What We Know:
On Friday (February 1st), Brad and I headed back to Minnesota Oncology in Minneapolis for our Chemo Class and day of scans. The Chemo Class was very helpful: we toured the area I will get my labs and chemo in, watched a video on what it all entails and the possible side-effects, and asked the nurse questions we had. Obviously, we won't know exactly how it will affect me until I'm experiencing it. I'm choosing to look at it like this: while the side-effects may be unpleasant (or very, very unpleasant, depending on how it hits me) I will always try to remember that I'm welcoming those side-effects...because it means the medicine is working and the cancer cells are dying. Period.
After the Chemo Class, we rushed over to Radiology and I got a MUGA scan, where they checked out the strength of my heart muscles (we won't know results until Monday) which was followed by a PET scan, where they scanned my body for any spreading of the cancer (which we also won't know until Monday.) Many, many prayers that it hasn't spread, because we'd be talking a whole nother ball game if it has.
Speaking of prayers, I'd also like you to say a couple for our new friends Robin and Tom, whom we met in the waiting room for the MUGA scan. I won't get into too many details about what she (they) are facing, but she was diagnosed with cancer 18 months ago, underwent surgery and therapies for it, and then was told that the cancer had spread and is inoperable. The strength and love that flowed out of this couple was amazing (and inspiring!) and I ask that you say a few prayers for them and their family as well. I'm sure we'll be meeting many people with many different stories as we head down this path, but extra prayers can only help, right?
After my scans, we met with the Clinical Studies Coordinator because I'm going to take part in a non-invasive study regarding the cognitive impact of chemotherapy. I filled out paperwork and did some computerized and oral testing that I will re-take when I'm done with chemotherapy and then again, six months later. I figure anything I can do to help, I'm more than happy to.
After the study meeting, Brad and I headed back to my grandparents house. It was starting to snow, it was later than we had thought it would be, and we were both absolutely exhausted (and I was starting to not feel well) so we decided to stay overnight again, even though we had been planning on heading back to Montevideo. That evening, we got the kids to bed early, cleaned up a bit, and tried to relax a little. By this time, I had started to get chills, muscle fatigue, a low-grade fever, and the slightly sore throat I had been having all day erupted into a full-blown HUGE sore throat. One look on the inside of my mouth confirmed our fears...yes...I had strep throat again. Ugh.
The next morning we cleaned up, packed up, and headed back to Montevideo, where we're hoping to stay for awhile. I called the Oncologist to see if I could take an antibiotic while on chemo (you can) and then called in to our clinic in Montevideo and got a prescription sent to our pharmacy. One stop at the pharmacy and we were then home, heaving a sigh of relief that that week was done. We're going to spend the weekend recharging and trying not to think too much about getting news on Monday.
My Family:
Is doing so, so well. No illnesses and no behavioral problems. I'm not naive enough to think this whole ordeal will have no impact on my family, but I'm enjoying the fact that things are still going smoothly now. And our hope is to stay in Montevideo as much as we can...Brendan has preschool, it provides stability to the kids, Brad can work, and the chemotherapy sessions should only last half a day and I should be able to get home before the symptoms start hitting, so we're hoping to stay home as much as possible. It's wonderful to have my grandparents house as an option depending on weather and/or other medical difficulties that could arise.
The Future:
Looks beautiful.
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