No more chemo!!!

Today, August 30, 2010 was my last Chemo treatment! Yay!!

It was scheduled for 11:30 am. Because I'm only allowed one guest to sit with me and that was Paul, I was to call my Mom when they took me in so she could gauge her time to get there to see me ring the bell that signifies my last treatment. They were running late so I was taken in closer to 12:45. Paul "made the call".

Surprisingly it took only one poke to find a vein today! Otherwise the hour went as usual...frozen mittens and slippers, warm blankets and chatting with Paul and the nurses as they came by.

When I was all done, Patrick (one of the nurses) had me take his arm and we walked out to the reception area and he called all the other nurses out to see me ring the bell. As we got out to reception I was looking for my Mom....I saw her immediately and was very happy...then I saw that my Big Brother made the trip in to see me too!!! Immediately my tears were not jut my tear ducts in overdrive...they were happy tears! I didn't think I'd get so emotional about this....I thought wrong!

So when I said Paul "made the call" it was actually a text to my Brother, not a call to my Mother....the three of them had it all planned out to surprise me! When I had called Mom to tell her at 11:40 that I was still waiting she actually (almost) gave it away... I said "I'm still waiting" and she said "Okay, we're just sitting here waiting for the call!" I thought only for a second..."what did she mean by "we"?" Then I forgot about it and didn't think about it again until tonight when Paul told me that Steve mentioned it to him! Funny how those things can just slip by with little to no notice!

Anyway.....My first attempt at ringing the bell....I missed it!!! Everyone laughed, it was really funny. I got it on the second attempt and I rang it loud!!!! Everyone applauded, big hugs from the nurses and lots of "congratulations" from others in the waiting area! 18 weeks I waited to do that....it felt awesome!!

It was the last day for lots of people today, I was the fourth one to ring the bell today and there were more lined up after me. I asked Paul later on if he had ever seen the nurses gather that way....no he hadn't, neither had I! I guess I must be special!

To celebrate, the four of us, Mom, Steve, Paul and I headed over to East Side Marios for a drink where Momma surprised me with Roses!! Thanks Mom! I love you!

I had asked at the clinic if it was okay for me to have a beer if I wanted....Patrick's response "oh hell yes! Have more than one if you want!" I always thought I should wait at least 24 hours, but Patrick said it was okay and I took him at his word! One Bud Light Lime please!

We got home, I put my beautiful roses in a vase and laid down for an hour or so. Soon it was off to a celebration dinner at Moxies with my sister-in-law (Paul's sister) and brother-in-law, Kim & Andy! Another great visit! AND another beer...Miller Chill this time. I was able to find foods that still tasted good to me which made the celebration that much better....although the company was enough to make it a great night! Thank you! I love you guys!

Now...it's getting past my bed time and I have to work in the morning! I don't expect that this week will be any different than the last two...full energy on Tuesday, 3/4 energy on Wednesday...fading fast Wednesday night and down on Thursday and Friday unable to concentrate on anything but the inside of my eyelids. By Sunday I'll be getting my energy back and will be able to concentrate on reading a book which means that by Tuesday (after the holiday Monday) I'll be back in the office and will hopefully be able to make it through the rest of the week. They said the tiredness should start to wear off over the next couple of weeks after Chemo is over and I'm hoping that's true. I'm very tired of seeing the same four walls on my down days.....although last Friday I did spend my down time on the hammock in the back yard, that was a nice change of pace.

I'll keep you posted! And I'll post some pictures from today as soon as I get a chance to unload the camera!

Finally...pictures!

A smiley face on my frozen slipper!

Ringing the bell!! Ding DING!! All done!

Patrick!

LAST Chemo...on Monday!

Well....my last Chemo treatment is on Monday August 30! I can't wait to ring that bell!

I don't really have much to update...only that I continue to feel extreme exhaustion around Wednesday to Saturday. Sunday I take the steroid for Chemo which gives me the energy boost that lasts till Wednesday afternoon. I've only got one more round of that though then no more steroids. Hopefully once Chemo is all done it will only take a couple of weeks before I start coming out of the exhaustion phase.

I have been experiencing a really irritating side effect....tear ducts in overdrive! I constantly look like I'm crying, I'm not!!

The Cancer diet - today I learned that about 90% of people going through treatment gain weight...not me! I've got to be different, I've lost 25lbs since my diagnosis in April! So now I look like I'm crying because none of my clothes fit. Oh, what a terrible problem to have!

Right now I've experiencing a weird energy boost....I don't know where it's coming from but I'm going to put it to good use.

Have a great weekend!!

Friday August 20, 2010

Today was the usual weekly check up....I was so tired that I found it difficult to stand in line to check myself in with the receptionist, so Paul did it for me while I sat and waited.

After the usual bloodwork it was time to sit and wait for 45 minutes for next the appointment. Someone was looking out for me today though because they took me in early, the full 45 minutes early! It was so nice.

The nurse took my vitals and asked all the questions usual questions then left me to change in to the gown and wait for the next person to see me. So I took advantage of the exam table and laid down for a nap while we waited.

I didn't get to nap for long before Isabella (the resident who told us in April not to go to Mexico) came in to see me.

She had a look at the burn in my armpit and told me to keep doing what I'm doing to help it heal. Then she examined the tumour and was happy to see that she couldn't find it.

Today was the first time we've heard the word "cured" in relation to my cancer! However, they can't say for sure just yet...not until the pathology comes back after my surgery.

My eyes "water" all the time now so it looks like I'm crying....I assure you I'm not! But I can't help it! There is nothing I can do about it, it will stop once the chemo is over. It does make it difficult to keep makeup on my eyes though!

That's it, that's all for now! Off to the lake to rest!

Quick update....

