Doctors, doctors, doctors

Today I was doctor office hopping, and my mom was my chauffeur.  My first appointment was with the radiation oncologist, Dr. Sandra Gregory, at 10:00 am.  She reviewed all of my labs, test reports, etc. before deciding on my length of radiation treatment after my surgery.  About four weeks after my surgery I will have radiation five days a week, 6 1/2 weeks, for 10 minutes a day.  Dr. Gregory said the only side effects will be a 'sun burn' feeling on my skin...that over the counter aloe vera will take care of.  Whew!  That will be easy.  During Dr. Gregory's exam she noticed the incision area from my lymph node biopsy was a little bit swollen.  She wanted me to call Dr. Johnson (my surgeon) and see if she could aspirate the area.

I called Dr. Johnson's office, and I only had a short window to see her because they close early on Friday's.  So we get in the car and drive to her office.  Dr. Johnson did an ultrasound on the spot and said the fluid that is in there could go away on it's own as long as I QUIT USING THAT ARM.  :)  She didn't want to aspirate it until she knew what my white blood cell count was (which I won't know until my 1:00 appointment with my oncologist).  Thank you for your caution, Dr. Johnson. 

 I love the ladies at Dr. Johnson's office!

After seeing Dr. Johnson, my mom and I rode back up to the exit we were originally at to see my oncologist.  My white blood cell count was holding at a safe level.  I just need to be careful of my exposure to germs, still.  Now we get to FINALLY eat lunch!  Yeah!

My mom took me to Longhorn Steakhouse for my first real meal in a week.  Boy did it taste sooooooooo good.  Thank you for lunch mom. 

Minute+Clinic and a Bird

                                                                  Maybe not this bird.

I got up this morning with one mission on my mind...go to the Minute+Clinic to find out if I have strep or not.  There were 5 people ahead of me who will be seen one at a time since there is only one Nurse Practitioner there.  After last nights drive home and not feeling well, I was tempted to go lie down in an isle until they called my name.  Jessie...you know what isle I was going to lie down in.  :)  Hee hee!  Finally, it was my turn...2 hrs later.  The NP was stunned by my throat.  She said some of them looked like ulcers and some didn't.  Unfotunately, since I am taking the Cipro, a rapid strep will come back negative.  The culture had to be sent out to a lab for an overnight test.  They can't give an antibiotic unless they have a positive test.  Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  I just want an instant fix.  I don't know how much more I can take this week.

I went home and slept.  When I woke up I felt worse.  I decided it was time to cash in my 'Emotional Breakdown check'.  How can I make it through 5 more of these?  By the grace of God...that's how.  Many of my friends that I have reconnected with through Facebook sent me very encouraging words.  Thank you so much.  My mom came up tonight to spend the weekend and help Jeremiah around the house.  When she got to our house, I was already in bed watching T.V.  She climbed in the bed beside me.  I told her EVERYTHING that I was tired of.  She listened and said, "You only have 5 more to go."  I looked at her and shot her a bird.  While in the moment, the bird felt good...later I thought, "Oh my goodness!  I shot my mom a bird.  Mom?  I really am sorry.  :)  Thank you for coming.  I really need my mom this weekend.

Ice and chemo don't mix well

Day #3 back to work after first chemo treatment.  I am still dragging...and HuNgRy. The spots on my tonsils and throat are worse now.  None of it has shown up in my mouth thank goodness.  I am running about a 100.5 temperature (which is high for me because my norm is about 97.5).  I spoke to the nurse at the oncologist's office, and she said I need to have a rapid strep done and get on the amoxicillin...not Cipro.  I decided to go by the Minute+Clinic at the CVS pharmacy on the way home.  The weather was forecasting icy roads in the evening so I thought I would just go to the one two miles from my house.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

To make a Loooooooooooooooong story short, it took me 5 1/2 hrs to get home.  Yeah, that's right.  I pulled into my driveway at 10:32 pm.  At about hour 3 I was starting to lose my patience.  I hurt all over and being in the car that long really put the cherry on top of the week so far.  Seems like the roads started icing quicker than anyone expected.  I didn't make it to the Minute+Clinic, of course.  This chic is going straight to bed.  Thank you Jimmy and Monique for coming up to the house and checking on the dogs.  :) and Thank you Jerry and Patricia for calling my parents to check on me.

