Peritoneal Cancer Journey Phase XIXI
Wow, my 21st post… Where does the time go, it certainly does not wait for
anyone does it?
My next appointment is August 22nd, and I really
feel the last month’s treatment… It
has been one thing after another.
Hopefully we will get some much welcome good news… 1st thing in the morning I
had a comparison CAT scan without contrast. That is very welcome as no Barium drink… When I verified that I have an 8am
appointment with the radiology company, they mistakenly said it was with
contrast. That participated a
conversation that yeah, that’s not what I understood it to be, they went and
checked, and phew my mind is not totally gone. <smile> A comparison CAT Scan with NO
Contrast… yippee… Oh the simple things in life make me
happy <laughing>. So bright
and early we arrived for the CAT Scan without contrast... Then pop over next door to see the
Doctor and get an update to where I am…
There is good news today, my CA-125 dropped to 3300… Yeah… My platelets are at 107,000, not as high as I would of
liked, my Hemoglobin is 7.8 yes I could have guessed that. Can feel when I am below 8 which is
quite often on carbo… The
comparison CAT Scan shows the fluid in my abdomen resolving, BIG RELIEF, I’m
thinking…. Overall VERY GOOD
News… My doctor is recommending we
switch my regimen now, I agree...
He is recommending that I go to a weekly regimen on a Taxane drug given
as a single agent. He first said Taxol,
which I quickly said; I don’t think so as I am allergic to that drug. He looked at me and asked what was my
reaction. So I refreshed his
memory my March, 2010 reaction with the Taxol being introduced 3 times. With each introduction the reaction
became more pronounced or severe, however you want to look at it. He thought for a moment and said, we
introduced the drug 3 times, I said yep, and then we went with Taxotere… He said it would be Taxotere then. The nurse asked about Abraxane. The Doctor asked about if there were
any studies of its use as a single agent.
Donna was not sure. Lynn’s niece
Jess mentioned Abraxane as it is similar to Taxol, except instead of being in a
fat base solution it is in one that the body more readily accepts. The cancer cells supposedly interprets
what covers this agent as a sugar and the thought is, because the cancer cell
thinks it’s a sugar it absorbs it easier and once absorb it kills the
cell. Interesting approach… For me we do believe my reaction to
Taxol is the liquid it is mixed with, which is the main reason for the
reaction, not the drug itself. I
am able to take Taxotere fine… So
my one infusion nurse said they will be investigating Abraxane over the next
week. On Wednesday I will start
the weekly chemo regimen on Taxotere.
My doctor seems to want to keep me on some type of combo with a platin
drug. We all talked about it. I feel and said to my doctor that my
body needs a break from the platin drugs.
They are taking their toll, especially the Carbo on my red cells… My red cells need to come back, I am
getting blood transfusions very regularly now and I would feel better if my
morrow were generating enough by itself.
The downside to the Taxane family of drugs is I will lose my hair
again. It’s not terrible, it is
hard seeing your hair fall out. I
am so attached to it <smile>.
This too shall pass… Well I
guess I will be back to the head wraps and I can get that Henna done on my bald
head, that will be different and I think fun, since there is not choice here, I
shall make the best of it… A close
friend sent an article about an artist in Toronto who does natural hennas on
bald cancer patient’s heads. It
looks really cool and I thought what fun…
So the decision is reached that I will be on a single agent for now and
we will monitor how it is going.
We can always change if things indicate it… When we were talking with my sisters about the henna my one
sister said you can get a henna done for the Christmas Holidays, well that
resulted in quite the laughter in that I envisioned Santa and his slay with Reindeers
flying around my bald head, now that is a vision… <laughing>
Before my new regimen begins I need another blood
transfusion as my numbers are still on the low side. So I will go have that done on Friday. I will stop at the hospital on my way
home to be cross and typed… I am
very happy to be getting a break from Carboplatin. My blood needs a break and opportunity to regenerate a bit
by itself. So Friday morning I
arrive for my transfusion. I had a
hard time finding the clinic for my blood transfusion. This is the first time I am at the new
center at a different hospital.
The drive was not bad, all thruway. But the directions to the center were confusion and it took
me a bit to find it. When I
finally arrived I was a few minutes late, that wasn’t too bad. I recognized quite a few faces today;
many were there when I had my last transfusion. The new space seems nice, though the reception area is cut
off from where we sit so there is not much activity to watch. I sleep after they give me a Benadryl
anyway so the only thing I see are the inside of my eye lids... The nurse commented we only give you a pill,
you much be a light weight…
<laughing> I am when it comes to drugs… Doesn’t take much to knock me out… When I awoke it is lunchtime. My transfusion is moving right along, just like they usually
do so I will be done by 1:30ish that’s cool. When one of the other patients was leaving they were
commenting how when their hemoglobin drops into the 8’s they really need a
transfusion and feel so much better after it. I was chuckling to myself because if I am above 8, I
generally don’t get transfused, I feel okay. I’m thinking I’m hoping to be in the 8’s after this
transfusion… <smiling>
Well Wednesday is here and I am ready to begin my new regimen… It will only take about 1 and ½ to 2
hours total for the transfusion, so I am thinking I will be able to go to work
after this… That will help pass
the time… The infusion of Taxotere
is uneventful, as always there is chit chatting with other patients… One woman asked if I would lose my
hair, I smiled and said yes I will.
Second time around, she looked really sad for me, I smiled again and
said this time I am going to get a henna tattoo on my bald head to have
something different and fun to do… That there is an artist in Toronto that will do this with a
natural henna so when I am bald we will schedule a trip to Toronto to have it
done, catch a show and what not…
That will be fun… My blood
counts are really good… Hopefully
they will stay good during this regimen and my CA-125 will drop regularly, that
would be very welcomed…
