The Second and Third Taxol

Tuesday, Feb 22: I have had two more chemo treatments since I last wrote and I have another tomorrow. When you have them done every week, they sure do come around often!! I have not had anymore reactions from the taxol or herceptin like I did on the first one. I remembered the doctor told me the first dose of herceptin was a higher dose than the next ones that I will be taking for 11 weeks. Now, it takes the herceptin 30 minutes to go in and the taxol one hour. I am usually there about 3 hours. I can't remember if I mentioned in previous blogs but I also had some genetic counseling. I have sent a sample to be tested for the brca 1 and brca2 gene. These are hereditary genes that have been discovered and can be passed on. If one of them comes back positive then there will be a very high chance that this will return so I have to make some decisions about preventing that. I will go into more of that if they do come back positive. I don't think they will just because there are no other cases of breast, ovarian or prostate in my family. Those three are related to these genes. Anyway, Allen Lampert came in last weekend for a visit and we really had a good time. We went to see Penn and Teller, which was very funny and they had a few tricks that we could not figure out! I am feeling pretty good. I tend to get tired on Saturdays and Sundays after treatment. I have actually taken two shifts at work this week. I work a short shift tonight and a lunch shift this Saturday, both at the Four Seasons. I think it does me some good. Other than that, there has not been much going on. Jason and I are heading for Chattanooga, Tenn. on March 2-5 for his friend Alec's Bar Mitzvah. I know some of you might remember me talking about Alyssa from here. She was one of the first people I met out here and they moved for business reasons last summer. Jason and I are flying into Nashville and then we have to drive 2 hours to Chattanooga. There is a whole weekend of festivities going on. We are getting there a day early so I can rest up and take it easy. I am headed out now to get a compression sleeve made for my left arm. This is the one that I had lymph nodes taken out. One time when I worked, my left arm swelled a little so my doctor said that this would help. She also said that it is recommended for plane rides. My white blood and red blood cells are staying just below normal. I don't have to take the neulasta shot anymore. I still use a lot of purell and I don't touch stair railings or anything else that I think people put there hands on. I am amazed at how well I have stayed. I will update again soon. Robert is back feeling 100%. We still have not found out what type of stone he had. I think he goes back to the doctor in the next week or so.