This morning was a follow up visit with the surgeon I had who did the lumpectomy in February, Dr. Kelli Chung in Vancouver at the Mill Plain Kaiser.
I was suppose to have a follow up visit at the 3 month mark, which surgery was in February, so that would have made it May for my follow up. However, I didn't know I was suppose to have a follow up visit and never got a call from Kaiser until last week. Its almost at the 6 month mark now!
Appointment was early today, 8:45am. So Richard and I went to Vancouver, my appointment was about 10 minutes long!
All she did was check my scars, asked a few questions, checked my port and that was it.
Dr.Chung said I should have a mammogram in January or early February 2011 and than schedule an appointment with her after that. Than the next visit would be a year later (2012) when as she put it, " we will have a two year graduation party at that point for you ".
This appointment did give me the chance to ask her about Lymphodema, which can occur in the upper arm once the lymph nodes have been removed. (this is when the other lymph nodes can not drain correctly and the arm swells up, there are exercises to do to help relieve the pressure but once you have it, you cant get rid of it.) She said if I haven't had any problems with my arm yet, most likely I wouldn't, can't guarantee that , but keep using my arm as normal but keep an eye on it. After surgery and removing lymph nodes 10 to 15% of patients develop Lymphodema.
So I feel pretty safe knowing that my arm is as normal feeling as it was before the surgery.
Between the chemo appointments, I am feeling really really good. The Herceptin that I am getting weekly doesn't seem to make me sick in any way. So the side effects only come after my chemo treatments.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Round 6 Sickness
Just taking it easy.. not trying to be too active and over do it.
However, on Saturday, I talked myself into going to a Stampin Up card making party, and I am pretty sure it was too much. I had fun though, but probably should have stayed home.
Sunday I was down and out, just not feeling quite right, really tired.
But the side effect of the Taxol is what I have been fighting the most. I guess the best way to explain it is like restless leg syndrome. My legs start to hurt and feel like I have to stretch them but the stretching is never good enough. I thrash around in the bed because they constantly hurt. Sometimes the pain just shoots through my leg or knee. And when I walk, it feels like my legs are going to give out from under me. I guess it feels like a growing pain in my leg. So I haven't been sleeping too well, even with the help of some Lorazepam.
As time goes by, it will work its way out of my system, until its time to go again!
However, on Saturday, I talked myself into going to a Stampin Up card making party, and I am pretty sure it was too much. I had fun though, but probably should have stayed home.
Sunday I was down and out, just not feeling quite right, really tired.
But the side effect of the Taxol is what I have been fighting the most. I guess the best way to explain it is like restless leg syndrome. My legs start to hurt and feel like I have to stretch them but the stretching is never good enough. I thrash around in the bed because they constantly hurt. Sometimes the pain just shoots through my leg or knee. And when I walk, it feels like my legs are going to give out from under me. I guess it feels like a growing pain in my leg. So I haven't been sleeping too well, even with the help of some Lorazepam.
As time goes by, it will work its way out of my system, until its time to go again!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Chemo Round 6
Yesterday, July 15th was round 6 of chemo.
Richard took me this morning. I didn't want to go (I dont think there has been even one time I have wanted to go!). I had told him that they didn't care about me. It was just their job and they were only there because they got paid to be there.. so of course he had to tell them all that!
On my after care page from the Dr. it says, We Love You and a smiley face inside a heart. And on my aftercare page from the infusion nurse it says You know we love you!
I really like my oncologist, Dr. Richert-Boe. She isn't a ball of fire type of person and not much personality but I really like her. After her visit she gave me hug and said they all love me!
My appointment was with the Dr. at 8:30am..a little early for me since I am not a morning person, but it gets the appointment over with earlier! I was in my chemo chair by 9:00am
Today was another loooong day. Not as long as last time. I was out today at 2:45pm.
Before they give me the chemo drug Taxol, they give me by IV Benedryl and Pepcid. The Benedryl almost instantly made me sooo tired I could keep my head up I felt like my head was bobbing around on a wobbly neck. I had to lay back for a little bit. Richard was still there and my mom had showed up too, so they visited while I rested and tried to focus on what was going on for a little bit.
