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Initially diagnosed June 4, 2009 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Stage II,Grade II tumor size: 2-3 cm node positive ER/PR postive HER2 Neu - negative Current Diagnosis: Metastatic Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Grade 3 Mets: Scalp/skin, Liver, Spine, Bone ER/PR + HER2/NEU -

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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Chemo Help Anyone?

In a few weeks I'll be starting a weekly chemo treatment.  I'll need to go in every week for three weeks, then have one week off, then repeat this cycle.  This will be in addition to the doctor's visits, scans, etc that will be required for the trial.  Jesse will be able to take me on the days he has off (he's off every other Thursday), but has to work 7am-7pm on the ones in between.  I've already talked to them about the day and it will most likely be on Thursday afternoons.  I'm not sure how bad this will effect me and am not real crazy about having to go by myself and having to drive myself home.  I guess I can manage if I have to, but I really don't want to go by myself.  It's seriously lonely and depressing!

I'm pretty lousy about asking for help, but here goes - if I set up a calendar where you could go and sign up for one day, or however many you think you would like to volunteer to do, would any of you sign up?  It would just be a couple of hours at most and would most likely be on Thursday in the afternoon.  I don't have an exact time booked yet, but will probably have it on the books next week.  I know it's unreasonable to ask any one person to commit to months worth of appointments, but even committing to one would be one less I'd have to go do on my own.  Anyone out there besides the crickets?

5 comments:

  1. I would have a hard time doing every Thursday with work, but maybe several of us could speak for a Thursday like once a month? How long with the cycles continue -- as long as they are helpful, or is it a set period?

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  2. Yes, that is exactly what I am trying to say. I know no one will volunteer to go every other week when Jesse is working. That would be way to much to ask or expect from anyone. I realize that life goes on for everyone despite my situation, but it never hurts to ask, right? Even if someone volunteers to go to one of them, that's one less I have to go to by myself.

    As far as length of time, I'll be in treatment for the rest of my life. The treatments are to extend life and help maintain the best quality of life possible for the longest amount of time possible. The way it works is they put me on a treatment (this time it's an IV chemo called Abraxane). I will go every week for 3 weeks then skip a week. Once every few months they will make me go do a CT Scan and will evaluate the effectiveness. If it's progressing, they will take me off the treatment and put me on another one. If it is not progressing, they will restart the cycle, thus: SCAN, TREAT, REPEAT. The cycle will continue until there is either progression, no evidence of disease (still exists in your body, but not visible on a scan), or my body can no longer tolerate the treatment. Some treatments last weeks, months, or years, others don't work at all.

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  3. I would be willing to go a couple of times. I will be out of FW most of August, but can do a date in September & probably one in late October. Will see how it goes after that.

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  4. Thank you to those who have offered to go with me. I have a doctor's visit tomorrow to start the Anakinra shots and should be able to lock down my chemo date and time. I'm relived that I won't have to do these alone!

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  5. I know there was a link to a calendar somewhere, and I can't find it now. Can you repost it, so I can sign up for some?

    And sorry if I phrased my question poorly. I know you will be in treatment the rest of your life -- just wasn't sure if the chemo was in that category (keep going as long as it's helpful) or there were a set number and then it stopped while other types of treatments continued.

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