Walking on Water -- Sink or Swim?: Diet Coke and Jell-O

Friday, June 27, 2008

Diet Coke and Jell-O

Tuesday (6/24) I had my first Zometa treatment. This is a bone building treatment that has shown promise in reducing the spread of cancer to the bone. My doctor suggested this is a pro-active course of treatment -- my body scans have all been clean -- this medication is another tool to help ensure that my body is strong and resistant to the spread of cancer.

The Zometa is given by IV drip, and everything went like clock work. The nurse found a vein on the first try (something difficult to do with me), and the infusion took about 30 minutes. I was in and out of the office within an hour -- very efficient in terms of doctor visits! Afterwards, I felt fine -- Liam and I went to the library for a bit, we had dinner and then we went to see The Incredible Hulk (Paul was golfing; older boys were away on their mission trip).

But, oh my... about midnight on Tuesday my body really revolted against the Zometa -- I had fever, body aches and general aches all through my body. For the first time ever on chemo, I was sick enough to throw up... It was not pretty... The only food that sounded even remotely good was Diet Coke or Jell-O. I'll be talking to my doctor about this experience -- to see if I can get any meds with the Zometa to help me tolerate it better next time. Even today (Friday) I still have achi-ness in my legs...

Monday Paul and I see my oncologist in Royal Oak -- that is when I hope to get the information back from MD Anderson and to find out for sure about my chemotherapy treatments. I am anticipating 4 treatments over the next 12 weeks. I'll know for sure on Monday.

Shane and Tyler have called from Montana -- they assure us they are having a good time. Their work on the Habitat houses was finished Thursday, and Friday they are backpacking up into the Montana mountains for about 4 days.

Sunday Liam and Paul are going to a Detroit Tigers game with our brother-in-law and nephew. Liam loves anything that involves sports, and one of his favorite things to do is to pitch back and forth with us in our back yard. He is very excited for the game! It is a real treat that Scott had tickets to share with us like this!

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Highlights of My Journey

I know that other breast cancer patients and survivors visit this site. The following is a history of my cancer journey. Feel free to email with me any questions:

Sept. 2006 -- diagnosed (eventually) with T2 N1 M0 "triple negative" breast cancer of the left breast. MRI of both breasts indicated only the one tumor. Age 40 @ dx. Three young boys, a wonderful husband, and great friends and family. My doctor says we all need the three F's -- Friends, Family and Faith.

Oct. 06 thru January 2007 -- Began chemotherapy: taxotere, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (TAC). Six cycles, given every three weeks.

December 2006 -- tested negative for BRAC1 and BRAC2.

Feb. 2007 -- Lumpectomy. Results showed tumor had an incomplete response to the chemotherapy (some shrinking, but not completely gone). My oncologist recommended more chemotherapy after radiation. I had "close margins," and had a re-excision in early March.

March 26 thru May 9, 2007 -- Whole left breast radiation. Daily. "Boost" treatment just to tumor bed during last week. Met some great friends there.

May 13 thru September 7, 2007 -- oral Xeloda prescribed by my oncologist as "insurance." Easily tolerated. In hindsight, not sure it was very useful?

October 24, 2007 -- Mammogram. Declared "normal," except for concerns near incision location. We should have checked into this more thoroughly, but wrote it off as scar tissue/radiation affects. It's only been a year since first cancer was found -- must be too soon for any problems, right? Wrong.

March 2008 -- MRI showed "large area of abnormal enhancement" with increased blood flow. Both suspicious for malilgancy. This was confirmed via biopsy. Over the next couple of months doctors had very difficult time quantifying how much cancer was in my breast. My diagnosis went from DCIS (pre-biopsy) up to as much as 4cm of actual cancer in the breast, after mastectomy. A wild ride!

May 19, 2008 -- left breast, simple mastectomy with latissimus dorsi (back flap) flap. A hard recovery, but okay now. Woulda, coulda, shoulda had the mastectomy the first day cancer was ever found....

June 6, 2008 -- Bone Scan and CT Scan -- all NORMAL, no sign of cancer elsewhere in the body! Praise God! It is a bummer that the cancer is back, but it could have been so much worse...

June 24, 2008 -- Zometa infusion for bone strength, and to deter bone mets. Very achy a few days afterward.

June 20-Sept 8 -- Chemotherapy: Taxotere and Gemzar.

September 22 -- Began Carboplatin chemotherapy. Will be finished by Thanksgiving 2008.

October 2008 -- Major setback: implant spacer became infected (pseudomonas aeruginosa), and had to be removed. Blood levels crashed. I spent 8 days in the hospital, received multiple RBC and platelet infusions, and was on IV antibiotics for almost the entire month.

Nov/Dec 2008 -- We tried a second dose of Carboplatin, (a reduced dosage, even), but my blood levels crashed again. Doctor said, "No more chemo." Received RBC transfusion mid-December.

2008-2012 -- annual CT, bone scan, MRI and mammogram, as well as regular visits to my oncologists (every 6mos).

June 2012 -- my oncologist used the most beautiful C-word in the dictionary -- Cured! :-) I will still have an annual MRI and mammogram and check in with him once a year, but he considers me past the point of having to be monitored specifically for cancer. Triple negative IS treatable!