Starting chemo April 2023
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Cat: Glad you're doing well and outstanding that your BFF gets how annoying all the positivity can be. It's also great that you have an ally for lunch who can help keep conversations on track. I think I reached a new level of treatment fatigue over the past few weeks and have zero patience left.
Got an update from the vet after rounds this morning. He was able to stand up on three legs but wasn't willing to urinate yet so they used a catheter to drain his bladder. The vet suggested that unless I thought it would be really helpful to him, I should avoid a visit as it may upset him when I leave. Likely discharge is still tomorrow. I'll call back around 4pm for an update.
I ordered a new harness for him. It should be here later today. I've been using Hurtta harnesses and coats on them since they were puppies but I don't think the weekend warrior harness is going to provide enough support these first few weeks. I think Hurtta is a Finnish company! They have some fantastic products but no full length harness. I ordered a Ruffwear webmaster and a brush guard for him. It should be here later today. The extra length and extra strap around the belly should help keep it in place with the missing leg.
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Results from the neck CT - I have a blood clot in my jugular vein from the port. So now I go on blood thinners to resolve that. Glad I wasn't imaging it but I kind of would have preferred something like a minor infection.
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NJ: I am glad that your pup is already starting to walk a bit. That is good news! I am sorry about the blood clot, but glad that you caught that and mentioned it to the doctor. Yes. Hurtta is Finnish. We have a little coat from them for our pup as well. It sounds like you are getting set and ready for him to come home.
Cat: Hopefully your results show no issues. I am so glad that your bestie totally got it. What a relief for you!
My doc said I can take NyQuil so I am heading to dreamland tonight. Hopefully I can kick it to the curb. Colds are not welcome right now.
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Hi gals,
Just back from a walk and it has taken me a good 30 minutes to recover with the heat in Atlanta today. Def feels warmer out & like it’s going to be a hot one. I’m trying to get out and walk most mornings, even if it’s just a short walk. I’m feeling pretty good, having some fatigue and “sides” but very manageable. Chest x-ray was clear, yay! I guess the chest gunk is a result of my nose which never stops running, even with Sudafed.Dogmom: glad to hear the update on your pup. Sounds like he is doing well & will be home soon. Remind me which leg was removed? (For my dog years ago, it was one of her front legs.).
Oh my gosh Dogmom, SO glad you were on top of it and figured out the blood clot BUT totally agree, wish it were something else, “easier” than a blood clot. Will you be getting another scan any time soon or are the blood thinners presumed to take care of it? Gosh your plate is full full full. Hope Nosey Neighbor is behaving herself.
Bird: I hope you got some good rest last night and are hopefully feeling better. How are you feeling? Counting down the days to the finish line!Cat
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Hello all!
I took my Nyquil and am feeling really good today. A bit of a runny nose but when is that not an issue. I’ll take NyQuil again tonight but feel like I am doing well. I feel really pretty normal and noticed that my leg hairs have regrown a bit. I guess the break in zapping did that 🤣.
Cat: Good for you walking. Me too! I really don’t have a good excuse for not at least looping around the block daily. Today we took our son Alex and his friend to Turku to see the castle and walked 14,000 steps. Which is impressive for me currently. I’m tired now. But normally I manage a 20 minute loop down to the water and then up a little hill and back up my street. I think it is good for me. It’s not hot here though. I am not sure I could do it in Atlanta!NJ: Thinking of y’all and hoping your pup made it home and you all are adjusting. ♥️
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Picked the dog up at noon. He's not a happy camper. Wouldn't even look at me. He's pissed! Getting him in and out of the car is a challenge. Something we'll need to work on once he's on fewer pain meds. His left front leg was amputated.
Bird: Cheers for NyQuil! Glad you are feeling better and that you got to spend time with your son and his friend. That sounds like a fun way to get 14k steps in!!
Cat: It feels brutal here today and this isn't Atlanta. I can't imagine!! Glad you had a good walk.
