Meant to post this earlier. Finished #12!!!

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I’ll go in for tests on Thursday to determine next steps. 🤞🏻

Well I spoke too soon the other day about no more chemo. Non-emergency surgeries have been cancelled, so my surgery will be pushed off to mid-May. I’m disappointed because I was looking forward to moving onto the next step.

The only things I know for sure are:

-I’m going in tomorrow for chemo #12.

-I have a mammogram and ultrasound this Thursday.

Everything else is up in the air at this point. 🤷🏼‍♀️

It’s a little anticlimactic considering I didn’t know today would be the last treatment. Haha. And I’m a little nervous to get too excited because until we get all the tests back, nothing is 100% certain. But for this moment, I’m done with chemo, and things are looking good. 😀

Heading home! So tired.

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Well. It’s been quite a day and I haven’t even had chemo yet.

I was very nervous coming in today, knowing I’d be by myself.

Everybody coming into the building has to get screened. I was given a special name tag so that it’s clear I went through the checkpoints.

Talked with my oncologist. He is very pleased with my response to the chemo. He wants to tentatively move forward with surgery (subject to the results of my MRI, mammogram, and ultrasound that I have scheduled over the next week). Originally, I was going to have surgery at the end of April/early May. Because of COVID-19, surgeries in the second half of April are being cancelled/postponed. My doctor thinks surgeries in May could get pushed back as well. So he is scheduling my surgery for April 14 so that we can get this done.

Today is my 11th chemo infusion (over 12 weeks, since I couldn’t go last week). My dr feels comfortable skipping next week’s chemo so that my body will have a chance to recover a bit more by the 14th.

So today is my last day of chemo! 🥳

Maybe.

There is, of course, a chance this will not go according to plan. If the MRI, mammogram and ultrasound indicate that there are still cancerous cells, then the surgery will be put off and I’ll get 8 more weeks of chemo instead (a different kind of chemo, a more intensive kind – sounds really fun).

So cross your fingers, think good thoughts, pray, whatever you do – I’m really hoping the cancer is gone and we can be done with chemo and we can go forward with surgery on the 14th. 🤞🏻🙏🏻🤞🏻🙏🏻

👍🏻 I’m feeling a little better today! Maybe this cold is fiiiinally going away.

👍🏻 Since I didn’t have chemo on Monday, my stomach issues haven’t been as bad today as they usually are. I’ll take it!

👎🏻 I got an update from Dana Farber about visitors. Patients can no longer bring ANY visitors with them in for treatment. Which means next week Eric has to just drop me off and I’ll be alone while I’m getting chemo. 😕

I’m not happy about this. I understand it, of course. But selfishly I’m really kind of upset. Having Eric there was a huge source of strength for me. At least I’ve already got 10 sessions behind me and I know the routine. I feel bad for anyone out there just starting chemo who has to go by themselves for their first treatment. 😳

I feel like crap. So much so that I called Dana Farber to find out what they thought I should do.

Sounds like I probably just have a bad cold, not Covid-19. But either way my oncologist doesn’t want me to come in Monday for treatment. So we’re skipping a week of chemo so I can get better.

I’m exhausted. Physically, mentally, and emotionally drained.

But we have plenty of food. And plenty of toilet paper 🤣🧻.

So we’re hanging in there.

Looong day today, but here’s something that made me smile. Ellie started feeding herself yogurt and it’s just ridiculous.

How is everyone else?? Share in the comments something that made you smile today. 😊

Two to go!

Today was long because they were really behind schedule with chemo. Just leaving Boston now. The cold cap was really bothering me today too. But it’s done.

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There was no traffic driving into Boston today. Good because obviously nobody likes traffic, but also because hopefully it means many people really are staying home.

Dana Farber has made a lot of changes in the last week. Only one adult can accompany each patient. They put up plexiglass at the registration desk to separate the patients from the staff. They asked even more questions when I signed in (have I travelled out of the country, have I encountered anyone who is positive for covid19, do I have a cold or fever, etc.)

Since I do have a cold (again), they gave me a mask, and one for Eric, too. They had us sit in a different part of the waiting room.

Paula, my IV nurse, wore a mask, gloves, a plastic visor thing over her mask, and a gown. They were taking those precautions for anyone with cold symptoms.

On to the important stuff – they still had tater tots in the cafeteria! 😋 They did make a bunch of changes though. No self serve stations, limited items, more food items wrapped in plastic than usual.

I am glad to see that Dana Farber is really taking this seriously. 👍🏻

So my IV is in, waiting to see the doc now. Chemo starts at noon today. Today is the last time I will get all 3 meds (chemo plus 2 immunotherapy drugs).

Because cancer and chemo aren’t stressful enough, OF COURSE there’s a coronavirus pandemic. Wtf 2020.

Luckily my bloodwork has looked pretty good so although I’m a bit run down because of chemo, I’m not as immunocompromised as I could be. But I’m still being very cautious.

I’m really hoping people will be smart about this. Even if you think this is being blown out of proportion. Even if you think people are overreacting. Even if you think the closings and cancellations are unnecessary. Even if you’re young and healthy and think this is “just like the flu.”

Yes, for many people, getting COVID-19 wouldn’t be life threatening. But think about your parents and grandparents. Think about your friends with compromised immune systems. Think about people with underlying health conditions. And think about our health care system which can only test and treat so many people at once. Think about the doctors and nurses who are selflessly working and putting themselves at risk.

Please… Wash your hands often. Keep your distance. Cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze. Work from home if you can. Disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched (including your cell phones!) Wash your hands when you get home from being in public.

Do whatever you can to try to minimize the spread of this. ❤️