7Th Chemo Treatment With Good News!

The day before chemo, I had to go for my CT scan. I was looking forward to getting the results but not looking forward to the test procedure because of the barium drink. The night before, I had to drink a bottle of barium and not eat after midnight. The drink made me gag so bad and made me have chills and I was nauseated. The next day, when I got to the hospital, I had to drink another one and that was rough but I made it through it. The test went well, they didn't give me any results but sent me home and told me my doctor would have the results the next day.

So it was chemo time again, the dreaded Wednesday!! The day that I have come to hate and to dread even days and days before it is even here! It's hard to describe how you dread it...I guess only those who have been through can really know what I am talking about, but it is not something you want to ever, ever do yet each day that goes by gets you closer to chemo day. The only consolation is knowing that each day gets you closer to being done also!!

I went in and my favorite nurse brought me back for bloodwork. She is so awesome and just has such a good personality. She always jokes with my husband and I and we look forward to seeing her every time. She always brags on me and says what a trooper I am and I smile and tell her thank you but deep down I feel so untrooper-like!

It took quite a bit for me to get a room, chemo was extra busy that day and that sometimes happens. Seems about every third time or so that it is just extra booked for some reason. The PA came in, she is such a wonderful woman and has long blonde hair down to her waist. When I first saw her, I was like: "Man, that's kinda a smack in the face to those losing their hair!" But then I found out why her hair is so long. She grows it out and when it gets too long, she donates it to Locks of Love! I just was so touched by that! She came in and sat down and asked how I was. I said my usual: "I'm fine." She said: "You're fine with pain and numbness and stomach pain??" and she smiled because she knows me by now and I try not to make a big deal out of it. I am sure there are loads of people worse than me...in fact, I have seen them there!!

I tell her how badly I want to know about my test results and she said I know you are so anxious so I am gonna give you the basics until the doctor can come in.

My results were great! She told me all the nodes and mass had come down tremendously and that I was still showing having a cyst on my ovary that we would need to keep check on and that there is a cyst on my kidney and that needs to be watched. We talked about the terrible pains in my stomach and that it could be ulcers and erosions from the chemo eating the lining of my stomach up. She prescribed for me Protonix to take twice a day to try to help heal it.

Then I waited on the doc to come in and he came in just beaming!! He said my results were so good. Most of the nodes were smaller than a centimeter now!! The mass had shrunk by half!! He said and I quote: "I was positive we would get a cure when we first began but seeing these results, I am 100% positive that we will get a cure!!" He said when I get done with chemo that we will do a PET scan to make sure every trace is gone. I will be anxious to get that test done!!

I went into the chemo room and Morgan, the therapy dog was there. She is so gentle and so sweet and just seems to calm everyone in the room! I stopped and petted her a bit and she wagged her tail and looked up at me with her big brown eyes.

Chemo started as usual with all the predrugs and the volunteer talked me into ordering lunch and I wish I hadn't! I ordered a BLT and I got so sick from it so I have made a vow not to eat anymore at chemo. It just ends up making me very sick!!

I was able to sleep through the last part of chemo and that was good. Now I am down to five more treatments! I honestly can't believe how fast it has gone!! I am so thankful though!! I am going to try to post a list of symptoms I have been dealing with in the hopes that I might can help someone else facing this in the future. More later.