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iamnobird and njdogmom
Hi there! could i join your company as well? I am in need of some friends that get it with a similar situation: i have tnbc and am certain i will be on chemo soon
my biopsy report stated 1.2 x .9 x 1 but when i met with surgeon at dana farber she wrote in her report that upon physical exam it was at least 2cm
Biopsy stated grade 2, review by dana farber stated grade II/III
Going for an MRI, mammogram, and ultrasound this coming Tuesday to sort it sll out, then it will be decided what comes first chemo or surgery. I am also terrified of the unknown but have my battle gear on
I have two beautiful sons, 17 and 25 and a supportive husband. I also am blessed with 2 loving dogs which i honestly dont know what i would do without.
they take love and comfort to a new level in my life❤️i havent told my boys yet, its probably the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do, and it’s breaking my heart, but I wanna present it in a matter of fact way, without fear or sadness because I don’t want them to worry they have so many things already to focus on.
Im feeling lucky to have found this forum, i check in daily and its been a great resource ans source of comfort
Cindy
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Morning gals!
Bird: claiming chemo brain here (did I know this?) but am cracking up that you have a son “Alex”. My second son is “Alex”, and of course you share a bday w my hubby and daughter. Serendipity! So glad you got some good rest with the NyQuil. Very impressive, 14,000 steps! I’m shooting for 6,000 to 7;000 which seems to be working for me. My nose is constantly running even with Sudafed. It’s kind of crazy and also pretty annoying TBH.
Dogmom: I can envision that stink eye from pup. Oh yes, he’s going to punish you for sure for his ordeal. How is he today? Eating? Using the restroom so to speak? I do recall my dog’s leg amputation really was a big deal so am sending good thoughts your way and am hoping it’s going as well as it can be.
Cindy: welcome! The not knowing part was the worst for me. Like you, my diagnosis kept changing for the worst (started with one tumor, stage 1, lumpectomy) now is stage 2; multiple tumors and bilateral mastectomy after chemo. Hang in there. I think you’ll feel better when you really know what you are mostly dealing with. I have 3 adult children around the same age. Held off telling 2 of them because one was graduating college and the other was on a honeymoon in Africa/Europe. I felt SO much better once they knew.Off to walk!
Cat
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Cindy: Good morning! So sorry that you are dealing with this and glad to have you along with us for the journey. Your experience thus far sounds similar to our experiences. As more tests are done and more information is gathered, the size and grade of the tumor may change. Hopefully you'll have a treatment plan in place shortly after these imaging tests are done.
Cindy: We're a really candid crew in this thread. We talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of the whole experience. We try to be positive and at the same time, we recognize how much this all sucks and how emotionally draining it can be to wear the warrior face all the time. Iamnobird and Catm have been the best support system I could ever have hoped for. They are at the top of my gratitude list. I'm not sure how I could have gotten through the past 4 months without them. Addendum: Apologies - I should have said this when I first posted. All three of us are expected to finish chemo in the coming several weeks.
Iamnobird: I hope Nyquil did the job again for you last night and that you're having a fun day with your son and his friend. How are you feeling today? Just a couple more days until you call this chemo done!!
Catm: How are you feeling today? It looks like you have another hot day ahead in Atlanta. I'm really looking forward to the fall and cooler weather that comes with it. So much better for breathing and sleeping.
Pupdate: I moved some furniture around so that the dog could sleep on the floor next to me in the living room. He got up several times during the night and fell over. I think it's a combination of his remaining front leg not being strong enough yet and the pain meds making him wobbly. It didn't help that we had thunderstorms and blasting tornado warnings in the wee hours of the morning. Current plan is to skip chemo for him and sign him up for PT once his sutures are out.
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Hi Cindy! I have kids of similar ages as well: 16, 22 and 24😁. It is hard to tell them, but I do think they likely suspect something major is going on already anyways. Especially if you see other often. My daughter who is my youngest was actually with me when I got the initial call so she has have been part of the entire thing. I cried a lot when they called and was far from poise and pulled together. But I think I have managed treatment itself overall quite well. You will feel a lot better when you have a plan and everything is out in the open. These initial stages are really hard. I cried a lot more during the initial diagnostics than I have during chemo and surgery.
