SUE'S ESCAPE FROM CANCERLAND: No more chemo!!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

No more chemo!!

I am so happy that this chapter in my life is over. Extra bonus: they took me early and got me started as soon as possible. I am still anemic but less so. My white cells started to come back but still are low. I am not going to take Neulasta. I said I will be on a plane in 8 days. She said on the plane, I am at increased risk for viruses but Neulasta doesn't help against them, just bacteria so I need to Purell myself next week during the 'nadir'.

No bells to ring at UM. They printed out a cute certificate of completion. I am very tired as I got up at 3:30 am to take my pre-infusion meds.

Yesterday as I was feeling good, we went out to WCC for lunch and I had a rich dessert-chocolate raspberry creme brulee though it lacked the 'brulee' part. I was able to run just a little bit-still very hard. Maybe if I had enough red blood cells... I then went to Happy Hour with Brenda-a nice time.

No school today for freshmen and seniors as the other 2 classes have state mandated testing. So many holidays! Naomi and I watched our junk TV together. The regional bball game is tonight in Lansing. Who knows who'd win?

2 comments:

S. F. Heron said...: THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh Sue, I am SO happy for you!!!!!!!!

YAY!!!

Just a thought. WHy don't you get yourself a medical mask and wear it on the plane? Mom is traveling to Florida next week and she's wearing hers to avoid all the "buggies," as Jackie puts it.

What a great day!!!!!!!

Hugs,
Sharon; March 10, 2009 at 1:44 PM
Renee said...: Congratulations Sue!!!! Now on to the next leg of the journey.

I'm sorry you didn't have a bell to ring. Maybe after radiation?

The oncology clinic where I went didn't have the bell either (radiation place did).

Definitely take care of yourself on the plane since you'll be in NADIR. A mask is probably a good idea.

Hugs to you!

Renee; March 10, 2009 at 11:02 PM

About me

I am a mother of 3, wife of 1, and grandmother of 6. For years, I had been a medicinal chemist. Not long after I was retired early, I found myself with triple negative breast cancer. My struggles with it are in this blog along with the joys and trials of being a mother and grandmother. I love to be physically active, travel, read, and garden. Although my degrees are in chemistry and cellular biology not medicine, I keep up with the medical literature and report herein watching closely for good news against this deadly disease. As time goes on, my stay in Cancerland has become more a bad memory than a reality. This blog has since morphed into a photo blog in which I try to capture moments of beauty in my life.

TIMELINE

9-10-08: 1.6 cm tumor discovered by routine mammogram confirmed by ultrasound

9-21-08: Biopsy confirming Grade 3, triple negative invasive breast cancer

10-7-08: First surgery and sentinel node biopsy.

10-9-08: Tumor had grown to 3 cm plus an additional tumor was found. Poor margins but the 3 sentinel nodes were negative

10-16-08: Follow-up mammograms: lots of microcalcifications that could be DCIS

10-29-08: Second surgery removing 3x the tissue as the first: Good news: no sign of cancer in any of it.

12-2-08: First dose dense treatment with Adriamycin and Cytoxan followed by Neulasta the next day

12-16-08: Second dose

12-19-08: Hair began falling out. In 2 days I would be completely bald.

12-30-08: Third dose

1-13-09: Fourth dose

1-27-09: First of 4 doses of Taxol

3-10-09: Last dose of Taxol

3-31-09: First of 16 radiation treatments (so-called hypofractionated Canadian study)

4-21-09: Last radiation treatment

Early May: All eyelashes and eyebrows suddenly fall out but see evidence of stubble on head

Mid July: Have an inch of curly salt-pepper hair vs straight blondish-white of before. Officially retire the wig.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

No more chemo!!

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