Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Goodbye Pump and 5FU

So I finished radiation and my FIRST chemo (5FU) regimen on March 4th! I can honestly say that I have NEVER been so happy to give something up. YES! Although my chemo-pump did what it was designed to do...I very much disliked it...I seriously was so tired of carrying it around like a purse on my shoulder. 

I was having, well still am...having some pain/discomfort in my upper-gastric area that literally takes my breath away.  It is unpredictable...and for a minute I thought it could be the position in which I was in...but that didn't matter. I can be sitting or standing and the sudden pains comes on out of no where.   

So Dr.Taw is very much into my health-(like you didn't already know this)...so she insisted and I agreed that a CT scan of chest/abdomen be ordered.

After drinking 2 nasty bottles of barium...I was taken back to get my CT scan...the 10 minute procedure isn't as brutal as the wait time to get the results...so as I just sat down to blog Dr. Taw called to say that everything appears normal, no masses, etc...and there is swelling in my
"whats left of my pancreas"-which could be and is more than likely from the radiation. 

My medical oncologist PA and Dr. Taw agree with me and have told me that this horrible-sudden pain that I am experiencing could be like a "spasm" from my surgery and radiation combo.

So the CT scan was last Thursday...but on Wednesday I was taken in for a "Port-study"...my port had been acting up the last 4 times when I was getting my chemo-refilled.  They had to give me several dosed of activase...and on several occasions I still wouldn't have a blood-return coming from my port.

The port-study was to make sure it was "functioning" properly and that it didn't have any kinks or twists in it.  My port works like a champ...and the PA that performed the study at the hospital thinks all the activase and the finishing of constant chemo...were the combination that my port is now working "right"...thank goodness...one last thing to have to worry about before I start my next CHEMO...

I feel like a some-what normal human...not having to go to radiation EVERYDAY and having chemo hooked up round the clock-I must say it is SO nice!

March 19th is when I meet with Dr. O to discuss when I will start CHEMO #2-GEMSAR which will be for 4 months-but not continuously. I will go into the office to be administered it instead-THANK YOU Jesus! :) I will either start it that week of March 19th or I am assuming the following week-it all will depend on my blood counts, too!

Thank you for your continued LOVE, PRAYERS, and SUPPORT...together we are ALL fighting my fight!!!

Life is good...God is great!

1 comment:

  1. Love you, Jamie! Sooo soo much you are carrying, but we are praying God's strength and covering over you!!

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