I know I am late posting this... but I've been busy. :)
Round 7... means I only have one more treatment to go! I'm almost there!
On Thursday we met with Dr. Luoh and went over the test results of the ultrasound. He's very happy that everything is going down and that I am still responding to treatments. We are going to keep on the same regimine. He was also pleased that I didn't get as sick as I had been getting. So he ordered another hydration of a liter of saline for Friday and then 4mg of Neulasta to follow. I do think that is making a difference. We also discussed my BRCA2 positive result. He said that will most likely change some of the post treatment. I was going to go on tamoxifen for five years, but since I tested positive, he says that I will most likely get an oophorectomy and then be on tamoxifen for about 1-2 years and then I will be put on a different hormone suppressor. We want to get rid of the estrogen in my body. He said if I don't want to do the oophorectomy, they have drugs to put my ovaries to sleep. In any case, either way, estrogen will drop about 92% in my body. There are other organs that would provide the other 8% of estrogen, so I would never quite be free of estrogen. But a 92% decrease is good. I like Dr. Luoh. He is so thorough. I also asked him after my chemo-sucky treatments will there be more cancer in my body. He said yes, and that's what the hormone therapy and stuff is for. We are going to starve the cancer by getting rid of the estrogen receptors. Makes sense. He said that there may still be some "floating" around in my body... most likely from where my tumor is. But he's confident I will be fine. I trust him. Oh yes, and then he told me that he wanted me to have an ultrasound done on my left leg. He was worried about me having deep vein thrombosis (DVT)... or blood clot in my leg after last week and my spleen issue. So after my chemo-sucky treatment, I was to go downstairs to the third floor to get an u/s. Fun times.
Next on the list of things to do was to talk to the genetic counselors. That was fast and easy. I had many of my questions answered when Kelly called me to give me the results. So there was nothing new there. They just suggest that I get out the parts before I am 40. Most likely I will get them out sometime this year, either during the double mastectomy or reconstruction. Everything seems to be going as scheduled.
Following my chemo-sucky, I went downstairs for my ultrasound. They found nothing. But it was cool looking at my veins and arteries in my leg. I am learning so much stuff about my anatomy.
Showing posts with label spleen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spleen. Show all posts
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Day 95 - I'm Normal!
Wow... I am normal. Seems like an oxymoran at this point in time. But that is what the ultrasound technician said.
I went in for my blood work and my u/s this morning. It was nice going to a smaller hospital. Everyone was on time. I got there shortly after 8a. Since I was early for the u/s appointment, I went and had my bloodwork done. I only had to walk a short distance from the check in desk to the outpatient lab. The technicians were a bit scary... english wasn't their first language. But the lab worker got my vein on the first try and it was done within minutes. After that, it took a few minutes to wait to check in for the u/s. I barely had time to get one text off to Brad to tell him that I was done with the bloodwork before I got called back. Since I was just at Mt. Hood about two weeks ago, they had me in the system. That was awesome. After checking in, it was a quick wait in a hallway. I think I waited about 7 minutes... just enough time to fire off two text messages! LOL. Thanks Annie! Then it was back in the u/s room. The sonographer was awesome. We just talked through the whole thing. She went to school in Oklahoma but moved out to the NW because she went through an F5 tornado and said she wasn't having anymore of that (scary, Brooke!). She's been in Oregon for many years now. We also talked about why we though breast cancer stats were so much higher. She didn't know. I just wanted her opinion. And whether she wanted it or not, I gave her mine. I said I like to think that we are more in tune with our bodies and we tend to catch the symptoms/signs earlier. She said she liked that response and was going to use it. Um, lemme see, I found out that the hospital complex is going to open up a new office facility that will specialize in women's breast health... mammography, biopsies and the like. She used to work at Mt. Hood MC, then went to another hospital, only to return a few months ago because she was launching this new office. She specializes in the breast. In fact, she was shocked that I was a breast cancer patient. She thought that I just had a lumpectomy because she thought my wig was my real hair. She said that I looked great for someone going through chemo and she was thrown off because I still have my eyebrows and eye lashes! Ha! I kept some hair! hahahaha!
So the u/s was only about 25 minutes in length. She took lots of pictures of my liver. She took pictures of my kidneys, pancreas, gallbladder and then last she looked at my spleen. She said that she's not supposed to tell me about what she's seeing... meaning making any sort of diagnosis, but she said that my liver looked fine and then when she got to my spleen, she said that it was a normal size. So I'm normal. :) That's a relief. So my aches and pains are just a side effect of chemo-sucky and neulasta I am assuming. She said, of course, I didn't hear it from her. But I am glad she at least told me that my spleen looked normal. Then it was off to work.
