JUBULATION - I HAVE MY LIFE BACK!!!

I am on top of the mountain that I just climbed and I am loving the view from here!! I am seeing the world through a new set of eyes in which to view this wonderful life! The climb was almost unbearable at times, but the strength that I received to help me keep climbing, was more than inspirational. "Every now and then, right when you least expect it, something amazing happens. And you realize that you are no more in control than a feather in the wind. All you know is that the force moving you is so strong that you just hang on in wonder. There is nothing but the moment and the sense of dancing with angels...."

I started back to work on June 29th and boy was I glad to get there! It was wonderful to see everyone and be back at my "home away from home"! I love the work that I do and the people that I work with at the Attorney General's Office. They are the best of the best! It was so good to get settled back into my office and to think about my work rather than cancer. I have been back for 3 full weeks and I am doing well. There are days when I get tired, but it is a good kind of tired! Normality is sweet!!

I had my CT scan on July 8th (the insurance company would not okay a PET scan). The doctors office called me with the results at 10:00 a.m. on the morning of July 9th. They said that the report stated "They could not find any evidence of malignancy within the chest, abdomen or pelvis". Tears of joy and relief instantly began to feel my eyes! This was the day that I had been waiting for since October, 2008. I immediately shared my good fortune with family, friends and co-workers who were also moved to tears. Needless to say, there was much rejoicing!! I am IN REMISSION!! The fight I had, to find the right chemo that I wouldn't have an allergic reaction from, had worked!! Even though I knew that the chemo was what would save my life, I always worried that it might not be enough.

Thinking back on what I have felt while battling my cancer is "How on earth am I going to get through this"? In an article I read it said: "When you climb a mountain, you reach a point where you're to exhausted to continue, and the only way to keep going is to stop thinking about the summit and focus on the rock immediately in front of you. You decide, all I have to do is reach that point. Then, once you get there you pick another rock and somehow you get to the top." That is exactly how you fight cancer. Once rock at a time, rather "One day at a Time". Sometimes it was one moment in time. I had moments of despair, but I knew that I was loved and supported by prayers. And it worked!

Another article that I read was about a woman who had the same kind of cancer I had, ovarian cancer, also stage two, said: "Even after cancer, we have to figure out how to put one foot in front of the other again". Now I am going to learn how to be a cancer survivor. As a survivor, you don't want your cancer to define you, but you also don't want to forget where you have been. After all, cancer transformed my whole life. I have to remind myself that the person I was all along - strong, resilient and focused, help me to navigate the disease.

Cancer (chemo) has taken a toll on my body, but I can see the future now. I will start to look and feel like myself again, "One day at a Time". I want to be me, but better. I want to live life with more kindness, passion, love and appreciation for all that I have and at the top of my list is Gratitude. I want an "Attitude of Gratitude"!

I will be seeing my doctor on Monday, July 27th. I will then have a blood draw and see my doctor every there months for the next 5 years. I am so glad that they will be keeping a good eye on me.

Miley Cyrus sings a song called "The Climb". It came out while I was having chemo. And from the moment I heard the song, it fit exactly how I felt. I goes like this:

"I can almost see it, that dream I'm dreaming, but there's a voice inside my head saying "you'll never reach it". Every step I'm taking, every move I make feels lost with no direction, my faith is shaken. But I gotta keep trying, gotta keep my head held high. There's always gonna be another mountain. I'm always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be an uphill battle. Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose. Ain't about how fast I get there. Ain't about what's waiting on the other side, It's the climb. The struggles I'm facing, the chances I'm taking, sometimes might knock me down, but no, I'm not breaking. I may not know it, but these are the moments that I'm gonna remember most. Keep on moving, keep climbing, keep the faith. It's all about the climb".

Well, till next time, remember "For every reason to give up hope, there are 10 reasons not to. Reach out and someone will lend a hand for there are no rules against dreaming big"!!!

"May we never take one single breath for granted"!!!!

-Sheree-

CELEBRATION TIME - FINAL ROUND OF CHEMO COMPLETED!!

