Chemo Round 2

My chemo today was delayed because of a scheduling error. I was told my oncologist begged for me to receive the treatment in the facility on the seventh floor which is part of the research center where I had my first treatment. Volunteering for these research studies has it's benefits, it cushier up there with private rooms and a window with a view of the beautiful Buffalo skyline.

Treatment went ok....they used my port today twice. First for the blood draw and then for chemo and all the lovely drugs that go with it so no blown veins.

The good news in that the tumor hasn't grown and is slightly, very slightly smaller. I thought it might be but I wasn't sure. I find myself obsessively checking my breast to see if it has. I didn't want to have too much false hope and be disappointed.

The other good news is that my Oncologist halved the dose of the steroids. I had a nasty reaction to the first round. My face and  chest were beat red and swollen, I wasn't able to sleep, my thoughts were unhealthy and way too much crying.  A double dose of the sleeping pill tonight without worrying about not waking up is in order. Not sleeping more that 2 hours for all those days sucked.


And more good news, I lost 4 pounds. I've been exercising most days with a 30 minute to one hour walk in the cemetery, nothing too hardcore. I tried jogging a little but my boobs are too big and they yank on the port, highly unpleasant.

Not sure if this is good news but my white blood cell went up. The oncologist didn't go over those with me in the appointment and I forgot so I asked for a print out during my chemo. I called to ask what the deal was with higher white cell count to see if I  should I be concerned. The nurse called back and said it from the steroids. My mother and sister think it's because of the bone marrow shot that I get. Either way, it to be expected and better than the count going down. If it goes down, it's a sign of a weakened immune system and I have to go into protection mode with masks and not out in the general populace,

Right now, I feel weird; numb tingling in the mouth, a burning sensation on my scalp, dry eyeballs, racing heart and I'm shaking. My teeth hurt and the squishy feeling inside my guts is back. I am drinking a lot of water to flush things out. One of the chemo meds I am taking is called "The Red Death" and one of the side effects is red pee, like blood. It's not as dark as I imagined nor as bloody as described. I took a picture, maybe I'll publish it later when I started putting up the pics. Oh and I've got hot flashes. Awesome.

All and all I really don't feel that bad, considering. With the dose of the steroids cut in half there is concern for nausea and vomiting as that is the drugs sole purpose, to prevent me from heaving and feeling so sick I don't eat. I ate normally. I'd rather have nausea instead of no sleep and feeling psychotic.

There was a free movie at the Tulip's new school tonight for kids so we went to that. Whoopie! Let the good times roll, chemo treatment and a free movie in the same day. I could barely hear that movie, there were so many kids in there talking along the sound quality being poor. My Grandmother went with us, and she couldn't hear either but the screen was big. Pretty pictures! It was Lion King II and being Disney, good won over evil and there was a lot of nuzzling in the end. I like nuzzling.

My mother likes to knit for Roswell's blanket project while I get pumped with the chemo. The nurse has to inject it by hand, no drip.

 Red Death Pee