Chemo #2

Today's chemo was easier than the first. I think it was because I knew what to expect. It's 9:00 pm and only now am I tired and feel like bed is the place to be. I was able to go out for the Friday Grant Family dinner. (Always at a restaurant - no one has to cook for 9 - 12 people!). Last time, I took a nap in the early evening and woke up with nausea and a headache. So, the simple answer was -no nap this time
The staff at the Sinai Infusion Center was once again very nice, very efficient and caring. My nurse today was Sherri. We talked about how someone else's energy can be shared to the benefit of the recipient. That's right up my alley! She encouraged me to have a positive visualization of the chemo's effect. So, instead of thinking about had bad the drugs are, I tried to think about how good there were working, just like Jeff said a few weeks ago. I closed my eyes and directed the drug to travel through my blood to go to every lymph node, all the lobes of my liver and into the alveoli of my lungs. I encouraged the drug to destroy all the cancer cells, anywhere in my body and especially the darn thing in my armpit!! Then, I opened my eyes and finished working on the Friday crossword puzzle in the paper.
Our family friend, Kathy, picked me up at Sinai and took me home. My sister Nancy drove me to pick up N. later at school. Thanks, ladies!

New Stuff

I saw the oncologist today. Tomorrow is Chemo #2. She wanted to see me the day before to see how Chemo #1 went. We talked about various and sundry side effects and how they resolved, or didn't resolve. I got a few more prescriptions to get filled. I take, or can take if I need to, five or six drugs in addition to the chemo. This from someone who used to carefully think over taking a Tylenol! Oh, well, it's all temporary. And if the extra drugs help get me through this, then OK, I'm in. But, back to the oncologist. She told me today that the dosages of the chemo drugs I'm given are much lower than they used to be when breast cancer treatment caused really horrible side effects, like lots of vomiting. They (researchers and docs in the field) found that they could decrease the dose of Cytoxan, say, from 2 grams down to 600 milligrams. They get the same result from less dose with fewer side effects! Yea! I am very grateful. I am standing on the shoulders of all my sisters before me who suffered with the higher doses. Without all the experience and knowledge about treatment previous breast cancer patients gave the docs, I'd be vomiting, too. I can't say that the treatment I'm getting is a picnic, but - no barfing yet!