Chemotherapy #4 - New Cycle

So yesterday was my 1st treatment of my second cycle of chemotherapy, this poison is Docetaxel. Should I start with the list of side effects of this poison, just the fact that I have to keep my fingers and toes in ice the entire time is enough to know that something is not good, do this or I risk loosing my nails, at most they should only get dark and fragile. So no manicures or pedicures, no polish but if you know me there is no way that my toes will not be polished for the next 6 weeks..http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/docetaxel.aspx

Once again with my husband by my side taking care of the ice packing on my feet, making sure that I don't get frost bite and just being there with me is always a blessing.  Also I was so happy to have had my long time friend Mary by my side, who decided to enlighten me with old pictures of us from high school. Our friendship is one of 28 years, although we may not always see each other or talk on a daily basis we know that we are always there for each other. This type of friendship is rare and I am so lucky to have 2 women in my life, Mary and Nadia for all these years, they have always been there to sit with me and eat cheesecake like the Golden Girls we were and will always be. Thank you Mary, with all my heart. 

Today was not so bad, just as to be expected some fatigue but grateful that there is no nausea with this cycle, I am on cortisone for the next few days so the doctor says that I am covered for the side effects until Saturday. What they are expecting is bone and muscle pain along with others which may or may not occur, I was told not to hesitate to take Tylenol or Advil, need be they will prescribe me morphine because the pain can be very intense. At this point all I am feeling is pressure in my lower back and thighs. Let's just say I am not looking forward to this, after speaking to many women who have endured this treatment, all said the pain was quite intense. 

With this treatment comes the famous $3000 injection of Neulasta, I will receive it tomorrow to boost my white blood cells, my soldiers that need to fight off infection. I was also told that this injection also has side effects of lower back pain, sure just pack it on, I can handle it, after all I have gotten this far I only have 2 more treatments. I never want to have to deal with chemotherapy again. 

As always, thank you to my followers for all your thoughts, kind words of encouragement and prayers.

Franca 

💕💕💕

Ps.  Don't forget, I will walk the 5k Run for the Cure, so please go on my page and donate or join my team to walk.

Team Name:  Breasts 4 Life

5k Walk - Breasts 4 Life - Run for the Cure

You all know by now that I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer in December 2015.  I have undergone a double mastectomy in February 2016 and have completed 3 of 6 rounds of chemo therapy.  After all of this I will have to undergo 5 weeks of radiation therapy because 3 of the 11 lymphnodes removed were positive for cancer.

I will never forget hearing the words in the doctors office on the dreadful day of December 30, 2015, when he told me and my husband that I had Breast Cancer. Words that no matter how delicately it is said to you, they are like a time bomb going off in your head, heart and soul. No man or woman should have to ever hear those words. 

This year my husband and I have decided that we will walk the 5km CIBC Run for the Cure on October 2, 2016. This event will bring together thousands of strangers, friends and family who are all there for one reason, and this to raise funds for research, early prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.  Every 1 in 9 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, it can be you, your mother, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, daughter and the list can go on. We all say or think, just like i did, it won't happen to me, or it can't happen to me.  Well, it could and it did happen to me at 40 years old and in the prime of my life, it suddenly came crashing down on me. 

Together our goal is to raise a minimum on $1500.00 but the maximum is unlimited, together with our team we will walk rain or shine and stand by one another with the thousands of other walkers and runners and stand strong against Cancer.

So please any amount can help with this dreadful disease.

You can look up my team at CIBC Run for the Cure, my team name is Breasts 4 Life and make a donation. 

Thank you all in advance for your donations. 

Team Breasts 4 Life

No more bad hair days...lol

Today I made a decision, I was tired of looking like a newborn with peach fuzz on my head. To top it all off the hair that was left was all white, I guess that will be interesting when it grows back after my treatments. 

Throughout my treatments and diagnosis I have always tried to be in control as much as possible. I decided that cancer would not come back in my breast, so I decided they would both come off. Before my chemo started I decided to cut my beautiful locks short to make the impact lighter.  Well then I decided to shave it short from the pain of it falling out. Today I decided enough was enough and shaved the rest of it off.

