My Last 'Chemo Eve'

Here are my selfies from my FIRST chemo eve on April 13th and my LAST chemo eve which is today (August 10th). It's hard to believe that four months have passed since then. I am very glad that this first phase of treatment is finally coming to an end. It has been a bit of a marathon. The image from April is mirrored...I must have changed a setting on my phone since then. Both picc lines have been in my left arm. :)

I'm going into my last chemo treatment with a similar mindset to the one I had before the first treatment. I'm glad things are moving along. I trust my doctors. I was nervous the first time because I didn't know what to expect. I am nervous now because I DO know what to expect - that I'll feel great until Saturday, really awful for a couple of days, then suffer broken tastebuds and fatigue for a few more days after that. I know I'll have trouble finding food I want to eat, but that the food will stay down. I know how much it helps to stay hydrated and to eat well. I know how to tell when my body needs rest. I know that movement helps me feel better, even when I'm tired. I know that the crappy days don't last forever.

On Tuesday I finally had my heart echo. It had been delayed by my COVID diagnosis. I was worried that my wound might pose a problem but in the end it was not an issue. The wound is looking better, though still open. It looks best first thing in the morning after I've been lying down for 8 hours. I don't thing gravity is particularly helpful in the healing process in this case. I'm still wearing a bra all the time to help keep things as still as possible. I have openly shared pictures of my wound with my healthcare team and also with anyone who is interested, but will not post them here. If you are curious and see me in person, just ask and I'll share. I think it's good to know that open wounds happen. I definitely wish I had known more about them before I was surprised with my own.

I have had a wonderful last week. Having anticipated the chemo delay, we had planned that Rick would take the girls and some of their friends to the cottage and that my mom and sister would come to visit. I wasn't quite ready to go to the cottage with this wound to look after. I didn't like the thought of being far away from my nurses and doctors. Now that I can really see that it is healing I will be more open to going away for a few days at a time. Rick and the girls had a great time with friends, and we had a good time here too. Beth brought her dog Reilly and he was a perfect playmate for Martha, who was missing her humans. It was really hot on the weekend so we laid low for the most part, taking out walks early in the morning and later in the evening to avoid the heat. Getting sweaty does not mix well with wounds like mine.

Reilly and Martha taking a break (?) from wrestling.

Mom, Beth and I haven't ever spent this much time alone together without kids around. It was really nice. We all excel at relaxing, though we did venture out to Talize and Fabricland on Thursday. We had time for lots of good conversations (the kind you don't usually get to have with kids and partners around) and pursued our reading, crafting, snacking, and napping with gusto. I was grateful for these days together, and especially the fact that the visit happened while I was feeling good. I can't imagine going through this without their love and support.

A very hot evening walk.

I was glad to learn last week that my chemo delay did not result in any additional treatment delays. My MRI had already been scheduled for August 16th and the oncology team meets the following week to review cases and make treatment recommendations. It made me feel good to know that this extra week did not push back my surgery or radiation treatments. My platelets were at 50 (thousand per microlitre) last week and this week I am back up to 155 which is considered 'normal' (normal is 150-400).

I wasn't sure if I would still be in COVID isolation this week. I had heard that there was a 20-day rule in the chemo suite. I was happy this morning when they did my blood draw in the chemo suite rather than in my own little room somewhere. This means that tomorrow will be a normal treatment and Rick will be able to join me for the last little bit. :) Expect a celebratory selfie in my next post!