The Run for the Cure

I am continuing to enjoy my food and gain energy so things are going well these days.  That is really all I have to report.

Onto the Run for the Cure.  Attached is a copy of the poster Abby created for the Lab at St. Paul's (minus the pretty picture, apparently my techy skills are still somewhat lacking!).  The poster includes a link and instructions for registering.
The run is on Sunday September 30th so please register to participate if you can, or you can donate as a supporter of the team from the same link.

Hey Lab Staff

Please join our Team for the CIBC Run for the Cure

Who:  Lab Staff plus family, friends…….anyone you invite to join us

What:  a 5K run/walk or 1K walk

Where:  Vancouver;  Concord Pacific Place, 88 Pacific Boulevard

When:  Sunday, September 30, 2012

Start Times:
7:30am - Final Registration and Donation Drop-off
9:00am - Opening Ceremonies
9:15am - Warm-Up
9:30am - Start of Run
10:30am - Awards Celebration
11:00am - Survivor Parade

Why: to further our vision of creating a future without breast cancer

Our Team = Sheryl’s Specimens

-last year we were the Labsters; this year we dedicate our team to Sheryl in support of her current fight against Breast Cancer

-Our Team Goal = to raise $1500 towards this great cause

-we’ve already reached almost 10% of that goal……and we only have one Team Member so far - LOL

-please join for a fun day with a worthwhile cause; this event goes a long ways to increasing the feelings of camaraderie amongst co-workers and is a great way to improve relations in the work place

PLEASE JOIN…………here’s how:

GO TO:   www.runforthecure.com

CLICK:   Registration and Locations

CLICK:   Vancouver

CLICK:   Join a Team

TYPE:   “Sheryl’s Specimens” in the box that says Team Name

CLICK:   Search for a Team

FIND our team in the list and

CLICK:  Join-----it is only $40 to Participate or No Fee if you commit to fundraise just $150----it’s easy

                               -----I posted on Facebook asking for Support and got $125 within 24 hours----EVERYONE knows SOMEONE who has been touched by this disease!   

The Corner is Turned

Or perhaps the light switch is flipped......really I am not quite sure how to describe it.

Friday was day 4 after chemo and, again, it was the worst day.  Total exhaustion then the bone pain started again in the late afternoon in my jaw. Such an annoying sensation, it is sort of like the pressure feeling of a sinus headache but in the bone. My jaw almost feels swollen and the bone will explode outward. So unpleasant.
So, Friday ended with an unhappy face and total exhaustion. Yippee.

Then Saturday morning it was like I was in a whole new body. My face was still uncomfortable but the overwhelming fatigue was gone. It no longer took effort just to smile.
It's no wonder you have to go into chemo with a positive attitude. It is fact that it takes more effort to frown than smile. Considering how tiring it has been to smile this week there is just no hope in having the energy to frown!

Breakfast was buttermilk pancakes. Yes, they are one of my favorite foods. I am glad the cancer agency has them on the list of suggested foods for chemo patients.

In the afternoon I finally ventured outside for the first time since Tuesday. Such an exciting experience:)
Ian coated my head in sunscreen since the sun was out. Hopefully the blinding white will fade a bit soon.
In general, I started feeling like a human again.
I was a little concerned about how I would cope with the second round and overall I would say that it was better than the first round. It does seem to be true that the devil you know is a little easier to deal with.

Especially the bone pain.  When it started happening the first time it was kind of scary.  First off just the feel of bones that want to explode, but then I started wondering if there was something wrong.  Had I suddenly been overrun by mutantly aggressive cancer cells?  Were the chemo drugs eating my bone from the inside out?  And, most importantly, could my face really explode????
And after a few days it went away.  No visible consequences.  Whew.

Saturday ended with me in a partial human state and an uncomfortable face.  That I can handle.  The bone pain did wake me up in the middle of the night.  My face was better but the exploding bone feeling was in force from the knees down in both legs.  Almost as uncomfortable as the face.  Fortunately chemo keeps me tired enough that I can fall back to sleep pretty easily.  When I woke up a few hours later there was just a hint of discomfort in my legs and my face and that was it.

This being Sunday things have continued to improve.  The bone pain is gone now (2 days sooner than the first time.  That it definitely an improvement!) and I am able to stand up for a few minutes at a time without wanting to vomit or requiring a half hour nap to recover.  That is real progress.

And one last item of note, my appreciation goes out to Abby who has a registered a team in my name for the CIBC Run for the Cure in Vancouver.  The team name is Sheryl's Specimens so please sign up to participate if you are able.  The run is scheduled for the end of September  and I will post more details (and maybe even a link if can get my techy skills back online) soon.

