Another Day of Chemo

Today was my 3rd infusion of Taxol - only 9 more to go! It is really much easier on me - I barely feel like I've had chemo. Except that this past week my heart has been pounding more when I lean over and stand back up or when I go up the stairs, etc. My doctor says it's because my red blood cell count is getting too low so she is sheduling for me to have a blood transfusion early next week. I'll be able to have this done at Newberg hospital which will be nice and close but it kinda weirds me out to have someone else's blood put inside of me. But if it's in my best interest, I will just get 'r done! My doc said that I will feel sooooooooo much better afterwards!

My tumors are continuing to shrink - although we can't feel anything anymore, but they aren't growing so that means that are still shrinking! Yay - Praise the Lord! I will only need to see my doctor every other week now so the off weeks will be quicker - all I will need to do is go in, have my blood drawn and then go upstairs to the infusion room for chemo - it will be so much quicker (and cheaper too since I won't have to pay a co-pay to see the doctor those weeks).

I started to get a cold a couple of days ago which has made me miserable since I feel like it is going into bronchitis - I'm such a baby when I have a cold! I'm actually surprised that I've made it this far before getting a cold! My doctor put me on antibiotics today so I hope to be feeling better soon.

The only other thing I'm dealing with is that my nails are discoloring because they have fast-producing cells and the chemo kills those cells, so they look pretty bad and they are hurting really bad. The nails are starting to lift off of the nail beds and they suggested that I tape them to keep the nails pressed against the nail beds - but I'm using band-aids because it looks better than bright white tape! They said that I might lose some nails - I hope that doesn't happen because that sounds really, really painful!

Thank you so much for continued prayers and encouragement!

New Chemo Regimen

Yesterday I started the 12 week chemo regimen of Taxol. I was going to have a second drug (carbo platinum) as well and then would have it also every 3rd week, but my doctor decided to wait on that drug because there is a clinical study opening up soon that is a new drug just specifically for women with triple negative breast cancer. It's a really exciting new drug that works really great. But, it is only given along with the carbo platinum drug. And if I was to have the carbo platinum drug now, I wouldn't be able to do the clinical study. So, anyway, long story short, I only had the Taxol yesterday and I have felt great yesterday and today! Hopefully I will feel great all of next week too because I go in for weekly treatments now! My doctor is still very pleased with the results of the chemo so far - still continual shrinkage of the tumors. We have been really happy with my doctor - God has definitely had His hand in this situation bringing us to the best doctors for me!

Anyway, thank you for continued prayers and encouragement!
Linda