2nd Cycle of "A & C" today

The week-end before Thanksgiving at the Troy vs Arkansas State game.

And this past week-end doing my Shena O'Connor look. Just as the nurses said about 14 days after the first treatment of "Red Devil" my hair began to come out in wads. Martha cut me down to 1 1/2 inches last Friday. I am shedding daily like a month old Xmas tree. I currently look like a newborn duck!

Well, I had a week off of all treatments & shots for Thanksgiving and am I ever Thankful for the 4 past GREAT days I have had. Denny worked hard to get things organised in the house and he & Trey helped me deck the halls. I even went to work at Underwood's for about 4 hours Monday afternoon.

This treatment will start the next 6 weeks of a treatment every other week. With 7 days of Leukine shots between. This all will be soon behind me. After New Years I will begin the 12 weeks of Chemo of the "T" taxanedrug (paclitaxel or doxcetaxel.) followed by 6 weeks of radiation. Tada!!! Then Finished!

Hair Today.... Gone Tomorrow....

Well here is this morning's harvest as I wide tooth combed my hair (or at least what didn't go done the drain as I washed it.) About the same amount came out yesterday. They said the shedding would begin 14 days after the first treatment of Red Devil. I have a collection of new Black Hats from Wal-Mart and a lovely Pink one that LeighAshton gave to me to cover up until my wigs come in. I may have to resort to the lovely purple wig one if the occasion arises.

We all had a great time at the 3 football games in 36 hours last weekend in Troy and Prattville. Even though all 3 of our teams lost. We spent the night with Danny & Shannon in Montgomery Friday night. I got up and ate the delicious waffles that Shannon made then napped until 2:00 pm picked up some throat bug in my travels that kept me down Sunday - Wednesday. Of course I rallied for Turkey Day. Denny helped me cook the turkey, dressing, gravy, turnip greens, mac & cheese, carrots in butter, ginger & lemon. Melissa brought me a wonderful baked tomato casserole that is a favorite of mine. My taste buds are screwed up, I have a metallic taste in my mouth all of the time. Jamie and Warren came over and ate after they came back from visiting his family in Sims.

Thursday about noon, Trey went with his daddy to the hunting camp in Camden until Sunday evening. I hope to have everything ready for him to help me decorate the mantel when he gets home. He likes to hand to me the decorations as I place them on the mantel.

Monday: I have LAB work again and then Tuesday: the 2nd cycle of Red Devil and Cytoxan.

I will have a treatment every other Tuesday if my cell count stays good.

Shots & Wigs

I have had a Leukine shot every week day since Chemo last Tuesday Nov. 7, I felt like I had the flu for a week with a hangover head ache, yuck!

I will have lab work on Friday morning.
The last two days have been good ones, I will not have Chemo again until the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
My plans are to get all of my Christmas shopping, cleaning /decorating, done & clean out my closet of summer clothes and move upstairs over the next 12 days.
Want to come help?

Trim A Tree Opened last week, we had a 1st round playoff game here the same day at home to so I organized the wonderful dedicated volunteers and the made sure the First Baptist Church had the hot dogs for the Fishers & Kelly, ordered candy, chips, peanuts, drinks for the PTA Concession Stand. I have done the varsity games for the past 28 years. We beat the crap out of Enterprise. 35-14

Friday we are going to Prattville to the 2nd round playoff game with Foley and spend the night in M'gomery and go to the Troy Game Saturday. I called Roger Schultz at Troy and played the big "C" card and ask if we could get box seats for my family for the game. ( my husband, daughter, sister & niece all went to Troy) Hey! I am milk'n it !

Oh! and I posted the incorrect "C" Chemo on my webb site, I had the incorrect card. Nurse Carol & Nikki both asked me where did I come up with the drug Carmustine? and I said you gave me the card.
It's the same color as the Cytoxan card.
They were mixed up in the drawer.
They corrected the drawer and gave me the correct card. Doesn't really matter but I guess I should be correct on what I post.

I am ordering wigs tonight! A Dark Brown one and a Paula Deen White one and a fall to wear under hats. They said by 14 days it should fall out. I ordered my wigs tonight. I ordered Amanda in Dark brown, the Fall to wear under hats in Dark Brown with highlights, and the black woman's wig in light frosted gray .

4 Days of Leukine Shots- Lab on Friday

I will have a shot of Leukin (Side Effects: the most frequent adverse events were fever, asthenia, headache, bone pain, chills and myalgia. These systemic events were generally mild or moderate and were usually prevented or reversed by the administration of analgesics and antipyretics such as acetaminophen. More common; Headache; pain in arms or legs; pain in joints or muscles; pain in lower back or pelvis; skin rash or itching) which is to build up the White Blood cells Mon. - Thurs. on Friday I will have lab work done.

