Chemo week update 10/7

Well, I'm really happy to say that this go around has been pretty mild compared to the last two. Fantastic!!! What I mean is that I had a fever for a few days, but it wasn't as high, so I missed out on most of the chills that came with it the past two times (yeah, like I'm so bummed). Also, I haven't felt as debilitated. I wonder if that means that the bone pain that I usually experience from the nulasta will be worse this time becuase it will in a sense overstimulate the bone marrow because I haven't been brought as low. It's pure speculation and hypothesis but I'll find out this weekend....Anyway in terms of not feeling as debilitated, I mean, I've been able to really read rather than just lay there in bed or on the couch and have finished reading a few books which is a welcome treat. One book that I read this week Glynis gave me. It is GREAT. It's called Reconstructing Natalie and it's written from the point of view of a young woman going through chemo and a bilateral (i.e. double) mastectomy with reconstruction and how it affects her, her friendships, her relationship with God, and even her dating life. It was great because it helped me with some of the more human side of things in some ways. It made me laugh out loud several times and cry too. I really identified with some of the things she was going through and it was helpful. Anyway, cute book, and that's coming from a person whose favorite kind of reading is non-fiction....llike the other three books that I'm reading at the moment...
So, now I just generally feel fatigued and am dealing with the mucositis part of things. This is where your mucous membranes (mouth throat, etc) become very stiff. Things don't taste as strong as they normally do, the mouth sores begin to flare up and my sinuses get puffy as well. Not to mention that all of the scalping is going on, so add the allergies onto what's going on and, frankly it's a little hard to breathe. Nasal spray is my friend at the moment, though I have to use it sparingly, it sure is helpful for sleeping. I don't know what I would do without it. As I write this, I hear the gardeners chatting and the mowers blaring as they scalp my yards, and toss the new seed. Hmm...new seed, new beginnings. I like this idea.
New seasons are wonderful becuase they somehow bring a sense of hope and momentum at the same time, like something could really happen in our lives that is different from before. It's that feeling that I get when this usually flawless sunny sky of ours here in the desert becomes dark and gloomy with folds of gray ominous clouds - like something is really going to "happen." As that happened this week, I just had such a sense of joy and excitement about change. I know that it sounds crazy to be thankful for breast cancer, but I'm glad that God has used it to help me look at things differently - and make some changes or at least contemplate those changes. The last chemo was a huge milestone, but within, I'm holding back from the celebration a bit because I still have to take Herceptin (a non-chemo but iv infused drug that kills the overexpressor part of the oncogene) until about next August, so that means that every three weeks, I still have to go to the infusion room and get "doped up" and I wonder how it will affect me. While I'm in LA post-surgery I have to get it about a week after my surgery so I'll arrange to get it there. I guess it's kind of a mixed feeling because at the same time I want to be done with it but it also means that I'm being pro-active at fighting it and killing all possibilities of it's return - yes!! Anihiliatin of the oncogenes!
So, what's next?
Okay, Monday I go for a blood draw to check on things. I hope my platelets are looking good this week and next as well as my reds. Im also going to see a nutritionist on Thursday just to see if there is anything I can do to aid in recovery. I have to admit I've really wanted pizza the last two nights and it tasted sooo good. Other than that, I do fruit a lot, vegetables and oatmeal. sometimes some seeded whole grain toast is yummy and some eggs, but it depends. Chemo just makes you so fickle in a way. A while back I was on this vegetarian chili and broccoli and garlic toast kick. My mom called it the "chemo diet" because I had it every day. Really. I think I'm over that now. I've been doing some of the isagenix shakes and isafruits in it which, nutritionally, I think has been a good choice and they taste good, too.

Surgery is in 10 days so I'm doing some reading about it and the recovery process, avoiding lymphedema (I'll elaborate on this in another post closer to surgery) and exercises that I might do to help the process of healing along. Karen kindly said she would loan me her DVD player so that I'll have that along with books to help me along in my recovery while I'm at my aunt and uncle's in LA for a few weeks.

My grandmother just had her mastectomy this past Thursday, and she's doing well. She's pretty amazing. All of 5' tall and pushing 90 years old this December. We kind of refer to her as the matriarch of the family, and she's a great woman. My mom and aunt are up in Sonoma with her this week to help with recovery and then they'll be with me afterwards for my surgery and recovery. My mom will be with me for a week, and then my sister will be with me the following week to help with reaching things, and whatever, really. It's kinda funny that this is happening at the same time as my grandmother...
That's all for now.
Love to you all,
Julie