Chemo and more!

It has been so long since I've been on here . The last few weeks I've been in and out of doctor's offices and Trinity Hospital. Started haveing nasea and vomiting, stomach pains etc. that turned out to be pancreatitis. It became inflamed from the trama of the surgery. I spent three days in the hospital doing tests, then another day in ER. Dr. said I just had to "cowgirl up" (my words, not his) until it got better. It is much better now.

Today was our first visit with an oncologist. Dr. Figueroa. He is in the Cancer Care Consultants at Mercy Hospital. I don't know how we have gotten so lucky with our doctors but he is wonderful.

As we already knew :I have stage 3A cancer.I've had cancer for a couple of years already. Having symptoms that I was blamming on my emphysema. Lack of energy when working outside. A cough. No strength in my legs etc.

What we didn't know: While in the hospital after surgery I did have a SMALL heart attack. Two lymph nodes were malignant not one. The cancer has probably already spread to other parcts of my body.

CHEMO: What a choice. I spent half the time we were in Dr. Figs. office in tears. In the end though I have chosen to take the chemo It is either that or sit around and see where the cancer will pop up next and know I will probably dye within the next couple of years.

Next week we will go to an education class on chemo, (on the 21st)then (on the 22nd)have a porta-cath inserted into my upper chest for the injections. Don't know yet when my first treament will be.

Chemo is injected once every 21 days for a series of 4 times. Because of my emphysema Dr. Fig. is worried about pneumonia, and there is also the chance of anemia requiring transfusions.Another possible side effect that can be permanant is peripheral neuropathy, causing multiple symptoms in the finger tips. I'll most deffinitely have nasea, and become very fatigued. OH YEAH! I WILL also loose my hair. The good thing about chemo is that it could buy us time and knock out the microscopic cancer cells.

Well all it has been a long day so I am going to bed and get some rest.
Once again I love you all. K.