Cat: I think 6-7,000 a day is a great goal! My 14,000 day was a total aberration from normal, hence my showing off. Ha. I am thinking that walking do an hour while listening to my books on tape is a good goal for this slow road to recovery new phase I will be starting.
NJ: Aw. How sweet that y’all slept together. It sounds like a wild night all around and hopefully he will settle down more and more as the pain meds move out of his system and he gets used to the new normal.
Good morning all! Not much happening here. We took a little walk today and are now firmly sat on our butts chillaxing. I am still feeling well. I have my blood work tomorrow. I still have a runny nose, but nothing dramatic seems to be happening. My 16 year old is in a private IB school and got her schedule for the year. No classes until 11:30 on Mondays, lucky duck. So we are going to go in together tomorrow. My hospital is right by her school. It will make Mondays a bit easier I think. I mean, ideally, she will use the extra time for studying and homework but right now, nothing much is happening.
I am a bit grumpy today though. Totally over the hair situation already. I mean, wigs aren’t super comfy. But I don’t want to be bald and turbans and such totally make me look like I am in treatment. Which I am, but would rather not advertise to every one. I am looking forward to fall at this point when wearing a hat is just normal.
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Bird: A valid reason to be grumpy! Honestly, I feel like I'm wearing a dead animal on my head when I put the wig on. The fedora gets annoying because it blows off when it's breezy out. Baseball caps fit a bit more securely but have their own special "look."
Cat: The dog is much better today. He hopped about 100 feet to the tree across the street, did all of his business and then back home. He had breakfast and is occasionally wagging his tail. He even got up to bark at a squirrel on the lawn. All good news.
Ladies - I'm feeling quite the sloth. I will have to start wearing my watch and counting steps. Challenge accepted! Not the 7k or 14k steps - just the counting part 🤣 Every journey begins somewhere.
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Good Morning Gals,
Bird, hope you got some rest and have rounded the corner from your cold. How exciting that today is your last chemo day! Whoop! Whoop!Dogmom, hope pup continues on his road to recovery. I’m so glad he’s doing so well under the difficult circumstances. I hope your neck is improving and that you are feeling ok.
Not much going on with me. I’m doing a lot of catching up with my house. I was in Florida taking care of my mom much of 2022 so a lot of projects/maintenance got deferred. It does feel good to start getting my house under control again. Today I’ll go for a walk, then hit the grocery store to buy ingredients for spaghetti sauce to make for my son here in Atlanta. I do this for him here and there and last week was a rough week for him. He ended up at an urgent care, then the ER for a kidney stone! He has passed the stone but he has shared how incredibly painful it was. Thankfully, he got some pain killers at the urgent care. I’m then planning on meeting my book club for dinner. Tomorrow is AC #2; looking forward to getting another one behind me! I’m still feeling pretty well except for some night time queasiness, even with an afternoon nap.
Fun idea: I believe in the healing power of laughter. I’ve decided to watch a daily episode of, “The Office” to get the laughter going. I’ve seen many episodes but am starting at the beginning for this daily binge!
Hope you both have a good day!
Cat
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Good Morning Ladies!
Bird: I'm doing the happy feet dance for you today!! DONE!!!!!!! To heck with bell ringing. There are so many other ways to celebrate like getting back to normal. I hope chemo goes by quickly today and that you find yourself wanting all sorts of amazing food soon!
Cat: Sorry that the naps aren't helping with the nausea in the evenings. Can your doctor provide better anti-nausea meds? I remember the oncology nurse telling me that if the meds weren't doing enough, to let them know and they could change things up. It sounds like you have a busy day planned. I'm glad your son passed the kidney stone and is on the mend. How painful!! Some home cooking from mom sounds like comfort in a pot. I'm amazed by how much energy you have.
