I will be on chemo for atleast the next year. I cant tell you what emotions that sends through me, and I made those concerns aware to my oncology nurse today. They are going to start me on a 25% lower dose than they would have had I tolerated the first round well, but still almost double the dose I was on previously. My platelets still haven’t bounced back, but they are high enough to begin.
Monday is the big day.
I am adopting the regimen that 38 lemon practices regarding constipation. I cant tell you how bad it was last time. It was really really bad.
- 4 days prior to chemo: 1 Senokot tablet 3 times per day
- 3 days prior to chemo: 1 Senokot tablet 3 times per day
- 2 days prior to chemo: 2 Senokot tablets 3 times per day, 1 Colace capsule 2 times per day
- 1 day prior to chemo: 2 Senokot tablets 3 times per day, 1 Colace capsule 3 times per day
- Days 1-5 of chemo: 2 Senokot tablets 3 per day, 1 Colace capsule 3 times per day
- Day 6 of chemo: 2 Senokot tablets 3 times per day, Titrate Colace
- Day 7 of chemo: 1 Senokot table 3 times per day.
- Day 8 of chemo: Titrate Senokot
I will be on a 5/23 cycle which means that I will be on chemo for 5 days at a high dose and then off for 23. I will most likely feel the effects until day 8 or 9, which is why the above plan continues through day 8.
They were amazed that I hadn’t had any other problems… seizures, vision problems, etc. 
All in all it was a great day. My MRI came back clear (I expected it to, I just had one last week to check for brain swelling). The biggest problem of the day was that I had to go to the business office before I could check in, they had me down as self pay Once that was cleared up it was easy breezy!
Heres a picture from today, the scarve I have on is from 4women.com and let me tell you that it is the most comfortable non itchy cooling thing I have ever put on my head
I go back in 4 weeks, to evaluate how my body is doing with chemo. I wont have an MRI at that appointment. I will have follow-up MRIs every 2 months.
Specific Prayer Reguests:
1. That I would tolerate chemo this time around.
2. That my platelets and Hemoglobin would not drop.
3. That my nausea would be tolerable, that is a big concern of mine.
4. That my heart would just be still and know that He is God. I want to take this one day at a time, and when I do that it is so manageable… .it is when I worry about tomorrow that my heart is not at peace.
Thank you for your prayers today, I slept wonderfully last night and I have no doubt that it was a result of your prayers. I actually slept through my MRI (with Bebo Norman playing on cd!), so my heart was at peace.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.
And be thankful.
-Colossians 3:15
I am eternally thankful…
Edited to Add: I will be taking Temodar for chemo. It is in pill form. I will take it at night, with Zofran so the worst part I will sleep through hopefully.
Oh, Heather, you know you have all our love and prayers as well, esp. for your specific requests. Yes, leave the worry of tomorrow for tomorrow… today has enough of its own.
xoxo
Heatheer, you are not alone. I will begin chemo (again) as soon as a port is in. Instead of thinking this is something I will be doing for the rest of my life, I break it down – to right here right now – that is truly what have is moment to moment. And I know that no matter what God is with us all the way. You are absolutely beautiful; your courage and strength inspire us all. You and your family are in our family’s prayers……love the scarf!
Prayers from me too Heather. I haven’t commented for while but I have been reading.
Every morning I log into your blog and read your about you and your amazing strength. My husband has stage 4 colon cancer and between you and him – you both amaze me daily with your strength and love.
Christopher’s Doctor’s told him if he felt a little “blocked up” to take Flaxseed Oil pills. There over the counter and help things flow the way they need to. It helps him.
You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
I am definitely praying for you and your family!
Oh, girl. ((((((((((HUG)))))))))
You can do this. I know you can. We will be praying…
Add some long, dangly, earrings to your ensemble and you will look just like the trendy young women I see walking the streets of D.C. Granted, this look seems to require killer 3-4″ spike heels, you’re a trend-setter, right? (Grimacing at the mental picture of me breaking an ankle wearing those shoes!)
