explained my blunder, agreeing to come in and just "wait" for whatever time might come available. However, they encouraged me to come in ("take your time driving!"), and they would get me in as soon as possible. So, I hightailed it to the office and waited my turn.
The office visit went well. The doctor continues to be pleased at the physical changes she sees. As she explains it to me, those changes are indicative that treatment is continuing to work. There are no palpable masses that she can detect, and the other issues also see to have resolved themselves. I will need to have another heart scan (MUGA) as well as a chest x-ray before surgery, but that is all.
It was a v-e-r-y slow day in the clinic yesterday; even the nurses were puzzled. There are 8 chairs, and they are almost always full with people waiting in line for them to empty. Yesterday, when I walked into the clinic, only 2 chairs were in use. Within an hour, I was the lone patient in the back. Believe it or not, it got a bit lonely back there. It was nice and quiet for napping, except dozing is really all one can expect when staff is always walking in and out, changing out drugs, etc. Another man came in about 15 minutes before I was set to leave; I felt badly for leaving him there alone!
We got an official letter from the insurance company over the weekend, denying coverage for the genetic test. I was on the phone with the testing center today to see what we need to do to have them go ahead with it and just self-pay. It's too late to get results back to make surgical decisions, but we have decided that having the information will be good for any other possible needs, as well as having more information for the children in the future. While it would have been nice to have the insurance coverage, it isn't the end of the world. God provides for all of our needs, this one included!
So, it seems as though it is full steam ahead now, with August 15 in sight as the next BIG event. There is a lot of busy work to do around here before hand, and that will help take my mind off of the surgery looming ahead. Just need to stay healthy and keep the blood counts good until then!
"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."~ Proverbs 4:20-27
Friday morning musings............
Kathryn and I are still dealing with this virus today. I cancelled her piano lesson, for our sakes as well as to keep the virus in our home and out of the teacher's.
So we are staying close to the bathroom today. Her fever is gone, and she would be back to normal except for this intestinal issue. My fever flared again last evening but is gone again today. Following the doctor's orders: finish the course of antibiotics, watch my temp, drink lots of fluids and watch for other symptoms. Please pray that this doesn't mess up Monday's chemo.
A side note: due to flight issues on Southwest, Michael is coming home from Chicago tomorrow evening and driving to Dallas on Monday morning. It will be nice to have him home for that short time. Too bad he had to lug all that extra baggage with him!
Midweek update
I have found that if I don't update on Mondays, the week gets away from me. This week has been no different. Since the week is half over now, you get a bigger update!
1.
Monday - I head to the doctor for Herceptin. The clinic is much more quiet this week than last; I even get a short nap! Upon my arrival home, Kathryn tells me, "I think I am sick." She most definitely is, running a low grade fever, complete with chills and body ache.
2.
Tuesday - First thing in the morning we receive a call that a long time family friend has died. While it was expected, it was not expected so soon. Michael and I meet with the surgeon in the afternoon and schedule my surgery for Tuesday, August 15. It is on the hospital calendar, although there are a few factors that are still undecided. We have decisions to make!
3.
Wednesday - A 9:15 appointment with the gynecologist takes all morning (we are on time but she isn't). We discuss my cancer treatment so far, and I fill her in on surgery. We discuss a few more issues, and she sends me home with a month's worth of iron supplements! Bonus! Michael leaves for Chicago and the funeral. He will fly from Chicago to Dallas on Sunday for business, so he won't be home until Wednesday of next week. Towards the middle of the evening, I am not feeling well, so I take my temp and discover a fever over 100.5 which means I have to call in to the oncologist's office. The doctor on call tells me to start on an antibiotic even though we both agree that it is probably viral and passed to me from Kathryn (who is still sick, by the way). A restless night of sleep ensues as I am hot and cold all night long.
4.
Thursday - Kathryn wakes up feeling better; today is the first day she has been up and dressed since Monday. While she is not back to normal yet, she is well on her way (water is tasting normal again, so she tells me!). My fever is gone. I still feel tired, but I think that is from lack of sleep last night. I call the oncologist's office to speak with the nurses, to fill them in on my evening. They instruct me to continue the antibiotic for a full 5 days and to watch for other symptoms. I get a gold star for calling in, though! Later, I speak with the genetic testing firm about the test they are supposed to be running for me. It turns out that the test which we
thought would be back by 7/28 hasn't even been started yet. And it takes 4 weeks for the results! The issue at hand is that the lab is waiting on insurance approval/denial (we knew they would wait). While I was told approval would take about 1 week, it is now 4 full weeks since they drew my blood. The cost of the test is $3000, so we really want to see if insurance will cover it. The results of the test hold the pieces of the puzzle as to whether or not I have a genetic predisposition to breast cancer; the results are also wanted to make definitive decisions about my surgery. Now it is unclear if we might even have the results back in time since my surgery date is only 26 days away. I will talk to the oncologist on Monday and get her perspective on everything.
