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I have been having fluid building up in the armpit area on my left side (the side I had the lymph node biopsy done on).  It's beginning to get uncomfortable,  I have an appointment with Dr. Johnson to check it.  My dear friend and neighbor, Monique, drove me because I just don't feel well.

Dr. Johnson did an ultrasound to see how much fluid really was in there.  She felt she needed to draw the fluid off.  100 cc worth.  Whew!  It feels so much better now.

I am Number Four" Chemo #4

Today is chemo #4.  It is getting harder emotionally and physically.  I'm doing this chemo at the Kennestone Hospital office instead of the one in Canton.  I usually have to go to the location my doctor is at that day.  Since I try to do it on Thursdays, I go where she goes.

As always, my appointment starts with accessing my port and blood work to be drawn before seeing Dr. Volas-Redd (my oncologist).  The nurse accessed the port and was able to get the saline to go into it to flush it but wasn't able to get any blood when pulling back on the syringe...which meant she wasn't able to draw my blood through it.  A sheath will sometimes form over a port because it is a foreign object to our body and this is our body's way of trying to protect itself.  They had me bend over, then raise my right arm and hold it there for a few minutes, and several other positions to try to get the blood to pull from it.  No such luck. The nurse had to use heparin to try and get it to open before they can start my fluids and chemo.  Remember how I mentioned in another post that I can taste the saline and heparin?  I was starting to get nauseated already, and we haven't even started the chemo yet.  What a glorious day this is going to be.  ***insert sarcasm here***

Now we have to use my arm.  My right arm.  I don't want to do this either, because I don't want to wear these veins out.  See, I can't use my left arm.  When you have lymph nodes removed you can get lymphedema if your blood pressure, blood is drawn, or an i.v. is done on the side the lymph nodes were removed.  So my right arm is the only option.

I got my Lupron injection today as well.  HOT FLASHES!

Once I finally made it to the infusion room, the heparin finally got the sheath on my port to open.  So we can finally get started.  My infusion starts with i.v. fluids, emend (for nausea), and steroids before the adriamycin (my chemo).  While doing this, I had an interesting man two seats down from me.   Eccentric is the word that comes to mind.  He was telling all of us about how they have goats/chickens/cats/dogs/etc and grow and raise almost all their food.  He was very entertaining.


Oh no!  Here comes the nurse with my tube of adriamycin.  If I throw myself in the floor and throw a tantrum like a two year old, do you think I could deter her?  As my bracelet says, "Courage" Dana.

While sitting here, I am on Facebook catching up with friends and family.  I just noticed my cousin Misty is in the ER at the hospital I am at.  I have been texting her to find out what is going on.  They are trying to rule out a blood clot in her leg.  Going to try to see her before we leave.  Want to see nurses panic?  Walk into the ER without hair and them know you are doing chemo.  This patient SHOULD NOT be in the ER with all these sick people.  I was given a mask to wear as a precaution since my white blood cell count is low.

Mmmmm....cinnamon rolls

I have chemo in two days.  My stomach is finally feeling well.  My co-worker, Shannon, had gown to Ikea today and know how much I  looooooooooove their cinnamon rolls.  She brought me back two pans of them.  I was grinning from ear to ear.  What foods do you still like to eat while on chemo?

Meth...just read and you'll get a good laugh

My boss, Dr. Christine Scott, was in the car with her two daughters one day.  The "Meth Project" has been running ads about how bad doing meth is, side effects, etc.  In this ad the girl was saying that her hair was falling out.  Katherine (7 yrs old) and Caroline (6 yrs old) had seen me a few weeks ago without my hair.  After the ad was over, Caroline says to Dr. Scott, "Is Dana sick from Meth?"

Dr. Scott came to work the next day and told me this story.  I just giggled and giggled thinking about it.  Now we joke around I say "I'm sick from meth".

Take Them a Meal

A dear friend brought supper to us today.  Christy is so caring and giving.  Thank you very much for taking time out of your already busy schedule to take care of me during this difficult time.

Jessie set up a meal schedule at Take Them a Meal for people to sign up and bring meals.  It has been really hard for me to give up some control over my life and let others take care of me.  If you are wanting to do something for someone and don't know what to do, this is an amazing website.  Jessie posted for those bringing the meals to bring it in stuff I don't have to return.  Even though I was really sick and didn't feel like eating much, it was nice knowing that my husband and whoever was staying to take care of me that day had a meal prepared for them.  Thank you everyone who has pitched in and brought a meal to our house.

$100

Remember my previous post that included my neighbor's daughter, Riley?  Well, Monique told me something about Riley that made me cry.  It was a good cry though.  Sometimes I think us adults underestimate children in what they know and how they can make very grown-up decisions.

Riley's teacher asked each student to write down what they would do if they had $100.  Any kid Riley's age might pick a new American Girl Doll, shopping spree at a toy store, or new clothes from Justice.  Not Riley, she want's to give her $100 to me to "pay for my cancer".  It has truly amazed me how she has processed me having breast cancer and how often she thinks about me and what I'm going through.

I love you so much Riley!

Kroger supports

My cousins' daughter, Kaitlyn, works at Kroger.  She has been such a wonderful supporter through all of this.  She sent me this text of her name badge with a Kroger name badge with their breast cancer ribbon she wears proudly.  I love you girl!