Okay, we have survived the nightmare of chemo treatment number two. I did get down to 104 pounds, but now have my appetite back! I have my appointment scheduled for January 21st. I will meet with Dr. George or his PA Scott and then head over for infusion.
Before the next infusion we get to celebrate! Baby girl, Logan turned one on January 13th! She was my lifesaver that helped me discover cancer and quite possibly saved my life. We celebrated with all of our family here at home and loved watching her prissy self NOT touch her cake! :) All three of my girls are such an amazing gift from God to me! I am so blessed!
But, of course there is a kink in the plan! I get a call from Becky, who tells me that Dr. George just received some of my bloodwork back and that I am in dire need of iron. A normal rating for iron, according to Becky is low at 42 and high normal at 135. My iron level is a 21. NO WONDER I HAVE NO ENERGY! I finally have a reason for all the fatigue that I have been feeling. I also have an explanation for my craving of raw potatoes, ice, and other oddities that are all signs of anemia! Since my levels are so low they are requesting that I get an infusion rather than take iron orally. After agreeing to the procedure I begin investigating it online. Okay, now I am scared! The biggest risk is anaphylactic shock... I'm sure that is misspelled! This is when your body has a severe allergic reaction and they TRY to pull you out of it! Additional woes of the infusion are flu like symptoms for a week afterwards and a few others. Since I know this is something that my body really needs I proceed forward and get my appointment for January 20th for the iron infusion that will take 6 hours.
Land decides that it is time to talk to a nutritionist about my weight loss after seeing it deplete so rapidly. He discovers a shake that is 600 calories and a shot of calories that is 330..... so, my new desert? I have a chocolate shake that tastes exactly like chocolate milk and is 930 calories!! The weight should begin to pack on now!!
On the morning of the 20th Taylor and I head to Gainesville after kissing our babies good bye and leaving them with Aunie and Chris to get to school. We arrive at the infusion center just in time. I begin getting the iron infusion that does not hurt at all and I do not have any reaction to at all. I do however, get some great premeds including that Benadryl that DOES put me to sleep this time! Yay! Six hours is a long time to lie in a bed with an IV hooked to you if you are awake the entire time. After the infusion I am informed that I will get a shot of EPO to boost my platelet count since it is so low as well. I am at a 7 when it should be much higher. The doctors felt the shot was a safer alternative than a transfusion. I will take their opinion since I have no clue! Well, as the time was finishing up I have been anticipating the needle all day. I finally decide it is time so that I can go home (or back to the hotel). When the shot goes in it doesn't hurt, until the meds are administered..... WOW!! That really burned. I was actually shaking to the point that my nurse was in tears giving it to me!
That night I began having severe muscle spasms in my back and felt some serious pain. I went the next day for my third round of chemo right back to Ms. Pat who was always my smiling face in the infusion center! This time before treatment I am weighed and am surprised to say that I am up to 112 after dropping to 104 over the last three weeks! Taylor went down and got me some yummy cold snacks that I could eat during premeds, but not after due to the cold sensitivity.
This time I shared with the nurse and doctors about my 10 hour spree and they decided to give me a three day antinausea med instead of the regular one they give. I received my infusion and decided to spend the night just in case I had another episode like last time. The next morning I awoke to feeling great and ready to head home. Before coming home, we stopped by and bought pants that actually fit me! I did not wear a size 2/4 in high school I don't think?? I have got to gain some more weight!
We came home to our smiling angels and were so happy that the antinausea meds were working. I got to spend the weekend with my family and even got to tell my baby brother goodbye before he heads to Afghanistan next week. I was so glad for the opportunity to be with my family and finally feel good!
However, just like before the glitch was just around the corner. On Monday night, I began vomiting. YUCK! Here we go again! I took my Zofran and an additional drug to stop the vomiting and it did stop four hours later. Now, to weigh myself and hope I didn't lose too much.... well poo, I'm down to 103!
We have our next appointment which will be a CT scan to see if the treatments are working on February 10th. I know that date seems like it is just around the corner but it seems like a century away to me!
Please keep Beau, my baby brother, in your prayers. He is an amazing person whom I am so very proud of!