And so goes life......trying to sort out all of these decisions and waiting for information to help come up with the answers. Most of all, it means resting on the Lord and knowing that even though it all seems confusing and frustrating and overwhelming from my vantage point He sees the big picture from beginning to end. Actually, He even knows what's going to happen, and I can rest in knowing that it will be for my
good.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." ~Romans 8:28
Monday, Monday.......so good to me.......
because I got my chemo and only have 2 more b-i-g treatments left! And here, you probably thought I was going to sing through the entire Mamas and the Papas song. Nah, I will spare you, but yes, I am old enough to remember watching them
live!
The actual infusion part of my day was just the same as any other day. But the weird part of the day was the atmosphere in the clinic. It was LOUD from the time I sat down until the time I left, 2.5 hours later! It isn't that large a room; it has 6 chemo recliners in it. But the doorway to the hallway is pretty wide, so the sound doesn't usually get trapped.
Today was different because the men outnumbered the ladies. My experience has been that on Mondays, especially when I have an early morning appointment (rather than arriving at 11 or so), the tone of the crowd is usually a little chatty, but then the ladies either submerse themselves in a book or take a nap. Last Monday, we had a man join us who slept the entire time he was in the chair. In fact, I think he took after my dad and fell asleep
before he even got his drugs started! Today, we had 3 men whom I had never met before, in addition to Mr. H, the sleeper. One of these new men had his wife stay with him in the suite (not the norm - spouses are usually asked to remain in the waiting room, as the suite is small and there is no extra seating). This man also brought his iPod with him, and despite his using headphones, we could hear every single song he listened to.......clearly.
I like to nap during my treatments. I will socialize at the beginning, but once I get the shot of Benadryl, I get drowsy. I figure 'why fight it?' So, I nap, like so many others. None of the men napped today (well, Mr. H. might have except I don't think he had his treatment today - he didn't stay in the suite very long). They talked, and laughed, and guffawed, and talked really loudly!!!! And the man's wife who was there....she just fit right in with them all. So, I didn't nap. But I did "rest my eyes," as Grandpa would say. I tried, but it was just impossible.
One funny thing that I did overhear, while I was pretending to sleep (hey, I thought if I
looked like I was trying to sleep, maybe they would tone it down some! It didn't work.), came from the discussion they were having about the current Astros losing streak, It seems as though the lady who was sitting next to me was at the same game our family went to last week! She was complaining how the Astros lost......I was nice, held my tongue, and didn't gloat about how
my team won that night! Why spoil their party?
Next week, I will be meeting with the surgeon to schedule my surgery. The target time is the week of August 13th. I would appreciate prayer that the surgeon can work me into his schedule, as the timing is really not all that flexible. I had a dream that he couldn't do it that week becuase he was going on vacation for a month......and then they told me I would have to keep having chemo until he got back! You might say, it was more like a nightmare! Seriously, I am resting in God's sovereignty in this area, too. He hasn't failed me yet; I know He won't fail me in the future.
"My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." ~Psalm 121:2
What a difference a week makes.......
No, my fingertips didn't seem any less red to me today, but I am not the one signing the chemo orders. They did look less red to those in charge ("the issue is resolved"), so TPTB signed the orders, and I got my drugs. I think it rather strange that
I, the person who shrinks from taking cold meds and aspirin, would be so excited about getting toxic drugs pumped through my veins. "Whatever it takes," is my new motto! The actual infusion time was uneventful, and Nurse M was back, filling in for someone on vacation - I got a chance to say an official goodbye and extend my thanks to her.
Ryan drove me to chemo today, since he was in town for the holiday weekend. It was nice to have someone to drive with. We also ran a few errands and had lunch at Panera, taking home the proverbial "mother lode" in bagels.
I got a short nap in upon returning home, waking just in time to head to dinner and the mall with Ryan and the girls. Justin was taking a law school final at home this evening, and I wanted him to have it as quiet as possible. On our drive home, I told Ryan that this was the first time I had undertaken so much activity on a chemo day. I wonder how I will feel tomorrow.......as we head out for the day to
Kemah.....hmmm, time will tell.
Thus began my second to the last cycle.......only 6 more weeks left, Lord willing!
