A Month Off!

I went in for my regular Herceptin infusion yesterday and, first of all, got some good news! My white blood cell count has been hovering around 2.7 (lower than normal still) for months and in the last two weeks went up to 3.7! For about three weeks, I've been taking a new supplement specifically for this and it must be working. Apparently, now that radiation is over, which can hurt counts a little, the supplement (Astralagus) should really help. My neutrophil count also went from 1.7 to 2.8 so that's good news too. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that fights infection, so those are the two they especially keep an eye on. 

We made the plan for my next stretch of chemo. She was going to have me come back in three weeks for a skin check and if it was healed enough, I would start chemo that day. I asked if I could start in four weeks instead because A) It actually will work better with a few things we have scheduled and B) I'd rather have an extra week for my skin to heal. The description of what can happen -- basically the chemo causes the radiation "burn" to return from the inside out -- doesn't sound fun. 

SO, I'll start on April 20 and have it May 4, 18 and June 1. It will seem short, in some ways, since it's over the course of 6 weeks versus 18 like last time. The two drugs I'll be getting are Adriamycin and Cytoxan. Adriamycin is referred to as "the red devil" for reasons you can imagine. My nurse said, "Oh, with what you were on before... you'll be fine." I guess we'll see. Googling has turned up some pretty wicked accounts of what this particular combo can do. Adriamycin is especially hard on your heart, so I'll have a previously-scheduled echo on April 14 and they'll continue to monitor it. 

I'm going to go to acupuncture directly before each chemotherapy appointment this time so that should hopefully help with some of the side effects too. I continue to be grateful that it's half off for cancer patients. 

Once I'm done with the AC infusions, I'll resume my Herceptin infusions. I have four left. And the doc informed me yesterday that, according to a new study, a year of Perjata (one of my original four chemo drugs, which targets the HER2 aspect of my cancer) is showing positive results for reducing reoccurrence. While Perjata was pretty brutal the first time around, apparently when it's on its own most people have little to no symptoms, much like the Herceptin. She's getting the full low-down at a national conference in July, but says if the initial findings were true it's the best course of action. Of course, I hate that the finish line keeps getting pushed further and further away. I'm ready to get this port out of my chest and really feel like I'm moving forward. Now that looks like it will be in 2018 at best. BUT I want to do whatever I have to do to not have cancer again so if that means deal with it now, of course I will do that. 

That's the latest! My armpit turned around quickly over the weekend, just like the doctor said it would. My biggest issue right now is that, the day after I finished radiation, I removed a sticker they had on my chest to center to the machine. What a dummy. Of course it took with it several layers of my tissue-paper skin and I'm having one heck of a time getting it to heal. I've literally spent whole days this week sitting still, allowing it to have fresh air and heal only to have it then suddenly stick to my shirt and come off again. I can't think of anything else to do to keep it dry and get it to heal, so I'll just keep it up I guess. 

James had a great birthday and has decided she really likes them. She's pretty pumped to be three and we're pretty pumped to have a 3-year-old. Of course, she serenaded the family at her birthday party with some showtunes. You know it was a good party when, after everyone left, she said she was ready to take a nap!

I shouldn't have much to report for the next few weeks. I'll have a skin check at the radiologist next week and hopefully will get this wound healed. Headed to the plastic surgeon next week as well, to start to even things out. Going to try to take advantage of feeling pretty good and having a few weeks off from any type of treatment. I'm thinking of letting the girls decide what I should do with my hair before it falls out again. If James has any say, pink and/or purple may be in the mix, but hopefully Claire will do most of the designing. :) The possibilities are endless!