chemo # 8 - the final drip!

monday was my final chemotherapy treatment!

HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!

i had 2 go in early 2 have another PICC line inserted, which i was totally dreading...but it went in waaay easier than the 1st time - no roaming up my jugular this go round! ;0) after they get the line in, they follow-up with a chest xray 2 ensure it is indeed in the proper place...days leading up 2 this, i'd been complaining of being really short on breath - struggling just climbing up the stairs at home & having a weird cough that only really came on when i had 2 breathe deeply...at my daily injections over the weekend, they kept checking my oxygen level & it all appeared fine, so we just agreed i'd discuss it with my oncologist on monday (before chemo)...sure enuff, she said my chest xray showed possible pneumonia - so she started me on an antibiotic & ordered a CT 4 the next day

we went ahead with chemo as planned, only leaving out the 1 med (bleomycin) that gave me the crazy reaction last time (fever, sweats, etc.)...the doc said that since this was my last treatment, we'd just skip that one! fine by me! ;0)

my blood level from the day b4 was only up to 1.58, so i got another Lovenox injection...but the good news came b4 i left treatment - my current blood level jumped to 2.23! no more injections after that day - my poor bruised, knotted up belly can finally heal!!! monday's made day #19 of those buggers (& actually, there were several days when they gave em 2 me in 2 smaller injections - meaning i prob had 22 or more shots in the belly total!), so needless 2 say, i was soooo glad 2 get that news!

treatment finished up & i headed out - PICC line still in place since they'd need 2 inject me with dye the next day 4 my CT...only this time, i had em bandage me up instead of using tape - the tape from last time did more damage 2 my arm than the darn PICC line!

tuesday's scan confirmed pneumonia, but after just the 2 days worth of antibiotics, i was already breathing a little better - so we already had a jump on that one

yesterday, i went back in2 the cancer center 2 get the PICC line removed & 2 check my levels again...my white blood cells were low on monday (because my body was working hard at fighting off this infection), but yesterday's finger prick showed i was on my way up, so no booster shot needed

then, again as i was getting ready 2 leave, my INR blood work came back showing that my blood level had shot all the way up to a FIVE!!! i had worked so long/hard at getting to just 2.something & here now we were over dosing me with Coumadin & Lovenox & i was all the way up 2 a 5! not good! they considered giving me a vitamin K shot 2 bring it down some, but they didn't want me 2 go too far in the other direction again...so they took me off the Coumadin for 2 days & i'll get checked again 2moro...i'm also under strick orders 2 b very careful not 2 cut myself! ~lol~

i also have a 2 1/2 hr appt 2moro with my radiation doc...this will b 2 decide on what our radiation plan is & also 2 get me fitted 4 my "cast" - it's a piece that they'll mark up with exactly where they'll b shooting me, also protecting my breasts & lungs as much as possible (2 cut down on the increased risks of me developing other cancers - just getting this radiation at all, triples my risk of developing breast cancer in the future)...then each day, they'll just throw it on me, zap me & i'll b on my way...i'm assuming we'll start radiation next week & that the initial plan of 2-4 weeks is still a go, but i guess i'll find out 4 sure 2moro

after radiation, i'll follow-up with my oncologist again (in about 6 weeks)...she didn't order a PET scan yet - since the 1 that they did 1/2 way thru chemo showed the "hot spots" were gone & my CT on tuesday also confirmed my lymph nodes were finally shrinking some more...i assume i'll have another one once everything is said & done - just 2 make sure, but we shall see

i'm just so glad 2 b done with the chemo chapter & i'm anxious 2 get the radiation over & done with...i'm finally seeing that light at the end of the tunnel...

& if feels good!
;0)