#4 Done and Dusted

Yay! Goodbye cyclophosphamide and Docerubicin!

Today my neutrophils and white blood counts were back to normal range....this was good news so I could get the final of these drugs over with. I think I am getting used to them though because the fact that I can type and read my iPad means my head isn't as bad as last time. I hope I haven't celebrated too early.

Chemotherapy was uneventful except that there was a risk that they wouldn't let me go ahead again. Oh and I had an appointment with the awful oncologist - but Diana at reception at the cancer centre, saw my face and asked if there was a problem. She said she could change me "as I'm more comfortable with a female oncologist" 😉 "yes, yes please". So I get moved to the doctor I had last time and thank her profusely.

The last of the 2 👿 drugs!!!

Part of my support crew, my Mum 💕

The other part of my support crew, hubby John. Fed me ice-cream 😙

I brought home a goodie bag with an injection to give myself to prevent my neutrophils from plummeting so far this time......now that activity will be interesting. The other is some new drugs to take before the new chemo drug #5 to reduce side effects - doubling the steroid dose and effecting my bones by Stimulating bone marrow as this one also reduces neutrophils and white blood cells. 

We have a busy weekend, so have to put my 'big girl panties' on and get out there with a smile on my face and a bag of nibbles and bottle of water.  Starting with Miss Jana's gymnastics competition at 8:15 am, for which she practices day in and day out on our dining room floor. When sitting quietly on the couch, a pair of feet smashes over the cushion scarily close to your head as she does a 'bend over' or 'back hip circle' ??? - I should learn her manouvre names better.

The kids are good, home life is back to normal, I'm still yelling at them to get ready in the mornings. It's still nice that Andres climbs into bed with us sometimes to chat. He loves drawing air pictures to explain things to me. When I wear only a scarf around the house and rest my wig and scalp for a bit, it seems to effect the kids a little. Last time, we were having a cuddle in bed, Andres said "I can't wait for the cancer to be gone, so you won't die Mum".....what do you say to that. "yes that will be a good day won't it" and gave him a hug. The night before it was Alexander who came and sat with me and said he can't wait for the treatment to end and fir IT to go away.

Halfway Mark

Well today was a bit disappointing.

I received a call at 7:30 am telling me my white blood cells and neutrophils were too low to proceed with chemotherapy today!!!!!  Noooooooo........I was looking forward to getting this one over and done with!  (No wonder I've been so tired though).

Well that doesn't fit within my schedule!  I have appointments for work booked on my return, Mum has flown down for the exact time between chemo and when I start feeling well again plus I dont want the cycles messed up because we've booked a quick trip to Port Douglas in October. Luckily, I booked it for the second week I'm well, leaving 1 week's leeway for this circumstance.  After having cancelled our trip overseas I'm not sure that our travel insurance will be so helpful a second time with an existing condition.

Anyway I convinced them to reschedule to Friday, all going well instead of a week away.  It means 'The V' have to do a little more juggling than normal - oh well, if I'm going to be inconvenienced by the C then it can be on my terms!! (a bit of tough talk there :) )

I have been sent my appointment letters for my MRI and the Breast Surgeon in September. This will tell us how the Chemo is working on the tumours (Fat F*&^ and his friends). They are hoping that some have gone altogether or at least reduced but the softening of the density of the breasts is a good sign.

It will also provide information as to whether the schedule will change to surgery then more chemo or stick with the current plan of the second chemo drug cycle then surgery.

Now just waiting for Friday!

Dodgy day

Sunday (4 days on)

Today is always 'weird' day. Everything dodgy seems to happen 4/5 days after. My mouth is strange and thick, nothing seems to get rid of the taste. Food and drink is very unenticing. No energy to share either and watching tv seems the only option but the noise becomes annoying. So what to do - sleep, listen. I realized I forgot to get my e-reader organized before today, but not sure that would be successful either.

Mum is here to help, God bless her cotton socks! and has washed every piece of fabric, and sock in the house possible, I've never seen my laundry so clear for a long time. So she finally is sitting and reading the paper.  Mum arrived the night before my appointment at 'The V' and came and sat through the duration with John by my side. It was a long day starting at 9 am and finishing at 2:30 pm before going home to bed for a nap. 

I came home to some special surprises on my doorstep and a delivery of a homemade dinner, which all put a smile on my face to go to sleep with. Thank you all so much for your thoughts and kind gestures. 

Charlie, the cat has been particularly clingy - not sure if he is being more intuitive than normal or if he's just looking for a warm body to cuddle up to with this cold Melbourne weather?????? Hmmmm...either he really cares or he's just a user!   Getting lots more cuddles from Alexander, Andres gives 'side' cuddles so he doesn't 'hurt' me. 

Of course you never stop being a Mum. So regardless of how I feel, I've still got to make sure they've got the right uniform for the day, if they have fruit and some 'verbal encouragement' to get ready in the morning.

Sleeping a lot more this time. I hope that these symptoms will go away with the new drug for number 5 dose.  I have 1 more to the half way mark! Gotta be excited about that.

Looking forward to feeling 'normal' again.....any day now!!! :)

1 day to go for 3 of 8 treatment

So I am enjoying my last day of good health before they make me sick again :(

John took to my head with the shaver again, so we got a bit closer to the scalp on the hair that is left.  It hurts if it's too long and sticks in to whatever you are wearing on your head like a prickle! So he too was very brave and sheered me like a sheep. I forgot to mention that I look like George Calombaris with no hair!!! Lucky I like his cooking.

The past 3 weeks of shaved head and wig wearing does come with some benefits.....

1. it takes me 5 seconds to do my hair in the morning, I just pop it into position and brush it a bit
2. no more hair stuck in the shower drain
3. you dont have to move your hair off your face when putting your makeup on or brushing your teeth - there's no hair
4. I have more things in common for conversation with my friends' bald husbands......"so how often do you shave?  what size blade do you use? what kind of shampoo and conditioner do you use?" LOL
5. I can try new hairstyles, both in wigs and growing back into different styles (I would never have cut it this short normally!!!!)

Still, windy days always make me nervous.....you can see the edge of the wig when it blows off your face in the wind.  It hasnt blown off completely like I thought it would, so that's a good thing!!

I went wigless in public for the first time, at the snow.  I had beanies upon head caps so there was no need to. I looked like everyone else on the Mountain.

With treatment no. 3 tomorrow, I decided to mentally say goodbye to my little troublemaker tumours.

So I drew them out based on the measurements provided from the MRI, so I could get a good visual on the 6 little b#$%ards!

Here they are against a 5c piece (the biggest ones are considered average in size, not big, not small). With cancer it is more about what they are made of and how slow growing they are. Fortunately for me they are oestrogen receptive and slow growing:

I think I will give them all their own names....but not ones that I could publish on this blog! :)

Thanks Kumar for the cartoon inspiration  ;)