LAST CHEMO is DONE!!! WOO HOO!

Well, the day has finally come (and gone). I had my last chemo treatment on Thursday!

I met with the Doc first, and we discussed my schedule for seeing him moving forward (every 3 months); when I will start getting PET Scans (every 6 months); when I will begin getting blood tests for cancer markers (intermittently, about every 3 months); and how I will continue the Herceptin every 3 weeks through September. Bloodwork looked very good (with some lower Red Blood Cell counts--I swear I have been feeling that in my leg muscles, but the other counts were fine to continue with treatment). I also asked him to give me a ballpark estimate on my chances for recurrence...25% chance. Bummer...but let's not go there...75% chance of Cancer-Free for the rest of my life what I am going to focus on.

I started getting my chemo at around 11AM...during the Carboplatin administration I began to have an allergic reaction. We had to stop the Carboplatin (it was so close to being done anyway), because my feet and hands began to itch like mad. The palms of my hands turned bright red!!! Apparently, I was reacting to the Platinum in the med...so they ended up having to give me lots of steroids and extra Benadryl to calm down my reaction. I had moderate itching for about 45 minutes...with mild itchiness for the rest of the night (Benadryl helped). Hell, even when I went in on Friday afternoon for extra fluids I was still somewhat itchy.

Oh well...after 5.5 hours hooked up to the chemo machine, I was finally done. I was so tired and nauseous after this!!! Honestly, I think the Aloxi anti-nausea med made me feel more nauseous. Hmmm... I drove home and decided that I would take it easy for the night.

Friday: I slept in a bit and did some work from home via computer. I felt hot as hell...my chest and face were "beet red" from all of the extra steroids they had to give me. Around 1:30 PM, I went in for my extra fluids and my Neulasta shot. I remembered to take my Claritin earlier in the day; however, I somehow forgot to put the Lidocaine cream on the skin over my chemo port. MUST NOT FORGET THIS!!! I still have Herceptin to get every 3 weeks--and even with the sprays and an "expert nurse" putting the needle into the port, that shit hurts!!!Yeouch!

Anyway, I asked for some extra Benadryl to help with the itching...and I asked for some extra Aloxi to help with nausea. I do think Aloxi is crap. Did not seem to help the nausea AT ALL...in fact, I would say I felt more nauseous after it (although I know this could just be mental).

After leaving the doc's office, I drove home and decided to take the dog up to the Dog Park. We stayed there for about an hour...then he went up and pawed at his leash to go home! Sarge is such a good dog...I am so grateful to have him during this experience. He is a total MESS...although I am not sure if I would handle life well without people and critters with issues surrounding me. :-)

LOTS of heartburn, chemo burps and chemo farts last night. Went to bed around 9:30 PM...slept in until 8 AM or so. Good night's sleep...weird dreams though.

So, just a few days of feeling funky...the bad kind of funky. Then, I will begin My Life 2.0!

Upcoming Appointment:
Meet with the Radiation Oncologist on Tuesday

Need To:
Start making appointments to meet with Reconstruction Surgeons...so I can begin looking forward to my NOOBIES. :-)

Love,
Tory