Hello to all,
So, it's been a very productive week. I spent the last two weeks dealing with work. Gotta get the money coming in somehow! Fortunately, the fatigue from radiation quickly resolved. As I spoke in my last post, I'm on the post-radiation starvation diet because everything tastes HORRIBLE (as my 3 year old would say!). I've lost the weight from steroids, plus a little bit more. I'm not sure how much since I don't have a scale in the house! However, now I feel hungry. Every restaurant and fast food place I pass I think "Wow, I would like to eat there!" I have never felt the urge to cook as I do now when in the grocery store - "Oh, that looks good, I should get that!" I'm talking even microwave dinners! I'm hoping that I get through the craving phase while I still can't eat and then when I have a sense of taste back, I will be happy with fruit and vegetables! Right now, the only thing I can tolerate is liquid and apples. But I can't even eat a whole apple, just half. It seems like anything that sits in my mouth turns to this nasty mush. The dry mouth from radiation and my treatments don't help the issue I think.
But anyways, enough with that! I just did my treatment on Friday, so I won't have to do that again for 3 weeks. I'm still waiting on test results from the consulting physician for her to make her recommendation for chemo. I will be so happy to start that because it will be the beginning of the end. I am so tired of this process! It needs to be over so I can get on with life. I almost feel like I'm holding my breath for something else to happen. I'm glad that my radiation oncologist wants to do brain MRI frequently to monitor for anything. I have my first on at the end of February, then every 3 months. David keeps talking about the future and where he'll work and where we'll live and all I can think is - who know what will happen in the next couple of months, how can I plan 2 years in the future!??! I do have faith that I will be around for awhile, but I don't want to "jinx" anything by having expectations. Would that be taking advantage of God's grace? Having expectations that he will protect me from more cancer just seems a little presumptuous. I also think to the saying: "Don't worry about tomorrow, because if it happens you worried double, and if it doesn't, wasted today worrying about it" So, I would rather just not think about it and take each day as it comes!
73 DAYS CANCER FREE FIGHT LIKE A GIRL!
The Chavez Family
Day of the Gamma Knife procedure 128//15
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Long Time, No See
Well ladies and gentlemen,
Sorry for the delay in posting, but we just got our internet connected. Did you know that it is very difficult to post from a phone, and it is very difficult to manage email!
Well, a lot has happened since my last post. We have moved into the house, I've started working again (part time only - bless my bosses and co-workers!), and....I've competeled brain radiation! YEAHHH!!! 18 days. It actually wasn't too bad to start with, I pretty much slept during treatments, but now at the end of it - worst therapy I have had to do! Scalp got really tender at about day 14 (right on schedule), so much so that I actually took a narcotic for it! For those of you that know me - I hate to take pills, even tylenol (I'd rather go to sleep to get rid of it!), so this is pretty significant. I was debating whether or not to shave my head. My radiation oncologist said that she didn't know what parts would fall out and what would stay because the radiation was hitting and so many different angles. So I didn't want to prematurely shave everything when maybe only a little bit would fall out. But, eventually I caved and shaved - but just the top part where is hurt the most. I did it myself and I cried a little. NOt about shaving my head - hair grows back (usually), but just that I have to do it AGAIN!!! It's just not fair! :( But, then I had to laugh because when I shave just the top and leave the rest as is, it makes me look like on of those old monks - the ones that leave a ring around their ears long (I don't know if its on purpose or just baldness)? My kids kept saying "Take off your hat so I can see your funny hair!" So, eventually I just shaved the whole thing. (when I say shave, I really mean clippers!) So, now that its all done, I do have a couple bald patches in the front, but overall I have all my hair. But, this is better anyways because I don't have to worry about bad hair days - I just throw a hat or scarf on - easy peasy!
Other side effects:
Fatigue. It's not so bad really. I have no activity tolerance as far as stairs and walking long distances. Weekends I spend lounging around. We should get cable this weekend, so I can watch my shows. Plus, I can catch up on Bones with my computer!
Dry Mouth: I think this one is from one of the medications I'm on. But, it's pretty annoying!
Taste changes: At first this was mild and all I could really tolerate was some rotisserie chicken and corn/green beans. But now it has progressed to pretty much everything. Even the taste of Kool-Aid! I don't know what it is, but it is soooo disgusting to put in my mouth. I can smell the wonderful aroma, but once its in my mouth: GROSS!
Anorexia: Well, at least I don't have a desire to eat! I'm hoping this will help me loose some of the weight I gained during the last couple of months and also to release me from my carb addiction. They say it takes at least 2 weeks to start a new habit, so I'm hoping that within the next week, I'll have some taste and desire to eat back and I won't have the carb cravings!
Skin Changes: Well, my forehead and scalp are burned, but its actually starting to improve since I haven't had treatment for 2 days. Skin around nails is bad again - most likely from the meds I'm on.
Rash: Worst side effect besides the taste! I guess I had had the rash (mild though) for a couple of weeks on my calves and face. However, it erupted on Wednesday. COmpletely covers my legs, butt, on my back and chest and arms. And it ITCHES!!! Mainly it bothers me at night - when I'm trying to sleep! Tonight I took a benadryl and we'll see how that works. The doctor stopped one of my meds that most likely caused it. I'm okay with that because we're still waiting on the 2nd pathology viewings to confirm the type of breast cancer all my tissues are.
