Denise's Cancer Chronicle: Cytoxan

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Chemotherapy #3

Chemotherapy #3 with Adriamycin and Cytoxan is complete. Yay! One left to go with A/C and then four rounds of Taxol.

I worked before this round & left work after a conference call. The Cancer Center parking lot was FULL so I had to park in the parking garage. I felt a little strange walking in with my big fluffy pink blanket. I am 43-years-old and carrying a blanky. But, it truly does give me great comfort. And warmth! I get so cold during treatments.

My Dad and Ellen came in right after they inserted the tubing to the port, while Brooke was drawing my labwork. Then, we met with the PA, Jennifer. She is awesome. So calm and comforting. We discussed my back spasm, depression, thrush, and nausea and she said she thought the oncologist would want to decrease my Cytoxan by 10%. She said they had decreased my Adriamycin by 10% last time because my WBC's had been so low. I didn't know that! And, I didn't want them to decrease the Cytoxan! I want to kill all the cancer cells. But, Jennifer calmly explained that I have to be healthy enough to finish all of the treatments and they don't want to kill me with chemo. I started singing, "Killing me softly with chemo, killing me softly, with chemo, killing the cancer, with chemo..." She didn't laugh. I thought it was hilarious. Maybe it was my singing. All during our visit my dad is snapping pictures! Some are on FB and I'll post some here.

Also, the Neulast shot is doing its job and my WBC counts were normal! Bonus. They should be with how much the injection costs. It should come and fold my laundry too.

Jennifer, PA, telling me they will decrease Cytoxan.

So, then we moved into the chemo suite and got started with the pre-chemo cocktail of Zofran, Ativan, Emend, and Dexamethazone. Then the fun stuff. Cytoxan and then Adriamycin. Dad and Ellie just watched as they dripped into my veins. It's pretty surreal. And, it was so busy. It makes me sad. Almost every chemo chair was full when I got there. I was one of the last ones to leave. I pray for a cure.

Talking with Ellen.

We talked about my Dad's recent work in New Orleans (he works for UP Railroad teaching new hires) and because he loves photography so much he went to Bourbon Street and got some great shots of the nightlife. He's also taking dragonfly photos. I LOVE DRAGONFLIES. I've even changed from the Pac Man visualization to dragonflies flitting through my system and zapping the cancer cells. I just had a thought, I can start singing, "Another One Bites the Dust," while visualizing the cancer cells dying. I must be in a musical mood.

Around 1:00 p.m. my Dad brought up lunch and being hungry. I told them they could leave, but they didn't want to. Then, Ellen was reading Sunset magazine and talking about great recipes. It just made us hungrier! They ran to Ruby Tuesday and I checked on my work email. I'm a great multi-tasker. Receiving chemo and working! They made it back in time to see Brooke giving me the "Red Devil," the Adriamycin. It's very potent and it turns my urine red for hours afterwards. Sorry, TMI, but information someone else may need to know.

Brooke, RN, giving me Adriamycin by hand.

Social Worker/Counselor, Robb.

My Dad didn't understand that they major part of my port is under my skin, embedded into my chest. When Brooke took off the tubing and withdrew the needle, he thought the port was out. I showed him the bump and had him feel it....he jumped out of the chair. Too cute, Dad!

It's chilly in the chemo suite, so Dad was warming his feet too.

With the exception of having to reduce the chemo drugs, it was just a relaxing afternoon catching up with my Dad and Ellen. I could sense it was hard for them. It is hard. But, we'll make it through. I love you both.

Five more rounds to go. Then 30-33 rounds of radiation. Another One Bites the Dust...........

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Chemotherapy #1 - August 2, 2011

Chemo numero uno is finito. (And that's the extent of my Spanish despite having taken it twice on college.)

My Sis, Olivia, and Conor went with me. We got a thorough review of what was to take place, side effects of the medications, and so forth, from a PA named Jennifer. She was great! Everyone at the Cancer Center is. She did tell me that I may not get Taxol for 12 weeks at the end of my chemo, because there is a nationwide shortage of it. Instead, if it is not available, I would get something called Taxotere. I have mixed feelings about it. Taxotere would only be every three weeks for four cycles whereas the Taxol would be every week for 12 weeks. I want what the doc originally suggested, even if it's every week for 12 weeks. I want the big guns to kill all of the cancer. I'm going to research why there is a shortage and will post about it later.

Jennifer explained they consider chemotherapy a cycle of death, growth, and life. In this cycle, my white blood cell counts will be taken between days 10-14, which is the "nadir" and lowest point my immune system will be during the cycle. I've been given a new thermometer and the biggest thing to watch for is infection. Got it. I'm scheduled to go in for lab work on August 12th and I will also get an echocardiogram that day to get a baseline of my heart. Adriamycin can damage my heart. One of the drugs can also cause leukemia later but I'm not concerned about that at the moment. Just killing the current cancer cells inhabiting my body.

Then, my groupies and I moved to the chemo suite. Saralee and Brooke were the oncology nurses today. I explained that my port was placed in my chest yesterday and VERY tender. Saralee sprayed a numbing spray on it and inserted a 1 inch needle into the port to start my IV's. I would rate the pain as excruciating. I locked on to my sister's eyes and used her energy to get through it, and a few prayers. Olivia is petrified of needles and almost passed out herself.

Then I received Zofran, Dexamethazone, and Emend. All anti-nausea meds. I was given scripts for Zofran and Compazine to take at home. Then, first chemotherapy drug, Adriamycin, was injected into my line. It's nicknamed the "red devil" because it is BRIGHT red. It's also highly toxic. It will burn skin on contact so extra precautions must be taken with it. Sarahlee put three syringes into my IV/Port.

Next, was the chemotherapy drug, Cytoxan, and it took about an hour to go through. At one point I needed to go to the bathroom and Andrea/Sissy escorted me. She didn't want to let me out of her site...so cute. She whispered through the door and asked if my pee was red yet. SO FUNNY! We giggled like crazy. It was too! I let her in the room to view the reddish colored pee! At the end of the session she was rubbing my leg and said I rock...and I said, "I'm more like a boulder!" More major giggling. SO great to be laughing even while getting chemo!

We left the cancer center around 12:45 pm. We got some groceries. I wasn't quite sure what to shop for. Jennifer said I should avoid all of my favorite foods because I will dislike them for the rest of my life after chemotherapy. My sister and I talked about that...what in the world do you eat if you can't eat your favorite foods?! Conor said, "liver and onions" when we talked about it on the way home. UGH. And double UGH.

Now, I'm just extremely tired. The port area still hurts like crazy. I can barely move my right arm. Oh, I forgot to mention, when the surgeon said there were pockets of pus in the area where she put the "PowerPort." She was perplexed by that and said we need to watch it closely for infection. Will do.

I tried to nap this afternoon, but couldn't. I'm tired. But I feel strange. Maybe it's the anti-nausea medications. I visualized the chemotherapy medications doing their work to eliminate the cancer cells. Wocka, wocka, wocka! My hands and feet are swelling tonight. I don't remember this being a listed side effect. Must look at my paperwork to see if it is a side effect - and elevate.

Just a few pics from my day below: