Two photos that I just received from my friend, Jamie. He took them over the weekend while we were visiting at their family cottage. They have already become favorites, reminding me that even while I struggle against this disease, any day that I am a mother to my daughter and a wife to my husband is a great day. God is good. All the time.
Oh, and I met a THIRTEEN year survivor of metastatic breast cancer yesterday. Woo-hoo!
As I was getting my IV put in today, I was reading the Domino magazine that came in the mail yesterday. Since it took them 9 tries to get the IV in, I finished the magazine before the chemo even got started.
I noticed a poster in the magazine which was posted around Great Britain during WWII. It is a classic. I immediately ordered it after leaving my appointment. It is my new mantra for chemo and beyond. And I have the perfect freshly painted wall in my study to hang it on.
Check it out…
So now you don’t even have to ask me “how are you?”, merely, “Right, then. Carrying on, are you? Brilliant, brilliant, luv.”
Mark and I just returned for the very swanky new cancer center downtown with not-so-swanky news.
The nodules in my lungs are still growing. Slowly.
So, time to change drugs again. This time it’s IV chemo and from here on out any meds I have will be IV, so I also need a port.
Chemo starts tomorrow. But I get to have my favorite nurse, Beth.
I will be on two different drugs:
Gemzar: The new chemo. I will get this drug IV every Tuesday. It’s a short IV, about 45 minutes. Side effects do not typically include hair loss or nausea.
Avistan: This is a new drug and has been very effective. It essentially blocks the creation of new blood vessels (which cancer tumors rely on for nutrients for growth). It has no side effects to speak of, but also aids in the efficacy of chemotherapy delivery. This will be administered IV every 2 weeks, but possibly won’t start until after I have a port since it makes it harder for wounds to heal.
And, yep, I’ll have a port. Permanently. Yuck.
As for me, 30 minutes after leaving the cancer center, I feel fine. I’m ready to go about my day. I feel no need to make exceptional plans, just manage my schedule with school things starting up this week. I’m feeling normal. And determined to hold onto that feeling. On that, I could obviously use a little help.