So, basically of the 4 times tumor has been removed here in Dallas, 3/4 classify me as triple negative (or no receptors that have targeted therapy). Only 1 was classified as HER2+, which is why I'm taking medication right now. For the chemotherapy plan, it really depends on what type of breast cancer they are gonna consider me. So, the consulting guru at Baylor Dallas requested the tissue be re-tested before she makes her recommendation. So, I'm waiting for the retesting, then the consultation between the guru and my doc before I know chemo plan. So, it's a possibility that I won't even be taking these particular drugs in the future. I don't know how I feel about that. On one hand: great, no more side effects! One the other: well, what if these drugs are keeping the cancer at bay? I guess I need more info to make a decision. I think either option sucks - just like cancer sucks!
Well, there is my update! I'll keep updating often to let y'all know the ups and downs of my life. Y'all so sweet to care! :)
64 days cancer free FIGHT LIKE A GIRL!!!
Sorry for the delay in posting, but we just got our internet connected. Did you know that it is very difficult to post from a phone, and it is very difficult to manage email!
Well, a lot has happened since my last post. We have moved into the house, I've started working again (part time only - bless my bosses and co-workers!), and....I've competeled brain radiation! YEAHHH!!! 18 days. It actually wasn't too bad to start with, I pretty much slept during treatments, but now at the end of it - worst therapy I have had to do! Scalp got really tender at about day 14 (right on schedule), so much so that I actually took a narcotic for it! For those of you that know me - I hate to take pills, even tylenol (I'd rather go to sleep to get rid of it!), so this is pretty significant. I was debating whether or not to shave my head. My radiation oncologist said that she didn't know what parts would fall out and what would stay because the radiation was hitting and so many different angles. So I didn't want to prematurely shave everything when maybe only a little bit would fall out. But, eventually I caved and shaved - but just the top part where is hurt the most. I did it myself and I cried a little. NOt about shaving my head - hair grows back (usually), but just that I have to do it AGAIN!!! It's just not fair! :( But, then I had to laugh because when I shave just the top and leave the rest as is, it makes me look like on of those old monks - the ones that leave a ring around their ears long (I don't know if its on purpose or just baldness)? My kids kept saying "Take off your hat so I can see your funny hair!" So, eventually I just shaved the whole thing. (when I say shave, I really mean clippers!) So, now that its all done, I do have a couple bald patches in the front, but overall I have all my hair. But, this is better anyways because I don't have to worry about bad hair days - I just throw a hat or scarf on - easy peasy!
Other side effects:
Fatigue. It's not so bad really. I have no activity tolerance as far as stairs and walking long distances. Weekends I spend lounging around. We should get cable this weekend, so I can watch my shows. Plus, I can catch up on Bones with my computer!
Dry Mouth: I think this one is from one of the medications I'm on. But, it's pretty annoying!
Taste changes: At first this was mild and all I could really tolerate was some rotisserie chicken and corn/green beans. But now it has progressed to pretty much everything. Even the taste of Kool-Aid! I don't know what it is, but it is soooo disgusting to put in my mouth. I can smell the wonderful aroma, but once its in my mouth: GROSS!
Anorexia: Well, at least I don't have a desire to eat! I'm hoping this will help me loose some of the weight I gained during the last couple of months and also to release me from my carb addiction. They say it takes at least 2 weeks to start a new habit, so I'm hoping that within the next week, I'll have some taste and desire to eat back and I won't have the carb cravings!
Skin Changes: Well, my forehead and scalp are burned, but its actually starting to improve since I haven't had treatment for 2 days. Skin around nails is bad again - most likely from the meds I'm on.
Rash: Worst side effect besides the taste! I guess I had had the rash (mild though) for a couple of weeks on my calves and face. However, it erupted on Wednesday. COmpletely covers my legs, butt, on my back and chest and arms. And it ITCHES!!! Mainly it bothers me at night - when I'm trying to sleep! Tonight I took a benadryl and we'll see how that works. The doctor stopped one of my meds that most likely caused it. I'm okay with that because we're still waiting on the 2nd pathology viewings to confirm the type of breast cancer all my tissues are.
So, basically of the 4 times tumor has been removed here in Dallas, 3/4 classify me as triple negative (or no receptors that have targeted therapy). Only 1 was classified as HER2+, which is why I'm taking medication right now. For the chemotherapy plan, it really depends on what type of breast cancer they are gonna consider me. So, the consulting guru at Baylor Dallas requested the tissue be re-tested before she makes her recommendation. So, I'm waiting for the retesting, then the consultation between the guru and my doc before I know chemo plan. So, it's a possibility that I won't even be taking these particular drugs in the future. I don't know how I feel about that. On one hand: great, no more side effects! One the other: well, what if these drugs are keeping the cancer at bay? I guess I need more info to make a decision. I think either option sucks - just like cancer sucks!
Well, there is my update! I'll keep updating often to let y'all know the ups and downs of my life. Y'all so sweet to care! :)
64 days cancer free FIGHT LIKE A GIRL!!!
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