Hair Cut

When I woke up this morning, I felt HORRIBLE.  I am still battling with all of the symptoms I previously mentioned.  I am also having a hard time finding anything to eat that really takes the hunger pains away.  My boss, Dr. Scott, was o.k. with me coming in late since our schedule was slow this morning.  I stopped by Chick-fil-a on the way to work and picked up some chicken nuggets.  I need to get some protein in me..so I'll give it a try...one little bite at a time.  My throat and tonsils are now hurting worse.  While I was sitting at a traffic light after leaving Chick-fil-a, I checked my throat out and there are white spots everywhere.  I could tell some were more like ulcers, but a few of them looked like strep.  OMG!  Can I please not have anything else to deal with.  I have to take Cipro (antibiotic) 5 days after chemo for a week.  Wonder if it will cover the strep...I started  taking the Cipro today.  Hmmmmm.....

On a brighter note, I have another hair cut appointment to cut my hair shorter.  I know I will be able to deal with my hair falling out better if I start adapting to a short hair style again.  Jeremiah and I absolutely LOVE the girl who cuts our hair.  Her name is Susan and she works at Salon Spa Vanessa.  I left work and headed strait to my hair cut.  I showed Susan a picture of a hair style I was aiming for.  She mentioned leaving it a little longer in the front so if the hair starts coming out before my wig is finished I can have some bangs in the front with my hat, and she would cut it in the back so it is more feminine.  Deal!

She was able to save a little bit of the pink I put in when I find out I had cancer. 

Thank you Jeremiah for coming to the haircut in case I had a break down.  Thank you Susan for doing such a beautiful job!

First day back to work after chemo

Today was a REALLY rough day at work.  For those of you who aren't familiar with my 'normal' work schedule:

     Monday - Tuesday

     4:30 am     Time to wake up

     5:45 am     Leave house to insure I make it to the office by 6:30

     7:00 am - 5:00 pm     Time we see patients with a one hour lunch break

     5:30 pm     Usually the latest I leave work to head home

     6:30 pm     On average...when I normally make it home

     Thursday

     I typically go in for a few hours to work on things I need total concentration on or discuss private 

     matters with parents regarding their accounts, etc.

As I expected, this would not be a 'normal' work week.  I made it to the office at 7:00 am...along with my nausea, diarrhea, and ability to barely hold my eyes open.  When I got up this morning (after only 2 hours of sleep),  I have now started having a really sore throat.  I hated that I couldn't do my job like I have been for the past 3 1/2 years.  I am now at the computer in the back office to eliminate the amount of germs I will come in contact with.  The first week after chemo is when the white blood cell count will, of course, start decreasing. 

Once I got home after work, all I could do why head for the couch.  I felt so bad.  This is the worst exhaustion I have ever felt.  My throat is on fire now, and the glands in my neck are extremely swollen.  Thank you Jeremiah for making it home not too long after I did.

Really? 5 more of these?

Ok.  So day #3/4 after my chemo treatment is certainly going to be the hardest.  It's Sunday night, and I feel like crap.  I'm super nauseated and have diarrhea really bad.  I don't know how I'm going to survive work tomorrow.  I have been living in the bathroom for a very long time.  For those who don't know, I HATE throwing up.  I will fight it as long as I can.  It looks like Nutmeg is going to be my cancer buddy.  She has stayed close to me ever since I had my port surgery.  I love you my little fur angel!

Happy Anniversary!!!!!!

Today is our 11^th wedding anniversary.  It will be one to be remembered.  

Symptoms are as follows:

1.  NAU-SE-A (even with anti-nausea medicine in my system)

2.  Headache

3.  NAU-SE-A

4.  Bones in forehead, femurs, and back are hurting A LOT (this is from the Neulasta injection)

5.  NAU-SE-A

6.  My scalp feels numb and sore

7.  NAU-SE-A

8.  Diarhea

The bright spot in my day was knowing our friends Jay and Bryon were coming to visit.  I only took the low dose of anti-nausea medicine prior to them coming because I really wanted to have a non-drug conversation with them.  They surprised me with my FaVoRiTe dessert...a cookie cake from The Great American Cookie Company.  They even designed the cake with "Fight Like a Girl" on it.  I LOVE IT!!!!!!   LOVE THEM EVEN MORE!!!!