1/7/16 Phase 1 - So it Begins...Treatment - 12 weeks of Chemo (Week 1 / Day 1)

I had every intention of trying to get a good night's sleep for what I will begin to face - but how the hell do I do that?  I had a rough night, partly because of the chest port. It's so uncomfortable and painful!  I'm scared of what is to come as of this morning.  Today, begins my treatment!  On the one hand, I'm beyond excited because it means I start to do all the things that will help me hopefully beat this thing.  Yet, on the other hand, I'm beyond scared of what treatment will do to me.  I'm that person who doesn't take aspirin, I don't do medicine unless absolutely necessary.  I don't get sick - I can't picture myself getting sickly.  Well, here I am, ready to put all this poison into my body only to help me fight the other poison that is in there - the Big C...Cancer.

So, today begins 12 weeks of Chemotherapy along with 2 additional hormone blockers due to being triple positive.  I'll be getting Perjeta, Herceptin & Taxol.  Studies have shown that these three drugs together are aggressive treatment and very successful.  I'm trusting my Docs and praying a lot for this to be the case, please God, let this be the case.  My treatment plan for the breast cancer involves 12 weeks of chemo to try to shrink my 5cm tumor, then surgery which will include a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction, then 8 more weeks of chemo and finally, 6 weeks of radiation.  However, after than, because I also am positive for the BRCA1 gene, I will also have surgery to remove my ovaries and fallopian tubes, if not a full hysterectomy.  Nothing like taking out all your femininity right?  Female body parts, buh-bye!  If all goes well with no set backs along the way - I should be done at the end of November with treatment.  I should have no hair by early February.  I can't picture myself with no hair - can you picture my head of long thick hair all gone?  UGH!  One day, one week at a time.  I'm trying really hard to be emotionally and mentally strong.  I'm praying this medicine does it's job - shrinks my tumor and stops it from growing.   For this I pray......

This morning, everyone was on edge.  The girls gave me 2 separate envelopes with their own little notes for encouragement  - very different encouragement from each - both made me cry and laugh at the same time.

 

Scott was with me the whole time.  Dr. Browne and my nurse Leslie were AWESOME!  They took excellent care of me today.  It was a long ass day - got there at 8:30am - finished at 4pm.  As each medication went thru me - I just envisioned it killing these cancer cells. I didn't even take the anxiety drugs. I'm trying to not take anything more than what I have to take, as there are so many drugs going thru my body, I don't want to add anything else if not necessary - it's mind over matter!  I got thru the day, only one set back - had another allergic reaction to a drug from yesterday's surgery. I'm now also allergic to vancomycin, it's an antibiotic - add that to the list.  Other than that, I feel ok, just tired.  Taking it easy at home and resting. 

WEEK 1... DONE!  Take that CHEMO - BAMM!