Hi All

I’m sorry it’s been so long since I posted. It wasn’t for things to say, just for the energy to get up and post.

The weight loss is continuing. I’m up to 68 pounds gone now. This morning it was official. I now weigh in at 172, that’s the least I have weighed since 1997. Actually since before that. In 1997 I weighed in at 175 when I came home from Nebraska, and I hadn’t weighed that little since before my kids were born, so it’s been at least since 1977 that I was this light. I gotta tell you that it feels strange. I get dressed in the morning and it takes me at least 3 tries. I go to the closet and choose something, and then put it on only to find when I step in front of the mirror that it’s way too big. So it’s back to the closet again for another try. After 3 tries I go with the last decision and head out the door. Sometimes the clothes fit, but most of the time they are very big on me. I really should go shopping. Just hate to spend money only to have the clothes too big in a couple of weeks. Maybe it’s time to go to Good Will or Salvation Army.

Now to the fight against cancer. The first round of chemo was a real learning experience.

First, the chemo treatment itself isn’t bad. Just like having an IV and they pump you full of anti-nausea drugs first, so you’re already primed to be great when they push the chemo. I had only one problem with nausea and that was because I ate entirely too much one night, and ate it real fast so caused myself some dumping. IF I will stay with the bypass rules I don’t have that problem.

The meds I’m taking seem to keep the worst of the nausea at bay, and that’s great. My only problem during the first round of chemo was to remember when to take the pills. I took some twice daily when I got up and when I went to bed. Only problem with those are when my bed times change. If I go to bed early I have to set an alarm to wake me to take the meds. Getting up isn’t as much of a problem as going to bed early.

Next I have one that must be melted in my mouth. That one seemed to work fine the first day or two, but by the end of the first week it was making me so nauseous to take that one that I quit to see how I would do. I did much better so I decided to ignore that med and I had less problems. When I told my oncologist about that, he said “don’t take them” and I told him I had quit and he said good.

The final med is in pill form and I take two every 6 hours. Now you can’t ask for anything easier than that. At 6 and 12 I take two pills. Easy to remember, easy to do, and I’m usually awake around those times. Nice.

Had my second round of chemo last week on Friday (6/19/09) The port worked well for me that time, and I sat there in the treatment chair, feet up, covered with a warm blanket, a drink by my side, and read a book. Now that truly is easy.

I told my oncologist that if this was what Chemo is all about I could do it with one hand tied behind my back and both eyes closed. He laughed. He does think I’m doing much better than he expected me to. He credits a large part of that to my attitude. I’m very positive about this treatment, and it’s not going to get me down.

I do seem to need more sleep now than I did before starting Chemo. That shows up in days 4 through 14 usually. Then on day 15 I start to regain my strength and want to do something other than sleep. Those 10 days I’m sleeping more than awake. I go to work, get my job done and get home as soon as possible. I stretch out in my recliner, by the fan in my living room and drop right off to sleep. Em wakes me when it’s time to take meds, or go to bed. Otherwise I sleep soundly until the alarm wakes me to go back to work. I’ve even fallen asleep at my desk a couple of times. I told my boss about it, and he’s very understanding.

Only 3 more treatments to go and I will start the Radiation therapy. Have no idea what all that will entail, but I’ve heard more horror stories about the Chemo, so am hopeful that the radiation will go well.

My bariatric surgeon ordered a blood nutrition study last week. I got the results and they were all excellent. Even the oncologist (I showed him a copy) was thrilled. Evidently the supplements are helping keep me going while in Chemo. I’m so blessed that I had that surgery first.

Oh, and I had my first experience with hair loss last week. I ran my fingers through my hair and came out with a hand full of hair. None of that for me! I went to the beauty shop and had my head shaved. I love the bald look, and evidently others think it looks good too. I can’t tell you how many people have said I had the right shaped head to be bald; I even heard from several people that it makes me look younger.

I’m pairing the bald head with chunky earrings and hats and scarves, and having fun with the new look. Only thing I don’t like about being bald is it’s cold. I didn’t realize how much body temperature is regulated by your hair, or lack thereof. Sure my hair was thinning even before Chemo, but now that I have no hair, I notice I’m cold a lot more easily than I used to be.

Well, that’s about all I can share with you right now. Going to be time for a nap real soon.

Kate

First Chemo Down

Well, I had my first chemo last Friday. It took a bit longer than the 3-4 hours I was told. We ran into problems with my medi-port.

For those who don’t know, I have a small appliance under the skin just beneath my left collarbone. It is a Medi-Port. It allows my medical team to start an IV with out having to stick my veins. The doctors want to use this mediport for several reasons.

First, it allows less of a chance for the chemo medicines to spill out on my skin, which is a good thing because it is very toxic. From what I understand if allowed to sit on my skin for any time at all, it would start to eat away my skin. That’s the magic of this chemical combination, it attacks living tissue, the fast growing kind most (which is what cancer is). It also attacks things like hair folicles, they grow constantly and are good targets for takeover. When the hair falls out the follicles go dormant. After the chemo is finished, the follicles wake up and begin growing hair again. Cancer cells grow very fast, and they will react to the chemo and die. This part of my adventure is a balancing act, kinda like a walk across a ravine on a fallen tree. Walk steady and straight, and you get across fine. Pay no attention or go too fast and you stand a bigger chance of falling off.

Second, the appliance that sits under my skin is less likely to get an infection. It’s part of my body in a way and takes care of that problem.

Next it has a longish tube that follows my collarbone over to a rather large vein on my right side, which speeds the chemo to the bloodstream and allows it to work without causing me problems.

When the port is placed and the tube is run, the skin is sutured closed over it. When a patient needs chemo, the tech starts it in the port, but they have to verify placement of the port by first washing it with saline, then attempting to do a draw, which means pull blood out of it. Mine would flush OK,, but they couldn’t get a back flush. Finally after trying several meds to clear the line (none of which worked) we gave up and put the iv into my arm.

The actual receiving of chemo medicines isn’t a big deal. You just get hooked up to IV bags and they drip, drip, drip away. Then the nurse/technician comes over and adds to the IV with two large syringes that push a very strong drug slowly into my veins. Finally another drip, drip, drip bag and I’m done. Came home and had a wonderful day.

Saturday was a good day as well. The prescriptions for anti-nausea drugs worked as it was supposed to and I had almost no nausea at all. Sunday followed suit, with still very little nausea. Today (Monday 6/1/2009) was a bit different. I went back to work, and because I was concentrating on work I was late with my anti-nausea drugs. The nausea hit at lunch when someone warmed a lunch in the microwave and to me it smelled like they were heating old gym shoes….really nasty. I got my anti-nausea drugs out and took them and things got better. By the time I got back to my desk I was sleepy, but no longer nauseous. Hip Hip Horay!

Tomorrow I have an appointment at 9 a.m. to get my medi-port checked. IF it is plugged, they will remove this one and place another. Thankfully it is day surgery and I will be able to go home afterwards. Unfortunately it will use up another full day of vacation, and that’s no fun. I have 96 hours right now, and every hour away counts down, so I’m hoping this will be a 4 hour ordeal rather than the full 8.

I’ve decided that if this is all that Chemo is going to do to me, I’m truly blessed. If not, I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me….

Kate