TIME TO CELEBRATE!! I had my FINAL round of chemo on June 10th. Oh what a WONDERFUL feeling!! I got my Certificate of Completion and I am so hopeful that I will NOT have to EVER do this again! I have been to Hell and back and I now know what it means to be a CANCER SURVIVOR!! Nobody said it was going to be easy ~ only worth it!!

After my chemo treatment on Wednesday, June 10th, I was noticing that I was more tired than I normally am after a chemo treatment. I could hardly move. My arms and legs felt like lead. I could hear my heart beating in my ears ALL the time, and when I did get up, I was really out of breath. I made it through the next four days and on Monday, June 15th, I went to the lab for another blood draw. To make a long story short, I didn't have enough red blood cells. The doctors office called and told me to go immediately to Good Samaritan for another cross type and match. The normal range for Hemoglobin is 11.5 - 16.0 and I was at 5.9! No wonder I was feeling so rotten! They were able to give me two units of blood which helped me start to feel better right away. I am now at 8.4, which is still under the normal range, but they think that my body will start making more red blood cells now that I am no longer having chemo. I have to keep drawing blood once a week for the next four weeks so they can monitor my recovery.

In the next two weeks, they will do a PET scan. I am looking forward to getting this done. I am praying that the chemo did it's job and that there are no other "hot" spots in my body to worry about. I will have to see my doctor every three months for the next five years so they can monitor me. My doctor and his staff (including the hospital staff) were wonderful and I am so grateful to each and every one of them for their knowledge and skills.

I am going back to work on Monday, June 29th!! I am so excited to get back and am looking forward to NORMAL everyday living. My office has been so supportive to me and is the BEST group of people you could ever work with. They have been right by my side during all of this, and are willing to take me back after being gone for 6 months! Thank you so much for your patience!!

I will update the blog as soon as I get the results from my PET scan and will also let you know how I am doing once I get back to work! I know that I need to be patient with myself because it will take about a year to get all of the chemicals out of my body and to look and feel normal again. I will remember that when I feel unwell, that the same power that made my body knows how to restore it to its original state of well-being. "When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need!"

Blessings to all!

~Sheree~

I CAN SEE THE LIGHT - MY FINAL (hopefully) ROUND OF CHEMO!!!

Today I feel like an expectant mother waiting for a child to be born.  I have a lot of excitement along with anxiety.  Excitement to know that this is hopefully my last chemo treatment and anxiety knowing that I will feel sick. But, I also know that the only way out of chemo is through it.  Just like childbirth.  No, I will not be taking home a new child, but I do have this "new life" that I have been given.  Yes, it has been a fight, but I have a new found lease on life!  I do not take anything for granted.  Like they say, you truly don't appreciate everything you have until its gone or someone tries to take it away, or it gives out.  Then you wished that you would have taken better care or been more aware, instead of being so busy with the trivial things, that you let the most important things slide by.

 

I guess that this journey that I have been on, and will continue to be aware of, the rest of my life, is that "Life is too Short to be anything but Happy".  Every morning when I wake up and the "Gift" of another day is given to me, I feel so blessed for everything that I have. Even though times are tough in the world around us, I am so grateful for the little everyday things in life that surround me, as well as the big things that I have been blessed with. 

 

On June 3rd, I will be having chemo, the 1st day of my last round, which also happens to be my 35th wedding anniversary.  No, this isn't what we had planned for our 35th anniversay, but having my husband by my side, like he has been for the last 35 years, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, is all that we want, just to be together, hand in hand, and being given the gift of more time together!!  That is what life is really about.  The people you share it with, not the "stuff" that we think is important.  I have my life and my family to enjoy ~ and it has been worth the fight to keep that!!

 

June 10th, will be my last injection of chemo (day 8 of round 6).  I will get to wear a crown and celebrate with my new found friends that are also celebrating their new lives~ and are also cancer survivors!! 

 

I want to thank all of you, my family, friends and co-workers, for your prayers, e-mails and beautiful cards, but most of all for you taking of your time to think of me and help keep me uplifted.  You are truly my "Angels" here on earth.  You know the people that truly care about you in times like these, and are there for you while you "dance in the rain" waiting for the "storm to pass". 

