The long and short of it

A few readers have been gently, and perhaps not so gently, chiding me for not updating this blog recently. They say, "you've got to update the blog; Nathan still has the flu and has to get better!"

Of course, Nathan got over the flu long ago, and the rest of us managed to avoid it up until now. We have all been healthy and hope the flu stays away! Her sinus infection went away quickly, and she's been strong and vibrant ever since.

Sherrie went back to her job at school three weeks ago. Although the flu and other illnesses are prevalent in our community, she's managed to avoid becoming ill. I suppose her tendency toward Adrian Monk-ish-ness helps.

Sherrie had a blood count this past Monday, and her counts all looked pretty much normal. The white count was a bit low, but nothing to be worried about. As far as her blood is concerned at least, chemo is a distant memory.

Sherrie's hair has started to grow out, but only just a tad. For weeks, I've been teasing her that she looked like Casper the Friendly Ghost, and now I'm teasing her that she looks like a GI Joe doll with a painted-on buzzjob. Not very flattering I know, but I have to call it as I see it :-D

Seriously though, her hair is growing quickly. It's quite blond so it doesn't show up like it would if it were dark, but she definitely has a five o'clock shadow.

Sherrie has been back to the plastic surgeon for more preparation for reconstruction. We're hoping that the remaining surgery can be performed before the end of the year.

After the last appointment with the oncologist, she started taking Tamoxiphen. She has to take it twice a day for five years. We hope the side effects aren't too pronounced.

It's good to have the challenge of chemo behind us. We hope to keep it in the rear-view mirror. Every indication we have now suggests we will.

Post-Neupogen update

Our son has the H1N1 flu, as diagnosed and tested by our family doctor last night. The doctor gave the whole family a prescription for Tamiflu, which should help our son feel better sooner, and keep the rest of us from getting it.

Sherrie has a sinus infection. The doctor gave her antibiotics. The antibiotics often don't help her sinus infections, but maybe this time will be different.

Sherrie's white count on Sunday at the end of a week of Neupogen shots was only 4.5 or so. That's normal, but it's not very high after a week of shots. We are going to get another CBC on Wednesday of this week. I expect it will be low, and she'll have to go on more Neupogen shots, but we shall see.

Sherrie is looking forward to getting back to school. She was planning to go back this Monday, but based on the prevalence of the flu and her probable low white count, she's likely going to wait a week. No sense rushing it and catching something from the germ cesspool in school.

Goodbye to chemotherapy

Sherrie received her last chemotherapy today!! The day started dreadfully when the nurse told us her white count was only 1.6 (it needs to be 2.5). Sherrie was very disappointed, and began to feel the gloom of having to take several more Neupogen shots and be delayed further. She asked the nurse to beg the doctor to let her have it anyway since it was her *last* one, and he said yes! Neither of us could believe it, as he has been a stickler for the blood count in the past. He made sure that she start on Neupogen (six shots) tomorrow.

The administration of the 5FU was straightforward, except that Sherrie started feeling quite nauseous as soon as the nurse started to hook her up. As happened last week, the nurse kept the drugs hidden "under wraps," (even though the 5FU and the others are clean), and after just a few minutes she was done.

I literally had to run to catch Sherrie as she bolted from the clinic. She likes the nurses and the doctor, but wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. We had a good chuckle over that on the way home.

We go again in about three weeks to see the oncologist, and around the same time to see the plastic surgeon again.

We are grateful to be able to receive such wonderful medical care from caring and competent people. It's a great blessing.

Chemo report

Cycle number six has finally begun. We saw the oncologist again today, and had the usual interview and exam. All appeared well, and he gave her the go-ahead on chemo, based on last Friday's white count of around 3.5.

Sherrie did quite well during the administration of the chemo. She didn't have any trouble with nausea (real or conjured in the mind). The nurse kept her busy talking about stuff so that she wouldn't focus on the drugs. The nurse also covered the syringes so Sherrie wouldn't see the "red poison."

After the treatment, she felt pretty well, and even went into a store with me on the way home. She also ate a small amount of dinner. She's sleeping in her laz-y-boy chair right now,  so I'm not sure how she'll feel when she wakes up.