It was very hard for me to hold back tears as I looked at myself in the mirror with shaving cream all over my head and my husband with the razor helping me shave the back of my head. An image that one never wants to imagine never mind actual live through.  Never in a million years did I ever imagine something like this and it is moments like this that grow us closer together. I love him for his strength and the strength that he gives me. I must say it feels liberating and strange at the same time, i will always be one step ahead of this intruder. 

2 weeks post Chemo #3

So this was my final treatment of the 1st phase of my chemotherapy treatments. What can I say, so far the worst side effects since the beginning of this journey. Chemo or poison as I call it, is very nasty and it literally takes over your body, mind and soul. 

This last treatment was very hard on me, I was literally a walking zombie for 7 days straight. It took over my strength, my train of thought, my sleep, my energy and I feel like my head is no longer attached to my body. The fatigue was so intense that I had difficulty speaking, I knew what I wanted to say but the words would not come out or my speech would be slurred and unclear at times. It is so frustrating to be so out of control of your body and frightening at times to think how powerful this drug that runs through my veins is. 

Although the nausea was much better controlled this time around with the new meds, my taste buds are pretty much gone.  Everything that I eat or drink tastes bitter or tasteless, cooking is a little challenging at times but we still manage to eat(lol). I tell myself all these symptoms could've been a lot worse, there are women whom are vomitting all the time.  With me, I am out of commission for 7 days straight and I bounce right back to myself, before the next round of poison will be entering my body. 

The second phase of my final 3 rounds of chemo start on May 25th, and in all honesty I am NOT looking forward to it. My support team is amazing and that is all I need to keep me going....

Chemo treatment #3

Hello and thank you for taking the time to read my blog about my unwanted journey with breast cancer!!!

Yesterday was my last treatment of phase 1 of my chemotherapy, I had my husband whom is my rock and my mom my other rock with me. This was the first treatment that she came to with me and I am sure that it was the hardest thing for her to do, she is so strong and an amazing support to us, not sure what I would do without her.  It hit me so hard with fatigue that I knocked out on the lazy boy and fell asleep during my treatment. A change in medication for my nausea was done and it seems to help a little better than the last time.  At lease the 2nd phase of chemo does not cause nausea, that is something I will not miss. 

The fatigue is something  that can only be described as my body being taken over by sleep all the time.  I can be sitting on a chair or watching tv and I will instantly fall asleep. My body is so tired and out of my control at times that I need to hold on when I get up to gain by equilibrium back. I am just so happy that I am halfway through my chemo treatments.  

The second phase of my chemotherapy also consists of 3 treatments every 3 weeks for 9 weeks.  The next part involves taking medication by mouth the day before the treatment 2 times a day, the day of and the following 3 days. The reason for this is because the chemo meds can cause an allergic reaction, water retention, therefore region in the legs and feet as well as a build up in the lungs. Also, one of the key side effects of the dexotaxotele is moderate to extreme joint and muscle pain, in this case they will provide me with small doses morphine if necessary. Along with all this I must inject myself with Neulasta 24-48 hours after every treatment, this will help build my immune system and help fight away infection. Best part of this is that it is not covered by Medicare, so we ask the price and it is between $2500 a $3000 per injection times that by 3injections and that is a lot of money. I immediately contact my group insurance and God bless them, the injections are covered at 100%. Brought my prescription to the pharmacy and asked them what the fee was, and of course $2891.00 each injection. There are other options, with the RAMQ I would have to do a different injections 1 a day for 7- 10 days or an organization would pay for the balance should I have only had 80% coverage. 

I guess they really do make lots of money on sick people, and this is why I strongly believe that they will never admit yo having a cure foe any cancer.

Cancer Sucks, I hate chemotherapy

Thank you all for your words of love and encouragement. 

To my husband, please bare with me the next 7-10 days, I love you more...