Checking in on Amy

I just woke up from a 3+ hour 'nap.' I was sleepy after dinner and headed straight for my bed, and didn't get up until after 10PM. It was a really good sleep and I guess my body needed it. The side effects of radiation haven't been too bad for me yet. I have completed my 16 treatments and one of my 'boost' treatments, so I've only got three more boost treatments to go. I met with my radiation oncologist on Tuesday and he was very generous with his time. One thing I learned from him is that the protocol for radiation treatment has changed since my treatment started, and 'boost' treatments will no longer be separate but they will instead become part of the initial course of radiation. Had this change happened before my treatment started I would have saved myself four trips to the hospital. I'm glad that the people who come after me can benefit from this change. My doctor explained that, in general, the number of visits required to treat just about ...

I had my 6th radiation treatment today. Treatments have been going well. The appointments are quick, so I find I'm only out of the house for about an hour each time (~15 minutes driving; ~10 minutes parking and walking to/from the appointment; ~25 minutes to change, wait, get zapped, and change again).  Before each zap (which is, in case you were wondering, x-rays!) I lie down on the bed that has been specially prepared for me with the neck rest, knee support, angle, and hand/arm grips all in the places that were determined at my CT appointment. The technicians check my position using my tattoos and some lights that shine from the machine. They make sure everything is just right, then leave the room. After that, they take a couple of quick x-rays to make sure my position is perfect. They use the x-rays to adjust my position a tiny bit more, so I usually feel the bed move around just a bit before the radiation treatment happens.  My understanding is that I get x-rays from four ...

I have had a great couple of weeks. Lots of energy, many great hikes and walks, and time to focus on healing and resting before radiation starts. Things continue to go well with my physical therapy. My scars are looking better, little by little. My mobility is awesome - I can finally do a snow angel! - and when I keep up with my lymphedema massage regimen I don't have any noticeable swelling. This week was a busy one. I was at the hospital 4 out of 5 days this week. On Monday I had my latest (3rd) heart echo which went smoothly. I haven't seen results for that yet, but we don't expect any changes. On Tuesday I met with my radiation oncologist to find out the plan for radiation treatment. I will be having 20 radiation treatments. 16 will be to my breast and remaining regional lymph nodes. The final 4 are 'boost' treatments that will focus only on the breast. We spoke about side effects from the most obvious to the most obscure. I didn't learn anything completely ...

The last time I missed the first day of school was in 2008. I was at home with nearly-2-year-old Lucy waiting for baby Miriam to arrive. I recall how strange it was to watch kids walking by our house on their way to school and not have anywhere I needed to be. This makes sense; today a friend pointed out that I've been going to school for 40 years!  This morning we all woke up bright and early. With both kiddos in high school everyone else was out of the house by 7:20. Martha was quite put out by this, but an invitation to stroll in the woods with Lisa (and dog Lola!) helped her out of her funk. I am glad that the school year has arrived as our fairly busy summer days have had me missing my time alone at home.  I spoke with my surgeon's office today and I will be seeing the surgeon tomorrow afternoon with surgery to follow next week. I met my surgeon way back in March when this whole journey began. She has a wonderful manner - warm and confident and full of positivity. I'll...

I'm 9 days out from my last chemo treatment and I'm feeling more like myself every day. :) Although I have probably lost sight of what 'normal' flavours are I'd say my tastebuds are at about 75% today, which is something to celebrate. My mouth has been sore the last couple of days; it was sore last round too and I'm not sure if I mentioned it then. I have avoided getting any actual true mouth sores but there is a tenderness to my gums and parts of my mouth that makes me think I narrowly avoided them.  Our morning walks yesterday and today were the first that have felt good from start to finish, so my fatigue is fading and that is nice. I'm still pretty tired after walks but it is nice to feel the small improvements. My adventures with the open wound meant way less activity than usual for the last few weeks and it feels good to get moving a little more. My brain is also feeling a bit more normal the last couple of days. Brain fog is hard to measure. Sometimes...

This round of chemo has definitely been my most difficult. I was basically a zombie for the last three days, very tired and feeling pretty useless. I haven't had the ability to concentrate on anything much. Eating has been really difficult because everything tastes wrong/bad to a greater extent than it has before. The act of taking bites and chewing is a big chore when tastes and textures are 'off.' My mom recommended a milkshake yesterday, which still didn't taste quite right but was far and away the best thing I had tasted in three days. Today I went to have my chemo port incision assessed. It's healing VERY SLOWLY. The nurse and doctor advised that the best thing to do right now to help it heal is to leave it open. I am still processing this information. (skip the next bit, queasy friends) Being told to walk around the world with an open wound is a new thing for me. I have a sizeable, juicy hole in the skin on my chest. It looks like I've been very recently s...

