One Out of Two -- I'll Take It!

First order of business -- NO CHEMO PILL. She said she had them test every single slide from my surgery (apparently more than than 200, but she made them do it anyway) and the majority of my tumor WAS HER2 positive. This means the treatment we've been doing, and the extended Herceptin and Perjata infusions that specially target that, have been exactly what we needed so there's no need to take a chemo pill (which would have targeted cells that were not HER2 positive). 

That being said...I am going to continue with the Perjata infusions. Since the recommendation from the most recent study on it is 17 each of Herceptin and Perjata, that means I have 7 more. Originally they just recommended the Herceptin, which is why I've been taking it this whole time and had my last one yesterday. Since the study suggesting the Perjata didn't come out until a couple of months ago, I've only had 10 of those total. So that means seven more, every three weeks. My next one will be delayed one week because it should fall the day after my surgery. This will make my last fall on or about Feb. 2. Hopefully the side effects from the infusions will continue to be mild as they have been for the last few weeks. This also means, no port removal and the cancer-free clock doesn't begin just yet.

Because my body has taken quite a beating for the last 15 months I'm really weak and get winded and tired really easily. I try not to complain about it too much and I think it's probably hard to believe that I'm really THAT tired. Daniel and I went on a relatively brisk walk the other day and I made it about a block and a half before I had to kind of catch my breath and walk a little slower. On vacation we were walking around the bay with our friends and we fell pretty far behind -- I just couldn't keep up. I know I need to start doing more of this stuff to build up my stamina. My doctor also wants me to go to a physical therapist a few times so I can target where I'm weakest and come up with some ways to rebuild those areas specifically. Of course, taking into account the areas in which I'm in pain and my limited range of motion from surgery and radiation, etc.

I've been reading in a cancer group I'm in online about how severe the bone pain is for some who are on the Arimidex and fortunately that has not been a major problem for me. I get a little achy here and there, but it hasn't been to bad since that first week on the pills. We're going to try some new things to address the hot flashes and the lack of sleep, so fingers crossed that will work. 

I've started working part-time for my good friend Stephanie and I'm loving it. Both because I love her and what she is doing, but because it has made me feel so good in the last week mentally to accomplish specific tasks for someone else. Her website HERE explains beautifully everything she does. My first task is to help her complete and distribute her 2018 day planner, which will be published in time for Christmas. I'll be sure to share the information here when it's available so you can order one if you're interested. Then we'll move on to other projects she's got coming down the line. It's just a few hours a week and I can work from home if I'm having a rough day. We've always talked about working together and now we get to. 

That's about it! Looking forward to relaxing a bit over the course of the next week then will be gathering everything I need to do to prepare for surgery and being away from home for some time. The surgery will be at 8:30 a.m. so we'll need to get to the hospital at 6:30. It should last about three hours, give or take -- much shorter than last time. I'll spend the night again and be released on the 20th. It was so wonderful Wednesday when my plastic surgeon was saying to makes sure I do the laundry, etc. before surgery to say, "My husband does laundry!" It's so wonderful to be married to someone who is so involved in the house and the children that anytime I have to be in the hospital, etc., he can take over without skipping a beat. 

Hopefully I'll have figured out my domain thing by then so he can easily post an update after my surgery for anyone who's interested. Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

P.S. I'm zipping this update off quickly -- sorry for any typos! :)