I got home just in time today to get a call from Angie, Dr. Luoh's nurse. She said that my spleen looked normal (which I already knew, but said nothing) and that my labs came back normal. She said my white blood count was in the normal range and that I am a little anemic which is also normal for a chemo-sucky patient. I asked her if there's anything I can do for that. She said that I could change my diet... eat more iron rich foods, but she doubts that it will really help. If it gets too low it would mean a blood transfusion. But it's not near that point. It just means that I am more tired. So I like my afternoon naps.
Dr. L did say I could go in for more testing... doing a doppler test to check for blood clots. But after discussing with Angie, we decided no. I don't have the symptoms of a blood clot. I don't have swollen extremities, the pain isn't increasing, no fever, etc. But we did agree if I have any of these symptoms I would call right away or get to an ER ASAP as if the blood clot were to move it could cause a stroke. But she said that blood clots are not typical. So the diagnosis is to continue to drink lots of fluids and if the pain is bad (and no fever) I can take tylenol or ibuprofen. Fun times.
After her call, I took a much needed nap. Yea!
Other than that, everything is good. Feeling good. The numbness/tingling is still there. I am hoping it will go away. I don't like the feeling. It's an awkward feeling. Think if it continues Dr. L will get me out of my last two chemo-sucky treatments??? Hahaha!
I went in for my blood work and my u/s this morning. It was nice going to a smaller hospital. Everyone was on time. I got there shortly after 8a. Since I was early for the u/s appointment, I went and had my bloodwork done. I only had to walk a short distance from the check in desk to the outpatient lab. The technicians were a bit scary... english wasn't their first language. But the lab worker got my vein on the first try and it was done within minutes. After that, it took a few minutes to wait to check in for the u/s. I barely had time to get one text off to Brad to tell him that I was done with the bloodwork before I got called back. Since I was just at Mt. Hood about two weeks ago, they had me in the system. That was awesome. After checking in, it was a quick wait in a hallway. I think I waited about 7 minutes... just enough time to fire off two text messages! LOL. Thanks Annie! Then it was back in the u/s room. The sonographer was awesome. We just talked through the whole thing. She went to school in Oklahoma but moved out to the NW because she went through an F5 tornado and said she wasn't having anymore of that (scary, Brooke!). She's been in Oregon for many years now. We also talked about why we though breast cancer stats were so much higher. She didn't know. I just wanted her opinion. And whether she wanted it or not, I gave her mine. I said I like to think that we are more in tune with our bodies and we tend to catch the symptoms/signs earlier. She said she liked that response and was going to use it. Um, lemme see, I found out that the hospital complex is going to open up a new office facility that will specialize in women's breast health... mammography, biopsies and the like. She used to work at Mt. Hood MC, then went to another hospital, only to return a few months ago because she was launching this new office. She specializes in the breast. In fact, she was shocked that I was a breast cancer patient. She thought that I just had a lumpectomy because she thought my wig was my real hair. She said that I looked great for someone going through chemo and she was thrown off because I still have my eyebrows and eye lashes! Ha! I kept some hair! hahahaha!
So the u/s was only about 25 minutes in length. She took lots of pictures of my liver. She took pictures of my kidneys, pancreas, gallbladder and then last she looked at my spleen. She said that she's not supposed to tell me about what she's seeing... meaning making any sort of diagnosis, but she said that my liver looked fine and then when she got to my spleen, she said that it was a normal size. So I'm normal. :) That's a relief. So my aches and pains are just a side effect of chemo-sucky and neulasta I am assuming. She said, of course, I didn't hear it from her. But I am glad she at least told me that my spleen looked normal. Then it was off to work.
I got home just in time today to get a call from Angie, Dr. Luoh's nurse. She said that my spleen looked normal (which I already knew, but said nothing) and that my labs came back normal. She said my white blood count was in the normal range and that I am a little anemic which is also normal for a chemo-sucky patient. I asked her if there's anything I can do for that. She said that I could change my diet... eat more iron rich foods, but she doubts that it will really help. If it gets too low it would mean a blood transfusion. But it's not near that point. It just means that I am more tired. So I like my afternoon naps.
Dr. L did say I could go in for more testing... doing a doppler test to check for blood clots. But after discussing with Angie, we decided no. I don't have the symptoms of a blood clot. I don't have swollen extremities, the pain isn't increasing, no fever, etc. But we did agree if I have any of these symptoms I would call right away or get to an ER ASAP as if the blood clot were to move it could cause a stroke. But she said that blood clots are not typical. So the diagnosis is to continue to drink lots of fluids and if the pain is bad (and no fever) I can take tylenol or ibuprofen. Fun times.
After her call, I took a much needed nap. Yea!
Other than that, everything is good. Feeling good. The numbness/tingling is still there. I am hoping it will go away. I don't like the feeling. It's an awkward feeling. Think if it continues Dr. L will get me out of my last two chemo-sucky treatments??? Hahaha!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Day 94 - How much fun can a girl have?
So last week my fun consisted of the fact that I may have to give myself injections for a week. Well, that has come and gone. Now I have to go in for an ultrasound for my spleen!
