Monday, August 29, 2011 - Port Removal/Replacement Day

Today's Transportation and Support Provided by Mike and Nana Barb

Today's procedure went off without a hitch. Dr. McC. successfully removed my defunct old port but was not able to replace it. I knew going into today that this was a possibility. Starting this Thursday I will have treatment (Taxol and Carboplatin) weekly delivered via IV.

Below is a photo of a Intraperitoneal Port (IP). This is what I had removed from my cavity. I must say that some of the discomfort that I had been feeling from the day of surgery is now gone. I won't miss that burning sensation. Like my friend Janice said...my body didn't like that port from the get go.

August 25, 2011 - A New Day...A New Port?

Today's chemo-sabe and transportation provided by Muk (aka Sharon)

No treatment today as my port is non-functional. After discussing all of my options, and non-options with Dr. McC. outpatient surgery is scheduled for Monday to remove my de-funked port and hopefully replace it. Even with all of the challenges and discomfort associated with my port I am wanting it replaced as it increases my odds for non-reoccurrence. Now this is where you say...but there isn't going to be a reoccurrence Cindy. And I say "damn straight there isn't...because this girl is already cancer free and is going to stay that way."

August 24, 2011 - Rinse, Lather, Repeat

The day started out OK...tummy and bowels under control. Not feeling great but it could be worse (did I really say that?). Fluid still harboring in my tissue and hurting like hell, exhausted, sleeping, sleeping, sleeping...then the unmistakable sounds of my intestinal track rebelling. Really? Are you serious? Give me a break! By 7:00pm all hell had broke loose again and it was an encore performance of Tuesday night.    

August 23, 2011 - Too Much Information

Warning! Graphic Material Ahead

As if is wasn't bad enough that I am still reeling in discomfort from all of the treatment cocktail that is still in the tissue of my skin from Thursdays (08-18) treatment attempt...I was up all night with diarrhea and vomiting. And when I say all night, I mean all night. Uncontrollable, lousy, make me wanna lay on the floor in the bathroom, I am fricking exhausted, someone stop the bus because I want off diarrhea and then some little voice said "oh yeah, let's have her barf a couple of times too."

Tuesday night you spew from both ends like Krakatoe, East of Java...on Wednesday you get to spend the day at the treatment center receiving bags of IV fluids. I was so green when I walked in I think I scared the nurses. Let's be real, I scared myself. 

August 22, 2011 - Imagery @ Providence

8:15am appointment at Providence to have dye shot into my port to determine what the issue is after last Thursday's mishap. And clearly...there is an issue. My personal cocktail that should have been delivered to my tummy cavity is still laying within the layers of my tissue and to be honest...hurts like a mo-fo.

After some minor adjustments (OK...so I waited so long they took pity on me and gave me a $5.00 coupon for "Patient Use Only" in the cafeteria or coffee shop) at the hospital (they were expecting an external port, I have an internal port...which for some reason changed the players) we began. To make a long story short, my port is toast. Those were the imagery doctors exact words. The dye is going into the port, but not traveling through the surgical hose into my cavity. It was interesting to actually be able to see the port and hose on the image screen in diagnostics. My body amazes me.

I have a follow up appointment with Dr. Mc.C. on Thursday to discuss where we go from here since treatment in my port is no longer an option.  

August 18, 2011 - Treatment #5

Today's chemo-sabe and transportation provided by: Muk (aka Sharon)

Today is the start of a new round so it is a full day at NWCS. Labs, a visit with doctor McCormick and dual treatment. Taxol in the IV and Cisplatin in my IP. First up labs. Let me tell you, the ladies that run the lab...efficient and fabulous each and every time. Next up Dr. McCormick. I am a litle off my game today as yesterday I was plagued (such an appropriate word) with 18 hours of diarrhea and vomiting...oh joy. By the time I see Dr. McCormick she already has the resuts of my blod work. My white blood cell count is borderline but we are going to move forward with treatment today but, she has prepared me for the possibility of no treatment next week if my white blood cell count continues to drop. I have a sneaking feeling that she knows it will be too low next week to administer.

Sharon and I head upstairs to Infusion Suite #1 which I have decided the fung-shui is off. I much prefer Infusion Suite #2. Just a feeling...but isn't that what the fung is all about? I accredit these feelings to my friend Janice (aka the Queen and Flower Fairy). Not only has Janice taught me about banking and cancer, apparently some of her fung-shui skills have rubbed off on me well...grin. A girls gotta be comfortable with her surroundings...no? My IV is up and running with the usual goodies...saline solution, benadryl, steroids and Taxol. Next up...saline solution (I even get extra because I am dehydrated)and Cisplatin in my IP. By this time I am running on fumes. Diarrhea, vomiting and 5 hours sleep is not a good day to have prior to a treatment day. They access my port, I lay down because I am so tired, Sharon is attempting to have a conversation with me and all I can feel are my eyes rolling back in my head. I woke up a few hours later when my nurse came in to check my drips. It was then that I noticed my side was wet, the bed was wet, and that I had a lump the size of a child's football cut in half over my port. Clearly the fluids that should have been going into my body cavity were building up under my skin. My nurse stops the IP, checks my 19 gauge needle (can you say big needle?) feels that it is positioned correctly, starts it up again and I start to burn. A burning sensation is a bad sensation and treatment is aborted for the day. At Dr. McCormick's orders I report to Providence Hospital on Monday morning for some imagery. They will access my port (fingers crossed), inject dye into it, and then do some imagery to determine if it is clogged, pinched, detached, missing (just kidding on the missing part), etc. Then back to see Dr. McCormick on Thursday for the results. Oh, I almost forgot...I also had a large injection of morphine to control the pain (this nurse was taking no prisoners) I was having and, we discovered that I have a yeast infection in my throat and possibly down into my esophagus. As a reward I get to swish and swallow a medication that tastes like my Grandmother's closet smelled. Two words...moth balls!

