Update - Still Recovering from Chemo #3

Well, here’s another update – a post chemo #3 update. I’m still not feeling so great. For some reason this treatment has been harder on me. It has been a longer recovery. The worse day this time, was better than the worse day last time, but I feel like it’s more drawn out with chemo 3. I’m still nauseous and very tired. This time I have had an annoying symptom. My hands have been hurting, almost like they are burned. It’s mostly the tops of my hands and in between my fingers. The pads of my fingers are sore too. The doctor said it is a reaction to the Taxotere (one of the chemo drugs) and gave me some steroids to take.

I had a blood test yesterday. My white blood cell count is good, but I am anemic and have a low platelet count. The doctor said that could definitely be making me tired, although it is expected and nothing to worry about.

This whole thing has really not been fun. I’m trying to stay optimistic and make the most of all of this. Although no time is a good time for cancer, I’m trying to look at it as a decent time. I was young and healthy and active. My parents are young and healthy and able to help us out. They have been able to make many trips to Austin from Dallas to help with me, the family, and stuff around the house. I have a great support system of friends and family. So many people have helped us out with meals and child care. It’s been nice having the help, but I’ll be glad when things get back to normal and I can do things on my own and take care of my family. I’m really looking forward to being active again. It’s been hard sitting around the house so much. Before all of this I was walking or running many days during week and taking the boys out of the house almost every day. Even if it was just to run errands, we were getting out of the house and doing things.

I’m not sure how this is going to change things in my life, but I know I want to make something good out of this. I want to be able to use this experience and be able to help others. I’m hoping to be able to do some of that now though my videos on YouTube. I just posted another one here. It’s not so cheery and upbeat, but I wanted others to see all sides of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqCUkCzwBq8

My next, and final, chemo treatment is December 31. Since my parents will be in Israel at that time Michael and Jen (my brother and his wife) will come in for a few days to help. I’m looking forward to seeing them – the chemo, not so much.

Hope you all are having a great weekend.

Love, Rachel

Doctor

This morning I dropped Evan and Noah off at Jenny’s house (a mom in the Moms Club) and went to the doctor. Evan and Noah seemed fine when I left. She has 2 girls, one Evan’s age and one Noah’s age. Jenny was also having a playgroup at her house this morning so she had lots of help with the boys. She said they both did well. Noah seemed to miss me and got upset a few times, but they were able to distract him.

At the doctor they did a blood test. My white blood cell count was good. My platelets were low and I’m still anemic. That can cause the fatigue. My hands have really been bothering me. It looks almost like a burn on them and it hurts when anything touches them as well. The doctor said it was a reaction to the Taxotere (one of the chemo drugs). She gave me a steroid to take for a few days. I’ll also have to take it again the few days before and after my next chemo treatment. I really hope that helps my hands. Just typing this hurts.

Evan and Noah were not very well behaved when we were home eating lunch. Noah threw his whole plate on the floor. Neither one ate much.

I put them both down for naps, but only Noah napped. Evan wouldn’t sleep so I put on a movie for him so that I could lie down a little.

For dinner we ate food that Alissa brought over. It was all really good. We even had latkes.

We celebrated the last night of Hanukkah. Evan got a Leapster game system and Noah got a train for Geotrax.

Noah was so cranky tonight we put him to bed earlier than Evan.

It seems to be quiet in Noah’s room.

Evan is in his room now. We’ll see how the night goes.

Feeling Great to Feeling Bad

This morning Morry took Evan to school so that he could meet the new teacher.

This was the first morning that I did not have help. It was just Noah and me. I took Noah and Lizzy for a walk. I wasn’t going to take Lizzy, but she gave me those puppy dog eyes and I couldn’t refuse. I had a talk with her before we left. I told her she had to be good or else I couldn’t take her for walks anymore. It was really nice outside. We all enjoyed the walk and Lizzy did fine.

Around lunch time I started feeling a little achy and really tired. I decided to take my temperature. I didn’t think I had a fever, but I thought I would just check. Well, it was 99.3 degrees. Normally, I’m on the low side, so that was definitely a fever for me. The oncologist said to call if I have a fever over 100.5, but I went ahead and called anyway. I left messages for two nurses and waited to hear back.

Blanca came at 1:30 and Evan got home a little after that.

Around 2:00 the nurse called. They wanted me to go ahead and come in so that they could give some antibiotics and check my blood.

I was supposed to tutor 2 students tonight, so I called and canceled. I was looking forward to tutoring.

At the oncologist they took my blood from both my arm and my port. I also had to give a urine sample. When they took my temperature there it was 99.7. My white blood cell count went up .1 from yesterday, but another type of white blood cell count that determines how you fight infection was still low. They gave me a prescription for antibiotics. I need to return tomorrow to get IV hydration. That will take 2 hours. Then, on Thursday I go back for another blood test. What a pain!

Right now, I’m not feeling great. I wasn’t able to eat much. My throat is sore – it has been sore, but now seems a little worse. And, I have a sore on my tongue. This is starting to remind me of the poem “I cannot go to school today…”.

I took my temperature just now and it’s at 100. I need to keep an eye on it overnight.

Evan and Noah are in bed now in their separate rooms. I just heard Evan coughing a little. We put the humidifier in his room tonight. Noah seems to be asleep.

White Blood Cells

This morning Evan got up while Morry was getting ready for work. Morry got Evan some breakfast and put on a movie for him.

Gabby came at 7:30am.

I had a doctor’s appointment at 9:00am. Last Thursday I had my blood checked in Dallas and my white blood cell count was very low. It was 1.1 and the normal range is 4.1-11.1. The doctor was not overly concerned. She said it was expected and actually a sign that the chemo was working. The doctor said I needed to be extremely careful not to get sick or get an infection when my WBC is so low. I was told if my levels don’t go up on their own I would need to get a shot (that can cause a lot of bone pain). At my appointment today, I had my blood checked again. It went up a little. It was at 1.8. Since it appears to be going up I did not need a shot today. Before my next chemo they will check my levels again.

On my way home I stopped at the mall. It was only about 10:30 so I figured it wouldn’t be too crowded. I needed to get a new watch battery and some Bath and Body works soaps. I was in and out pretty quickly.

Gabby and Blanca traded off at 12:30. I got lunch ready for the boys and Blanca took them outside to eat lunch. Blanca stayed until I got the boys down for naps.

Evan and Noah took good naps. I was able to nap too.

For dinner we used one of the gift certificates Evan’s classmates gave us. Morry picked up food from Natural Planet. Evan and Morry shared a pizza. I had a veggie burger and Noah ate hotdog.

After dinner the Steelers game was on. Evan and Noah watch some of it and then we put them to bed (in their separate rooms). Noah is still making some noise. Evan was throwing a fit and he’s actually downstairs right now. I think it’s half time now and Morry will try to put Evan back to bed.

Longhorns

This morning Evan woke Morry up early and wanted breakfast. Morry got Evan set up in the game room for a little while.

We had 2 tickets to the UT Longhorns football game so Morry decided to take Evan to the game.

Papa dropped them off near the stadium so they didn’t have to walk too far.

Morry said they had a good time together. Papa was supposed to pick them up at 1pm, but Evan was having a good time so they waited until 1:30pm.

While they were gone we took a walk and fed Noah lunch.

When Morry and Evan got back Evan ate some lunch and Evan and Noah took naps. They both slept well. Morry had to wake up Evan when it was time for dinner.

Papa went out to hit some golf balls and picked up Chuy’s for us for dinner on the way home.

I’m feeling a lot better today. Each day gets better, but I still need to be careful about going out since my white blood cell count is so low.