Five More To Go!!

Tuesday, March 21: I can't believe that it has been a month since I posted anything! It sure has gone by fast. I thought that when I had 12 treatments of taxol that it would go by so slowly but it is just flying by. As far as the treatments go, I have been handling them pretty well. I have the treatments on Wednesdays and I know on Sundays that I am going to get flu-like aches and pains. I usually try to take it easy that day. If I do go out or anything, I know that it will make it worse. I had to get a shot to increase my red blood cell count 2 treatments ago. The nurse said that I may have to get it again during tomorrows treatment. I really don't think that I need it. The day they gave it to me I asked for a copy of my labs and my hemoglobin and red blood cell count were just below normal. And there were other weeks that it had been lower. I am going to question the doctor about this tomorrow. I would rather not have it if I don't need it. It is expensive and it causes more aches amd pains in my body over the weekend. Jason and I went on our trip to Tennessee! We flew out in the morning of March 2. It was the day after chemo and I didn't sleep well the night before. Robert was really worried about me because after we flew into Nashville I had to drive 2 hours to Chattanooga. I only had about 3 hours sleep. Our flight was great into Nashville. We got our car and headed to Chattanooga. We were going to meet Alyssa and her family for dinner. We were the first people to arrive, most everyone was coming in on Friday. We got there okay. Didn't get lost, which I usually have trouble with. But by the time we got in our room and waiting for Alyssa, I was worn out. Alyssa took Jason with them and I went straight to bed. I don't even remember talking to Alyssa, I was that tired. She brought Jason back later that night. During the day on Friday I rested. Jason went to Alec's (Jason's friend--it was his bar mitsvah) school and ate lunch with him. We had a dinner to go to that night. We went to the dinner and then to see Alyssa's house. It was a short evening and that was good for me. Saturday morning was the ceremony for Alec to be called to the Torah. It was 2 hours long. It gave a Catholic ceremony a run for its money. Everything was in Hebrew. It was great to experience something different. They had a buffet luncheon at the Temple afterwards. I then went back to the hotel and took a nap while some friends that were from Vegas took Jason with them to the aquarium. We had a big reception, dinner and dance at the hotel that night. We had a lot of fun at the dance and I was able to stay out until 12:30!!! Jason stayed with Alec and a bunch of boys in the suite with his parents and stayed up all night. Sunday morning we ate at the buffet breakfast there at the hotel and headed back to Nashville. I got lost...not my fault. Google maps said to take I24 North exit and it was I24 SOUTH!!! I went 30 minutes out of the way before I figured something had to be wrong. I got back on track and Robert knew someone from church that was from Tenn. and they told me how to take a short cut to the airport. We made it home and I was happy to be there in my own bed!! I was exhausted the next 2 days. I sat and did nothing. I think it took me a week to unpack. Anyway, we really had a good time and I am glad that I went. I am so thankful that things went well...because the next weekend I got sick. I started feeling a sore throat on Friday morning. I was achy all that day. Felt a little better on Sat. But on Sunday I had a fever 99.4--not too high but I was concerned since this was the third day. My body was in so much pain and I was so uncomfortable. I called the oncologist on call thinking that he would just call me in an antibiotic. He wanted me to come to the hospital and get my labs drawn and make sure I had enough white blood cells to fight whatever I had. Robert was at church already so I called Kit to take me to the hospital. She said that I walked like an old lady. It hurt to move any part of my body. I was just praying that my WBC were high enough because I didnot want to be put in isolation in the hospital. Finally after a couple of hours the doctor came in and told us that my WBC were in the normal range and I could go home! He did give me some antibiotics and after taking one pill I felt better by the end of Sunday night. Other than these two activities everything else has been pretty normal. I worked about an average of one shift per week in February. I work this thursday. I am kind of nervous about it because I don't usually sleep well after a treatment. My oncologist gave me some ambien to try last week. I am given a steroid in my pre-med pack before taxol. It keeps me awake and makes my mind race and go crazy. I tell Robert that my mind is going mad. It was driving me crazy. I told the doctor I could handle not sleeping but I could not handle my mind. About an hour after she called in some ambien there were reports all over the internet and news how people sleep walk, sleep eat, sleep drive on this stuff!!They interveiwed a woman that took the pill at 8pm, woke up her kids at 12 midnight, put them in her car and took them took school. All in her sleep. She ran into a light pole. I am a firm believer in signs and I thought "wow, should I take this now???" I ended up taking half of one to see how it would affect me (and I hid the keys). I was up until 5:00am. Slept and hour and a half...My mind didn't race though! So that is where I am at now. Tomorrow is treatment number 8. I still have not found out about the brac 1 and 2 tests yet. I assume I will find out tomorrow. Happy first day of Spring!