 

I will keep you posted after the "grand finale". I hope to be released and back to work around the end of June!  In the meantime, "Simplify your Life".  Learn to play, rather than work your way through it!!

 

Hugs, Kisses and Happiness Wishes!

 

Sheree 

 

Blood Transfusion, 4th round complete & 5th round started

Hi Everyone,

Sorry that it has taken forever to post an update on my mom!

My mom is doing well, just taking things one day at a time! :) She completed her 4th round of chemo a few weeks ago. After that round of chemo, she was starting to feel quite run down and was even more drained than usual. Her Dr.'s office called her after her weekly blood draw and told her that she would need to have a blood transfusion since her counts were quite low. After the blood transfusion she felt so much better and even had some "pep in her step"! She was then able to rest and try and get some of her energy back during her off week from chemo treatment. Her "off week" is a very precious and treasured week for her, one that she looks forward to with excitement and the opportunity to feel a little "normal" for a few days.

My mom started her 5th round of chemo 2 days ago which was this past Wednesday, May 13th! That means that she is really getting close to the finish line with only 1 1/2 more chemo rounds to go for a total of 3 more treatments!!!! She has told me on several occasions that the further she gets into her chemo treatments, the more intense the side effects seem to get. She continues to have a very positive outlook and is SO looking forward to finishing her chemo treatments soon, getting back to work & enjoying her everyday life again!

Next Wednesday, May 20th will be the 2nd dose in her 5th round of chemo. She will be off for a week and then start the 6th and (hopefully) final round of chemo on Wednesday, June 3rd with her last dose on Wednesday, June 10th!!!! June 3rd also happens to be my parents 35th wedding anniversary so needless to say, there will be more than one thing to celebrate that day!!!!

Thank you ALL for the love & support that you have shown during my mom's treatments!

Hugs,

Jennie

By the way, I do have a photo of my mom during her blood transfusion that my dad took. I will be adding the photo later this evening.

On the down hill run......

Yes, it is true!  My mom is on the down hill run on her chemo treatments!  She started her 4th round today!  Everything went according to plan and she is now home attempting to rest and let her body recover and let the chemo "do its thing"!  She has her 2nd dose (in the 4th round) scheduled for next Wednesday, April 29th.  I know that she is looking forward to that appointment next week since she also has an appointment to see her Oncologist and will be able to visit with him for a while and go over her treatment plan & the progress that she is making.

I'll update more next week but for now, just know that she is hanging in there and is very excited to be half way finished with her chemo treatments!!!!!  

Hugs,

Jennie  

3rd Round of Chemo Complete!!!

My mom finished her 3rd round of Chemo last Wednesday, April 8th! She is officially half way through her treatments! Yea!!! What an accomplishment!

Her treatment went well as usual with the exception of the nurse administering her chemo was very sick herself with a cold! My mom (along with the rest of our family) of course was not very happy being breathed on and handled by someone who was not feeling well themselves and then passing on those wonderful germs onto her. That just shouldn't be allowed!

My dad was able to take a picture of my mom while she was getting her chemo treatment so I wanted to be sure and attach that picture to this post. She looks great huh? :)

Over the last week she has been experiencing the "normal yuckies" as we like call it! She is looking forward to being off of chemo treatments this week so she can start to feel a little more normal again, even if it is only for a few days before it starts all over again.

We were unable to celebrate her half way mark on her chemo treatments this weekend but will celebrate it soon!!!!

My mom's next scheduled chemo treatment will be next Wednesday, April 22nd. Thanks again for your continued support and love!

Hugs,

Jennie & Sheree

3rd Round of Chemo started

Today my mom started the 1st dose in her 3rd round of Chemo!  That means that she is almost half way through her chemo treatments!  YEA!!!!!  We are so proud and excited for her to be at the halfway point!!!!  She will have the 2nd dose in her 3rd round of chemo next Wednesday April 8th.  

So, she will not be feeling very well over the next few days but the chemo is doing everything that it should be doing.  It just has some not so nice side effects that go along with chemo treatments (which are very normal to have).  One great thing that I wanted to be sure to mention is that my mom has NOT lost her hair!  It has thinned in spots but has not all fallen out.  

