Chemo Delayed Again

   As much as I didn't want to get chemo today, I'd rather have just gotten it over with. But my counts were too low again, so I should be getting the last Adriamycin round next Monday instead. They drew the extra bloodwork to send off for the genetic testing. I saw the genetics counselor last Tuesday, and she explained what the results of the P53 gene testing will mean. It's called Li-Fraunemi Syndrome, which basically means the tumor suppressor gene in the body's cells doesn't work right, and that I'd be more prone to multiple cancers in my lifetime. So if I have it, no radiation and more annual screenings hoping to catch stuff early. However, it wouldn't explain Aplastic Anemia. I asked her what happens if this test comes back negative, and she said then they've just hit a wall with what to look for and they'd stop testing me altogether. But we got all the bloodwork and paperwork together and sent it off today, so we'll get those results back in four weeks.
   Two different nurses took my blood pressure today because it was so low (88/60), but Dr. C said he wasn't concerned considering how small I am. I also lost a few pounds, but it's kind of hard to eat much when everything tastes so bad. I asked him about the black line on my nail and he said that's from chemo. He did a physical exam to check the tumor, but it's basically gone now. Which is good, the chemo's working (can I stop now?). I told him how nauseous I was last week, and he said if it happens again to come in and they can shoot something into my port to help.
   I got a copy of my blood counts since he told me they were low, and my hemoglobin was 8.1 and my platelets were only 66, which explains the bruises on my feet from the dogs stepping on them. I just hope my counts come back up at all considering my past medical problems...
   My new chemo schedule might interfere with our travel plans, but hopefully they can do a Friday chemo or something instead of a Monday if needed. But Dr. C OKed air travel, so I get to go to Portland November 9-12 for the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. I applied for a scholarship back in April and found out in August that I didn't qualify, but was on a waiting list instead. Someone from the Anita Borg Institute called me last week to ask me if I was going since I hadn't registered yet and the deadline was that night. Turns out I did get the scholarship, but not the second email informing me that I'd gotten the scholarship. But I'm registered now and just need to buy the plane tickets (to be reimbursed later). It's nice having something to look forward to that isn't cancer-related.

Terrible, Terrible Week

   I've spent most of this past week passed out on the couch. I managed to go to my radiation oncology consultation appointment Tuesday and get my Neupogen shot afterwards. The radiation oncologist, Dr. B., doesn't know whether to give me radiation or not. She said if patients have 4 or more cancer-positive lymph nodes removed, they get radiation. But I only had 3. But she's worried about my age. But then she's also worried that my genes are screwed up so radiating me might cause more tumors down the road, but not doing radiation might not cure this bout of cancer.  Great. So she's undecided and is going to check with some other specialists first. I'm going back next Friday, September 30th, to find out what they say. I'm tired of being a medical anomaly...
   I had a test in one class after I got home that day. I somehow got an 82, 10 points above the class average! Not bad for the day after chemo. I had a quiz in another class Wednesday and got an 84. Chemo brain is definitely kicking in, along with the exhaustion, nausea, severe chest pain, a low-grade fever all week, and this terrible taste in my mouth. Usually the side effects lessen by the weekend, but it's now Monday and things are still kicking. I'm miserable.  But I still have three chapters to read in Networking, two homework assignments due for Databases, and a program due Thursday. Of course, these are just the assignments I know about, since I miss a lot of stuff by not actually going to class. But on a brighter note, even if I get D's in all three of these classes, I can still graduate with a 3.5 GPA. Good thing I worked my ass off the last three years so now I can sleep through this one.

A Post About Crap (Literally)

   The nausea's starting to kick in. My appointment was only about two hours this morning since it's only the first part of the chemo. My platelets were 100, which is still pretty low. I only have one more round of the Adriamycin, but the other two parts should be easier on my blood counts (and hopefully the rest of me too). Dr. C checked the tumor and says it feels smaller and flatter and less defined. I asked him about my constantly running nose and he said that's from the chemo. That's the only new side effect I've been noticing, except for the rest of my stubble falling out.
   I stopped by Walgreens after the hospital and found some SeaBands, which are dorky-looking wristbands that use pressure at special points on your wrists to help alleviate nausea. I'm desperate to avoid another week straight of feeling sick, so hopefully they'll work. I also stopped at McDonalds on the way home (bad idea, I know) and got a sweet tea. I could feel the taste get progressively worse over the 20-minute drive home. Water's back to its crappy taste too.
   Another thing going to crap is my brain. I feel like I'm forgetting things all the time and it's SO hard to concentrate, especially when it tastes like there's a dirty sock in my mouth and my stomach hurts and I just want to sleep, sleep, sleep, and then sleep some more. I'll go out to the store and then forget what I came for, and of course I'll have left the list at home. I have a test in one class tomorrow, I just hope I can remember enough to pass it.
   It's way easier to just clean and play with the dogs than to sit down and study or do homework. I got a nice little patio set for the backyard for $32, so the dogs and I can hang out outside (with the mosquitoes). And I bought a really cool pooper scooper, Our Pets Skoop-N-Pak, because there is NO way I'm picking up warm, squishy dog poop when I'm already this nauseous.

   Some pictures of our babies can be found on this Facebook album.