Not so fast... 5/28/2010

After going for my weekly blood draw for Coumadin, I received a call from the Cancer Center (Radiation place). Apparently they had been mistaken when they told me that I was done treatment. Their paperwork showed that I still had one treatment left. Now bear in mind that on the day before the "last treatment", I had inquired as to whether I really should have an additional day tacked on because one day the machine was down, and I had to skip my dose. "No", I was told, "we had just built in extra days to the schedule we gave you at the start." So, back to radiation I will go on Tuesday for what will hopefully REALLY be my last treatment.

BTW, it took 4 sticks to finally draw blood for the PT/INR test this morning. Do I really look like a pin cushion?

No wait! 5/25/2010

Got in on time for my appointment with one of the other oncology doctors. I had never met this one. Maybe the waiting was just the doctor's fault?? One of the nurses intimated just that...

Just 6 more Herceptin infusions to go, then, the port comes out!

UTI 5/23/2010

Because of the inattention of the oncology office to my PT/INR numbers (obtained from blood tests to regulate coumadin levels), I asked that my PCP take over that responsibility. Also, my PCP is about a mile from where I live, as opposed to the 30 minute drive I'd have to make to Nashua for them to draw and analyze. As it was, I had to chase the doctor or NP down to find out what dosage of coumadin I should be taking. They were asking me what dosage I was taking. Not good. So hopefully all that will change, now that a smaller and more personal office will be taking charge of that. I had a draw on Friday, and will probably find out tomorrow what doage I should be taking.

All that is against the backdrop of having found out that I have a UTI (urinary tract infection). The antibiotics I'm taking will hopefully not interact negatively with the coumadin. As it is, I've been on and off coumadin for 5 months, and they still don't have me regulated.

90% done! 5/19/2010

I finished radiation a day early, on Monday with mostly no ill effects--just some blistering on the front and back. Otherwise, it's all good. I can finally get some of my life back. As of yet, I'm waiting to hear from the oncologist what the follow-up plan is.

My hair is growing back slowly. It's shorter on top than on the sides. If I had been smart, I would have done what a lot of hairless cancer patients have done when treatment is finished--shave my head. That way, when the hair comes in, it's all at the same rate. Anyway, with about 1/4" long hair on top, I won't be having to make decisions any time soon as to whether to put my hair in a pony tail or braids.

I'm feeling great!

We are planning our summer trip in July: Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park, Arches National Park, Grand Tetons National Park for a start. I am psyched!

The squeaky wheel 5/4/2010

Today my appointment to see the oncology doc was at 8:45. Great timing, I thought to be an early patient, so I'll get into chemo early too. Dream on. As is habit at the oncology office, I was shown into the exam room 15 minutes late. After a vitals check , the nurse said it would only be a few minutes til the NP would be in. Yeah--RIGHT! 35 minutes later, I opened the door to the exam rooom, and summoned one of the nurses: "Have I been forgotten?" She said she'd check, and came back a few minutes later to tell me that the NP would be in "shortly". At that point, I told her that I was not a happy camper, and would rather have been waiting in the comfort of the waiting room, rather than the exam room, and that the wait was pretty much par for the course.  10 minutes later, a full hour since my original appointment, the NP came in.

By 10:30, I was hooked up to chemo. Shortly after I presented myself in the chemo room, I was greeted by the head nurse, who apologized profusely about the wait. Someone came by with a $5.00 gift certificate to Dunkin Donuts, and I was given the key to the city. ...Well maybe not he latter, but 2 people came over to apologize, with word that the wait situation would be discussed in clinic staff meetings. I'm not holding my breath for an on-time appointment in 3 weeks...

Radiation Dermatitis 5/3/2010

Radiation treatments are going along pretty well. But last week I noticed that my back seemed to be breaking out. I had been using this ridiculously expensive cream that had been recommended for use during radiation therapy. The doctor advised that I use it both on the front and on my back in the shoulder area where the radiation beam exits. The "zits" were in the shoulder area. When I found the problem area, I immediately thought that the cream just wasn't agreeing with me, and that it was causing the break out.

But I inquired at the radiation center and was told that, no, what I had developed was dermatitis--essentially burn blisters. I do have an area on my back that resembles a sunburn along with the blisters. They are starting to form on my chest as well. Oh well, only 11 more treatments to go.