My mom has mentioned that she is going to try and take her camera with her during her next treatment so we can post a few pictures with the next update.  Years from now I'm sure that she will want to be able to look back at those pictures and see how far she has gone and all that she accomplished during this trial in her life.

I'll post more next week after the remaining dose in her 3rd round.  I was also thinking it might be nice if our family celebrated this half way mark during her journey while our family will be together over the Easter holiday.  Ideas anyone????    

Thanks for all of your love & prayers!!!!

Hugs,

Jennie

2nd Round Completed

Today my mom completed her 2nd round of chemo!  Yea!  The administering of her chemo went very smoothly at her oncologists office and they were able to find a good vein to use on the first attempt!  My mom really likes her new nurse who will be administering her chemo each time and her nurse as well as the rest of the staff are taking very good care of her during her treatments.

My mom was also able to visit with her oncologist after her round of chemo this afternoon.  Her oncologist was very uplifting and told my mom that she is really doing well all things considered and he was also able to answer the questions that she had for him.  The good news he gave her today is that her cancer cell levels are going down which means that her cancer is responding to the chemo treatments!  As soon as my mom has more energy she will post an update but for now just know that she is finished with her 2nd round of chemo and only has 4 more rounds to go!  The end is in sight! :)

The dates for her 3rd round of chemo are scheduled for April 1st & April 8th (subject to change of course).  I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record but I just wanted to be sure and "Thank all of YOU" for your wonderfully uplifting encouragement and prayers!  The love & support that she feels from all of you is truly a blessing!

Love to all of you,

Jennie (Sheree's Daughter)  

2nd Round of Chemo is under way

I just wanted to post a quick update to let you know that my mom started her 2nd round of chemo this past Wednesday, March 11, 2009.  She is doing remarkably well all things considered.  She is feeling a lot more nauseated this time around and has not had as much energy but her spirits and attitude continue to remain high!    

My mom will go back in for the last half of her 2nd round of chemo on Wednesday March 18, 2009.  Once she is feeling a little better I'm sure that she will post an update herself but in the meantime I just wanted keep everyone informed.

Thanks again for all of the love & support.  You are the best!

-Jennie  

1st Round of Chemo Completed!!!!

It is a day for CELEBRATION!!  I finally completed my first complete round of chemo on Tuesday, February 24th!  I even had the Neulesta shot that you have to have after each round that helps with the white blood count.  So far, so good!  I am so grateful for each day that I feel fairly normal and feel like eating.  I am resting as much as possible and enjoying each moment!   I do not have anything next week (Hooray!!!).

 

My next round of chemo starts on Wednesday, March 11th.  I will have both Gemzar and Carboplatin for Day 1.  Then Day 8 will be on Wednesday, March 18th, when I will just have Gemzar and another Neulesta shot.  I won't have anything the week of March 22nd!  (Hooray again!)  The only thing that I keep having to work on is not getting to constipated ~ it makes for bad days!! (I know, to much information!) 

 

I do know, for a fact, that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is a THANK YOU to Heavenly Father for all that I have!  I am truly blessed!  (A.I.E.)

Ports Out - Chemo In

On Monday, February 16th around 8:30 a.m., I arrived at Good Samaritan Hopsital where I was to be admitted for hopefully, my first successful round of chemotherapy, and for port removal.  My oncologist was going to set up the room for my ports to be removed before giving me my first round of chemo.  When I got to the hospital, all they had down for me was the chemotherapy treatment.  Needless to say, I was a little upset that the office had not called and made the arraingments for port removal.  Anyway, they went ahead and admitted me to the hospital, to a beautiful room on the 12th floor of the tower, around 10:30 a.m.  It was a single occupancy room and had wonderful views of the valley.