What a week! Chemo #5 went as expected yesterday. I'm feeling weird and steroid-filled today. I had some serious night sweats last which is gross because chemo is also seeping out of my pours. I have had this previously and don't think I've mentioned this here. I have experienced a few hot flashes since starting chemo too, and can't really know if it's the chemo or hormone changes causing them. It has been about 10 weeks since I last had a period, which is sort of a blessing since I don't have to worry about managing cramps or anything, but it sure has me wondering what's ahead of me when it comes to hormones and managing menopause. My chemo nurse yesterday was the same nurse who looked after me for my first treatment. She had already learned about my exciting chemo port dehiscence . I guess word gets around when freaky things happen. There are so many different situations I see while I'm in the chemo suite. Two different people came in to be hooked up t...

  Many things have happened in the week since my last post, so I am breaking this one up to help me organize my thoughts. Side Effect Report Treatment went well last week, and my side effects are consistent with what I have experienced with previous chemo treatment. If anything, I was a little bit less tired on the weekend than I have been previously, perhaps thanks to the extra recovery week. My sense of taste is the worst it has ever been, though, so that has been really annoying. Textures and flavours are all not quite right, and I have had to give myself little pep talks in order to eat properly this week. My finger numbness feels about the same. My feet feel more numb than last time, but better when I move more. It feels like my brain fog has been worse this time around, but it is difficult to know for sure as this has not been a normal week. We have been busy, and that makes it feel like I can't keep up. Grade 8 Graduation Our family has officially graduated from Codrington S...

After a crappy chemo-drenched Sunday and Monday my body and brain bounced some of the way back yesterday. This is very good, since I was sort of counting on it. :) My mom had been here for the weekend and left yesterday morning, so she was here for the worst of my exhaustion and brain fog. Her presence helped me take more (or better) naps and I am so grateful that she can be a rock for me when I need her. Sadly, not all of my 'chemo round 3 wishes' have been granted. On the 'wish not granted' list: I still have a smattering of ridiculous white hairs hanging on to my noggin. To all of the little hairs that keep hanging on: I love you, but you are FREE TO GO.  Upon careful assessment in the last day, I believe my finger numbness has gotten worse, and I am also noticing numbness in my feet that hadn't been really been obvious to me before. The numbness isn't enough to limit any of my activities, but it is a strange sensation. On my 'wish granted' list: Eyeb...

Every little noise makes it hard for me to think today. I am tired but not. Want food and don't. The dog has had a 'barky' day, and though I love her my patience is wearing thin. I know tomorrow will be better, but it does not change the fact that I'd like to crawl out of my skin right now, or just go to sleep and wake up on Tuesday or Wednesday when my chemo hangover is all gone. Since cute dog photos always make things better, here is a picture of Martha with Lily, another Wheaten in the neighbourhood. :)

My third chemo treatment was yesterday and so far I am feeling similar to last time. I've got a big wave of steroid-induced energy that will most certainly wear off tomorrow. This will (likely) be followed by a tired, foggy, grouchy Sunday and Monday followed by a better Tuesday, and incremental (but noticeable) improvements each day after that. About two weeks after treatment I feel as normal as can be, and I am grateful for that. My bloodwork on Wednesday showed that my blood is doing OK but my platelets were getting a bit low. This is to be expected, and can't really be helped. If they get too low, the consequence would be a delay in my next treatment, so I'm hoping this won't be the case because I'd really like to be able to stay on schedule. I like schedules! Chemo #3 Selfie My wishes for chemo #3 We have had a busy but uneventful last week. Science fair kept me busy on and off until yesterday. The long weekend was quiet but lovely. I experimented with some new...

What glorious weather we had this past weekend! Weather in May can be so unpredictable. In the last 5 years we have seen just about everything, including snow. We were very lucky to be able to spend this unusually warm one at our cottage. Our cottage is part of a corporation including 8 families that have each purchased a share in what used to be a lodge/cottage resort. Leading up to Victoria Day weekend we usually coordinate with the others to do the spring job of putting in our big docks. This year two weekends were put aside for this and we were not able to attend the first. We arrived this weekend (the second of the two) to find that the big jobs had all been completed. Of course, no trip to the cottage is without 'work' of some kind, and our water heater didn't make it through the winter so Rick spent half of Saturday replacing the element. I am certainly feeling better every day post-chemo. More like myself. My surgical incisions seem to be healing OK. Every day less ...

This second round of chemo has been similar to the first. I was feeling pretty good the first couple of days (if you can consider a steroid high 'good!') and like last time that is being followed by a couple of really slow and tired days. This round I have found that the feeling of exhaustion and brain fog bothering me more than the first time. The first round of chemo I wasn't sure what to expect, so to have my symptoms limited to fatigue and a nagging headache seemed like a gift (which it really is) and that 'pleasant' surprise may have distracted me from the details. Or perhaps things are a little worse this time. Hard to say. I've been trying to explain how I feel. How my brain feels. It is weird. But I will try. This feels sort of like jet lag. The kind where you are exhausted AND you still have a 10 hour day in front of you and you need to gather your wits so you don't get on the wrong train and it takes all of your concentration. The kind where you ge...