Category: Treatments

Number 10

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).

COVID-19

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. ❤️

Scalp cooling

I’ve been meaning to update about my hair and the scalp cooling process. You’ve probably seen in my pictures how I’m wearing a cold cap during chemo. It’s technically a scalp cooling system. Here is a pretty good overview if you’re interested in learning more: https://www.paxmanusa.com/patients/scalp-cooling-overview/

I’m glad I signed up for it. Emotionally I think it makes me feel better because I still have most of my hair. I think it makes me feel more like myself and more in control.

The scalp cooling is not fun though, for the record. I’m hooked up to a machine that keeps the cap very cold, which is uncomfortable, especially at the top of my forehead where the cap comes down over bare skin. They suggest wearing a headband and sometimes I put gauze up under the cap to help relieve pain on my forehead. I have to wear the cap 30 minutes before treatment, all during treatment, and 60 minutes after. The first few times it really bothered me, but I’m pretty used to it at this point.

My hair is definitely thinning a bit now, but if I wasn’t doing the scalp cooling I would have been completely bald after the first few treatments. It’s discouraging when lots of hair comes out in the shower or if Ellie pulls my hair and a clump comes out 🤦🏼‍♀️ but what can ya do. I’d say I still have about 80-90% of my hair, and if I part it carefully you can’t see where it’s thinning as much on top. Pretty successful! Hoping not too much more will come out in the last month of chemo. We’ll see.

Arm and leg hair is pretty much gone, but I still have my eyebrows and eyelashes for now! Not sure why, but I’ll take it. If the eyebrows go, which one of you is going to teach me how to fill them in with make up?? 😜

All in all, I’m glad I’m doing the scalp cooling. It’s relatively new for cancer care and I’m glad it was an option for me. 👍🏻

Sunday morning coffee

Love my new mug.. Thanks girls 💕

Been struggling this week, emotionally. I feel like all I do is go to chemo. Or recover from chemo. Or try to convince a certain 4 year old to do things he doesn’t want to do (ya know.. get dressed, eat things other than Mac n cheese, go pee.. I’m such a mean mom 🤷🏼‍♀️)

I’m so tired.

But I keep coming back to this quote my friend Karen sent me a while back.

Just need to refocus. 👍🏻

5 more weeks of chemo. Let the countdown begin!

Re-post

A bunch of people told me they didn’t see the second paragraph of my post from last night until someone else pointed it out and they went back and checked again. I think it’s because I posted just the first paragraph and then went back and edited it. I dunno exactly.

Anyway it’s worth reposting because it is such great news .. so here it is again if you missed it:

Oh and with all the craziness earlier, I forgot to mention the most exciting thing about today. The doctor did an exam and can no longer feel the tumor!!! (I can’t feel it anymore either). We won’t know for sure until the surgery exactly how the tumor responded, but this is a very, VERY good sign that the chemo is doing what it is supposed to be doing. 👏🏻🤞🏻🙂

Another one done!

Meant to update earlier – things got delayed a bit because of the flu test and X-ray, but all went pretty well after that. Just took a little longer than usual. So glad it’s done. ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅

Oh and with all the craziness earlier, I forgot to mention the most exciting thing about today. The doctor did an exam and can no longer feel the tumor!!! (I can’t feel it anymore either). We won’t know for sure until the surgery exactly how the tumor responded, but this is a very, VERY good sign that the chemo is doing what it is supposed to be doing. 👏🏻🤞🏻🙂