 

The nurse called my oncologists office to start working on the details of the port removal.  I waited until around 2:30 p.m, and the office sent over a resident to talk with me.  She had talked with my oncologist, who was in surgery all day, and he let her know that he was going to remove my ports in my hospital room.  He was going to be to my room around 6:00 p.m.   By the time 7:30 p.m. rolled around, I was getting worked up.  I had not had anything to eat or drink since midnight and they didn't put the IV in until 4:30 p.m. and had difficulty getting it in since I had gone so long without fluid.   I was having a mini break down out of frustration and was talking with the nurse, when my oncologist walked in.  I had tears in my eyes and told him that I felt that it was too late in the day to remove my ports... I was stressed out, and I knew that he too had such a long and busy day in surgery.  (He was removing my ports as a favor to me instead of having the hospital remove them.)  I just didn't know that it was going to be in my hospital room and at this hour of the night.  Long story short, he said that he could give me medication to put me out a little bit or he could just give me a local.  I was just wanting to get the ports out and opted for the local (this is what happens when you are tired and frustrated!!) 

 

The Dr. started on the port in my chest, and sure enough, my body had grown scar tissue around the port and he had a devil of a time trying to remove it.  I had over 15 shots to keep it numb as he continued to cut it out.  Finally, I was free of the itching port!!  Next, was the port in my abdomen.  This port was put in deep and was really stiched down.  I had more than 15 shots there as well and they attempted to dig to find where to cut the stiches that were put in.  Another Dr. came in to assist as well as four nurses.  One nurse went and got a little shot of morphine and put it into my IV while they were removing the port.  The lighting in the room was not as good a surgery room so they brought in a flashlight to help.  It was quite a trip and I felt every finger and instrument inside of me.  It took around 30 minutes to get the port out and stiched back up.  He said that he had never had such a hard time removing one of his ports before.  He had really stiched it in!  All in all, after the removeal of the ports, I felt pretty good.  Just knowing they were out was awesome and not feeling groggy from medication was worth the moments of pain and pressure.

 

The next moring, Tuesday, February17th, was the day for the chemo.  I was anxious, since I had had two severe reactions, but knew that I couldn't be in a better place if I had a reaction.  They pre-medicated me around 10:00 a.m. and then started the chemo drug, Taxoteer, around 10:30.  It was only about 5 minutes into the chemo treatment and I started reacting, again.  I was having severe back spasms so the IV was immediately stopped.  They contacted my oncologist and he came over about an hour later and signed an order for a new chemo drug.  He said that they were going to let me rest for a little while and then attempt the new chemo drug called Gemcitabine. 

 

Around 4:30 p.m. the chemo drug arrived and they started it in my IV.  I couldn't believe it ~ IT WORKED!!!!   They then added the second chemo drug, Carboplatin, and I tolerated it too!  I was so excited to FINALLY have my first chemo treatment, without reaction, and now I was on my way.  I know that it sounds silly, but I want to get on down the road with this journey that I am on and the only way out is through!!  I was released from the hospital on Wednesday, February 18th, around 2:30 p.m.  I didn't get sick while in the hospital.  I had the best medical staff around.  The nurses I had were exceptional in every way!!  I am so grateful for them and all of their efforts on my behalf. 

 

I have to have another treatment on Tuesday, February 24th.  This chemo regimen they have me on is I have a treatment on DAY 1 of Gemcitabine & Carboplatin and on DAY 8 I just have Gemcitabine.  Then I don't have another treament for 1 week.  That should be the week that I might feel more normal!  Then Round TWO will start.  I have to have 6 rounds of chemo, each Round is three weeks.  I have done pretty well with the nausea but NOTHING sounds good and I am more tired.  (That is why it has taken me so long to pass this info on!!) 

 

So for now, I am trying to remember this:  "I need to never borrow from the future.  If I worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, I have worried in vain.  Even if it does happen, I have worried twice!"  I am trying to take one day, one moment at a time and I KNOW, that with God, all things are possible!!   A.I.E.

Port Removal

Well, after much craziness in the world of cancer treatment, my oncologist has decided to remove both of my ports (I have one port in my chest and one in my abdomen). I met with my oncologist on Friday, February 13th, and he said that since he is not exactly sure what is causing the allergic reactions, and he can't rule out the ports, he is going to remove them. 

