May The Fourth Be With Me!!!

Today was number treatment four.  I feel like now I am actually halfway done with the chemo part of this journey.  It is peculiar how something so unthinkable becomes almost routine.  I was accompanied by my girlfriend Karen today.  We stopped at Starbucks and arrived on time.  I don't even have to sign in anymore, they know me well now!  Dr. Wendt was great as usual, answers questions and spends as much time as needed before heading to the room of toxic infusions!  A lot of random but fun conversations and the 3 hours went pretty quick.  Karen and I had a great salad for lunch and lots to catch up on.  Once I was home and pretty wound up on all the steroids I got some things done.  I took a variety of pills; anti-nausea, pain and unfortunately more steroids!  I now have some sleep aid pills to add, I think I was becoming tolerant to Tylenol PM.  In addition to all the chemical reactions I am now in what they call "Chemopause".  May be a permanent addition to my life, but I won't know for a while.  So, one more excuse to moodiness and sleeplessness!  I feel like I should be able to predict and control side effects better as I unfortunately get used to things.  I have acupuncture appointment this Wednesday, which will be interesting to see how it helps when I feel truly like shit.  Back to Dr. Wendt's for bone marrow development injection in the morning. He keeps reminding me the benefits outweigh the risks, so I suppose I will listen.
Thanksgiving is pretty well planned for Bruce, Vance, Clark and a few friends of Clark's friends.  Should be different but fun.  Hopefully I can join them for part of it.  Tami came from Havasu and we made a real cornucopia for the table.  I hope I can thaw it out properly!
We have so much to be thankful for!  Everyone continues to be so thoughtful and helpful to all of us in so many ways!  During this Thanksgiving time a HUGE THANKS from all of us!  Hope everyone has a fabulous holiday! 
Sara ♥♥♥


                                                              

The Fog is Lifting!!

The fog is beginning to clear again.  I am feeling well enough to get out of bed for more than an hour!  I am seeing a definite cycle and pattern to these chemo side effects.  I don't really like what I see but kind of know what is coming next.  They say there is a cumulative effect after each treatment and side effects can become worse.  This is a bit frightening as I have three more treatments left.  I experienced same pattern of pain. nausea, and HEADACHE as previous times.  Now I can add really dry wrinkled (more than normal) skin and what they call peripheral neuropathy (a numbness and tingling of fingers and toes).  So far I only feel it on two fingers and thumb on my right hand.  It is pretty annoying and I hope it doesn't get much worse.  Other than that I hope to be on the upside of treatment three.
I returned to the acupuncturist yesterday.  I was told I had a weak pulse and then treated for nausea and headache with the needles.  After the normal 28 minutes the needles are removed.  The acupuncturist came in the room to remove mine and took my pulse again.  She told me "you need one hour for treatment"!  I guess I didn't respond like she wanted.   I actually did feel better, although my headache returned a few hours later.  I have another appointment Friday, and hopefully I will feel somewhat funtional until number four.
I took the dogs on a decent walk today with a new friend I met online! It was just the Breastcancer.org website in the Phoenix section.  Turns out she lives right across canal from me.  We are both bald and at same point in treatment.  We have a lot to talk about as well as laugh about.
Bruce has been so helpful and supportive in every way.  He seems to end up at the grocery store at least once everyday.  He has learned that the minute you get home and start unpacking and you think of something we need and a new list is started!  It is never ending!
Vance has been able to drive himself around and it is a huge help for all of us.  Plus, he can now be on-time or even early to things.  He locked the keys in the truck the other night when he was with some friends.  He called a locksmith and paid $150.00 to get them out.  Why he didn't call home and have someone bring a spare, when he was half a mile away?  We don't know but it was an expensive life lesson for him!
Clark is busy with school and work but manages to check in on me at least a couple times a week.  So sweet.  He just got hired as a "flight instructor" at the Chandler Airport.  We are so proud and happy for him. 
Drew is still happy in Estonia.  We skype talk frequently.  He too is so sweet and concerned about me.
This is sounding like a Christmas letter so I will  quit going on and on!
Thanks to all of family and friends for the support, love and prayers (and the occasional gift!).  I am honestly so thankful and fortunate.
♥ Sara ♥

Welcome Back Side Effects!

I had chemo treatment number three on Monday.  The side effects are kicking in and they feel all too familiar.  Metallic paste coating in mouth and no taste buds combined with nausea results in no appetite!  Fuzzy head and bone pain joining in today.  I think I know more what to expect and that there is an end (hopefully!). I think I will go back for another acupuncture treatment very soon and see if it can help with some side effects. 
It is looking more and more like I will have to endure radiation after chemo is done.  I talked to Dr Wendt (chemo dr) about it to get an opinion other than from a radiologist.  He said most likely and that yes radiologist would probably say it should be done.  He did say "to a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail!"  I told him that is what I thought and why I was curios what someone besides a radiologist would say. Time will tell.
Halloween was quiet for us this year.  Actually, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be too.  I have fourth chemo on Monday before Thanksgiving, so Bruce and Clark will do most of cooking!  Good way to get everyone involved. 
I have to say I am glad Pink-October is over.  Too much pink for me!
Not much else for now, my brain is foggy and I have more difficulty than normal remembering things!!
Thanks again for all the love, support and prayers.  We appreciate everything soooo much!
Sara ♥♥♥

Here's a link to something I found interesting:
http://www.thescarproject.org/
http://www.thescarproject.org/gallery/