The Chemo Daze

On Tuesday morning Ian packed up me, the pets, and all of my favorite post chemo foods into the car and brought us all to Pender Island for a two week period of relaxation with my parents. That means 3 people to fetch and carry for me.
As a result I have actually found the exhaustion not quite as bad as the first round. I think it helps that the only things I have had to do for the last 3 days are move from the bed to the couch, eat, and go to the bathroom. Not a bad way to recuperate!
I have stuck with all the bland foods - saltines, arrowroots, hard boiled eggs, angel food cake (my mom is looking after me so there have to be a few baked goods!). Plus some blueberries and grapes.

It is nice having a change of scenery even if I haven't made it outside yet.  Below is my view looking over Navy Channel to Mayne Island.  I really can't complain!

Everyone is a having a good time while I lie on the couch.  Ian has caught a fish and Orchid is rapidly piling up the mice count.  Jasper is just happy to be roaming free off leash.

My taste buds have faded again and my sense of smell is in overdrive.  Very frustrating.  I am hopeful that this round will be similar to the last round and my taste buds will start to return on Saturday.  In the mean time I will continue to enjoy my hard boiled eggs without any salt or pepper.

Chemo Round 2

Yay! My neutrophil count was high enough so I got to have my chemo.  Huh, those are words I never thought I would be so excited over.
And before you ask, no, I didn't ask what the count  was.  I was so glad I could have my treatment that I didn't care what the actual number was.

As my treatment was in the afternoon this time there were a lot more patients around.  I was in a room with four chairs but unfortunately not the same nice view as last time.  At least there was a window.  I was the youngest of the 4 of us by at least 20 years though which is a bit of a weird feeling.  I had seen that in other blogs from young cancer patients so I was kind of expecting it but it was still weird.

It was the same routine as last time, I took my pills then I got my IV put in.  Then it was time for patient identification of the name on the drug bags.  One thing I will say, everyone I have dealt with at the cancer agency is good about confirming patient identification.

My nurse had to manually inject the toxic red drug and then the second was run automatically.  Again, no wasabi nose but I did start to feel a little tickle.  The tickle was not a big deal but it lasted for a little while after I got home so next time I will ask to have the drug run for longer so it shouldn't be a problem.

Now, I am home, I've had dinner, I'm working on my 3rd bottle of water, and I can feel the daze coming on.

And for your final entertainment, here are a couple of photos of my blindingly white scalp:)

Velcro Head

I don't know how guys with really short hair can stand it, 3 days of 1/4 inch long hair and I was ready to go crazy.  My head stuck to everything!!  It truly was velcro.
I put on a shirt and the shirt stuck to my head.  I dry my head after a shower and I had towel fuzz.  Go within 5 feet of the dog and I looked like a redhead.  Not fun.
But that's okay, this morning it truly started falling out in chunks so Ian shaved me the rest of the way.
Now if only it was sunny so I could try and make my head not quite so deathly white!  After all my scalp has not seen the sun since some time in 1976.

The other big excitement in my life was my blood work and my visit to my oncologist on Friday.  Turns out my neutrophil (for all the non lab techs out there, that is one type of white blood cell and it is very important for fighting bacterial infections and is knocked out by chemo) count was 0.7.  For chemo I need it at 1.  So, as I am busy willing my neuts to go higher I have also broken down and invested in wheatgrass juice which supposedly can help.
Grossest. Stuff. Ever.
The things I do because I have cancer.

I also got my PET scan results.  If you have been having a good day just stop reading now as it was not the best news.  Not surprising news but not good news.

Hair Yesterday, Gone Today

Poor Jasper caught his first wasp today.

Note the swollen left lip.  Fortunately he is not allergic so he is still alive and the swelling has gone down.  He did have to thoroughly inspect the patio area where he was so violently attacked by the nasty wasp when he next ventured outside.  No more wasps so he could stay.

And I am now bald.  I started getting a scalp-ache last night and when I woke up this morning there was a lot more hair on the pillow.  And the shower was interesting.  I figured it was time to just take it off before my hair started looking patchy.  Even cancer patients don't need patchy hair, that is just cruel.

Trusty Keetah, my fabulous hairdresser and friend, was coming over for a visit so it was perfect timing:)
Turns out I don't have any random scars that I don't remember getting.

It is definitely cooler not having hair.  But kind of weird.