 

The last chemo treatment that was attempted on February 4th, they were only flushing the port with saline solution to prepare for pre-medication of chemo, and within 30 seconds of flushing the port, I could not breath well, had chest pain, my heart was racing, I felt like my face was going to explode and my eyes were blood red, so much so that you could barely see the brown of my eyes, along with an instant headache.  I thought that I was "checking out"!!!  All I could say was "help me" to my husband, while three people were trying to get me stablized.  They immediately gave me benedryl, put me on oxygen and gave me some sort of steroid.   It took over 1 1/2 hours before I felt that I was going to make it.   SCARY STUFF!!!

 

My oncologist thinks that there might have been some left over Taxol (chemo drug I am allergic to for sure!) left in the port from the first attempt at chemo, and when the port was flushed with saline solution, it broke the residue loose.  Or, I might be allergic to the metal and plastic that the port is made of.  He also thought that I might be allergic to the medication that they topically use before the chemo.  WHO KNOWS!!!!

 

Whatever caused the reactions, from here on out I will need to be closely monitored, so I will be having everything done in the hospital.  I am being admitted to the hospital on Monday, February 16th for the removal of the ports and if all goes well, they will start chemo in the afternoon on Monday, but most likely it will be on Tuesday, February 17th, where they are now going to use an IV drip in place of the ports.  

 

I am NOT sorry to see these ports go!!   The port in my chest has bothered me since the day it was put in. It pulls and itches and the skin on my upper chest, neck and face react by turning bright red (looking like a chemical burn) along with retaining fluids, each time they try to use the port. 

 

I want to thank all of you for the prayers, love and support that you give to me.  I feel it everyday!  I am hoping that I will finally be on the road to recovery.  I try to remember that  "FAITH is the ability to NOT panic".  I am working on that one!!!!   Stay tuned!

Another Reaction to 2nd Chemo attempt

My husband just talked to my mom a little while ago and the news was not so good.  She had another reaction again today while she was attempting her chemo treatment.  This time, the reaction happened before they were even able to give her any of the chemo drug.  She had the reaction while they were flushing her port with the saline solution.  I guess her reaction today was worse than the 1st one.  We are not sure what is going to happen at this point with her chemo treatments but I will keep everyone posted as soon as we know more information.  My mom and dad were even thinking that my mom might be allergic to the port itself since it is made of plastic & metal.

Thanks again for all of your love and support!

Jennie

Chemo Treatment - Take 2

My mom (Sheree) is set for her 2nd attempt at chemo therapy tomorrow morning, Wednesday February 4th.  As long as everything goes according to plan she should be home by early tomorrow afternoon.  We are all just praying that her body is able to tolerate the new chemo therapy drug better than her previous one and that she will have a better outcome this time around.  

As many of you know by now, her chemo treatments had been placed on hold for a while due to the allergic reaction that she experienced during her 1st chemo therapy dose.  The treatments were place on hold while her Oncologist & Heart Doctors discussed the best treatment plan and options for my mom.  They have decided to switch her to another chemo therapy drug that seems to be better tolerated by most people and they will only be giving her 1 dose every 3 weeks in her upper port only.  For now, they will be leaving the port in her abdomen alone for the time being.  The good news is she only has to go in 1 time every 3 weeks for chemo instead of the 3 treatments in 3 weeks like she was originally set up to do.  

I will be updating this blog for my mom until she feels up to do it herself.  I will do my best to keep the blog updated with information as soon as I hear anything as to the progress of the treatment and how she is doing.  Thanks again for all of your love & support for my mom and our family!  It is truly appreciated!!!

Love,

Jennie Sholley

Sheree's Daughter

1st Day of Chemo

Chemo is now on hold.  Can anyone say SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION??  Well that is what I had.  Only 5% of the people taking TAXOL have this kind of reaction ~ I guess that I could never fall into the NORMAL catagory.  I think that my new nick-name is going to have to be ABBY (short for Abby-normal!).  (Please be prepared  when you read further for the full details of my adventure - it is more for me to recall at a later date).

 

I arrived at my doctors office at 8:30 for my first chemo treatment with some excitement to finally get started so I could get finished, and fear of what was to come.  It was explained in our chemo training meeting that there are four recliner chairs where the patients sit to receive their chemo treatment and a couch and some hard chairs where those who are accompaning you may sit.  A relaxing atmosphere it was to be. 

