Updates

I've been taking it easy since last Friday. Even though I didn't have the taxotere this time, I felt like the nausea was present until Sunday. I took the anti-nausea meds, but probably not as often as I could have. I saw that the compazine can make you have blurry vision so I felt less inclined to take it this time. So it was more nausea than heartburn.

On Sat morning (11/22/08), my cousin Michelle had her baby daughter, Morgan Leigh Park!! She's a healthy 7 lbs. 6oz. Congrats to Michelle, Willy, and little Lincoln!! I'll be sure to see you guys soon.

I received the tote from the Lydia Project requested by Linda for me. It had LOVE embroidered on it with a notebook of encouraging quotes from past cancer patients, lotion, tissues. Also, there was a prayer request card that I could send to them and a note letting me know that these women in GA are praying for me. How sweet is that!

On Sunday, after doing practically nothing for a few days, I made 6 lbs of mashed potatoes for a Thanksgiving dinner at church. Hey, that's almost as heavy as Morgan! I was really exhausted after all the scrubbing, cutting, boiling, and mashing (especially since I couldn't locate our potato masher that Sam likes so much and had to use a wooden spoon and fork). The dinner was so nice though that I'm glad that Sam and I went and met this couple, Enoch and Gloria. Sam learned how to deep fry turkeys in peanut oil and had a turkey aroma about him for the rest of the evening. =)

Linda's here for Thanksgiving! I showed her the apt and my practically bald head. She thinks our heads are shaped similarly with a prominent bump in the back that slopes down to the neck. Thanks, Bonnie, for the Dead Sea lotion and socks! We were giving each other hand massages with it yesterday.

Chemo Round #3

I had my third chemo today, but I didn't have all 3 of my infusions. Instead of TCH, it was only CH. The taxotere wasn't given because my liver functions were off: the alanine amino trans (don't know right now what it's short for) and aspartate amino trans were elevated. At this point I don't know if I just skip the taxotere or leave it to the end. The nurse also said that she's seen those given taxotere get the brown freckles on their fingers.

My neutrophil counts looked great so I'm having Neulasta again tomorrow. It looks like my lymphocyte and platelets counts are getting a wee bit lower than normal though.

I was able to talk to my med onc today. I asked him about the bisphosphonate trial, and he said the study results so far do not apply to me since they were for ER+ women. He agreed that I should try taking calcium (1200mg) and small amounts of Vit D to offset any possible osteopenia/osteoporosis. I explained to him that my bones were cracking in my neck.

He also said that daily vitamins were OK, but taking high amounts of any vitamins, including Vitamin C and E, were not recommended. I asked him about the scalp lotion, and he said that he would be more concerned with actual ingestion of the vitamins.

Well, not having taxotere meant that I got out really early today. I had to fill some more prescriptions through.

I'm feeling OK so far. I didn't much sleep though last night, probably due to the steroid. It makes you jumpy.

Skin Issues

I feel like this whole past week I've been reading and lounging around, probably because that's exactly what I've been doing. I know that I should be walking and working and just moving around, but sadly, I haven't. It takes longer to get ready even if I have to just put on a wig because I still have to shampoo and condition my head and apply 5 different types of lotion to 4 body parts (my scalp, my face, my surgery scars, my legs). I've got some major bumps on my shins from scatching them when they were itchy a few days ago.

Scalp-Jason Natural Vitamin E Age Renewal Moisturizing Creme
Face-usual Oil of Olay lotion with sunscreen
Scars-Mederma and Palmer's cream with Vitamin E (given to me by surgery nurses)
Legs-Used to be Coconut body lotion, but after the scratching, I use the lotion given to me at the hospital and will change to Vaseline when I find some

I've also noticed brown marks on my fingertips. They are like light freckles. I have 3 or 4 on each of my thumbs and my right ring finger. I'll ask about them to my med onc when I see him tomorrow.

I got my bloodwork done today and have taken my steroid to prepare for tomorrow's chemo. It's already Round 3. I'll be half-way done afterwards!

Happy Birthday, Sam!

Sam and I went to church today. I think some people didn't recognize me in my wig. We got to meet Christine, who was dignosed with breast cancer at the end of August. She has 2 children, Sarah and Matthew, and is in her early 40's. We spent a good 1.5 hrs talking about our diagnoses. She happens to be trying to get a second opinion from my medical oncologist, Dr. Antonio Wolff. We both agree that we need to get the word out that young women should do regular self-breast exams. We both feel lucky that we caught the cancer early. Hers was found by a gynecologist that was recommended to her, not her regular one. It wasn't even a lump, just a tightening of the area, so she thought it was a fibroid.

I'll probably be more vocal about self exams after chemo. I guess that chemo is a vulnerable enough time that I want some privacy in the meanwhile. Isn't it more helpful to others who are worried or just diagnosed to talk to someone who has already overcome chemo?