Last night my back was starting to hurt and ache. This is on my left side around my rib cage. This is where my spleen sits. Apparently the spleen is something that deals with white blood cells and the making of platelets and such. You can google search it. In anycase, part of the side effects of either the chemo-sucky or the Neulasta, an enlarged spleen could be a side effect. So it starts with an achiness or something to that fact. The ache didn't go away this morning so at 7:55a I called Dr. Luoh. I went home at lunch to await his call. I didn't get a call until 11a! Good thing it wasn't an emergency. Ha! So I gave the symptoms to his nurse, Angie and she said she'd talk to Dr. L and call me back. I finally got a call back around 2p. She said that Dr. L wants me to get an ultrasound of the spleen and then a blood test. She said that since the last time I went in and got blood work done, my white blood counts were really high. So who knows what this will mean.
So tomorrow I go to Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center for my ultrasound. The appointment is scheduled for 815a. Either I can go get my blood drawn before or after the u/s. They wanted me to do it at OHSU, but the earliest they could get me in is Friday and Dr. L didn't want to wait that long. Uh, duh! Tonight my last meal will be at midnight, as I cannot eat anything eight hours before my ultrasound. I can drink which is a life saver. I'm supposed to be drinking lots and lots. I can take tylenol or ibuprofen for the pain. I did take some but that was more for the leg aches that shoot through me every so often.
I did talk to Angie about my neuropathy. She told me to keep track of it and to tell the doctor if it gets worse. The toes are tingly. The finger tips are also tingly. She told me to use hot mitts for hot things and to wear slippers around the house. Check and check. Grrr... this is so annoying. I hate chemo-sucky. I hate cancer even more. Stupid.
On a funny note, I had just come home from picking up the girls at daycare. The phone rang as I brought Amelia inside the house. She's very fond right now of answering the phone. She wanted to answer the phone, but I got to it first because I had a feeling it was the doctor's office wanting to schedule the u/s. It was Angie on the phone. Well, I couldn't have a conversation with her without Amelia saying she wanted to say hello. I asked Angie if she could say hello. She said absolutely. Angie understands because she has a two and five year old. So Amelia said hi and she was good.
We had a lovely day - the girls and I. We watched Angelina Ballerina (it was an ice skating episode) on TV and then ice skated around the kitchen. We did leaps and twirls. Amelia baked for me. Elaina ate ice cream. So it was a good day except for the dumb achy pain on my left side.
Last night my back was starting to hurt and ache. This is on my left side around my rib cage. This is where my spleen sits. Apparently the spleen is something that deals with white blood cells and the making of platelets and such. You can google search it. In anycase, part of the side effects of either the chemo-sucky or the Neulasta, an enlarged spleen could be a side effect. So it starts with an achiness or something to that fact. The ache didn't go away this morning so at 7:55a I called Dr. Luoh. I went home at lunch to await his call. I didn't get a call until 11a! Good thing it wasn't an emergency. Ha! So I gave the symptoms to his nurse, Angie and she said she'd talk to Dr. L and call me back. I finally got a call back around 2p. She said that Dr. L wants me to get an ultrasound of the spleen and then a blood test. She said that since the last time I went in and got blood work done, my white blood counts were really high. So who knows what this will mean.
So tomorrow I go to Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center for my ultrasound. The appointment is scheduled for 815a. Either I can go get my blood drawn before or after the u/s. They wanted me to do it at OHSU, but the earliest they could get me in is Friday and Dr. L didn't want to wait that long. Uh, duh! Tonight my last meal will be at midnight, as I cannot eat anything eight hours before my ultrasound. I can drink which is a life saver. I'm supposed to be drinking lots and lots. I can take tylenol or ibuprofen for the pain. I did take some but that was more for the leg aches that shoot through me every so often.
I did talk to Angie about my neuropathy. She told me to keep track of it and to tell the doctor if it gets worse. The toes are tingly. The finger tips are also tingly. She told me to use hot mitts for hot things and to wear slippers around the house. Check and check. Grrr... this is so annoying. I hate chemo-sucky. I hate cancer even more. Stupid.
On a funny note, I had just come home from picking up the girls at daycare. The phone rang as I brought Amelia inside the house. She's very fond right now of answering the phone. She wanted to answer the phone, but I got to it first because I had a feeling it was the doctor's office wanting to schedule the u/s. It was Angie on the phone. Well, I couldn't have a conversation with her without Amelia saying she wanted to say hello. I asked Angie if she could say hello. She said absolutely. Angie understands because she has a two and five year old. So Amelia said hi and she was good.
We had a lovely day - the girls and I. We watched Angelina Ballerina (it was an ice skating episode) on TV and then ice skated around the kitchen. We did leaps and twirls. Amelia baked for me. Elaina ate ice cream. So it was a good day except for the dumb achy pain on my left side.
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