Chemo Treatment #2

I have been so busy since my last treatment preparing for Hudson’s first birthday that I was too exhausted to write until now.

Before my treatment, I had to meet with my doctor.  She told me my white blood count was quite low (only 2.5) but that they would treat me anyway because they were going to begin giving me Neulasta shots.  I had heard bad things about these shots from a few friends who needed them so I was not too happy about it.  Neulasta is given 24 hours after chemo to help your body produce more white blood cells than it can naturally.  It is administered in the back of your arm just under the skin like a flu shot.  It only burns for a second because it is so cold.  There is only one major side effect, intense bone pain!  Thankfully, taking Claritin helps keep away the pain.  Doctors are still not really sure why it works, but they tell all patients to take it anyway.  It seemed to help me so I will surely take another over-the-counter drug to avoid pain.  What’s another pill added to my cocktail really going to do to me at this point?  Frank and I counted and there was a day that I actually had over 20 drugs in my system at one time! 

Getting Neulasta makes this process a little more of a headache.  Since the shot must be given 24 hours after treatment, I need someone to drive me to get it.  I usually feel foggy and easily get carsick the day after.  It also needs to be administered by the nurses at my hospital (which is an hour away) to be covered by insurance.  I found this out after spending many hours on the phone with my case manager at my insurance company.  She tried hard to get the shots to my primary doctor so that I could get them only a few minutes from my house.  The process was all figured out until I got another call saying I would owe over $4000 for just 3 shots (that is with insurance, without it would be over $20,000!), because I was asking my prescription plan to ship them to someone else or some ridiculous reason similar to that.  I will need about 12 of these shots, so if you do the math, that is over $16,000 that I would owe.  YEA RIGHT!  Who has that kind of money just sitting around?  So we found a solution that is half as good.  There is a sister hospital I can go to and they can give me the shot and it will be covered by my insurance.  So, I only have to drive a half hour and the shot will cost nothing.  I think that is a pretty good answer to the problem.   

UPDATE: I heard from the doctor's office today and my white blood count is 5.  That is right in the normal range.  The Neulasta shot worked!  The plan to get the shot 1/2 hour closer to home will not work this time.  There will not be a doctor available in the afternoon to administer the shot, boo.  That means I need to head down to Methodist, an hour away, just for one silly shot.  Totally annoying, but worth it if I feel better and my side effects are shorter lived.   

During the treatment (March 28) the worst part this time was the disgusting metallic taste in my mouth while they administered the Adriamycin.  The medicine can cause mouth sores, so patients suck on ice to cut down on that possibility.  The only problem was the ice tasted like frozen metal.  GROSS!  I tried to get creative and mask the taste by sucking on Jolly Ranchers while sucking on the ice too.  That sort of worked, but I ended up getting three little sores a week later, so it was not the best option.  Next time I am taking Rita’s with me and eating it throughout the duration of the drug.  That way I get a different taste and coldness in my mouth all at the same time.  I may end up hating that flavor of water ice for the rest of my life due my brain linking smell and taste to memories, good or bad, but oh well.  There are worse things that could happen.

          My treatment was shorter this time as well.  Instead of getting home after 5:00pm we were back home around 3:30pm.  That was partly due to the fact that I had my blood work done two days before treatment at a local Quest.  That meant my doctor already had the results in her computer and was able to order all my drugs from the pharmacy before I even showed up!  That cut out at least an hour of lag time.  I also did not need as much wait time between drugs because I did not have reactions to them so they could administer them closer together.  Plus, no lessons, because I am now a “pro.”

          The side effects were not nearly as bad this time either.  I felt relatively normal Thursday night into Friday night.  I did take Xanax to help me sleep which was a good choice.  Last time the steroids woke me up so much I was over-tired and weak.  This time I got at least 8 hours each night.  I did not have the sweats from the steroids either.  I did however have several days of heart palpitations.  YUCK!  I hate that feeling.  I had to take Xanax a few times during the day as well to calm me down.  I may have been a little stressed about Hudson’s party too. 

          Saturday night was the worst.  Around dinner time I felt the body aches starting like last time only this time they were MUCH worse.  The pain always starts right at the hairline on the back of my neck and slowly works its way down my body until it hits my knees.  I was in so much pain I could not get comfortable.  I couldn’t lay or sit.  I took Xanax to calm myself down because crying wasn’t going to help anything.  Once I fell asleep I woke up every half-hour to hour wincing in pain because I probably moved a little in my sleep.  By 6am I was so over lying in bed, that I gave up.  I ripped all my clothes off as in a fit of rage and stood in the shower for nearly 40 minutes!  It was the only relief I had felt since 5pm the night before.  By breakfast time the pain was tolerable and by dinner time Sunday night it was gone.  But those overnight hours were shitty!  Thank goodness it was only one night.  I could not spend a whole weekend like that.  I am praying it does not get worse next time.

          I did not get as weak this time around either.  I am hopeful that is due to the Neulasta shot but we will not know until they test my blood again next week.  Overall I bounced back much quicker this time.  I am getting stronger and have actually held and carried Hudson around a few times over the past week!  I was able to enjoy his birthday party and all our family and friends who came to celebrate with us.  With each passing day I get closer to feeling more like myself again.  That is encouraging to me.  It makes me feel like all of this crap is going to be worth it. 

The warmer weather also helps to lift my spirits.  I cannot wait to buy some pansies at Produce Junction and fill my pots.  This is the first spring in our new house and I am really looking forward to enjoying our new yard and neighborhood as a family.  Frank and I got Hudson a Radio Flyer wagon as his birthday present.  He went for his first ride Sunday after dinner.  He loved it.  We walked around the block last night and met one of our neighbors.  I am ready to move past this cancer and begin our new life.  I want to set down solid roots, meet new people and build new relationships.  I want Huddy to find friends near us and set up play dates.  I am moving on with my life so this cancer needs to get OUTTA HERE!