The Radiation Oncology Consultation

Hello everyone, I know, it has been a week since my last communication. I had my radiation consult today with dr. szal. he was very nice, very thorough. i will be getting 33 treatments of radiation. Which is about 5 to 6 weeks worth.                                                                                        

Taxol side effects have been a lot different then the side effects of adriamycin and cytoxan. i am weak, tired and cant feel my toes. they are so numb! esp my big toes.cant feel a thing u til zach steps on them, right on the edge, then it really hurts.                                                                

One step at a time, one step closer to the final chemo. I will be taking pics of my last day at Lafayette with a picture of me outside of the building.                                                                          

My cat needs to b euthanized tomorrow. he is 15 yrs old, but he broke his left front paw, won't put any weight on it. i have made him comfy with a soft blanket. abby is pretty upset. he has been around longer than she has. hugs to all                                                                                      

 post more tomorow.

jennifer

5 Down, 3 More to Go

Hello all. I apologize for not posting since the 11th. I did not do well after my 4th A/C treatment. The fatigue was so bad, anemia was bad too. I had to take a nap in the evening after supper for  an hour just to feel good. My head was pounding and so tired, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. I only felt good lying down.

I recieved my 2nd Attunement, so when I am done with my chemo treatments, I can start giving Reiki treatments. I believe that Reiki is a blessing. My Reiki guides and Ascended Masters watch over me. My Archangel Raphael watches over me too. My Guardian Angel Meredith watches over me.

I had my 5th treatment yesterday. So there has been a Taxol shortage across the United States, but the Lafayette Center has some saved up. I got it yesterday.

Taxol is a very touchy chemotherapy agent. A lot of women have reactions to Taxol like anaphalaxis, throat closing up, severe bone or back pain, rash, hives, agitation. The scheduling team scheduled me for a 1050 am blood draw, 1130 MD visit, then 1230 infusion. They were running a little behind in the infusion center so I didn't get in until 130pm. So with the taxol side effects during the infusion, they don't schedule anyone past 9am. But the nurses got my premeds started fast and hoped for no side effects. The taxol has to run for 10 min for test dose and if you have a reaction, they have to do a challenge dose by decreasing how fast it drips. Well........I had no side effects. Yahooooo!!!! so they actually bumped up the drip a little faster still no side effects. The only downfall..............even at the faster rate it takes 3 hours to infuse. We did not leave Lafayette Center until 515pm!!! We had to call family to pick Zach up from Daycare. I thank Connie and Alfred for picking Zach up with Mimi, (Gail, Troy's mom).


This morning, Tuesday, at 4 am, my husband woke me up coughing. He went to the bathroom and came back, he called for me becuase he felt like he was going to pass out. His heart was beating really fast at 140 beats per minute. I immediately went into nurse mode. He actually wanted me to call the ambulance, so at 430am they showed up. I again called Connie and Alfred to stay with the kids, as they were still sleeping. I didn't want to wake them up. Connie and Alfred got here about 5am and I left for the hospital.

Troy's EKG had some changes, ischemia. His Troponins were all negative so no heart attack!!! Thank God. He has been under a lot stress with me and work and taking care of the household. I love him so much. He is due to have a Stress Test tomorrow. Then hopefully home. I will update everyone.

I am feeling really good right now. The Taxol hasn't caused as much fatigue yet. Major Side Effects are flu like symptoms, muscle and bone pain. I can deal with the pain, not the fatigue.

Karen Belanger, my Reiki Master, loves Dragonflies.

More Dragonflies

I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Sunday. I have never been so overwhelmed by the amount of people involved with any type of walk. There were more than 5600 people involved with this walk. Over 400 Breast Cancer Survivors up on stage prior to the walk. Sea of pink. It was an eye opener. If you go to WLBZ channel 2 news. Click on the Race for the Cure and if you watch the video, you will see Abby holding my hand at the very end, then they show Abby for 5-8 seconds then on me for about 15 seconds, I am looking at Abby. The song that was playing was I'm Gonna Love You Through It, of course I started crying and then Abby came to me. That was when we were holding hands and the lady filming moved closer to us and shot us holding hands.

I also went to the Survivor Supper at Hollywood Slots on Saturday night, before the Race for the Cure. I had steak and vegies, buffet style and Hollywood Slots payed for the whole night. Cash Bar. But the food was really good.

I have had some side effects of Taxol while writing this blog. I have wicked gas. Can't stop burping!!! and well the other end too. but we won't talk about that.

I am feeling pretty good, I am hoping that I won't crash tomorrow. I have to go pick Troy up. We will see.

Love you all.
Talk later
Jennifer
Hugs to everyone

PS. I thank Connie and Alfred for being there for us to help out the kids and my mother who came up to stay with me and help with the kids while Troy is in the hospital.

Day 6 of my 4th Treatment

hi, everyone. i didnt post yesterday because i was not good yesterday. quite fatigued, tiried, shakey, jittery.  yesterday was a bad day. the side effects came on late this time, i felt good wed, thursday and friday am. then when i woke up sat, i knew it was gonna be a bad day. if i sleep late, its not a good day. my body tells me and i listen. i may stay in bed until ten am or eleven am.                                                                                                                                                    .........................................................   i can not wait until this stupid chemo is done. it ways me down. my next round is taxol. though there is a shortage in the us right now. i might have to take a sister like drug to taxol, though the tx schedule is every 3 weeks.....we will see.    ..................... my stomach is a bit upset right now, might need to go get a phenergan. .....................................................................................         abby starts band tomorrow, she is playing the clarinet. she is so excited............................................................................................     phone is going dead, i will update again soon . love u all. jennifer                                                  

