A good week!!

I have made it though my first chemo week!! Phew...What a few days that was! I don't remember ever sleeping so much in life before! But it is what I need and I will get as much of it as I can! Finally, the nauseous feeling went away ~ about 3 days after my treatment...but better late than never, right??

I will be starting back to work next week too. A full month off to recuperate has been a blessing, but I am ready to get back into some sort of routine...plus (sadly) my mom is leaving this weekend. She has been with me in Arizona since I found out my diagnosis back in August. I think my dad and sister are starting to miss her and I'm afraid the puppies won't remember her! It has been an absolute blessing having her here with me...she has made my life so easy...helping to make meals, do the laundry, make my bed...the simple things. Her and my car get along famously these days and she bought him a 'kitty condo' yesterday! He loves it! We will all be sad to see her go, but I know the support system that I have in Arizona will help get me through the rough days. 

So what's to come?? Well, work next week...Chemo treatment #2 on November 1st...Erin's benefit that she is putting together in Painesville, Ohio on November 14th (more info to come on this!)...and, of course, the holidays! I'm looking forward to spending the next few moths with the best family and friends a girl could have! I am so lucky to be surrounded by such loving, caring, generous people...it is because of you guys that I know I will make a full recovery! If I haven't said it recently ~ THANK YOU for all you have done for me ~ and continue to do for me.

Have a wonderful weekend!!
Love always!!

  ~ heather :o)

Chemo #1 ~ In the books!

Yesterday, October 11th was Chemotherapy treatment #1. I'm pretty happy to say that I got out {mostly} unscathed! I had to be at Ironwood Cancer & Research Center at 10am so that I could meet with my Oncologist, the delightful Luke Halbur, before my treatment could begin. Everything checked out accordingly ~ my lab work from the week before was great and my MUGA scan (remember, the scan for my heart to make sure the Chemo doesn't cause heart damage) came back with an exceptional clean bill of health ~ Let's keep fingers, toes and eyes crossed that doesn't change...I tend to like my heart & in the condition it is now!!!! 

So off we went, to the Chemo treatment room. Although it was a slightly busy morning, there were two chairs together so that my mom could hang out with me the entire treatment. So...treatment begins...since I had the Medi-port put in last week, it is easy-peasy!!! First, they clean the chest area surrounding the Medi-port, then spray a numbing solution on the skin, then poke the port with a needle and get the IV started that way. I have about 20 minutes of 'pre-meds' to get my going...the beloved anti-nausea meds so I don't get too sick and some fluids to keep my veins open. All of that is done through the port. Then the 'good stuff' ... my two Chemo drugs. The first is what they call a push ~ it is injected by a very large needle into the IV that was started through my Medi-port. It is a pinkish-red drug, and the nurse sits next to me and injects it completely. After that, I have about an hour drip of the other medicine. Then I'm done.

Yesterday, I noticed that I felt pretty good during everything...right up to the last 5-10 minutes. All of a sudden, I got really tired and very pale. I didn't come close to passing out or throwing up, but just didn't feel right. So mom got me right home and I laid down on the couch, ate a sandwich and took a nap. 

I was in bed by 7:30 last night...just not feeling right. Mostly flu-like symptoms...achy everywhere, headache, hot / cold constantly...but luckily, I managed to fall asleep ~ and stay asleep until about 12:30am. By then, all meds seem to have worn off and I was not feeling well again. I woke my mom up and asked for another anti-nausea pill ~ then was all of a sudden hungry (good sign!), so mom and I were up at 1am heating up some home-made chicken soup with dumplings that she made for me! It was so yummy and it stayed down! {Knock on wood} I have yet to get sick from Chemo. We'll see if I can continue this trend!

I go in again today for my Neulasta shot which will help increase my White Blood Cell counts and will help my immune system recover more quickly from the Chemo...but for now, I'm off to lay down. I'm getting a little tired and my head is starting to way a small ton!!! 

Thanks for checking in and I will have more updates posted soon! 

Much love to everyone!!

   ~ heather :o)

Chemo set to begin

Well, we all knew this was coming ~ Chemotherapy. I am set to start this upcoming Monday, October 11th, 2010. I have a full 6 months of Chemo...the first round will consist of 4 treatments given once every three weeks. It will be approximately 2 hours per appointment. I will then have to go back on Tuesday so that I can have an injection to increase my White Blood Cell count. Rumor has it that I won't get sick...but will be very, very worn out and sleepy all the time. Yay...just what I need...!! But, the way I look at it is the more sleep I can get, the faster I can / will recover from this!

Today is a busy day...I have to have my MUGA scan, then I have to have pre-Chemo lab work, then I have to go pick up my anti-nausea meds from the pharmacy. This will become my new Thursday or Friday routine...lab work and the pharmacy before Chemo-Mondays. 

This past Tuesday was my Port-Placement surgery. It went well. I'm still a bit sore, but it is definitely getting better every day. Honestly, my neck is killing me! They place the tube into the jugular vain...not very natural!! 

On a side note, the weather in Arizona is finally starting to be tolerable again!! We had a HUGE storm front blow through on Tuesday...hail, wild winds, rain...it was AWESOME!! We actually opened up the windows in the condo yesterday and turned off the AC!! WOW...October 6th and we turned off the AC...!!! I told my mom that she has pretty much missed any sort of Fall Season. It has been so hot since she has been out here and when she goes back to Ohio it will already be cold and rainy and icky there!!

This weekend is the Susan G. Koman 5K in Phoenix. I am lucky enough to have a team in my honor...Walking for Heather. TONS of work people ~ from jobs present and jobs past ~ will be there. I truly am the luckiest person in the world. I can't wait to see everyone on Sunday!! Hopefully I can get some great pictures and will get some posted! 

Off to start my running around for the day! Thanks for checking in and more info to be posted soon! 

Love always, 

  ~ heather :o)