It's fun to be 6 and 1

High level version:  Scans were negative.  I need to do more chemotherapy after I am done with radiation.

Detailed version:

As I was sitting in the waiting room for my post op visit with Dr. Jones on Thursday I got a call from “No Caller ID” which I’ve come to learn is a call from someone at Tulane Hospital so I answered.  It was Linda, Dr. Barnhill’s nurse telling me that something wasn’t sitting right with Dr. Barnhill so she started looking further into my pathology reports, conferred with other medical experts and has determined that she wants me to do another chemotherapy treatment. 

And then I was called back to get my vitals checked.  Needless to say I wasn’t surprised when my bp was 160 over something.  My normal is somewhere under 120.  We walked to the back, past Dr. Jones’ office and into a exam room so I figured things couldn’t be too bad (we always go in the office when there’s bad news, I told them they need to either always go in the office or always go into an exam room so we don’t know what the news will be) but it didn’t matter because I was just told I’d have to do more chemo.  Still, I was anxious to get the scan results.  Dr. Jones walked in and asked me how I was doing and for the first time through all of this I said “Not Good.”  He examined my incision from the lumpectomy and told me to come back in 2 weeks for another check and I was like, um what about the scan results?  I can tell you my incision looks fine!  So they got the reports, confirmed that the scan results were all negative. Thank God!!!  But more chemo?  Ugh!

Dr. Barnhill went into the office last Friday specifically to see me, and only to see me.  She had been trying to decide if she should tell me before or after our cruise and decided I would want to know before.  She again said that she is treating me like her daughter in this so when I asked about a second opinion or going to MD Anderson she had already considered it and answered all of our questions about this and encouraged me to get a second opinion if I wanted, or do whatever I feel is necessary.  She also said she conferred with someone that she really respects (and says is very wise) about MY cancer and the best treatment for ME. 

I will start radiation the day after we return from our cruise.  Hopefully I can continue with no problems (like skin irritations or blistering) but they are kind of expected.  Once I finish radiation I’ll begin chemo. 

I’ll be on a 21 day cycle where I have chemo on Day 1 and Day 8.  Then day 21 is day 1 again.  It’s hard to explain!  Often times Day 8 can’t be done on the 8^th day because the blood and platelet counts are not right so treatment gets postponed or even started over.  I can’t get the Nulesta shot (the white blood cell shot I got last time) because you have to have that at least 14 days before the next infusion and with this cycle there aren’t 14 days between infusions. The shot would help with the whole blood and platelet issue but it just doesn’t fit here.  Dr. Barnhill said she can probably count on one hand how many people have made it through without the originally planned schedule being altered.  I’m a little confused about the side effects this chemo will bring so I’m trying not to worry about them.  Besides Dr. Barnhill told me I’m not allowed to worry until November 19^th, when we get back from our cruise. 

Onto happier things, the New Orleans Race For the Cure was last Saturday and we had a great day!  The weather was amazing, our team was smaller this year but still a good turnout. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday I got to go to the Saints game with Bobby’s sister, Patricia.  She invited me to go with her because it was the Saints Breast Cancer Awareness Day.  Bobby ended up getting a ticket too and it was fun spending the day with him and his sister!  Who Dat!  (this is where the fun, 6 and 1 reference comes into play for those of you who don't follow the Saints or the NFL)