This week the oncologist felt that I had done enough chemo- I was not going to get Cycle 11 and Cycle 12. I've talked before about the effects of the chemo on my fingers, but you know it is a sad situation when you knot your pyjama bottoms and then can't untie it to go to the bathroom. No more chemotherapy for me. Yay? Yes, a bit of an anti-climax, but I still get to ring the "end-of-chemo" bell and get confetti thrown on me by my chemo nurses.
My doctor also had in her hand the results of my post-chemotherapy MRI and it showed that there was a reduction in the tumour, it looked less dense than before and above all it looks like the volume of the tumour decreased by about 75%. Yay to that for sure! Considering I didn't feel that anything was changing I was very happy about the result. Next on my list: surgery.
She said that although my blood counts are low in some areas, she felt that if I wanted to have surgery that day, I was well enough to do it. Me? Well, I need more mental preparation time than that. Certain important parts of my anatomy are going to go under the knife, they need a proper goodbye.
The actual date of my surgery (next Tuesday, Oct. 25th), does not really give me much more time, but by then, 2 weeks would have passed since my last chemo cycle. Since I want to bypass tumour regrowth, Oct 25th looked quite attractive. How was I to know I'd get a stomach bug Tuesday and Wednesday that had me in bed and that my small son would come home vomiting Thursday so I was up with him in the night? That plus prior commitments on Friday and Saturday equals not much time.
So from my first post:
Fear Rating: Low - things moving too fast to be afraid. Got to do what I've got to do (but very high if I wake up in the night). This is still true now.
Worry Rating: Low. This is still true now. Anaesthesia is very scary but I can't control this or the surgery. At some point I have to take a breath and close my eyes, and that is where I am.Naturally this may change to "Through the Roof" once I am actually at the hospital.
Physical Health Rating: Getting better, but will take a hit after surgery.
Symptoms: I still have pain in the fingers; my (bloody) nose is getting better; I losing what little eyebrows I have left; the hair on my head seems to have started growing (although in a completely unacceptable colour).
Mental Health: So far so good. But I imagine there will come a day when I will have a good long cry. That day isn't here yet. Almost the same...that day is approaching.
Finally, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Do what you must.
My doctor also had in her hand the results of my post-chemotherapy MRI and it showed that there was a reduction in the tumour, it looked less dense than before and above all it looks like the volume of the tumour decreased by about 75%. Yay to that for sure! Considering I didn't feel that anything was changing I was very happy about the result. Next on my list: surgery.
She said that although my blood counts are low in some areas, she felt that if I wanted to have surgery that day, I was well enough to do it. Me? Well, I need more mental preparation time than that. Certain important parts of my anatomy are going to go under the knife, they need a proper goodbye.
The actual date of my surgery (next Tuesday, Oct. 25th), does not really give me much more time, but by then, 2 weeks would have passed since my last chemo cycle. Since I want to bypass tumour regrowth, Oct 25th looked quite attractive. How was I to know I'd get a stomach bug Tuesday and Wednesday that had me in bed and that my small son would come home vomiting Thursday so I was up with him in the night? That plus prior commitments on Friday and Saturday equals not much time.
So from my first post:
Fear Rating: Low - things moving too fast to be afraid. Got to do what I've got to do (but very high if I wake up in the night). This is still true now.
Worry Rating: Low. This is still true now. Anaesthesia is very scary but I can't control this or the surgery. At some point I have to take a breath and close my eyes, and that is where I am.Naturally this may change to "Through the Roof" once I am actually at the hospital.
Physical Health Rating: Getting better, but will take a hit after surgery.
Symptoms: I still have pain in the fingers; my (bloody) nose is getting better; I losing what little eyebrows I have left; the hair on my head seems to have started growing (although in a completely unacceptable colour).
Mental Health: So far so good. But I imagine there will come a day when I will have a good long cry. That day isn't here yet. Almost the same...that day is approaching.
Finally, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Do what you must.
Comments
Thinking of you and your family and keeping you in our prayers.
Hope the surgery goes well.
Kim
Just echoing what Kim and Greta said - I'm happy to hear about your encouraging scan results, thinking of you everyday, and hoping that all goes well with the surgery.
(And don't worry about the hair colour - I've been dying mine for years!)
Love,
Savi
Encouraging scan results-(A Positive)
No more Chemo-(A Positive)
Surgery-(A huge step but a step in the solution direction. So it's A Positive)
Thinking of you, G and the boys and we are praying for a successful surgery and recovery.
Love,
Alicia
Karla
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11