After these meds. I got the Taxol. This is what takes so long, they start out giving it really really slow than increase it amount but it over all takes the majority of the time, and then about a 20 minute rinse of saline to make sure my port is doing OK. Then they gave me the Herceptin, that took 30 minutes than another 15 minute rinse of the saline. It all takes more time than I want it to take!
Mom sat and visited with me the entire time and than took me home. She didnt have to, but I am glad she always does.
I got home at 3pm and went directly to bed until 5pm. I was so tired. After my nap I sat outside on the patio and enjoyed the really nice summer weather.
After Richard went and got us dinner I came inside and took some anti nausea medicine. I took one of the Compozine and before bed a Lorzapan to help me sleep and calm me down.
Today, July 16th, feel really good. Going a little slow, just a little queasy but not bad. Stayed home from work to take it easy and make sure there weren't any weird side effects. I am wearing my pink Survivor T shirt with the pink ribbon for cancer awarness on it that a friend at work gave me. Reinforce in mind that word Survivor!
I asked Dr. Richert-Boe about follow up treatments since several have asked me when will I be tested again for cancer. This was her comment:
When I am done with the chemo and radiation, I will be checked every three months for 2 years, then every 6 months for 3 to 5 years, then once a year after that for possibly 5 years.
I had my blood lab work done on Wed July 14th (always the day before my chemo) and one of the tests called ALT Serum showed my last result on 6/23 as a count of 23, this time it on 7/14 it was a count of 55. The standard range is 10 to 58. So I was worried that by next time, it will be out of the "good" range but the Dr. said no, it was just fine.
This test according to Kaiser is: an alanne aminotransferase (ALT) test measures the amount of this enzyme in the blood. ALT is found mainly in the liver but also in smaller amounts in the kidneys, heart muscles and pancreas. ALT is measured to see if the liver is damaged or diseased. The low levels of ALT are normally found int the blood. But when the liver is damaged or diseased it releases ALT into the blood stream, which makes the ALT levels go up. Most ALT levels are caused by liver damage.
So since I had read this before my Dr's appointment I had asked her since this had me worried about liver damage. But the Dr said my range from the blood test was just fine and not to be worried about it. So that took my mind of that little worry.
glad this one is over... only 2 more chemo's to go!!!!!
Richard took me this morning. I didn't want to go (I dont think there has been even one time I have wanted to go!). I had told him that they didn't care about me. It was just their job and they were only there because they got paid to be there.. so of course he had to tell them all that!
On my after care page from the Dr. it says, We Love You and a smiley face inside a heart. And on my aftercare page from the infusion nurse it says You know we love you!
I really like my oncologist, Dr. Richert-Boe. She isn't a ball of fire type of person and not much personality but I really like her. After her visit she gave me hug and said they all love me!
My appointment was with the Dr. at 8:30am..a little early for me since I am not a morning person, but it gets the appointment over with earlier! I was in my chemo chair by 9:00am
Today was another loooong day. Not as long as last time. I was out today at 2:45pm.
Before they give me the chemo drug Taxol, they give me by IV Benedryl and Pepcid. The Benedryl almost instantly made me sooo tired I could keep my head up I felt like my head was bobbing around on a wobbly neck. I had to lay back for a little bit. Richard was still there and my mom had showed up too, so they visited while I rested and tried to focus on what was going on for a little bit.
After these meds. I got the Taxol. This is what takes so long, they start out giving it really really slow than increase it amount but it over all takes the majority of the time, and then about a 20 minute rinse of saline to make sure my port is doing OK. Then they gave me the Herceptin, that took 30 minutes than another 15 minute rinse of the saline. It all takes more time than I want it to take!
Mom sat and visited with me the entire time and than took me home. She didnt have to, but I am glad she always does.
I got home at 3pm and went directly to bed until 5pm. I was so tired. After my nap I sat outside on the patio and enjoyed the really nice summer weather.
After Richard went and got us dinner I came inside and took some anti nausea medicine. I took one of the Compozine and before bed a Lorzapan to help me sleep and calm me down.
Today, July 16th, feel really good. Going a little slow, just a little queasy but not bad. Stayed home from work to take it easy and make sure there weren't any weird side effects. I am wearing my pink Survivor T shirt with the pink ribbon for cancer awarness on it that a friend at work gave me. Reinforce in mind that word Survivor!