Radiation - done - check!
Chemo - 2 left - check!
Surgery date - Friday Oct 1! - CHECK!!!

We met with the surgeon on Wednesday August 12, we were much more impressed with her this time that the first time we met her. She was very happy to find that the tumour has shrunk as much as it has....I can't find it at all anymore!

I asked about removal and reconstruction at the same time....this is not something they do a lot of apparently! So, on Oct 1 I will have the left one removed. Then MAYBE 6 months months later I will undergo reconstruction where they will take the right one and reconstruct both. At least I have some time to get used to the idea....at least I will be alive! It's only temporary!

Radiation is all done, but it is catching up with me. I am extremely tired all the time now and spend my spare time on the couch or in bed. Don't get me wrong...I feel good, I'm just tired.

I did end up with burns from the radiation....in my arm pit! Ouch! This wouldn't have been so bad had it not split! It did, and it hurts! Again, only temporary and already it is getting better.

Food continues to be a challenge....nothing tastes good but I have to eat so I do. This would be a great diet if I could keep it up when this is all over! I'm down at least 7 pounds in the last 2 weeks...I'll find out today how much more I'm down, if my scale is right it's a full 10, making it just under 20 since my first treatment.

I continue to work as much as I can, but when I can't, I can't and I stay at home....asleep, worrying about what's going on at work....then realizing that I can't do that, I have to take care of myself, work will wait...my team can handle it!

I anticipate a lot more sleep for me this weekend...hopefully I'll be awake enough to visit a little bit but otherwise I'll be on the couch or in the hammock all weekend!

Cheque Presentations!

Today I delivered both cheques to our charities from the golf tournament and I took some help with me!

For the cheque delivery to the Cancer Clinic I took the two Pinky's with me! Ben and Paul...Ben still with his pink hair and Paul with his shaved head! We met with Erin Pollett from the LHSC Foundation and she took us on a tour of the facility. Of course Paul and I have seen quite a bit of it over the past few months but Ben has never been. We got to tour the labs on the top floor and were able to speak to one of the top Breast Cancer Researchers in Canada. We learned that the researchers often go on "rounds" with the Doctors to meet with patients. This way that can see what's working and what's not and tailor their research to find new and better ways to treat the patients. This is not something that is done in most other Cancer facilities!

After our tour we met up with Brian Orr who's title I can't quite remember right now...but I'll find it....suffice it to say he's the boss! We had a quick photo session upstairs on the office floor then we got permission to go in to the Chemo Clinic to make our presentation! I wanted to do it while I was receiving my treatment but as it turned out my appointment was an hour and a half late so it just didn't work out that way. After our presentation we let Ben run off to work and settled in for the hour and a half wait for my appointment.


I was scheduled to meet up with Ally Poole and her dad Gord (my co-worker) and Jill Osborne of the Children's Health Foundation at 2:00 pm....because my Chemo ran late I was cutting it close but made it there on time!

We walked over to the Children's Hospital to make our presentation in the Art Therapy room! Ally was in awe...in all the time she has spent in this hospital she'd never seen this room! I think it's safe to say that during her next stay she'll be asking to go check it out!! She was also very excited to get to sign the big cheque!




After a long day I headed home to rest...and write!!

Only 3 Chemo's to go!!!

We're in the home stretch for treatment!!

Tomorrow (Tuesday August 10) is my final Radiation treatment!! No more daily round trips from the office to the hospital and back. It will be so nice to not have to watch the clock to make sure I get there on time and to spend some uninterrupted days at work. I've been very lucky with Radiation...I only have slight discolouration on the breast and not a bad burn as I was told I might develop. My armpit however has taken the brunt of the burn....but still not too badly. After tomorrow I can use any kind of ointment to heal the burning I want to. I've been using Aloe all along so I will continue to do so.

I have met with my Radiation Oncologist for the last time during treatment...each time he kicks me out of his office for being "too healthy"! Gotta like those visits!! The next time I see him will be December 9 of this year for a follow up.

My last chemo treatment will be the week of August 30 and hopefully within just a couple of weeks I'll get my sense of taste back! Currently most foods that I like taste horrible! This started slowly and the more I receive the Docetaxel the worse it gets. I'm down to only Sweet foods tasting normal which makes it difficult to eat healthy! I finally like to eat desert! I have found that eggs have retained some taste so I'm eating a lot of omlettes....and mixed with a little maple syrop makes them that much better!

Last Friday morning we had our weekly appointment with the Medical Oncologist team. I told them that just the day before I had developed a sore thoat, as it turns out my "sore thoat" was mouth sores and Thrush (a yeast infection of the mouth)!! I got a prescription for it that seems to be working, but that doesn't mean that it won't come back before this is all over.

I was also told by the Nurse Practitioner (Lynda) that it should be "no problem scraping that out"! Which means that the Surgeon should be able to get everything if there is anything left to get after my final 3 chemo treatments which will continue to kill any live cancer cells that remain.

This week we have an appointment with the Surgeon (with the awesome bedside manner....not! Hopefully our first impression was wrong) on Thursday to learn what my options are! Basically I need to know if it is possible to have the removal and reconstruction done all at once.

So to put it all in "Ted Terms"...Ted finally got the harassing eviction notices, took the hint and left town with his main sleaze Emily! They took with them as much as they could handle, but, just as most nightmare tenants do they've left their garbage behind! The Super has arrived to clean up the unit to prepare for the new tenants but there is still some major renovations required in the main unit and the neighbouring unit before they can move in. We'll be meeting with the "wrecking" crew this Thursday in order to determine if they will be able to work with the rebuilding crew simultaneously in order to complete the project on time. Hopefully by Christmas the new tenants will be all moved in and ready to celebrate!