As someone who has been through the cancer wars, Heather, you might want to consider having a chemo-port. You can ask your oncology nurse about it, but it is an access that stays in for the lenth of time you’re taking chemo. It will save you having to deal with less-than-competent people trying to access the veins in your arm for chemo infusion. The port is a real blessing when your protocol requires infusions over an extended period of time like a year.
Here are some links that will give you some more information
photos of a person wearing a port:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://grove.ufl.edu/~johndon/images/bc/chemo2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://grove.ufl.edu/~johndon/images/bc/index.html&h=800&w=600&sz=73&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=-dOSt-ksSZrI0M:&tbnh=143&tbnw=107&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchemo%2Bport%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG
info on a port:
http://www.cancerlynx.com/aboutports.html
You look beautiful, Heather. Praying for you to have little to no symptoms this go-round. I am so proud of you, dear one!
I’m praying for you!
If you need help with side effects from the chemo please email me. I am on Xeloda (oral chemo) I am on it 14 days straight and then one week off. I have been on it for 6 months now like this. I did IV chemo for 36 ‘weeks straight’ in 2003. This time my chemo is oral, which is a lot easier than going to Dr’s office for treatments. I will probably be on it for many ears. I am stage 4 colon/liver cancer. Hang in there and know I am here for you whenever. I keep my platlets up by taking ‘fermented’ wheat germ, my Onclologist is so amazed that it works. Hugs, Sue
Heather – I can’t tell you how much I look forward to reading your updates and how my own faith has grown through my daily prayers for you. When I prayed for you this morning I waited anxiously for your update to see how your appointment went and was thrilled to see your bright and shiny face in that photo. You really do look wonderful.
I know that the coming year of chemo seems daunting and you must be frightened in numerous ways. But you have so much prayer behind you bolstering your every step that I know you will be blessed by God with the grace and strength that you need.
Your detailed prayer needs are so helpful, too and I will be sure to petition the Lord specifically and then some.
As always, hugs and prayers…
I just feel like every report will be better than the last! Always praying!!
Praying for you tonight Heather.
You look very cool and edgy in that scarf. Love it.
I will keep you in my prayers, praying for your specific needs, my friend.
xoxo
karen
the person who stared at you must have thought you were the beautiful bald lady who played on one of the first star trek movies.
She was smart as well as exotically beautiful. so….
Hi Heather,
I have written to you a couple of times but not sure that either got thru’. I want you to know that I have been through the very same Chemo ordeal as you. The thing that helped me most (besides God), was an anti emetic drug called Zofran. It fights the nausea and vommiting superbly. It’s only drawback is that it is quite expensive ($20/pill in Canada) but I believe that you can also get a generic version, much cheaper, and we were getting that toward the end of my treatments. I only needed one a day just before taking the Temodar. I also had huge problems with platelets and don’t worry if they let you take a break from the meds
because of that. I was told it would not affect the outcome. Also they can shift the amount of drug to a certain degree and it will not affect the outcome. Maybe you already know all this stuff, but I am happy to share my experience with you. Oh, the downside of Zofran is the constipation, but it sounds like you have it covered in that dpt.
p.s. the verse that God gave me through my ordeal was Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, be patient in affiction, be faithful in prayer.
It amazes me that God put the word Joyful first in that verse!
I am praying for you, I have been praying for you.
God Bless you,
Jenny
I am continually amazed at this journey that you are traveling, Heather. Your faith, your commitment, your determination are inspiring and praise-worthy. I’m praising God for getting you thus far and I know he’s going to be with you all the way. Well either him or Mrs. Cook, according to Boomama’s little boy…
God will fight for you!
(And I love the new picture of you. Trendy and stylin’!
I just came across your blog today and wanted to let you know that I’m sending up prayers for you. AND… You are absolutely gorgeous! That picture with the scarf is so beautiful.
Nice to finally meet you! I don\’t mean to be diadect or phsesious or in any way inpune your veracity (LOL), I ran across your blog when quite innocenty searcing one of the major search engines (who shall remain nameless) for Stage of pregnancy photo
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