Chemotherapy begins...I am so grateful!
November 2, 2006 - This was truly a full day for me. I began by seeing my surgeon and getting my drainage tubes from my second surgery out to begin chemo today. I am relieved to have that behind me as I begin the next phase of recovery. Dr. Habal, my surgeon and his staff, have been so kind to me each week as I have recovered from the second surgery. They have cheered me on and yet helped me understand that patience with healing from surgery takes time. PATIENCE.....It is a word I have had to weave into my being over the past 8 weeks.
Dr. Habal has been a very kind and caring surgeon during my two surgeries. I have a great deal of respect for him. Dealing with breast cancer patients is his speciality and truly a gift for him. His compassion for his patients is felt sincerely. For me, he has been very reassuring as I have wandered the path of my two surgeries. He has been a guiding light in my next steps. I am grateful for his professionalism and expert care of me as a person, a patient and as a human being. To know he is cheering me on towards recovery has been so helpful! He is an exceptional surgeon!
I went on to the hospital for a PET Scan. This is a fanscinating test in which I was injected with radiation to highlight the glucose in my cells. It is a scan in which the actual cells are studied by seeing if glucose (highlighted from the radiation) goes to cells which might be duplicating into cancer cells. Sitting in a room for a hour in the dark prior to the scan to allow the radiation to flow into my body made me know that I was definitely glowing and radiating inside. In fact, after the scan, I was walked out a different entrance in the nuclear medicine department since I would have interferred with other machines and tests going on. It is wild what can be done in medicine to study our complex bodies.
My dear friend, Mimi Quick, was my companion all day as I had such a packed agenda. She and
I went early afternoon to begin my chemotherapy treatments. I met with Dr. White, my oncologist, who is just delightful and so honest and thorough in her discusssions about my treatment. She bounced in to say it would be a few minutes before she could see me but she wanted me to know that the PET Scan was clear! What great news to get before I began chemo!
At 2:15 pm I entered the chemo treatment room. I must say it is very overwhelming in many ways. I went past 5 different patients who were either in the process of getting IV's of chemo or were getting information about the chemo treatments as I had gotten weeks ago on my first visit to the oncologist. I felt for the young woman and her husband who were getting the yellow packet like I had received about all the dangers of chemo... it is so overwhelming! Each of these people were people whose stories were like mine, yet probably so different, each of us bonded by the drugs which are seeking a cure within our body. It was very humbling to be so vulnerable to such an illness as I felt at that moment.
My new friend and nurse, Becky, greeted me with a smile and readiness to help me understand what I would be doing for the next couple of hours. I began asking questions immediately, one after another, and finally said to Becky..."just tell me everything because I want to know what is happening." She was great! She did just that.
The next two hours I sat in awe as the procedure of injecting me with drugs for naseau were administered and then the two drugs for my first 4 rounds of treatment were given. They are powerful drugs, so I understand, so anticipation of what would happen to me was very close to my heart. I must say... I sat there and began knitting and tried to relax for this part of the journey now was REAL!!!! I had powerful drugs going through my veins trying to eradicate all the cancer cells hiding out in my body. They are going to be hit hard and I sure am going to cheer them onward to their death from my body as best I can!
I really like the nurses in the chemo treatment room. They seem so positive and caring as they checked in on each of us. To my delight, I know one of the nurses, Leigh Vincent, an young adult who is a member of my church. She and I have shared in youth events in the diocese during her high school years. She is another one of the angels God has put in my midst in my treatment time with cancer. It is nice to know she is there indeed!
Well.....2 hours, 45 minutes later the treatment was complete. The needle in my port was removed and I was free to go home. Wow! What was to happen next! Anticipation of how I
was going to feel was surely there as I left with Mimi from a full day with the medical world!
I really felt ok so we went over for me to see Dad at Beverly Care. I was ok... and I wanted him to know it as well. I needed to show I was going to be ok to others. Of course, there was relief for both of us to know I had made it through a much anticipated day! Thank heavens for all those who ministered to me today! Yes, I am grateful that chemotherapy has begun....for I want to complete it as soon as I can.
Dr. Habal has been a very kind and caring surgeon during my two surgeries. I have a great deal of respect for him. Dealing with breast cancer patients is his speciality and truly a gift for him. His compassion for his patients is felt sincerely. For me, he has been very reassuring as I have wandered the path of my two surgeries. He has been a guiding light in my next steps. I am grateful for his professionalism and expert care of me as a person, a patient and as a human being. To know he is cheering me on towards recovery has been so helpful! He is an exceptional surgeon!
I went on to the hospital for a PET Scan. This is a fanscinating test in which I was injected with radiation to highlight the glucose in my cells. It is a scan in which the actual cells are studied by seeing if glucose (highlighted from the radiation) goes to cells which might be duplicating into cancer cells. Sitting in a room for a hour in the dark prior to the scan to allow the radiation to flow into my body made me know that I was definitely glowing and radiating inside. In fact, after the scan, I was walked out a different entrance in the nuclear medicine department since I would have interferred with other machines and tests going on. It is wild what can be done in medicine to study our complex bodies.
My dear friend, Mimi Quick, was my companion all day as I had such a packed agenda. She and
I went early afternoon to begin my chemotherapy treatments. I met with Dr. White, my oncologist, who is just delightful and so honest and thorough in her discusssions about my treatment. She bounced in to say it would be a few minutes before she could see me but she wanted me to know that the PET Scan was clear! What great news to get before I began chemo!
At 2:15 pm I entered the chemo treatment room. I must say it is very overwhelming in many ways. I went past 5 different patients who were either in the process of getting IV's of chemo or were getting information about the chemo treatments as I had gotten weeks ago on my first visit to the oncologist. I felt for the young woman and her husband who were getting the yellow packet like I had received about all the dangers of chemo... it is so overwhelming! Each of these people were people whose stories were like mine, yet probably so different, each of us bonded by the drugs which are seeking a cure within our body. It was very humbling to be so vulnerable to such an illness as I felt at that moment.
My new friend and nurse, Becky, greeted me with a smile and readiness to help me understand what I would be doing for the next couple of hours. I began asking questions immediately, one after another, and finally said to Becky..."just tell me everything because I want to know what is happening." She was great! She did just that.
The next two hours I sat in awe as the procedure of injecting me with drugs for naseau were administered and then the two drugs for my first 4 rounds of treatment were given. They are powerful drugs, so I understand, so anticipation of what would happen to me was very close to my heart. I must say... I sat there and began knitting and tried to relax for this part of the journey now was REAL!!!! I had powerful drugs going through my veins trying to eradicate all the cancer cells hiding out in my body. They are going to be hit hard and I sure am going to cheer them onward to their death from my body as best I can!
I really like the nurses in the chemo treatment room. They seem so positive and caring as they checked in on each of us. To my delight, I know one of the nurses, Leigh Vincent, an young adult who is a member of my church. She and I have shared in youth events in the diocese during her high school years. She is another one of the angels God has put in my midst in my treatment time with cancer. It is nice to know she is there indeed!
Well.....2 hours, 45 minutes later the treatment was complete. The needle in my port was removed and I was free to go home. Wow! What was to happen next! Anticipation of how I
was going to feel was surely there as I left with Mimi from a full day with the medical world!
I really felt ok so we went over for me to see Dad at Beverly Care. I was ok... and I wanted him to know it as well. I needed to show I was going to be ok to others. Of course, there was relief for both of us to know I had made it through a much anticipated day! Thank heavens for all those who ministered to me today! Yes, I am grateful that chemotherapy has begun....for I want to complete it as soon as I can.
posted by Carol Taylor @ 9:20 PM
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