 

We walked into the room and it was TOTALLY FULL and not relaxing in the least.  They had two more chemo treatments set up on that day than usual, so I was seated in one of the HARD chairs and they went to find another chair so my husband could sit by me.  We were seated just inside the doorway.  The nurse who was administring the chemo came over and started right to work on hooking me up for my chemo treatment.  I thought, boy am I going to be able to sit in this HARD chair for the full 4-6 hours of treatment?  There was not a choice in this matter.  Needless to say, I was a little worked up.  Also, my fear of a reaction was foremost in my mind.

 

The nurse got the pic line right in, so that was a relief to me.  Then started the flurry of different drugs being put into the pic line.  Benedrly and other anti-nausea drugs were put in and after about 20 minutes "Taxol" the chemo drug was started.  All of the others that were receiving their chemo drips were doing just fine and visiting.  I got to hear some of their stories.   Next week should not be as crowded because two ladies were receiveing their last chemo treatments (horray for them!!)  will would not be back.  There were three of us other newbies that will be taking their place. 

 

I really hit if off with a lady named Ruth, who just had the same surgery as me, but just three days earlier.  She also had the same Dr. as I did and now we were starting our chemo treatments together.  She has stage 4 ovarian cancer plus other issues.  Anyway, she didn't seem to be having any difficulty with her chemo and was about a 1/2 hour ahead of me on her chemo drip, so I was relieved to see that she wasn't having problems.  I felt that I would be okay.

 

About 15 minutes into my treatment I started having severe back pain and muscle spams.  I asked the nurse if this was normal and she said sometimes people have them.  She adjusted the pic line down to a slower rate and asked me to let her know when the symptoms subsided and she would resume.  After a bit, my eyes started becoming blood shot (like blood had been pored into them red).   I think that people thought I was crying, but I wasn't.   I was having really hot hot flashes, more like burning.  The nurse then turned on the fan and directed it to me.  After about 10 minutes or so, the back pain went away and she started the drip again.  She set it to go in slowly and I was able to do alright with it.  After a bit she increased the rate.  That is when I developed severe chest pain and squeezing.  I was definately worried about this because I am in A-fib and did not want to have a heart attack or stroke. 

 

The nurse just watched me for about 10 more minutes and the pain still increased.  She then closed off the drip line and said she was going to move me to one of the chairs to watch me more closely.  She started moving the roller system that had the drip line attached and forgot to ask me to come with it. I tried to get the nurse to stop and wait for me, but it was too late.  Needless to say, I was still attached to the drip system and the pic came out.  It was like a finger reached down and flipped the pic line right out of my chest (no doubt one of my many guardian angels!!).  The nurse said that this might be a good time to use the restroom and then she would get me settled in the chair and resume.

 

I went to the restroom and when I pulled down my clothing, I noticed that I had the biggest hives ever all over my legs (fear immediately went into play!!).  I finished using the restroom and when I stood up I looked at my abdomen in the mirror and sure enough BIG HIVES there too.  I then lifted my shirt up to my breasts and they were TOTALLY RED - no skin showing at all.  I called the nurse in and she said you are definately having a reaction.  She took me back into the room with all the people and settled me down in the chair and went to talk to the doctor.  My doctor was not there because he was in surgery, so she asked the doctor that was there.  The nurse came back to me and said that I was definately "done for today".  (I got my get out of jail free card!!)  She also said that when my Dr. came back tomorrow, they would have a consult to see what my next step would be as far as future treatment.   She gave me another benedryl and said that I could sit there for a bit to make sure that the hives were going away.  They didn't want me to be to far down the road just in case I started having a worse reaction.  The hives started to fade, so we left around 12:00 to head for home.

 

We ate some lunch and then I rested for the afternoon.  Around 9:30 p.m. I started with a new rash in the upper chest area around my port up into my neck and chest.  I was worried that since the pic line just came out of the port that some of the chemo was still making me react.  I took some more benedryl but it didn't seem to do much. 