I met with the surgeon yesterday afternoon and she ordered imaging for the week after the last chemo. Surgery will be in early October. If the imaging results are as expected, we're still on track for a lumpectomy. She'll have a better idea how much tissue will need to be removed once she has the imaging. If a significant volume needs to be removed, we'll engage the plastic surgeon. She understands my goal is having two breasts that are roughly the same size and that are level. I am all in favor of a breast reduction to get them to match. Blood thinners add some additional annoyances that will have to be managed.
Pup is doing better and better with each passing day. He's spending less time napping and more time looking out windows and doors. Aside from his laser pointer, he hasn't shown any interest in his toys. I'm guessing that will come with time and all good if that's no longer his thing. As long as the tail is wagging and he's having good days, it's a win.
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Good morning! My session took ages today. Mostly because I had a long session with my doc planning the next steps and then chemo after that. I am not currently sleepy so am staying awake. My blood work was okay. Nothing seriously alarming, but one of my liver values was a bit higher (doc says expected) and some other values just okay, not great. My doc said it looks pretty much as he would expect right now and all is well. I will start radiation in mid September so I get a little break. But I have my PHESGO shot scheduled in 3 weeks and will also start my hormone blockers then. Yipppee. My doctor was very reassuring and said that my cancer’s profile, plus completing all treatment as recommended, means that my chance of recurrence is very low. But, we have agreed that we will monitor with a mammogram and a MRI given separately every 6 months. I am also considering Signatera for my own peace of mind, but am not sure if is currently being covered by commercial insurance. Medicare is now paying for it so I think it will work it’s way into regular insurance companies. I also have to have regular appointments with my gynecologist as Tamoxifen can cause uterine cancer (rare, but still). Breast cancer is the gift that keeps on giving indeed.
He also said that there are no radiation tattoos used here. Instead, they create like a hologram of your body and use that for better accuracy. He also said that because the machines and radiologists here are so good, he has never seen anybody with blistered skin or serious damage. The worst is that it might become red like a sunburn.
I can travel to the US after my radiation if I am feeling well and if I wear my compression stockings on the plane (another side effect of Tamoxifen are increased risk of blood clots).
I will have a CT scan before radiation for planning purposes, as well as another ECHO.
Cat: I love your fun idea! I definitely think that laughter and comedies are good for us right now. I’ve never watched The Office! “The IT Crowd” is very funny if you like British comedies. We thought that “Platonic” on Apple was pretty good as well. I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow! Halfway through!
NJ: I totally get your treatment fatigue. There is so freaking much. My doc and the nurse were reassuring me that radiation and the other treatments are much easier than chemo and that we can have a normal life again. It is a pity they can’t roll all of yours into one big surgery event where they handle sinuses and boobs and port issues. I just read a post by someone who was saying that her lumpectomy is the easiest thing she has done during cancer treatment. I am hoping it is the same for you.
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NJ: I think we posted around the same time. Yay for having a plan. I have stuff for you as well. If you want, I can send some Juven for wound healing. If your doc approves it. Mine won’t let me take it during chemo as it can act against chemo. But it is generally fine afterwards and is supposed to help you heal from surgeries. It is another thing that I ordered to use after surgery, but then it got delayed due to mail drama and delivered too late. They reimbursed me because it was so late, but I want folks to be able to use it. I am hoping that there is pretty much minimal cancer residue left in your case so that you can have an easy procedure and really good cosmetic results. I was definitely going for lumpectomy before it became clear that my DCIS was too big. It just seems the simplest and fastest recovery and normalcy. Yay for tail wagging!
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This is what they use instead of a tattoo. How space age is a virtual light hologram 🤣. They also use a technique where you hold your breath as the treatment happens to spare damage to heart or lungs.
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How awesome! I love the idea of no tattoo and smart technology that recognizes when you move! Sounds safer!! Thanks so much for your kind offer to share your healing finds! Not even sure what that is. I'll check with my surgeon the next time I see her.
