It's Over, It's Done, NO MORE CHEMO!

Finished my final chemo treatment just about an hour ago. I made it through the worst part. Even the surgery seems down hill now. I've chosen to take 6 months of private guitar lessons as my reward. (I'm rewarding myself as I make it through each milestone). Anyone know any good guitar teachers who are near HEB area and not too outrageously expensive? Also, may need to be flexible on schedule due to surgery and rads coming up.

Chemo, Chemo and More Chemo..

Really starting to get tired of this! This one wasn't too bad due to the multiple medications I was given to combat the nausea, vomiting, GERD, heartburn, and gastric emptying issues... but still I'm really ready for this to be over. I just have to make it through one more and I'm done with chemo.

I really need to be working on the surgery portion now. I don't even have a surgeon picked out yet. I'm thinking about calling some of the ones my brother and my great aunt suggested. I'm wishing I hadn't had the falling out with the one who did my biopsy now. I think I'm going to have the lumpectomy and have it done locally. The reason being is the drains. Even with lumpectomy, I will have to have drains. Drains are necessary when you have lymph nodes removed. It's gross to talk about, think about, and probably deal with.. if you want more info on drains, look up "lymph node removal drains". Sentinel node biopsy is NOT an option for me, as I have a confirmed Axillary node. There may be one or many that will be removed. They will not know until they do the surgery.

On another note, this experience is really teaching me to receive. I have always been the one who does things for other people, gives etc. Now I'm having no choice but to receive, accept help etc. It has definitely renewed some of my faith in people. Thanks to those of you who have done things to make this easier.

Anxiety

Seriously dreading this treatment tomorrow. I have a longer than normal consultation scheduled with the Oncologist. I'm wanting her to give me so statistical data to help me psychologically force myself to go through these next 2 treatments. The last one was so awful, I'm really not wanting to go through the last two. I'm popping xanax like candy today and hoping the sleeping pill will knock me out and put me out of my misery for the evening. Seriously dreading hanging over the toilet for the next week....

Bone Pain

My neutrophil% was low yesterday(.4 and should be over 1.0) when I went in for my weekly CBC, so I had to get a Neupogen shot. The shot will make my bones produce more white blood cells, which should bring up my neutrophil%. I had to get another one this morning. The shots are thick and burn when they go in. They usually give them in the stomach because there is more fat tissue there, but I managed to talk them into giving it to me in the arm. The Neupogen shots have one major side effect - bone pain. Yesterday I had a little, today I had a lot. My lower back felt like someone hit me with a 2 x 4 until I took an 800 mg Ibuprofen. The Ibuprofen seems to have taken care of it.

I went to see my gastroenterologist today regarding the acid reflux, heart burn and gastroparesis I have been experiencing after this round of chemo. They put me on 40 mg of Nexium TWICE a day, and gave me some Reglan to take as needed for the gastroparesis. I'm hoping it will help make the next chemo treatment easier.