 

Today, January 15th, I called back into the office and spoke to the nurse.  They are going to call me in a steroid to help keep the reaction down.   The nurse said that she had spoke to the Dr. and they are going to start me on a different chemo treatment.  It will be done as in patient treatment at the hospital so that they can monitor me closley.   The nurse said that I am to see my heart doctor before they can proceed with any further chemo treatment to get clearance from him. 

 

I have my heart doctor appointment on Tuesday the 20th, and we will go from there.  The heart doctor is planning to set me up to shock my heart back into NORMAL rythum (don't forget that I am NOT normal, so I am hoping that this won't be another Abby moment!!).  It needs to beat properly to be able to pump the chemo throughout my body instead of it just sitting there in the heart and not pumping it out quickly.

 

Needless to say, I am glad that the surgery went to well.  Chemo is truly going to be the toughest part for me.  It is a setback, but they will get the right treatment that I CAN handle and I will hopefully be back on the road soon. 

 

I am still to blessed to be stressed and "I KNOW THAT IT WILL NOT BE EASY, ONLY WORTH IT!!"   I am so grateful to my WONDERFUL MOTHER for always instilling in me a positive attitude.  She always tells me "Sheree, remember A.I.E.,  Attitude is Everything!!!

 

Chemo Dates Set

I met with the woman who will be administering my chemo.  This was one of "HARDEST" days that I have had since all of this, for the reason I was told by my oncologist that I would have chemo once every three weeks.  I thought, that is great, I would not have to be driving to downtown Phoenix each week and I would be able to build back up my blood levels during the following two weeks.  NOT THE CASE.

I will be starting my first CYCLE of chemo on Wednesday, January 14th.  I will have chemo in my upper chest port the 1st day with the drug Paclitatel (Taxol) and will take 4 to 6 hours.  I come back on day 2, January 15th, for the next treatment in my abdominal port.  The drug that they are using is Cisplatin and will take 3-4 hours.  Then on day 8, January 21st, they will put Paclitatel (Taxol) in my abdominal port and put saline solution into my upper chest port to keep me hydrated.  This should take another 4-5 hours.  Needless to say, I had feelings of expectation and disappointment, along with a big helping of information overload.  I realized that I now have the chance of being three times as sick and feeling more than a little distraught.  The tears started to flow all to freely, right there in the doctors office in front of all of them.  Feeling embarrassed, I let them know that I knew that they are going to fix me up as good as new, but not without some pain and suffering on my end.  (I am allergic to so many things that I feel like I am definitely going to be put on chemical overload).  Not to mention the ongoing heart problems I have!  I know that it is not going to be easy, but will definitely be worth it!

I am set up to have 6 CYCLES of chemo.  Each cycle is three weeks long.  I will have chemo on days 1, 2 and 8 and then I will have 13 days off (except for blood tests and hopefully no hospital stays because of fevers etc. while watching my blood count).  The side effects from putting the chemo into the abdomen is a lot of cramping, along with bone, muscle and headaches.  The port in the abdomen is like a leech line.  Then the chemo goes into your abdomen, the tissue soaks it up.  It is then processed through the kidneys.  This is the best cure for ovarian cancer...more potent and highly successful.

They now have several ways to keep nausea at bay.  One of them being a patch that you wear.  It is called Sancuso.  I will wear it for the first two weeks, but don't have to wear it during week three.  I will also have oral medications to add if needed and pain medication for all of the aches and pains.  I am really hoping to not have to take them, as they really mess with me!!

"Boy, did I give you too much information in this blog post"!!  I just want you to know that I so appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers on my behalf - I am truly blessed to have all of you in my life!  Thank you in advance for your continued prayers.

I am so looking forward to the day that I am on the other side of this adventure, back to my normal life but with a new deeper appreciation for ALL things.  But for now, I am learning to replace my fear with FAITH.  The FAITH that God is always with me and will see me through any and all difficulties.  All I need to do is ask.  This I know for sure.  "BE CALM - CARRY ON"!

Oncologist Visit

I met with my oncologist for my three week check-up and had great news!  My body has healed up nicely and I am able to drive now (within reason)!  I feel like I got my "get out of jail free card"!  He also scheduled me for an appointment on Thursday, January 8th, for my chemo review and to set up my chemo dates.   I will let you know the dates soon.