I asked Dr. Richert-Boe about follow up treatments since several have asked me when will I be tested again for cancer. This was her comment:
When I am done with the chemo and radiation, I will be checked every three months for 2 years, then every 6 months for 3 to 5 years, then once a year after that for possibly 5 years.
I had my blood lab work done on Wed July 14th (always the day before my chemo) and one of the tests called ALT Serum showed my last result on 6/23 as a count of 23, this time it on 7/14 it was a count of 55. The standard range is 10 to 58. So I was worried that by next time, it will be out of the "good" range but the Dr. said no, it was just fine.
This test according to Kaiser is: an alanne aminotransferase (ALT) test measures the amount of this enzyme in the blood. ALT is found mainly in the liver but also in smaller amounts in the kidneys, heart muscles and pancreas. ALT is measured to see if the liver is damaged or diseased. The low levels of ALT are normally found int the blood. But when the liver is damaged or diseased it releases ALT into the blood stream, which makes the ALT levels go up. Most ALT levels are caused by liver damage.
So since I had read this before my Dr's appointment I had asked her since this had me worried about liver damage. But the Dr said my range from the blood test was just fine and not to be worried about it. So that took my mind of that little worry.
glad this one is over... only 2 more chemo's to go!!!!!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Herceptin Med 2nd Visit
Yesterday, July 8th I went for my second Herceptin med treatment.
Again, it took a full two hours. I sat there all connected to my port and the IV machine/pole for 40 minutes before I had any medicine. But once the meds showed up, it went pretty fast there. Doesn't seem to have any side effects yet. I say yet, because this is the med I am on weekly until the end of August and then it will be every three weeks for the next year.
Now I just have to coordinate my lunch hour on treatment day.
Again, it took a full two hours. I sat there all connected to my port and the IV machine/pole for 40 minutes before I had any medicine. But once the meds showed up, it went pretty fast there. Doesn't seem to have any side effects yet. I say yet, because this is the med I am on weekly until the end of August and then it will be every three weeks for the next year.
Now I just have to coordinate my lunch hour on treatment day.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Herceptin Med
Thursday July 1st was one of my first weekly appointments for the medicine Herceptin.
It took a full 2 hours from the time I got there to the time I left.
This drug is not a chemo drug and until my chemo treatments are done, I will be getting this med every Thursday. I am going to try to go on my lunch hour to cut down on my sick FMLA time away from work for part of the appointment.
I did really well. I was expecting to have some sickness since the most common side effect is flu like symptoms. However, I didn't feel sick at all.
For the timing on this first appointment I was a really watching it since the next day on Friday July 2nd was the beginning of our three day District Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses in Portland which is about an hour drive to get there. And I was leery that I would be sick and not be able to go, or have to leave early. My goal was to make it to my seat and stay put. However, I am not feeling any sickness so have been happy!
Once my chemo that is every three weeks is done (the end of August), than this Herceptin medicine I will get every three weeks for a year.
And I am starting to lose my eyelashes and eyebrows now. I bought some fake eyelashes but haven't tried them yet!
One of the side effects of my new chemo drug, Taxol, is hair loss. So I am pretty sure I will lose the rest of them.
It took a full 2 hours from the time I got there to the time I left.
This drug is not a chemo drug and until my chemo treatments are done, I will be getting this med every Thursday. I am going to try to go on my lunch hour to cut down on my sick FMLA time away from work for part of the appointment.
I did really well. I was expecting to have some sickness since the most common side effect is flu like symptoms. However, I didn't feel sick at all.
For the timing on this first appointment I was a really watching it since the next day on Friday July 2nd was the beginning of our three day District Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses in Portland which is about an hour drive to get there. And I was leery that I would be sick and not be able to go, or have to leave early. My goal was to make it to my seat and stay put. However, I am not feeling any sickness so have been happy!
Once my chemo that is every three weeks is done (the end of August), than this Herceptin medicine I will get every three weeks for a year.
And I am starting to lose my eyelashes and eyebrows now. I bought some fake eyelashes but haven't tried them yet!
One of the side effects of my new chemo drug, Taxol, is hair loss. So I am pretty sure I will lose the rest of them.
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