About the PET scan, I brought music for the initial lying down part but there was no music during the scan itself, just the clunking of the bed as it moves around.  Although it didn't clunk as much as the bone scan bed, that one scared the tech a bit.
And no emergency button.
It is pretty much the same type of machine as for a CT scan so the tube you go in is only about 2 feet wide so you can see at least part of the outside world the whole time.  That probably helps limit the clautrophobia.

The reason for the test is that I had a couple of spots on my CT scan and my bone scan that are "suspicious".  One is on my pelvis and one is on my T5 vertebra.  Due to the locations neither spot can be biopsied thus the PET scan.
Bone involvement is bad since that would move me into stage 4.  And even badder, that is not curable territory.  That would also potentially change my treatment but I have to wait for my oncology appointment tomorrow to learn more about that.

I also get my pre-chemo bloodwork done tomorrow.  I am curious to find out what my white count is.  I think that it is probably close to normal right now but we shall see!

Whitecaps Game.......no, wait, a PET Scan

Yay! I'm radioactive, again.  At some point I may start to glow in the dark.

I was supposed to go the Whitecaps game.  Instead I was booked for a PET scan.  That's also known as Positron Emission Tomography.  Yet another exciting full body scan.  First, no exercise for 24 hours.....that's okay, all I can do is walk anyway.  Then I had to fast for 6 hours before the test.  For the last 3 weeks I have been in small meal every 2-3 hour mode.....that part sucked.  Then I had to drink lots of water.  Oh well, I am doing that anyway so no biggie.

The test was at the cancer clinic.  I had to fill out a form about previous surgeries, any allergies, any medications.  Really, I should just take a form and photocopy it 80 times, it would save me from hand cramp.  I also had to sign a release form, PET scans are still classified as "experimental".  They have been in Canada for over 6 years but we don't want to rush anything.

I had an IV inserted then a radioactive glucose solution was injected.  Then I had to lie down for an hour, the tech was nice enough to dim the lights.  PET scan - most boring test ever.  Then it was off to the scanner, I'm not totally sure but I think it was Siemens again.  The scans took about half an hour of lying down with my hands over my head without moving.  Yes, my arms did fall asleep just before the scan was finished.  My hands started to slip right at the end and then there was a little beeping noise from the machine.  I thought they might have to rescan the end bit, since it was my hands, but the beep was just the signal it was all over.  Thank goodness.

Now I just have to get myself psyched up for my next treatment on Monday.  I picked up a prescription and now I need to finish my post chemo shopping list.  Lots of saltines, lots of arrowroots, some soda water, some eggs.  All sorts of exciting things.  I can't wait!

One more side effect

Or maybe 2.  The one that I forgot to mention, yet absolutely drove me crazy for almost a week after chemo was The Smell.  I don't know what is was and Ian swears he couldn't smell it.  It was awful and I was sure it was coming out of my pores.  I think it was the smell of dead cancer cells, or it might just have been the mucous membranes of my nose going haywire.

I did a normal person activity yesterday and tagged along while Ian and Nick went fishing.  Or at least tried to go fishing.  It was beautiful in the marina but on the way out it was not so calm.  We were planning to head over to the mouth of the Capilano River but by the time we were close to the north shore there were 3 foot rolling waves and it was not so fun.  My equilibrium is not quite as steady these days so before we even had both rods in the water I requested we turn around.  It really was not the best fishing weather.

Back at the marina, it was beautiful and calm again so we sat out and enjoyed the sun.

And the scenery is always pleasant.

I paid for all that activity today though.  I needed several hours of extra sleep to recover.  But at least I finally made it out on the boat:)

My Meds, My Side Effects

I had my first unescorted outing yesterday.  Granted, it was to a hospital which is pretty safe!  It was lovely to see my old co-workers and go on a coffee date.  Yay!!

Today was uneventful but I finally have the energy to do a little baking.  I am currently waiting for the banana bread to come out of the oven. Yum.

So, one of the reasons I started this blog, aside from the reason that it was an easy way to keep people up to date on my progress was for future cancer patients to read a little bit about my experience as they get ready for their own experience.  I found that as I was preparing for my first chemo date reading about other people's experiences was very helpful and there were lots of little tips and suggestions.  Just a warning, the rest of this post is going to be lots of detail about my meds and the gory in depth details of my side effects so far so if you stop here I totally understand.

