Last chemo and other tidbits

July 29, 2009

As Katie posted on Tuesday, my blood counts were phenomenal and I was able to complete my last infusion as scheduled. The day was somewhat anti-climactic: I didn’t feel the giddiness I thought I would feel, although that will probably come next Tuesday when I DON’T have to go back! I thought I might feel a bit of nostalgia as I took the elevator down from the third floor, but NOPE! Not going to miss that place one bit. The nurses were fantastic, but I won’t miss them either. The fish tanks were cool…nope – won’t miss them. Bye bye nice lab people who have seen me no fewer than 20 times but still ask, “Arm? Or port?” every time I’m there. See ya later Billy, the well-meaning lab tech who, when he asks me to confirm my birth date, says every time, “Oh! My birthday is one day before yours!” Toodle loo, sweet cancer patient with the fantabulous real-hair wig whose infusions are also Tuesday mornings. It was nice visiting with you and your nice husband in the waiting room, but I won’t be seeing you anymore. Adios, Dr. Kaplan’s nurses, whose names I purposely never learned. Sayonara to the barista at the Swedish Starbucks who twice made me a short raspberry mocha instead of a short ristretto shot mocha. And good riddance to the insanely tight parking stalls in the garage. By some crazy stroke of luck my car made it through five months of visits with nary a scratch.
While I won’t be seeing these folks on a regular basis anymore, I’ll probably run into them from time to time. My visits to Swedish are going to continue, since I’ll be visiting the first floor of the Cancer Institute for daily radiation treatments for six weeks starting August 31. I also have a “staging MRI” next Thursday – a head to toe post-chemo scan to make sure there aren’t any tumors lurking anywhere. Throw in a few mapping visits to the radiologist to get that course of treatment all squared away and my August is filling up quickly.
My visits to the oncologist will slow significantly from here on out. After a visit next Friday to go over the MRI results, I’ll only see him once every few months for the next two years, then every six months for two years after that. I’ll have MRIs and mammograms on a regular basis during that time as well.
I’m considering a preventative treatment using a drug called Zomeda. It is a drug that has been used for the past 10 years to treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. More recently, it has been used in patients whose cancer has metastasized – or spread – to the bone. And even more recently, it has been used proactively on women who have finished breast cancer treatment and face some risk of recurrence. When cancer returns, it often returns to the bone. This drug may inhibit the production of osteoclasts, which break down bone and emit hormones that create tumors. The drug would be administered via IV once every six months for two years. There’s a tiny risk of kidney damage or jaw problems associated with the use of Zomeda, but this has only been seen in people who take it weekly. My dose would be significantly lower, and my risk of these side effects “miniscule,” according to my oncologist. There is actually a trial study going on that uses this drug, along with two oral drugs. I am eligible for the study, but I am leaning toward just using the Zomeda. I am all for furthering scientific study, but when it comes right down to it, I think I’d rather go with a drug that is known to help, rather than take the risk of being assigned to a study group that administers one of the lesser-known drugs. I’m hoping to study up more on Zomeda before I decide to do this. If I choose to, I would start once radiation is complete.
Other than recovering from my final infusion I, along with the rest of the Pacific Northwest, have been trying to stay cool in our 100 degree-plus weather. As I write this, four fans are whirring about me, doing little more than blowing 90 degree air around. Uncomfortable, but hey – it’s SUMMER. This is what I have been waiting for!
The countdown to Maui is on and I’m on track to finish my last two work assignments by Friday. I’m taking it easy in August thanks to a hard-working hubby.
Lunch anyone?