CIBC Run for the Cure

Hi Everyone,
I thought I would let you know that annual CIBC Run for the Cure is being held on Sunday October 4th all over the country.  I unfortunately won't be participating this year since I'm having chemo the Thursday before but I wanted to let you know if you were interested in donating to the cause that I have a dear and close friend Linda who battled breast cancer about 5 years ago who is participating in the run.  She is a real inspiration and has been a wonderful friend to me since Grade 4. 
So if you were interested in donating this year and didn't know anyone that is participating Linda's link is below for you to be able to donate online. 

https://www.cibcrunforthecure.com/html/personal_page.asp?track=3598402&languageid=1

It's such a great event and I look forward to doing it next year.  Thanks for your support Linda and I will there in spirit with you this year!

Chemo #2 in the books

I'm home now from chemo #2, only 6 more to go. Even though the Herceptin will continue on after it will be feel so good to have the chemo done that's for sure.
It was a little easier going today since I knew what to expect. It took a little less than 2 hours so we were out of there by 3:00 pm. I found out today that Sept 30th is the date for me to get my port "installed". That's my term not a medical one:-) so my next chemo will be a bit stressful again. I had a different nurse this time but Judy my first nurse did stop over to say hello and offer up her support. I hope I am able to have her when I go in for my next chemo with the port.
I also picked up my neupogen prescription while I was there. For 7 shots the cost is $1450. Sunlife is covering that at 95% thank goodness. My Mom is here and is going to give me the shots for the first 3 days and teach John to do it for the next 4. I do have have to get extra blood work done though this week so my doctor can monitor my counts this time. Cross your fingers it works and I don't need the extra 3 shots!
So far so good. No nausea yet. The nurse did warn me that sometimes the side effects are cumulative so I might have a different experience this time. Right now I feel the same so I'm keeping the mind set that it will all be fine again.

I should of mentioned in my previous posts that I got the rest of my hair shaved off last week, and now have a wig. It actually went not too bad. I only cried for a few seconds before the hair dresser started. She turned me around away from the mirror when she was doing it and I had Sam with me so she really distracted me as well. My sister and Sam helped me pick out some head scaves and an extra wig. The wig I do have isn't bad so far. I've worn it for 4 to 5 hours at one time and I was able to tolerate it. Since the salon never shaves right down to the scalp (so not to cut me), I essentially have an itchy buzz cut. The rest of my hair is falling out all the time now. Sam doesn't seemed phased by my lack of hair at all. Matthew's friends too that stop by don't seem to care either when they see me with my head scarf on. I don't think I'll be walking around the neighborhood with my head scarves but I'm glad no one has made a big deal about it.
Take care everyone.

HER2 Positive

Today was another difficult day.  My results were back from the additional tests that were requested on my original biopsy.  I learned at my oncologist appointment today that I tested negative for the hormone receptors on my cancer cells but I am HER2+.  Not a big surprise I guess since I was kind of expecting it but I was hoping that maybe my luck might change at some point.  It was still pretty overwhelming listening to the doctor tell me about it.  At one point he stopped and said "Ok I'm going to stop now because I can see you aren't really absorbing what I'm telling you".  I said he was right, all I could think about was that this nightmare wasn't going to ever end and that I would have to be on Herceptin for a year.  I will also have to get a port inserted into my chest which I am less than excited about as well.  I'm told it will make my life easier for each treatment but I can't help but be a bit freaked out.  So I will start taking Herceptin with my last 4 chemo treatments and then it will continue on by itself for a whole year.  Herceptin isn't chemo so I won't have the same side effects.  My hair will continue to grow back and there won't be any nausea or vomiting so I'm told.  I will still have my surgery after my 8th chemo treatment as before.  One good thing was that I was negative for the hormone receptors so that means I won't need hormone therapy after my radiation treatments now.

Since my counts were so low when I was in the emergency last week my doctor also suggested that I start taking a drug called neulasta or neupegen.  They both help accelerate the recovery of neutrophil counts to reduce my risk of infection.  Neulasta is 1 shot per chemo cycle and Neupogen is 10 shots per cycle.  My doctor would like to put me on Neulasta but my wonderful drug plan with Sunlife won't cover it.  So I have to get the 10 shot Neupogen.  For someone who hates needles I'm definitely dreading it. 
I do have a little good news.  My tumor in my breast has shrunk.  My doctor was very happy with my progress after only 1 cycle and said I should be celebrating not focusing on the HER2.  I know he's right but it will just take me a few days to absorb it all.

Fever

Well it happened.  I developed a fever Thursday night.  So I headed to the emergency room at the General with John.  Thank goodness my wonderful sister was free and was able to come and watch the kids because it wasn't a quick visit as it never is in a hospital in Canada.  So thank you, thank you so much Cathy!! 
We left around 8pm and didn't get home until 3am.  My fever started to come down after a couple of hours of being there but when my blood work came back my white blood cell count was pretty low at 2.2 (a normal person not on chemo would be between 4.0 and 11.0). My neutrophils were especially low at 0.2 (a normal range is 2.0 to 7.0) which signaled there was something bad going on but I didn't have any other symptoms besides a sinus headache and the fever.  I was able to convince the medical oncologist resident around 1:30 am that I was feeling better.  She finally relented and sent me home with some antibiotics but not before she finally ordered a chest x-ray and the blood cultures that should have been started as soon as I got there.   Unfortunately it wasn't a pleasant visit.  I thought it would be fairly straight forward since I can't be the first chemo patient that has come into emergency room right?  I was not happy that I didn't get any antibiotics until almost 5 hours of being there too.  I couldn't believe that my history was taken 4 times during the night and that I had to see 3 different doctors by the end of it.  It's a bad enough when you have to wait for 1 doctor never mind 3.   I saw a resident on call, the emergency doctor and then the medical oncologist resident.  I've definitely learned my lesson, and now that I'm more informed I'll be ready to deal with the emergency staff the next time so that we don't end up wasting so much time.  Let's hope it doesn't happen again though.
I'm feeling better today.  My fever is gone and I took it pretty easy today not doing very much but lying on the couch.
Overall I think I may have overdone it this week.  I should of took it a bit easier the last few days knowing my counts would be at their lowest at this time.  I'll know for the next cycle. 
I hope everyone has a great long weekend!  I know I will.  My girlfriends Melanie, Tammy and LeeAnn have come to town to keep me company.  There will be lots of great food, wine and movies.  I'm so lucky to have such great friends to take care of me.  Thank you so much ladies!