Day 3 of 4th chemo tx

hi all, having issues with caps again. if i do shift and letter, i lose the whole paragraph. this is from my phone anywya. they have updated the blogger and things have changed....                                                                                                                                 .....                                                                                                                                                                                                                           i am on day three of my fourth treatment. a bit tired, my taste buds are gone again. living on spearmint lifesavers. though you need to be careful, i broke a tooth chomping on one and now it needs to be fixed......i feel a heaviness in my chest, fatigue like. biut it is a se. i am thankful that i have not been sick.....some of my country friends on breastcancer.org have been quite sick. i feel for them. i post at least two times a day. we keep in touch with each other. there is one from uk, ireland, england, australia, california, maine, all over our country. it is good to converse with them................................................ ....                                                                                                                                                                                                                             it is awful when you cant sleep. it is midnight right now.......... my mom is coming up tomorrow to help with zach on saturday. i prob will not be able to do much. the fatigue gets really outrageous. i can hardly get up the stairs let alone run after a  3 yr old.........                                                                                                                                                                                                      ................                                                                                                                                                                                                                 if you go to breastcancer.org and go to stoneyfield farm, there is a new program where for ever click stoneyfield is donating ten cents for every click. it is quite interesting. my story is posted as another young woman with breat cancer.

4 Down, 4 More to Go

Hello all.

Well, I am halfway through my CHemo Treatments!!!!! Yay me. I had #4 yesterday. A/C. Starting in 2 weeks, I go to Taxol. Although, there is a shortage of this chemo drug, I hope that Lafayette will continue to have it. My onc doctor stated that they have some left there. If not then, I will get Dosi-Taxol, a sister drug to Taxol.

Today, I have a bit of nausea, the fatigue hasn't set in yet. Tomorrow, is Day 3 of treatment, so I am assuming it will hit me about 3 pm, as it has for the last 3.

I am totally bald now. I took a razor to my head, shaved the last few remaining sprigs of hair. IT was bothering me. I think I look better with a bald head anyway. Troy likes it.

I am adding Kylie Jo Merithew in my thoughts and prayers. She is a neice of one of my fb friends. She was diagnosed with leukemia in October of 2010. She is 8 years old, birthday in December. She is in remission but receiving continued maintenance therapy. I will keep her in my prayers and thoughts, that she has a "normal" rest of her childhood and that the leukemia will not come back. Thanks Tracey.

Will keep everyone posted. see you all soon.

((((HUGS)))) to everyone.
Jennifer

The Blue Hill Fair

hello all. just wanted to drop a quick note. my family and i went to the blue hill fair yesterday. we only stayed for a bit. my mom and dad came and met us. abby went on some rides. i had french fries from the king and queens. the best............       on our way out, a lady stopped me and asked if i was in treatment and i said yes, four of eight coming up. she said that she was a four year survivor and wanted to wish me luck. i gave her a big hug and thanked her. she had seen me walk past her, and she told me that she was hoping i would walk back. she was at a lemonade stand.                                                                   ...                                                                                                                                                                                                                           the second thing that happened, as we were walking out, i was tired, this older gentleman stopped me and asked where i had gotten my pink breast cancer bracelet? i said the first thing that came to mind....i bought it.....what i meant to say was i got it online at the pink ribbon store. i got five. so he said that his wife was just diagnosed with breast cancer and had looked in many drugstores and couldnt find one. so i handed my mom the doughboy i was eating. i took it off and handed it to this gentleman. he looked very surprised at the thought that i guess that i would give it to him. he had tears in his eyes. i gave him a big hug. i started crying too. i know that i have many angels looking out for me and i know i did  the right thing. i had more at home and wished i had brought a few with me so that his wife could have had one too. i know that hw will wear that bracelet and be proud.  i feel really happy.                                                                                                         .......                                                                                                                                                                                                                       i will add pics tomorrow once i download the pics from my phone to my laptop.it will be easier.                                                                                                                     i have treatment four tomorrow. lets hope for minimal side effects.

A Trip to See a Friend

Hello all. I just want to drop a quick note. i went into Bangor today to visit my friend, alaura morgan. she was in the car accident back in july, when her guardian angel pulled her from her car before it caught on fire. She is looking good. She still has a couple of wounds that are trying to heal but she is in good spirits. i held her hand for quite a whiile. i made her a nice bright pink pillow with a star on the outside. she took her little pillow, hospital one (Ihave 2 from both my surgeries, they are quite thin) she immediately placed it to her belly. i am glad that she liked it.

8 went to AC Moore and felt good while walking around. i had some ideas to make a cross stitch piece with dragonflies for my reiki master, there wasnt a single package with dragonflies. only butterflies. so i am gonna make my own pattern and figure outt the colors myself. i just print graph paper to match the linen i will use. she will be surprised. Karen has been a godsend, i dont think that i would have made it this far  without her and reiki. she has been my outside support during my time of need. she has sat with me and listened to all my fears, happiness, family things. she has not once asked for any moneey. she is one of my reiki guides. she is a true inspiration to me. she has opened me up and helped me to achieve the next level of healing myself. Karen, you will be missed when you return to your home town. i will be looking for you in the spring.

I have also chat rooms from breastcancer.org, forums and blogs. i converse with women all over the united states through these forums. thank god i have people to talk with whom are going through the same.

see u all later.

Have a happy and safe Labor Day. Don't drink and drive!


                      x
                    xxxx
                    xx  xx
                    xx  xx
                    xx  xx
                     xxxx
                    xx   xx
                  xx       xx
              xxx           xxx    pink ribbon




jennifer