She was very excited on the way home to be able to say, "I'm done with all the nasties!"

The doctor mentioned during the exam that he'll see her four weeks after the "easy chemo" next Monday. At that appointment, we'll start talking about hormone treatment (Tamoxiphen). The doctor also cleared her to get a flu shot 2-3 weeks after next Monday's treatment.

CBC

Sherrie finished her week of shots Sunday night. She had a CBC of nearly 60--which is way high. The nurser at the hospital was so concerned (and apparently unfamiliar with Neupogen) that she called Sherrie's oncologist. Sherrie talked to him while we were at the hospital. He told her to stop the Neupogen (she had already had the last shot) and asked her to call the office Tuesday to schedule another blood test for later in the week. We don't want the count to plummet to nothing by next Monday. If it gets too low, they'll probably give her a couple more shots over the weekend.

Cycle number five complete

Sherrie completed cycle number five on Monday. Her blood count was quite high (47.3), and so it was a go.

As soon as the nurse started to infuse her with the preparatory items, Sherrie turned white and asked for a barf bag. Lucky for us and the nurse, there was one right at hand, which was a good thing, because within seconds she lost her lunch (and probably breakfast too). She threw up twice, in rather copious amounts.

The funny but not-so-funny thing is that (a) she didn't have any chemo drugs in her yet, and (b) the 5-FU they were going to give her has never made her sick. It was all mental; she associates the time she does get ill with the place, the nurse, and the process.

I can relate. When I was around 12 years old, I got sick once after eating apple crisp. Every time I even thought about eating apple crisp, I would get physically ill. I didn't eat apple crisp for probably 10 or 15 years because of it. A friend of mine at work had a similar issue with Ding Dongs; he couldn't eat them for many years.

The brain is a very powerful force.

In two weeks, and we start cycle number six. I sincerely hope she can get through it without getting too "mental."

Not today

Sherrie was rejected for chemo again today. Her blood count was 27 on Friday (not 17 as I reported) and was 1.7 today. She has to have another round of 5-6 Neupogen shots this week and we'll try again next Monday.

Over the hump

Sherrie made it over the hump around Thursday night or Friday. She's been much better since then. Her white count was high enough on Friday (17 I think) that she should be able to receive the second part of this round of chemo on Monday.

Sherrie was feeling so well that she went mountain biking with me on Saturday. We went up Logan canyon and road up the dirt road that follows Beaver Creek up into Idaho. We rode a little over four miles up the road, stopping to rest a couple of times in the shade. We then had a nice coasting ride back down to where we had parked the truck. We saw what appeared to be active beaver dams and lodges along the way. It was beautiful and we had a fun time together.

The end is in sight. If all goes well tomorrow, we can start to say, "only one more round of chemo!"

A bad few days

Sherrie has had a bad few days since her treatment. She has vomited a few to several times each day, and has trouble sleeping at night. She's getting very bored laying around, but doesn't feel well enough to do anything else. This "nasty" treatment has been harder on her than any of the others. She's in good spirits considering what she's going through, but it's hard on her.

Chemo cycle number five begins

Sherrie began chemo cycle number five today. We met briefly with the oncologist, who looked over her lab reports and gave her an exam. He said her white count was less than ideal, but that she could still go ahead (yeah!). He scheduled her to begin receiving Neupogen shots tomorrow, and a lab for Friday. If her count is okay, she'll get the second part of this treatment a week from today (Monday).

The chemo infusion went according to routine, except that as the nurse began, Sherrie said, "I think I'm going to throw up." The nurse went looking for a barf bag, and I watched Sherrie turn white, close her eyes, put her hand to her mouth, and will it to stay down, which it did. After an interminably long time, the nurse finally found a bag and brought it to Sherrie. She had a dry heave or two, and then was okay for the rest of the treatment. Whether it was the large cup of red Sobe we bought on the way to doctor, or the nurse in her blue smock, something set her off.

So we now have a few days of some vomit and bad nausea, and then the worst of cycle five will be over.

From 40 to 2.6 in a week?

Sherrie had a lab today, preparatory for chemo on Monday. Her white count last Monday was 40, but today it was 2.6. Is that a record for a rapid white cell count drop?

