Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Chemo Day today.......

Well....first off, I must have been confused when the dr said I would take chemo for 14 days straight (which I thought meant driving to Effingham 14 days straight)....I will actually be on the same routine that I have been on since I started going to Effingham (I will go every other Wednesday and it only takes a few hours AFTER I have bloodwork and see the dr.   I WILL take the NEW chemo  pill  (it is called Xeloda 500 mg per pill and I take 3 in the am and three in the pm) for 14 days, then stop the pill for one week...then start the same routine over the next week. I also still take the Tarceva pill which keeps new cells from dividing and making more cancer cells. Its main purpose is to keep the cancer from spreading. I did not get the new chemo pill as they were having problems with my insurance paying for it through the pharmacy at Crossroads Cancer Center. So they just called my pharmacy in town and they ordered it. It will be here sometime tomorrow. I will also take Vitamin B6 to offset some of the nasty side effects of the new chemo pill. Dr. Dy states he has had patients start taking the pill and have the screaming scoots 40 - 60 times in a 24 hour period.. WOW! Of course any half smart person would know to stop the pill immediately and call the dr. If I would continue to take the pill with the scoots, I would get dehydrated and probably hospitalized so main memo to myself.....call dr if scoots are more than 6 times per day OR if I have to get up at night with scoots. I, of course, will have Immodium AD at my side to take up to ten a day although the box states no more then four a day. It won't kill me, right??  This is more than some of you would probably like to know but most of you who are brave enough to "join" my blog know how I am anyway-to the point and get it out in the open. Deal with it....move on type of attitude. I do encourage people who read it, to join my blog so you can leave comments. I do love input. 
On the lighter side, I gained two pounds. YEAH! On two full sheets of bloodwork, there are only three things that are high or low. Amazing that with this type of monster, I have only three things in my body out of whack. Samantha and I walked three miles yesterday morning and Pat and I took my old bike to the bike shop to have a little dr work on it done so maybe I can ride my bike a few days to work before the windy October days start. 
I had two friends bring me books this week. A huge thanks to Carolyn Taylor and Karen Zuber. I am reading them both..... I always have the best conversations with Karen.... It is like we "get it" when the other is talking....or tearing up.
I will leave you with a selective prayer that I read very recently and it really says alot if you just sit there a minute and let it soak into your inner being.

God, help me to remember that being alone is not the same as being lonely. Being alone, I'm in good company-I have many guests: You, first of all, then my good friends and the love they have for me, and then there's me. These times alone with just You and I together can be very wonderful, if I take advantage of them. I can get to know You and myself so much better. I can have rich conversations with You. I can learn from You how to live my life in a way that is pleasing to You. And I'd like to live that way, God. So, please sit down and visit awhile.
I just think this speaks so loudly to me....and no matter how busy a person is, their life can be so much richer when they make that time to "stop and visit awhile".

I will keep everyone posted on my side effects..... I leave for Brown County, Indiana with just my daughters to relax from Friday to Sunday. Going to take it easy...shop a little....walk a little...eat alot, talk alot, and just enjoy our time together. There will be lots of pics I am sure so I will post a few.
HUGS and MORE HUGS!!
Patty

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