YEA! I will have the week of Thanksgiving OFF!!!... NO Shots... No Chemo.
Then the Monday after Thanksgiving I will have Lab Work
Tuesday, Nov. 28- 2nd Cycle Chemo "Red Devil & Carmustine" it takes about 2 hours to get.
Leukin Shot every Week Day 7 days in a row: Wednesday - the next Thursday.

Plan on going to the playoff game Friday. If I feel bad I can lay down in the truck & take a nap.

As long as I don't have to think I can feel bad at home on the couch or at the game.

My cognitive skills are way out of wack! I did not even turn on the computer Staurday or Sunday.

1st of 4 Red Devil Treatments Began Tuesday

Well, all in all I am doing pretty good since having the first round of Chemo Tuesday. After first taking the Red Devil with no problems I had a reaction to the second bag of Chemo "Carmustine" The membrane in my nose began to burn and I felt like I was smelling old fashion permanent wave solution, next, my forehead began to hurt, Nikki the nurse slowed down the drip and got me two Tylenol & Benedryl. By this time my eyes and throat were burning. She said next time they would dilute it in 200 cc instead of 100 cc. I go to Dr. Tans office up by the hospital for 7 week days in a row to receive a shot of "Leukine" to build my white blood cells, then next Friday Lab work. My next Chemo will be the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. I had a Decadron high for about 36 hours after the treatment now I feel like I have a bad hangover. Headache, myalgia (muscle ache) general low altitude.
The Red Devil makes you pee red. How appropriate for voting day. I must drink at least 2 liters of water a day to help flush out the kidneys.
I have not had any nausea yet. Thank goodness... However, I had a low-grade fever Wednesday night.
I have been trying to keep all of the balls in the air as usual, however, Trim A Tree would not have happened this year with out Becky, Cathy, Bonnie, Noreen, Trinka, Mary Evans, Mary Rush, Tammy, Jerry, Pud and Pat Essip to name a few. They turned a souse ear to look like a silk purse.

I am still looking for concession stand helpers for the big playoff game Friday night. We are expecting 6-8,000 fans.

Also, if you have a few hours to give to the PAA from now until December 23 for Trim A Tree.

CHEMO Begins TUESDAY... 4 Cycles for 8 Weeks

This is more scary than the surgeries. It is the unknown, the uncontrollable, mortality...
Today was a very good day.
It was like a any regular day before all of this...I went to the dentist, Angela cleaned my teeth, Leo came in and checked them, surprise! I have been grinding my teeth to the point I have sensitive ones.
Had lunch at Amelia's, visited with her. Therapy Shopped at Tuesday Morning, went to the bank visited with Janie, Mannings to pick up Denny's watch, it has been there since April... ( I have been busy!)

I should have gone to work, been at the Art Center getting ready for Trim A Tree, doing laundry, hanging up clothes, vacuuming, grocery shopping. But I didn't... I felt great, it was rainy but it was the last day before treatment begins. It was a good day.

Pregnancy Test... Negative!

Fabulous dessert at Paula Deen Luncheon!

Went to Mobile to get my last hair dye job for a while. Had the brows done too while I was at it. Soon I shall be able to draw on what ever expression I wish to have that day. Surprise, angry, Vulcan like Star Trek, Asian, etc.

Pre registered at SBRMC this afternoon. Required a pregnancy test!

I say if the doctor wants to order a PG test he should first order for me to have sex. (BTW, it was negative!!!) It seems to be the required test now days if you still have the plumbing even if it does not work before surgery or a stress test ( even if you are 60 years old. ) It is the second one I have had in 4 months. I had a stress test in July.

Note* Do not get a flu vaccine & a pneumonia vaccine on the same day in the same arm. Wait a week between. Bad reaction, slept 36 hours w/ fever and full body aches.

Go in for Medi Port installation Friday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 AM. Denny is taking me to hospital and bringing me home. I will be among one of Kim's patients on her last day at the hospital. Missy will come over and watch me sleep on the couch for part of the day.

Too Busy to Post...Last week before Chemo

Been way too busy to post! Sorry it is the last week before Chemo.
Went on a Fab trip to New Orleans Monday with eleven friends in a Giant Hummer Limo to see Paula Deen. I gave her & her husband a back rub.

Great News, Pet Scan Was CLEAR!

I will have my port put in as out patient this Friday morning by Dr.Cain at SBRMC.

Have app. w/ Leo Jernigan for cleaning & check on two sensitive teeth Monday morning, Tuesday, Oct. 7 11:45 see Dr. Tan then CHEMO at NOON.

Don't forget to VOTE TUESDAY!
And please pray for my care givers.