So, we are a bit worried that chemo may not go on Monday. We think that last time, they just took the lab results from a few days prior and went with it. We are hopeful (?) that they don't do another test and find a count that is too low. Or, maybe we should hope that they do a test and find it is too low and give her more shots so it's not dangerous? 

CBC update

Sherrie just finished a week of Neupogen shots, and her CBC today was over 40. That is very high; can it be too high? We hope that it stays up high enough over the next week that she can start chemo on schedule next Monday.

Chemo was successful

Sherrie's chemo on Monday was successful, in that her blood count was high enough (22!) and she had the treatment. This one was the "easy" one, so it's been relatively low impact. She's felt pretty well all week, though she's a bit more tired than normal.

She started on Neupogen shots on Tuesday, and will have them through Monday (tomorrow). I think she's going to have a CBC tomorrow as well, so we'll likely know if her count is good or not.

Sherrie is scheduled for another round of chemo on the 17th. She's supposed to have a lab on the 14th to see if her count is high enough; hopefully it will be.

Try again early next week

Sherrie heard from the doctor today: they want her to take more Neupogen shots over the weekend and have a CBC on Monday for a possible chemo attempt on Tuesday.

She feels quite discouraged because the Neupogen doesn't seem to be working very well. She is worried that each of the final two rounds will have a similar story, and extend her even longer.

We'll obviously be consulting with the doctor on this next time we see him.

CBC still too low

Sherrie had a CBC this afternoon and got some discouraging news: the total count was 1.2. That's too low for chemo. The results were faxed to the doctor, and we'll wait to hear from them what they want to do next.

Needless to say, Sherrie is discouraged. It's frustrating for her to want to be done, but to be held hostage by her body's inability to keep up.

No joy today

Sherrie was denied chemo again today. Her blood count was too low (1.3 total white count), and her infection fighters were especially low (0.4). So, she's going to get Neupogen shots for the next three days, and then try again with a CBC on Wednesday for Friday chemo.

She took it in stride, though she's disappointed. She really was hoping to be all done by the time school starts, but that doesn't look likely right now.

As the doctor said, it's much safer not to do chemo with such a low count, even if it pushes the schedule back.

Report on latest chemo round

Sherrie began another round of chemo (number four!) on Monday of this week. Like clockwork, she threw up around 9:00 that night. She seemed to get a bit behind on the nausea on Tuesday and Wednesday (maybe because her scrip for Compazine ran out?), and had a rough couple of days.

She went on her morning walk this morning (Thursday), and seems to be feeling better. Hopefully she'll bounce back quickly.

The oncologist ordered Neupogen to start Tuesday the day after chemo. Maybe it will work well enough that she can get part two of this round next Monday.

Chemo cycle number four

Chemo cycle number four starts today. Sherrie had a CBC on Friday, and her white count was only 3.4 or so. That's not very high, but I think it will be high enough to start (hopefully; unless it has gone down more since then).

Sherrie has lost almost all of her eyelashes and eyebrows. I'm sure that whatever is hanging on will be gone within the next cycle. I know it's kind of a big deal to her, but I think she looks great, and she needn't worry about losing them.

Chemo report

Sherrie's blood count was high enough yesterday (10.0), so she had the 5-FU chemo yesterday. It went quickly and well, with no surprises or issues. She felt a little queasy later last night, but seems to be feeling okay today.

She was going to take herself to the doctor today (non-cancer related visit), but her eyes were tired and she had trouble driving, so I took her instead.

She's on Neupogen shots again for the next six days, and she'll have a CBC next week to make sure her white count is high enough.

Sherrie is now officially halfway through chemo; three more cycles to go!

Another setback today

Sherrie had another setback today. Her CBC showed a total white count of 1.8, and the "infection fighting" white cells at 0.5. The former has to be over 2.5, and the latter over 1.0, or they won't do the treatment. So, no chemo today.

The plan is to have a batch of Neupogen shots over the next several days, and then try again next Monday.

Sherrie was quite disappointed. As she said, she's a person who likes to keep to schedule, and having these hiccups is hard to swallow. But by this evening, she was feeling better. She knows it's best to be safe; getting an infection would be far worse. So she's being patient and strong.