Liver Me This

Before I went in Thursday for my next round of chemo I was feeling awesome.  I hadn’t felt that good in a long time!  My belly is finally under control and I have knocked this stupid cold on it’s but.  Probably all the sunshine we’ve been getting isn’t hurting either.  I really didn’t want to go get juiced up again.

Thursday came and Michelle and I went.  Thank God for her, she is such a blessing to me.  Anyway, as usual, my port fought us and I ended up having to get an old fashioned IV while they put the “Draino” in my port to clear it.   I also had to, again, get approval from my oncologist to get chemo because my Bilirubin keeps getting higher.  This concerns me, of course, and I don’t know how high they will let it go before we have to investigate that. (any information is appreciated)  Sheesh, if it’s not one thing it’s another.  I keep saying that cancer won’t kill me, it’s the treatments that will.

Per usual, after chemo on Friday and Saturday I was exhausted and I really wasn’t in the mood to be exhausted 🙂  It’s too nice out and I have too many things I want to do to be sick!  Man, I hate this.  Saturday night and Sunday I felt awful and was shaking internally.  I was a little dizzy also.  I have to learn not to push myself so hard when I’m sick but I don’t listen to my body very well.  Last night I finally started feeling alright and I think I’m back to normal today.   Thankfully my sister is having a BBQ so my afternoon should basically be me sitting in a lawn chair relaxing 🙂

That being said, I am almost done with the chemo portion of my medicine.  I will get juiced on Thursday, get a week off and then 2 more doses.  I will stay on my other 2 drugs but they don’t make me sick so I’m really looking forward to  this.  I don’t know why I’m complaining, things have been so much worse in the past, but I guess I’m just tired of it or getting grumpy in my old age.

The end of June I will get my full body scans again and hopefully my tumors are shrinking!  That will make all this worth it!

Back On Chemo!

After taking a month vacation from chemo, I went back on it yesterday. She took me off for a month because my stomach was in such rough shape that I needed a break. Well, everything settled down so I’m ready to go again. Today was a 2 cup of coffee and a large Coke day. Wow, how quickly I forget how tired it makes me. So, I’m back on the schedule of 2 weeks on and then I get a week off.

I have not gotten any of my research biopsy results back like I was hoping. However, I had a CT scan when I went to the ER a couple of weeks ago . . .and . . .it showed . . . My tumors are shrinking!!! So, I can deal with an upset tummy and exhaustion when I get lab results like that 🙂

This is what glazed over chemo eyes look like and if gives me a red nose. It’s like I’m drunk

Thanks for all the prayers and support, it’s working!!!

Let’s See . . . .

. . . .where to start.   A brief overview of the last 2 years.   December 28, 2011 cancer gave me the gift of returning and attacked my heart.   We were able to get it off there but a month later it returned and required a little heart surgery but it won’t attack my heart again. However, because cancer sucks, it moved into my lungs and seems nice and comfy there.   I have several areas where the cancer has made a home at in my lungs but they were just hanging out . . .until a few months ago.

A few months ago the cancer started growing, not real fast, but enough that I don’t like it. After all, the goal of all these toxic drugs I ingest and have shot into my veins is to make the spots die, not grow. My oncologist suggested a take a break from treatment since I’ve been putting crap in me for 2 years and I could probably use a break. Initially I went along with it, a break sounded nice.  I also agreed to be a research guinea pig and let them remove part of one of the tumors from my lung (I wish they would take it all!!!). I have yet to get those results but they might find something that could help me.

A month after I started my break from treatment I couldn’t take it anymore and asked to go back on. I just felt like if I wasn’t fighting, I was letting it win and that’s not how I roll.   My oncologist put me on harder chemo and 2 other drugs and it has not been fun. It hasn’t been awful but my stomach certainly doesn’t like it. Matter of fact, it is so bad that I am now back off the chemo and I’m seeing a GI doctor to see if we can get things to settle back down. I’ve been off chemo for 2 weeks and I’m finally not running to the bathroom every 5 minutes. However, I am still sleeping in a recliner so I don’t choke on my stomach acid anymore.

Today I took part in another research project where I donated bone marrow and bone from my hip. One of the common places breast cancer moves to is the bones and they are trying to find out why.   I didn’t hesitate to participate when asked, but I have to admit, it sucked!  But, hey, I will do whatever it is I can do to try to stop this horrible disease.

So, that’s what’s going on in a nutshell!