What is Hip?

Sunday - August 14, 2011

In an attempt to be hip, I decided to dye what hair I have left red. I have always wanted to know what I would look like as a red head and thought "what the hell, it's falling out anyway." Unfortunately, things didn't go as I had visioned. Basically my hair turned orange. And when I say orange, I mean orange. I look like the female, chemo treated version of Bozo the Clown (for those of you who might not know who Bozo is please see the image below). I am off to the store tomorrow to purchase some brown dye to cover it up. What's the worst that could happen?

Speaking of hair...I have noticed that the hair on my legs is almost gone. Skintimate (shaving cream) and Schick (razor) will not be happy. Tee-hee. The peach-fuzz on my face in thinning as well as hair in other places (grin). By the time I am done with treatment I could look like Kat Von D's cat (see image below) except I have blue eyes. Smiling...

August 4th - Treatment #4

Today's chemo-sabe and transportation powered by: Shelley (aka Michelle)

Having had an ugly week I was a bit apprehensive about today's treatment. My stomach cavity is still tender and basically my body is just pissed. Sorry my friend, just stay focused on November and this will all be behind us (me talking to my tummy).

Shelley and I arrive at NWCS. Blood work...check, vitals...check (blood pressure up, pulse up...told you she was pissed). Next stop the Infusion Suite...second floor please.

IV in...check, IP (port in my side) successfully accessed...let the fluids begin. About 90 minutes into treatment I started having the same symptoms (pain in my right side, up through my torso and into the depths of my right shoulder) I had all last week, but much more intense. I know you are probably thinking...how intense? Nothing that eight doses of morphine couldn't take care of. Seriously. I requested pain meds, waited 20 minutes (now I know that there is protocol, but I was wrenching. And did I mention my pain threshold? High, high, high) and then asked Michelle to get the nurse and tell her that I needed something immediately, or, they needed to stop the IP. Michele quickly stood up, looked me the eyes and said...if I need to pull a Shirley McClain from Terms of Endearment I will. Going mach four with her hair on fire she was gone. Within seconds my nurse was there with two vials. She had gone downstairs to have a face to face with my doctor to discuss my pain (bless you "Nurse C"). First dose of morphine...nothing. Second dose...nothing. Now we have to wait 15 minutes. Doses three and four were offer and accepted simultaneously. And then...I needed to hit the ladies room. Funny thing when I stood up, I actually started to feel some relief. After being up and walking I had brought my pain level from a 4.5 to about a 3. Ahhhhhh. Unfortunately within about 30 minutes I could feel my pain level creeping back up. My nurse and doctor believe that because I have such a high pain threshold that when I verbalized it by their pain chart of 0 to 5, and tell them I am at a 3 or 4...I'm really a 6 or 7. My nurse gave me two more doses of morphine and said she was going to go back downstairs to talk with my doctor again to make arrangements to send something home with me stronger than my 600 ml Ibuprofen and Percocet since that clearly wasn't going to touch it. She also offered me two more doses of morphine just before I leave for the day to keep me comfortable. Yes please!

When Shelley and I went downstairs to leave for the day my doctor had left a script for Dilaudid. Michelle said well, that should do the trick since Dilaudid is a drug used for epidurals during childbirth. My thoughts...Perfect!

Although I only slept three hours last night...which isn't unusual for the night of treatment (steroids)I have been pain free. Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus!

July 28, 2011 - Treatment #3

Today's chemo-sabe and transportation partner powered by: Mike (aka my big bro)

Thursday's treatment session was pretty uneventful. It was what followed that I wasn't prepared for. Side effects...front and center. I knew that things would intensify as I moved forward in treatment. I just didn't expect to be shot forward like a scene from a Star Trek episode. Historically my bumpy days have been days four, five and six. This week I started feeling the effects on the day following treatment and they haven't let up. And rather than those days being bumpy, I would say it has been more like being on a carnival ride when you have had too much sun and cotton candy...then add a fair amount of pain. I phoned the triage nurse on Monday after a few days of Percocet and anti-nausea meds. After the standard questions...are you eating, drinking, pooping, running a fever? Yes, yes, yes, no. I was told I had two options. Go to the emergency room or set an appointment to see my doctor on Wednesday at the Vancouver Clinic (my doctor rotates between three clinics in addition to her surgical days). I don't think the emergency room would have really done anything for me other than what I am already doing for myself so I opted to fight like a girl and push through until I can see Dr. McC. on Wednesday. I know, a number of you are probably thinking damn girl, you should have gone to the emergency room...but, I also needed to weigh if I wanted to be exposed to all the potential illnesses I could/would come in contact with. Nada.