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Good morning all!
I’m still feeling pretty good. Running on steroid energy and I think the fact my nose is still a bit blocked has helped with my smell/food avoidance issue. I’ve walked the dog around the block, vacuumed, cleaned stuff and changed the sheets. Now we are settling in for rest time on the sofa. I am addicted to the Great British Baking Show and since there are no current issues to watch, I am watching The Professionals. Which is okay, not as nice but works for napping/watching 🤣. I also ordered my cancer ring to celebrate finishing chemo.We have made some tough calls. My husband’s work has invited senior folks and their spouses to an awesome charted boat ride and dinner on Friday night. It’s like an old wooden sailing boat and looks amazing. They stop at little islands and you can swim or explore. It is exactly the kind of thing I love, but my husband will hate if I am not along. However, I think a boat the day after what is usually my worst chemo is a risky idea. I mean, there are like 50 people along. We can’t get me off of it if I don’t feel well. Plus, I am bald and wigs don’t play well with wind. And I usually look a bit rough the week after chemo. I lose my glow is how my kind spouse puts it. He loves to see it return. Anywho. I’ve said no and I am totally jealous.
I’ve also decided against Athens. Mostly because my 16 year old doesn’t want to go and is in school so I can only go for 2 nights. And it is a 4 hour flight and Athens is fine, but no time for any island hopping which is a bit sad. So we are going to spend a weekend in Tallinn instead at a luxury hotel. And planning a trip to Sweden and Denmark for fall break. A ferry and road trip with the dog along. Then I will head to the states for a bit I think.
Cat: Thinking of you today and hoping it is all smooth and easy for you.
NJ: I think we both have Aetna. I am trying to determine coverage for Signatera tumor monitoring. Interestingly enough, Medicare has declared it as covered for all stages of breast cancer monitoring . Which is amazing. But as far as I can tell, private insurance hasn’t followed suit yet. I think they will, but Aetna’s bulletin currently deems it experimental. My doctor thinks my recurrence chances are low and that Signatera might introduce a lot of worry and that there aren’t international standards as to what you do if a recurrence is shown. Apparently it can predict a recurrence up to two years in advance and has been clinically proven very accurate. But, he said that often when it shows an issue, the tumor cells are too small to be seen on a PET scan so it is hard to see where it is happening. So you could spend a lot of time worrying instead of living life. I still think I might want the option. So I am going to push Aetna a bit.
Another interesting side from my oncologist is that he thinks the future of cancer treatment will involve far fewer meds for many women. He thinks they will use products like Signatera to actually develop treatment plans for your own tumor’s DNA profile rather than having to give strong meds to women whose tumors probably would never spread once removed.0 -
Bird: Glad you are still enjoying the steroid buzz! Productive mornings are the best! I binged watched TGBBS for a while. It's a great show to nap to because you usually only miss the contestants kneeling on the floor staring at their proofing dough. I also love that Paul Hollywood has to taste all of the masterful creations he asks for. Sorry that you are missing fun events. A weekend away and trips to Sweden and Denmark sound like amazing compensation for missing the boat ride. It's always good to have things to look forward to.
Bird: I have BC/BS and I'm not sure if they cover Signatera. Back at the beginning of my journey, my neighbor asked me to ask our oncologist about Signatera and the oncologist said appropriate for her but not for me. At the time I was still trying to qualify for the drug trial so I'm wondering if that was the reason or if the test isn't appropriate for tnbc. Seems this test is also used for checking immunotherapy response. I'll ask her again tomorrow. Weird too because Dr. George who is featured in a video on their web site one of the oncologists in the practice I go to.
Cat: I hope you have an easy infusion day!
I didn't get much sleep last night. I think partly because the pharmacy finally got the blood thinners in so now I have to start taking them and partly because the dogs had me up several times during the night. The side effects of Eliquis include nausea and anemia. Seriously? Do I really need more side effects to deal with? I'm afraid to start taking this.
