New Chemo

Started the new chemo yesterday. To bring you up to date for me to get to this point, we found out the chemo Tarceva did not work for the past 10 weeks I was on it. Along with that my side effects were very hard for me. If you know me personally I am contantly at the shop working and designing, and a very active person. The last month or so I lost my taste buds completly, I was unable to eat much except, jello, yogurt, boost energy drink. I love to eat!!! I tried all my favorite foods etc, for weeks. I began to lose weight and got very weak. I did not get out of bed except a couple times a day, unless I  had to go to the doctors or someone came to visit. Weeks went by as I got thinner and weaker. If there was a side effect I could skip this would be the one. I stopped taking Tarceva 3days ago. My taste came back yesterday, and I have not stopped eating everything I was craving, I also back on steriods, which will help me breath and eat and have energy. There is a chance my new side effects will be of lossing taste again but hopefully not!!!

I will be getting a drip IV chemo one a week for 10 weeks. Then we will see if this one works..lots of waiting, while poison is being pumped in month after month. I have to build my strength for the next hit. It has been going on for 7 months. I pray this is the one that fights this monster.

Lord, You know the rough time I am going through now.

Please send your wave of faith today to heal my doubt.

 Help me be steadfast in my faith.

Love prayers and hope,

Gail

P.S. If you notice everyday in the news someone has lost their battle with Cancer. I don't like that it sounds like the Cancer has won!!! We need to rewrite that statement.



A quick note on my results.

The bug is still moving, which means the 8 weeks of chemo, and the Tarceva chemo pills  for two months has not worked either. Start new chemo drip this Wednesday for 8-10 weeks. I will update with more details Tuesday.

Please pray this one works keeping the faith.xoxo
Love to all
Gail

Results

I wanted to let you know that, I did not get my test results, do to a mix up.

My doctor will be back from travel on Monday, and I will see him then.

love, prayer and hope

Gail



June 2012

June 11 2012

My thoughts this week: I am still so tired of being tired, as I read more about, its debilitating. I must sleep alot because, the drugs kill the good cells with the bad. I had my bone scan Friday. MRI and CT sans Wednesday. Still not eating much, but I am mostly on jello, boost some soup, its not that I don't want to eat, my taste buds are fried and it all taste like cardboard. My test at the hospital were not fun yesterday. They were all in the morning, and I sleep late. I was weak not in the mood for one more test. I have been throwing up about one a day, and the night before and the morning of I had to drink these huge bottles of banana nasty, hoping to keep it down. Then the rooms where the machines are, was freezing. Then they inject the dye which not fun either, next on the next scan, and another injection. I have had all these tests many times, It just hit me the wrong way. I went home and slept for the rest of the day. I will get all the info on the 20th. Praying that the radiation and chemo are working. Its been 7 months of the unknown, with no good news yet.


Thanks again for all the prayers and love.
Gail


Memorial Day Weekend

After my last post, the dark place I went to was caused by the effects from the radiation. I slept for about a week straight and got up just to eat.  I am starting to feel a little bit more like myself each day.  
Effects for radiation start when the treatments are complete and last for weeks.  On top of that I began to wean off the very strong steroid, Dexamethasone, that causes all kinds of withdrawal and messes with your brain.  It took two weeks to ween off since I was taking 2 a day along with the effects of Tarceva, a chemo in pill form that I take everyday... Then around the 20th I loss my taste for food, it all tastes like cardboard.  Yes, everyone brought me my favorites, etc.  I am still finding it extremely hard to eat anything beside fruit.

It has definitely been a very hard road, one I would not wish on anyone.  It's hard to believe I have been struggling with this for 6 months with a long road ahead.  It is true that when I heard the word Cancer it was like everything I had known of daily life had changed with no return.  It's hard for me to see others out and about doing normal things, or complaining about their hair not looking good cause it had rained... I wish I had hair. I just see people so much more clearer. 
Memorial day weekend we always have a cookout, not this year.  I have already missed my annual 5 day fun at New Orleans Jazz Fest and had to cancel our annual family get together with everyone in Buffalo, etc.  I haven't worked in weeks, I use to work 30 to 40 hours a week.  I really miss my work and clients that have been so amazing with gifts and cards and food, etc.

Thank you all for the love and support and prayers!

Gail