Week off

This is my week off. All I can say is I am very glad Saturday is over. Day three after chemo is the worst day for me. Saturday was day three. I could not move, really. Jim spent the day walking up and down the hall away asking me do you need a drink? something to eat? and my response was the same, no real response...barely a grunt. He had to hold my hand and pull me up each time I needed to go to the bathroom. I couldn't get up on my own. He is the best, don't know what I would do without him.

Right now I have limited walking ability and just aboutzero stair climbing. However, because I spend a lot of time laying down Jim answers the phone. He put things into motion on Monday so now I have physical therapy and a VNA nurse coming to the house twice a week and a nutritionist will come next week. . The best part of that so far is the PT nurse taught me how to use a cane so now cimbing the stairs is getting easier......I can actually do it now.

I have a CT scan scheduled for Wednesday, Feb 23. I will call for results on Thursday and hopefully get good news.

Jenn and Todd have brought Rachael to the house twice for me. She is beautiful and I am not saying that just because she is my granddaughter!!

The chemo I am getting now is not so nice to me. I have spent a lot of time laying in bed or on the couch. I've been told I am the only person who has actually made it through a complete 3 week on, one week off cycle of this medicine. They said most people go two weeks on and one week off. In the mix I've also had a CT Scan and MRI with contrast and I think that affects my energy level as well.

Due to the weather bowling has been canceled for three weeks in a row. Unfortunately for me, I am in no condition to bowl today. I am hoping one more week and my legs will be better. I've been weaning myself off the steroid they gave me, can't just stop taking it and the process to get off is three weeks. Saturday is the end of the three weeks.

I went for labs today and we had problems. They couldn't draw blood. This is a ten minute process and it took an hour. It's happened before.

On a much happier note, Jenn had her baby Monday morning at 8:41 am. She weighed 8 lbs 13 oz and is 20" long.

They came home today.

New Hat

My sister Frances made me a new hat and I believe it has brought only good with it. We went for my chemo treatment today and Dr Rooney actually met us in the waiting room to tell us the good news. (Of course by doing this he took away Ilsa's thunder!).

The results of both the CT Scan and MRI are identical. There is no need for a trip to Boston, there is no need for radiation treatment. We are going to continue with the same treatment, three weeks on, one week off. The confusion came from two different people reading and presenting the same information in two different ways. The Dr's actually had a meeting about me today regarding the results and completed the meeting in enough time to give me the update when I walked in for my appointment.

Now, if we could only do something about all this snow!

Relatively good news

Went for my blood draw today and it was uneventful because they used my port. I've posted a picture of the damage done yesterday by the IV nurse who insisted she was really good and wouldn't hurt me.

I also followed up on the Cyber knife and they told me there was no difference between the MRI and CT Scan results. Now they are trying to determine if there is a need for the test at all.

MRI

Went for the MRI yesterday. I should have expected it, it was a horrible experience. I have a port which was inserted back in March so I wouldn't have to have IV needles every time I have chemo or a CT scan or an MRI or a blood draw. The port must be accessed by a qualified nurse. When we got there yesterday I told them I have a port that needs to be accessed. They said no problem they have three nurses available. One was with a patient and couldn't leave until someone from transport came, one was performing a biopsy and they were waiting for the third to call back. A regular IV nurse came by and INSISTED she could do the IV in less than two minutes and said 'I am really good'. I said I have a port. She said yes but I have everything I need to do an IV needle and the best part is you won't need me to come back to take the port needle out. I said I have a port. She actually argued with me to the point where I finally conceded and told her if you hurt me I will punch you in the face. Today, I have a black and blue to mark the spot. Lucky for her I did NOT punch her in the face.

I have a pain patch that I wear. It is good for three days at a time. It has to come off before the MRI because it will melt. The technician forgot to take it off. I told him after the first scan, he could not find the patch anywhere. I checked inside my clothes when we got home. Luckily we had one patch left which I put on right away and then refilled the prescription.

I am still waiting for the results which they said should be available in a day or two.

The last six days have been pretty bad....I've spent a lot of time laying down. Not necessarily sleeping, just resting and occasionally dozing. I am hoping to start feeling better before my next treatment which is Friday, seriously, I need a break.

MRI and Cyberknife

Went for my chemo treatment today and Ilsa came to see me. She had an update for me. The brain doctor has requested an MRI to confirm there is only one lesion on the brain. If yes, we will do the Cyberknife treatment. It is one treatment that specifically targets the tumor. It is done at Beth Israel hospital. I already have the MRI appointment for Monday at 4:30 and am now waiting on the appointment at Beth Israel.

The beginning of the end

Got the CT can results of my brain. The tumor is back and slightly larger than it was last September when they scanned it after the radiation treatments.

The Doctors are meeting tomorrow to see what can be done, radiation or cyberknife. Radiation seems unlikey, we were once told you cannot radiate more than once on the brain. The radiation I had was on the whole brain. Cyberknife is centralized to the tumor and would need to be done in Boston. I do not know what happens if I am not a candidate for either of those two treatments.

Kicking my prayers into overtime.