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Good morning from the infusion center!
Dogmom: thanks for good idea about asking my team for another nausea med or just mixing it up. I do have a 3rd anti-nausea med in my toolbox. I guess I’ve held off taking it because I think it makes you drowsy but at night who cares? Thx for the reminders. I tend to forget about that option.
Dogmom: yay for a surgery plan. Very glad you spoke with your surgeon. Glad that pup continues to improve!
Bird: Hooray for the end of chemo (whoop! whoop!) and I am thrilled your odds of recurrence are low- awesome news! I guess I’ll know more about my recurrence probability after my surgery when the cancer is more thoroughly assessed? Awesome news too that the radiologists are so good there. Progress all around and I loved your picture on the last day of chemo. Pretty in purple with matching hair- you rock! I LOVE “The Great British Bake-off”- a favorite binge always. I, too, have ordered myself a combo 60th bday/done with chemo ring. I am SO excited! Mine is an emerald cut sapphire surrounded by diamonds. What’s yours???
Bird: I’m sorry you’ll be missing out on the boat trip and Athens. I think you totally made the right call on both. I can’t imagine being “stuck” on a boat IF anything went awry, including just needing to use the restroom quickly while onboard. Sounds like you are working on other fun trips -I think looking forward to “things” (whatever these may be) is important. I’m planning a few nights at the beach with my kids after chemo/before surgery and am also planning on going to FL for a few days. Both “easy” trips without many complications or complicated logistics.Very interesting about Signatera.
Dogmom: sorry more side effects as part of the blood thinners, ugh!Guess that’s about all for now. Have the cool cap on and the anti-anxiety meds (used w cold capping) should be kicking in soon.
Cat
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Cat: I wish you a smooth sailing day! I got this ring:
It is amethyst and labradorite. The amethyst is my nod to pink 🤣. Yours sounds beautiful. And thank you. I feel so different from myself right now. The lack of eyebrows is really odd. And of course the hair. But I think I will become more and more me as I get through this.
NJ: I will be curious to see your oncologist’s opinion. They might also feel that your recurrence odds are low enough that this brings more worry than not into your scenario. It will he interesting to see how all of this stuff will be used. I’m sorry you slept rough last night.
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That's beautiful!!
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Love the ring! I can see you with that ring Bird. Love the setting, very cool but also pretty.
Still at the infusion center and feeling a little queasy. Have requested more anti-nausea meds if possible.
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Good morning!
NJ: Thinking of you today and hoping all goes very smoothly with pets and port and infusion. I totally get you on the blood thinner situation. It is totally treatment fatigue. I feel the same about the Tamoxifen pills I am starting in 3 weeks. I just dread adding something with side effects when I really just want to start to heal. I am restraining myself from joining the hormone blocker groups where folks list all of their symptoms and trying to just go in with an open mind. A decent percentage of folks don’t have any effects. I am mentally trying to move myself into that category.Cat: I hope they upped your nausea meds and that you are feeling well and jacked up on steroids today. I was sorry to hear about your son. That sounds super painful. I totally agree. I think planning things to look forward to, even if just little things, is so helpful in moving through all of this. It definitely lifts the spirits a bit.
Today is another rest day for me. I’ll be on the sofa watching junk tv again. I’m still not great at napping during the day, but find that if I watch tv I do nod off here and there. It’s “hot” here again, 74🤣, but that makes my room on the third level a bit stuffy. Thankfully it cools down again soon. My dad is looking so much better and has a PT and OT evaluation tomorrow. So it will be great for them to start working with him. He wants to stand and feed himself. He has some luck standing, but can definitely use help strengthening things.
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Hi gals,
I did get more nausea meds at the infusion center (helped) and took more a few hours later at home. I was pretty queasy and tired but it was definitely manageable. Nice too that hubby made me some food and ginger ale.
