I am one month into my latest battle. Time flies when you are getting poisoned. With past treatments, I would get chemotherapy in my port once every 3 weeks. Now that routine is different. I get chemotherapy for 3 weeks in a row with a week off.
Just before I started my new chemotherapy routine, my cancer marker had hit just above 500. And my scan showed the cancer was trying to take hold again in 4 spots inside me. Mayo called me, but would only be able to see me in February. With my cancer marker going up as fast as it was, I asked my oncologist to start treatment asap.
In January I started on Topotecan and Avastin. I get my treatments on Thursday mornings...early so I am not waiting for my turn in the recliner. I go for 3 Thursdays in a row and get a week off. After my first treatment, my cancer marker dropped down almost 300 points. That dropping number gives me lots of hope. And so far, I have experienced fatigue, as usual, I get headaches for 2 days and muscle aches for 2 days...so far, that is it when it comes to side effects. I can tolerate those. I do go out for an occasional fun outing, I am always really tired afterward, but I am making sure I do more things.
I have noticed that my hair is thinning a lot more. One of the side effects of Topotecan is hair thinning or loss. Ok. Not that I want to lose my hair again, but I have saved money on my hair. I have only been in a hair salon once in over 2 years. I do have wigs if I lose my hair again...I will dig out my Tina Turner wig and rock it.
This week I will begin another 3 weeks of treatment. I think for as much time as I am going to be spending in the infusion center, I should get my own personal recliner. I added up what just my recliner time(chemotherapy into my port) costs per month, and it is over $23,000 a month. I would like a combination lazy boy recliner and massage chair, heated, in a soft faux leather material. I think I will suggest that to our boss the Sanford CEO, I actually email him often with ideas and he does respond to me. I am sure this time he will agree it sounds good, but not an option. Oh well.
A very important aspect of fighting cancer is your mindset. I am always looking for the positive, trying to find humor in different things. I do not look at my diagnosis and dig a hole of depression, nope, I do have a moment once in a while of tears and frustration, but then I tell myself that cancer picked the wrong chick. I will not go without a fight.
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