In preparation for chemo, the first thing I did was trip off to the local pharmacy with my fistful of prescriptions.  My actual prescriptions were:

The New Normal

Yesterday I was feeling particularly adventurous and went out for a splendid stroll along the Seawall with Mom.  For the last couple of days I have been feeling so normal I thought I walk would be good.
Turns out there is definitely a new definition of normal in my world.
We walked for about 1 km each way.  I'm sure you're all thinking "hey, that's not bad" and really it isn't bad until you add in the 15 (or maybe 20 or 30) minute rest on a bench part way.  The 20 minute rest at the end.  The 20 minute rest part way back and the final sitting down on the couch and not moving for while once home again.
Just to put that all in perspective, while working at St. Paul's I walked to and from work each day.  It was about 2.5 km each way and on a bad day it took me 30 minutes.  And it was uphill both ways too!!  Or at least slightly uphill on the way in to work:)
I am sure my energy will continue to improve over the next week until my next treatment but it is just to  odd to see just how totally chemo can affect your world.  Only 22 1/2 weeks to go!

On a more cheery note I want to send out a general thank you to everyone for all their thoughts and prayers and emails and texts as I have started this cancer adventure.  All your positive thoughts are greatly appreciated:)

On the all important food front my taste buds seem to have bounced back pretty well so everything is back on the menu.  Except mojitos.  I had a couple sips of Ian's mojito on Monday and I was totally loopy.  I think the alcohol will be in small doses if any for the next while.  Oh well, it sure makes the bar bill cheaper.

Oh, my tingly scalp.....

I suspect the tingling may be the death throes of my hair follicles. I haven't seen any real sign yet that my hair is falling out but it will probably be soon.

My energy level continues to improve and my appetite seems to have returned to normal. I am longer craving endless piles of simple carbs and everything I have eaten today has tasted normal.
Laura, regarding your question about the McDonald's cheeseburger, it was a very good thing it tasted just the way I thought it should. It meant my taste buds were working:)

Mom and Dad have come for a visit. Yeah, that means someone to take me outside during the day. I sure hope the weather stays sunny!

Peanut butter is yummy

I am happy to report that peanut butter is once again one of my favorite foods.

This blog post had a fairly endless list of possible titles as it has been a rather action packed long weekend, but a peanut butter tasting was the most recent thing so it wins.
It turns out my feeling of normalcy kept increasing on Saturday to the point I needed a McDonald's cheeseburger for dinner. I haven't actually eaten at McDonald's for a year and a half but I saw a commercial while watching the Olympics and I could just taste that cheeseburger so much I wanted to see if it was still the same.  It was. And so were the fries.
Oh yeah, and they recommend avoiding fatty foods during chemo due to the increased chance of heartburn. My heart didn't burn so no problem.
Around 7 pm I suddenly felt downright energetic. I made it up and down the stairs several times and even stayed on my feet for about 5 minutes straight without any tired feelings. Not bad!

Blueberry Pancakes & Bacon!!!

So, it turns out I lost a couple more days of my life. Thursday was a total write off; so was Friday. I appreciated the short visit from Laura on Friday afternoon but it turns out 10 minutes is the max I can currently sit unsupported. My infusion nurse had warned me day 4 after chemo would be one of the worst but I didn't think I would be that exhausted!
I have done my share of double shifts and too many shifts in a row and it was nothing like I felt on Friday. Walking upstairs required a half hour nap to recover.
And now it is Saturday. I woke up and the first thing I thought was "huh, I feel almost.......normal". I still don't have the energy to sit upright unsupported but my body feels weirdly normal.
And that is fabulous because all week I have been picturing pancakes for breakfast!!!!! And a little bacon:)
I managed to stay up for 2 pancakes and a piece of bacon.  Yum.

It's funny because I had actually thought about changing the name of my blog to "chemo - cruel and inhumane punishment for foodies" after this week but now I think my taste buds may return some day.
The horror all started on Wednesday when I ate a piece of Gouda and it tasted awful (I know, Craig, what could be worse than bad tasting Gouda!). Then on Thursday I tried some peanut butter and jam. And I am talking thick layers of peanut butter and jam and nothing. No flavor at all. Wow.
Sadly, Arrowroots and saltines became my new favorite foods. And cold food. You know you're in trouble when a cold hard boiled egg without salt or pepper is one of the tastiest things you eat. The grilled chicken on Friday night was good, but I think I now know what heartburn is:) that's ok, I have pills for that now too. Poor me who wouldn't take pills for a headache will pop anything now. I suppose there aren't too many things I could take now that are actually more toxic than chemo drugs so that is my excuse.

Back to this morning and this feeling of normalcy. I still can't quite believe it. I decided to go back to bed to not jinx it but pretty soon I have to get up and have another pancake.

Have a fabulous sunny and safe long weekend everyone:D

2 Days Post Chemo

Not a lot to report.  Apparently Wednesday happened.  I missed most of it.