Yup, I’m all jacked up on the steroids today. My pattern is that I usually feel pretty good the first two days after the infusion, then I crash. I’ve gotten a lot done today, which feels great. One dreaded project was stuffing the king sized comforter (now clean) into the now clean and ironed duvet cover. I broke a sweat. Plus there was the world’s most adorable and intelligent Scottish Fold (Birdie) making the whole project into a fantastical game of mountains and prey. I had to put her in another room.Bird: hope you got some rest today and some napping with the TV. (Started “Platonic” last night’ thx and very fun!) . Very glad to hear that your dad is improving. My mother-in-law has greatly improved with PT- it’s amazing!
Dogmom: thinking of you and the pup. How’s it going? I hope you can pace yourself and rest some with this very big job of being pup’s caregiver. It must be very exhausting at times. Hope you are doing ok and sending virtual hugs.
BTW the plan right now is for me to get (after radiation) Herceptin by infusion every 3 weeks for a year. The good news is, as I understand it, if all goes well I’ll be done after that. No longer term medications.
I’m off to a Bookclub friend’s house to learn (I hope) some Majong. She offered a lesson to us Tuesday night.
Hope you both are feeling pretty well.Cat
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Bird: Thanks for the good wishes. I agree with you re: dreading taking another med. The oncologist told me to ignore the side effect list because side effects are very rare and just don't skydive while I'm on it. I've been avoiding the TNBC sites, threads and forums for similar reasons. I want to be realistic and prepared but not anticipatory.
Dog drop offs went well. Reports have it that Thing1 should be exhausted. He did rounds with the vet and techs and shadowed them throughout the day. Ready to take his vet tech exam. Thing2 was in regular daycare so I expect 2 solid days of sleep from her.
15 down, 1 to go for chemo!! 9 more immunotherapy infusions after that but later in the process. I asked the oncologist if we could take a Keytruda break for a bit while I recover from that last chemo and build my strength for surgery. I'm planning to bring a bunch of Italian pastries to the next chemo for a celebration. In keeping with my MO, I slept through chemo today. The amazing infusion nurses got me out of there in time to pick the dogs up.
The oncologist told me my body should bust the clot on it's own and new clots shouldn't be an issue now that I'm on blood thinners. I asked the risk/benefit question. She said for 10 more infusions, it would be best to keep the port. They weren't able to draw blood from the port today so I ended up with a needle stick anyway.
I totally forgot to ask about Signetara because I forgot to pack my questions list when I bolted out of the house this morning. I'll send the question in MyChart and let you know when I get a response. I see my flavor of insurance isn't on BC/BS isn't on their list. I can't understand why all insurance wouldn't cover this test. I would think it would be cost effective for them over the long term.
Vet surgeon called with the pathology report for the dog. Osteosarcoma as expected and lymph node was negative.
Going to get some sleep.
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NJ: Congrats on only having one more chemo! I feel like it has been both forever and also gone really quickly since we started all of this. Sounds positive about the blood clot. I am glad it should take care of itself. And Italian pastries sound perfect. I haven’t slept at chemo since they took the Benadryl away. Sad 🤣🤣. I suspect Signatera will be covered soon as Medicare usually paves the way. My insurance wants me to submit records and such and they will let me know. Normally, I don’t need any type of preauthorization for overseas treatments, but they require them for all genetic stuff.
Cat: I love all of your energy in these early days. I’m glad they sorted your nausea out quickly. And yeah, stuffing a King duvet into the cover with Birdie’s help counts as your daily workout 🤣. And good news on no longer term medications. That is the good part of hormone negative cancers. You don’t have the random estrogen positive cells kicking around in there just waiting to react with something.
I’m feeling less than optimal. I stayed in bed until almost 10 this morning. Food and drink all sounds a bit gross. I am having coffee and oat milk and some ice water. No nausea, but the body pain (it feels like I did some type of insane workout) is worse this time for sure. I suspect maybe my bones are tired of doing the magic trick where they crank out white blood cells and grumbling a bit about it. My oldest son headed back to the US this morning early. I am just focusing on the fact that I should feel better in a few days and they won’t zap me again so I can continue to heal.
