Finally! After all these months - there is a plan!! I saw an oncologist last Thursday (Sept 20th) at the Kelowna Cancer clinic. I am to start chemo this coming week. Still waiting to hear exactly what date. The doc tells me it is an aggressive chemo treatment but thinks my body is still strong enough to withstand it. It consists of two types. One is an oral treatment, the other is an IV procedure. I DON'T like that as I am an extreme needlephobe. But I'll just put some blaring music on my ipod and try and distract myself. The good part is that the IV treatment is only once every three weeks and takes ONLY about two and a half hours.
The side effects you ask? LOTS!! Maybe my head will fall off??? Kidding aside, I think most of the side effects are the normal ones; nausea (which they say they have great drugs for), fatigue (more than I have now??), "thinning" of the hair (oh yes, chemo cut here I come), sensitivity to cold (how am I ever going to plow my road this winter?), hand-foot skin reaction (tingling, redness, numbness, severe pain, swelling, dryness, itchyness, blisters, ulcers -oh, how lovely!!), vomiting and diarreah (no change there, I already have these symptoms and I haven't started chemo yet!!), mouth sores (hmmm, maybe I'll have to quit talking - maybe not a bad thing), and a repressed immune system. Yes, I will be the picture of health!! But the doc was very reassuring. She said not everybody has ALL the side effects!!
But it IS something! I must admit though, I am a "bit" angry at this whole process. It has been 8 months since I have been diagnosed and nothing has been done up till now. I can't help thinking that if they had just treated me sooner, I might have avoided all the nasty sympoms I have been experiencing this past while. But the "what if's" are pointless, so I am trying to get past that. Now, I am hoping for some relief and some extended time. Not sure yet how I will respond to the chemo. Only time will tell.
So for now, I go "day-by-day".
So happy that there is a plan, even if it doesn't sound like a hell of a lot of fun. It's pretty hard to not be angry. I have been. But you are right in that it doesn't change what's going on now. Will be sending good juju your way!
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear you are starting chemo. We are sending you lots of loving. Mike and Kim
ReplyDeleteDana and neil ,always thinking of you and saying prayers. Cara Dean we love you
DeleteNeil...you have an incredible lady!!! Dana, we are sending our warmest love and healing up the winding Santa Rosa to help keep those cold, tingling tootsies warm while you are ploughing your driveway this winter!! Christine and Don
ReplyDeleteGreat news sweetie, I will come up and hold your hair back while you vomit. that's what friends do.LOL I am so glad they are do something to help you finally. As I said yesterday, I am off work 3 days a week, so can come up and help you anytime, and I have beautiful wigs, in all colors, we will have a wig party. All will be good, your strong & a fighter. Lots of prays coming to you.
ReplyDeleteLove MK
So glad to hear something is happening Dana. I think about you all the time. You really are amazing!
ReplyDeleteLove Toni
Dana, I tried to post when you posted this but for some reason it wouldn't work so am trying again tonight. Just wanted to tell you that we love you and know something of the awfulness of what you are going through; niece Jamie is also going through similar chemo and is hanging in there with the side effects - you are right, not everyone gets all of them, and Jamie is awesome to talk to if you want someone who is going through it too. Thank you so much for letting us know, we were/are so worried, you are in are hearts and prayers all the time. So much caring and love to you dear cousin, Jayne
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