After church, Sam and I went to Wong Gal Bi, a Korean restaurant in Ellicott City, for lunch. He's 34 today!

Janet's Triathlon

The last few days have been very mellow, as Sam can attest to. I've pretty much been laying down reading in bed. This is in stark contrast to what Janet is doing at this very moment. She's giving it her all in the Rota Blue Triathlon in dedication to her father. Go, Janet! No. 182!

I received the It's a Wrap from Laurie today. The silk is really soft, and I like the colors. I'm not sure how to wear the wrap to have it be a fashion statement though instead of just covering a bald head. I tried it under a hat, but it's probably not the right type of hat. More experimenting, I guess.

Yesterday, my eyes kept on tearing up. They felt a bit dry so I didn't wear my contacts. Today, they are much better though. yay!

FREE stuff for Cancer patients

If you know anyone else besides yours truly that has cancer, these organizations help to put a smile on patients' faces. I found these organizations through my Young Survival Coalition sisters.

http://www.heavenlyhats.com/ Already requested a nice sleeping hat.

http://www.thelydiaproject.org/common/feedback.asp?PAGE=384 Linda got me a special tote!

http://www.franceluxe.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=FL&Product_Code=L3083&Category_Code= I got the cozumel floral It's a Wrap. Laurie, the Prez of the company, sent me one today for free to support my hair loss. Just e-mail Laurie@franceluxe.com.

Chemo Angels: http://www.chemoangels.net/ More for support. Weekly letters and gifts.

There's also: www.cleaningforareason.org But since I'm not totally incapacitated, I didn't sign up to get my apt cleaned.

The Calm before the Next Round

It's been pretty good lately. I've just been sniffling and sneezing a little. I don't think that it's a real cold, maybe a side effect of the Herceptin? I think that my bones are cracking a little more, but maybe I just need to do more stretches. Other than that the only thing I'm asking is, "Where has my period gone?" OK, This may be TMI for some readers. I was warned that I will probably go into chemopause (vs. menopause) during chemo, but it's happened so fast. Women usually get it back 3 months post chemo. So now my usually regular self is in a limbo state wondering if my period is just delayed or completely stopped for the next few months. I have to be a in a perpetual state of "being prepared".

Sam saw my head

Well, I couldn't hide it from him forever. When he finally saw it, he just said with that funny smile that I look like a baby. That must be scary, a 5'5" baby. Actually, I intentionally let him see my head because sometimes it seems that Sam doesn't realize that I'm really going through chemo. I've done too good of a job covering up the side effects. Since I have less than 10% of my original hair, I've been shedding less around the apt. That's a good thing. =>

I've got the sniffles and have been sneezing, but I don't think that it's a real cold. There was a pretty bad headache on Sat night that may indicate I have a cold, but the headache hasn't returned. I was told that I may end up with a sinus headache during chemo, but since my headache was on the sides of my head, it wasn't that.

I can't wait to burn something in the fireplace! Sabrina, when you come over, we are burning that log that I got!

Out and about with my Newsboy hat

Sam and I went for a walk yesterday and today around the lake by the apt. Good exercise!

Yoda I Am

I looked at my head today and laughed. I was trying to see which hairs were still left. It turns out that I have a big clump of hair still left at the crown of my head, where men usually start balding. It kinda looked like I have a ponytail. I also have some hair on the sides, a bit above my ears. The hair on the whole top of my head is gone except some stragglers spread throughout. I was thinking I look a bit Yoda-ish minus green hue and pointy ears.

http://blogs.fayobserver.com/faytoz/files/2008/08/yoda.jpg

President Obama it is!

Guess who I voted for? => I think that it's awesome that other countries are celebrating with us. Kenya had a holiday today, and I heard at work that there's a place in Japan called Obama so they are happy over there, too. In terms of yesterday's speeches, I found Senator McCain's more moving. He's served this country a long time and called Obama "my President", a big step up from "that one". =>

I took 1 ibuprofen for the achiness yesterday, and it seems like it hasn't returned. So far, so good.

I voted today, some back pain

It was really easy to vote today. I went at 3 pm, no lines, no waiting. I even got my "I voted" sticker. Total time after parking: 5 min

I don't think that I'll be able to sit much longer. I'm getting some achiness in my back and hips. Here comes the Neulasta!

Couldn't avoid being called Sir

The man behind the JC Penny counter wanted to make polite conversation. I believe that he knew I was a woman since I was buying a woman's sweater and was wearing long earrings, but it slipped out, "How are you doing, sir..er ma'am?" I didn't wear my wig, just my hat, since some of my hair is still hanging on. I even put a flower pin in my hat. Later, he said in Korean that I had a pretty name and that he was Korean. Just polite conversation, but why did he have to make that mistake? Note to self: Buy bigger jewelry?