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Good Morning!
I frequently miss posts, I think because I start writing one and then get distracted and come back an hour or two later to finish. It's never intentional!
Cat: Glad Birdie got to play mountains and prey before getting booted from the room! If it made you giggle, it was probably worth the frustration 🐈️ Glad the nausea meds got sorted and that you are feeling productive in steroid buzz time.
Bird: Sorry that you aren't feeling great. The bone pain, body aches etc. are the worst! The WBC enhancing drugs seem to have topped our list for the ugly side effects. I'm going to up the Claritin this go 'round to see if that improves things. Waiting for that time bomb to go off around 6 this evening.
I agree, it feels like a heartbeat ago that we were introducing ourselves, dreading first chemo and sharing our experiences but it also feels like an eternity. My hair plans seemed to change faster than even Amazon could keep up as did my food aversions. Last night I added capers to the no list. A very kind neighbor brought me veal Piccata and it was amazing but I had to pick the capers out. They tasted like bursts of aluminum in my mouth. I was so surprised. I thought the salty taste would be great.
Thing1 and Thing2 are both sleeping. Thing1 was up at 2:30 am whimpering. He didn't seem to be in pain - wasn't panting or showing any other pain signals. The water bowl next to his bed as empty so I refilled that. He may have just been complaining that the service in this place is getting pretty shabby. Mind you there is a pony pail 5 steps away that was full of fresh water. He may have to reduce my ⭐️rating. It could also be that he's getting those healing twinges or sutures are tugging. He went back to sleep. I didn't.
Celebration plans for now are to take my sister in law to see Book of Mormon on Broadway. She loves the theater, neither of us has seen it yet and that show is supposed to be really funny. We can take the ferry over and I'll get a dog walker for the pups. I ordered some fresh N95 masks.
There was a ring that I loved on Brilliant Earth but it seems not to be available anymore. It may just have been available during pride month. I'm thinking about this one now
https://www.brilliantearth.com/Marina-Diamond-Ring-White-Gold-BE2S3235/?=
Or perhaps an evil eye to ward off any other bad stuff because it seems like there's been way too much of it lately.
https://www.brilliantearth.com/Evil-Eye-Sapphire-and-Diamond-Medallion-14K-Gold-BE4S114/?=
In the interim, I'm off to order more medical jewelry because it seems I now have to have a tag for blood thinners.
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Dogmom: I’m doing the happy dance that you have one chemo to go! That’s SO exciting! And I gotta say I’m pretty excited about having only 2 more to go! Bummer about not being able to use your port. I almost wasn’t able to use my port the time before last (broken blood vessel) but thankfully was able to use it AND was told that was a very good thing because giving the drugs they were giving me by an IV was not an option. Hmmm
Dogmom: glad the clot should dissolve on its own and glad future clots seem unlikely. Sounds like good progress reports Thing 1: but sorry the little “c” has been confirmed with the pathology. Sounds like both pups are doing pretty well all considered and SO glad mom could get some rest, at least I hope you were able to.
Bird: sorry to hear you are feeling less than optimal. With all that you and your body have been through, I think many pajama days should be expected and frankly embraced. I’m sorry your body is so achy. That can really be uncomfortable. I hesitate to even breathe it but the bad bone pain I was having with the first treatments has virtually gone away. Maybe my body is used to the shot now? But in any event, that achy pain was pretty significant for me and led to many hours in the tub. I empathize and hope that gets better.I’m having a lazy day today. Hubby works from home but is gone today so it’s kind of nice to have the house to myself, with the fur babies of course. I’m just puttering around doing this and that, or nothing!
Cat
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Cat: They used my port for the infusion but had to do the blood draw from my arm. Not a big deal, just annoying to have an extra poke.
Bird: Sorry that I missed the dad update a couple of posts back. Outstanding that he's looking better, wanting some independence with feeding himself and that PT/OT is planned.
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