Tomorrow, Another Big Day

Tomorrow is another big day in my life. After the diagnosis of Invasive Ductile Carcinoma, it seems that everything in my life revolves around cancer…Treatment plans, chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and even surgery. It’s an amazing amount of information to digest, and be able to converse about. Tomorrow I go for my first chemotherapy treatment. I’ve met my Oncologist (a very nice man) and agree with him that treatment should be aggressive, so I opted to start right away.
I’ve been dumbfounded at the number of people in my sphere of influence who have either had breast cancer or know someone who has. Fortunately for my peace of mind they have all survived after various forms of treatment, some for a long while, and others for only a short while. People at work want to tell me about their spouses (usually wives) who have battled this disease and not only survived, but in at least 2 cases, gone on to have additional children and are living fulfilling lives. People at church are the same..survivors. There are 3 people in my Sunday School class who are currently battling other forms of cancer. I feel like I’m in good company.
Over the past 3 days I have received e-mails from many places that all say to me…Hang in there Kate, It’s going to be OK…It’s like God is sending me personal messages of hope and confidence. I don’t remember a time when I felt so supported and loved.
The people around me are positive, and offer me support. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “If there is anything I can do, please call me” or something to that effect. I’m thinking of making a list of chores around the house that I could use help with, and when someone offers that, give them a copy with the advice “IF there is anything on that list that you can do, please don’t hesitate to come by and do it. I’ll need as much support and help as I can get, and I would appreciate your help with any of these things.” That will do three things for me, and at least one thing for each of them. First, it will help me stay focused on what needs to be done, and give me a feeling of control (I can control something). Next it will give well meaning friends and family something concrete they can do to help me, and that will help them feel a part of my healing, without being involved in the “icky” parts. Finally it will get my surroundings cleaned, mowed, washed, swept, or whatever, and that will make me feel better just knowing things look nice. Win/Win situation for everyone!
My weight continues to go down, although not as quickly as before. I’ve begun eating a little more frequently in preparation for the chemo. Everything I’ve read on-line suggests that to combat the negative effects of chemo I should try to eat 4 to 6 times daily, and eat small meals. The small part isn’t hard, and so far the 4 times a day isn’t either. I’m branching out to things like granola bars, and yogurt for the 4th meal. Gives me a variety I didn’t have before. I don’t miss things like that as much. Also, I have a meeting with my Bariatric surgeon this Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. to discuss my nutrition needs and the differences between eating for chemo and eating for gastric bypass. I know I’ll continue to take my supplements, might even double up on some of them.
I’m not anticipating any real trouble with the chemo. From everything I’ve been told by both friends and my Oncologist, they will give me drugs to counteract the nausea caused by chemo, and (here’s the big one) most of the side effects seem to come in a cumulative way. That is, they may not strike the first treatment, or even the second. We just have to wait and see how things go.
More about all of this during the weekend (I hope) after my first treatment. Then I’ll have something definite to report.
Meanwhile, have a wonderful Friday, and coming weekend.