Pushing Back: My Second Walk in a Week

I had another long (make that looooonng) day today, starting when I left the house at 10 to head for my cancer center. All I had before I left the house was coffee, because I wake up slowly and can't eat for an hour or two, but I threw a banana in my bag for later. 

Good thing I did, because Dr. Lee decided to give me treatment, so I was there until something like 3:30, which is five hours. 

I started with the blood draw, and then I waited more than an hour to see Dr. Lee. The waiting room was crowded, and some people were getting frustrated, and rude, in my book, but I didn't let it disturb my wa. 

(One woman was using her cell phone in the middle of the waiting room to loudly announce her appointment time, and then of course the time at that moment. She did this three times, and I wanted to ask for a ban on cell phones in the waiting room. I also wanted to ask her to shut up, but I didn't. Instead, I ignored her but made eye contact with several other waiting souls just to smile at them. Solidarity is wonderful.)

It's not worth getting upset because my doctor is busy taking care of other sick people. And when it was my turn, I took up plenty of his time, believe me. 

We started by kicking around all the data from my ER visit of last Friday, which seems to be nada. As in, I didn't have a heart attack, I probably don't have angina, I don't have a clot in my lungs ... but I still need to see the cardiologist (that appt. is tomorrow, oh joy). 

We also discussed the pain I'm having in my lower right leg at night, and since I spoke up about that I now have two more medical appts. this week, to look for mets or a blood clot. The scans I get routinely don't go below the knees, because it is rare to get bone mets below the elbows or knees, but, Dr. Lee said, they can happen out there in the extremities, so we need to check it out. 

Of course we do. But now I'm wishing I'd kept my mouth shut. Still, do I want to fly with a blood clot? Nah. Probably not. 

So after a stop at the scheduling desk to set up the scans and my next treatment appt. in three weeks, I wandered on back to the treatment area, where my nurse was waiting for me. She warmed up my arm with a heating pad and managed to get the IV on the second try. That's not bad, my veins are not great right now. 

Then I got premeds (LOVE that decadron) and then Avastin and Herceptin. I'm also supposed to start taking the oral Tykerb again, so I'll take that before bed. 

This treatment regimen is a made-just-for-me combination of three targeted therapies, based on what has worked for me in the past and what I can tolerate. I''ve had these drugs before in various combinations of two (Herceptin plus Avastin, Tykerb plus Herceptin), but not all three together. 

So if you are feeling powerful, or prayerful, as you read this, please send some good energy or some prayer in my direction, because I am so close to being out of options.

When I got home--after a swing by the drug store and a more-than-half-hour wait there--I had my new prescriptions and headed home. 

[A sidebar here. I have a new slogan: Cancer, it's not for weaklings. Or maybe the word should be wimps.]

Connie had been home alone all day, and I decided that he and I really needed a walk--which was what I intended to write about first. So I got his favorite toy, the rubber tire, and his leash and we headed down to the park. It's sprinkling lightly now, and it was as we walked, but it felt good. 

I walked just a bit less than last Saturday, maybe 10 or 11 blocks, and had Connie show off his tricks to a mom and her five kids, and I felt better than on my last walk. So, progress, even if only baby steps. (Ouch, sorry for that pun.)

 The thing that I realize clearly is that--just like after I was hospitalized--I'm going to have to push to regain the ground I've lost, and there's no use stressing out about it. The Hawaii trip will be great for that--exercise, push myself, and then take a siesta. And eat papaya every day. Yum, can't wait!

@ Jeanne Sather 2010. 

Comments

[MaryM]

That does sound like a long day.

Was your cell phone talker old?

I've noticed that young people don't talk as much as they text.

They also don't seem to listen to voice mail. I've given up leaving it for my sons. They'll see the missed calls and return my call if they feel like it.

[riv]

Jeanne I was thinking about you all night, well several hours of it, as I struggled with pain in my lower back and hip. This is almost a nightly occurrence for me, good thing I don't have to be up at 6:30 to go to work. I have to get into my recliner--blankies, pillows, sleep mask and ear plugs little cushions to tuck here and there, depending on where the ache and pain is. I stay there for at least an hour, probably three. Then whatever was pressing on a nerve (what NERVE) has been relieved, and the pain gone. For now.

I urge you (not saying you "should" you know? just urge you) to consider a recliner for your hip and back hurts. It supports you even to sleep in without pressure.