Ready to proceed!

From Mama:

Well, I may have completed my first cycle of chemo, but its still never a dull moment!! Last week I had a reprieve from receiving chemotherapy, but not to worry. They occupied my time by sending me to St. Joe's in Tacoma to have a stent inserted in my right kidney. Yes, more fun and games!!

The main reason for the stent is to help my kidney drain and prevent additional damage from the more powerful chemo that they plan on starting this Thursday.

So far its been going pretty good, not real bad side effects. But from what I hear, the sisplatin/gemcitabine combo that I start on Thursday will be a different story. I'll keep you posted.

The stay at St Joe's for the stent went very well. I didn't plan on staying overnite, but I'm glad I did. I think they push people out after surgical procedures far too quickly in general, just to save money. So in my case, the procedure was performed by an 'interventional radiologist'. They used an ultrasound to guide the insertion of a wire into my back and to my kidney, then from there out and around the blockage to my bladder. Then they used the wire as a guide to insert a catheter. At first I had to wear a bag, yucko. But they took that off the next afternoon, slapped on a bandage and sent me home.

All this so that I can take stronger poison, how smart am I, anyway?

My family has been great during all this, have I mentioned that? My son Michael has been a staunch supporter, by my side for every treatment and willing to play long games of scrabble when we don't have WiFI access. Julia and her family come see me often. Those 2 babies are the best medicine ever!! And then there is my buddy, Hlynn. She came by train all the way from W. Va. to stay with me and help me out. I am truly blessed to have all of them.

Suzanne has been over working in the garden, plus she sends the funniest cards. Heather has been over to help with housework as well as offering her home during out long days in Tacoma. Many many of my other friends have also offered to help, and I truly appreciate every one of them.

Minor procedure to preceed new chemo meds!

From Mike:

With mama right now in the hospital - recovering from a nephrostomy. Everything went well and the doctor installed a tube that is internal and will directly drain into mama's bladder, so there will be no external bag.

Why the nephrostomy?

Well, the cancer growth is impacting and preventing mama's right kidney from functioning and draining. They were going to leave it as is, hoping and expecting that the kidney would recover as the cancer shrank. However, they will be starting a new kind of chemo this week, called Cisplatin, which is more toxic and impacts kidney function. So, they want both kidneys functioning fully - this will allow them to safely administer the more aggressive chemo, Cisplatin.

Here's mama post-procedure enjoying a meal!



They are keeping her overnight just for observation, make sure there is little or no bleeding, and then we can be on our way tomorrow!

**EDIT**

Notice mama has her hair short, because it's started falling out, but she STILL has her hair! Man her hair is stubborn just like her! Haha!

Update - end of Cycle One!

From Mama:

I paid my dues, took my shots, ate my red meat (ugh) and was allowed to receive chemo today. That means I have completed the first cycle!!! taaa daaa.

The session went well, and included the additional all around good time of getting some blood drawn for a cross match in case I decide I need a transfusion. Hmmm, not something I had anticipated, but apparently it happens.

Any advice from the masses for building up my blood counts will be appreciated.

Also, altho my hair has the formidable reputation of being some of the MOST STUBBORN my hairdresser Ronoldo has ever seen, it has finally been conquered by chemotherapy and I'm loosing it by the handfuls. So Ron has been enlisted to administer the Chemo Cut tomorrow. I'll try to remember to get him to snap a before and after pic, okay?

I will also begin another round of shots to help build up my blood counts.

Well, until next time!!

jeanette

Chemo round two....

From mama:

well, today was supposed to be shorter, but it still dragged on a bit. The actual infusion was only 30 minutes, but the start was delayed by almost an hour.

they opted to go ahead and give me the chemo, provided I protect myself from possible infection and then begin a series of injections to boost my white blood cell count. those start tomorrow here in Silverdale. Bad thing is I need to get them on Saturday and Sunday too, and I had wanted to spend the weekend at Julie's. May have to be a day trip now, after the shot in the morning or something.

I felt really tired by the time I got home, and took a nap while Dad went to the store and stuff. I managed to eat a little. This chemo round apparently is not as nausea producing as the one I got last week, so they just gave me the usual anti nausea there, and then I have the other stuff here that I can take. I need to remember to take it on a regular basis, and not wait till I am feeling ill.

Next week I will go in for a bone scan, to see if my bones are clear. I can not even imagine what the result will be if they are not. Don't want to go there. Plus I meet with Dr. Sun on Friday, this week to decide what to do about the stronger chemo dosage. Do we go for the kidney drain tube or not? Anybody out there have any experience with that?

still in the oncology clinic but haven't started chemo. met with oncologist, nurse and now chemo patient education! full day!

good morning friends and family! I am with mom and we are on our way to her first chemo appt! we will be at Group Health oncology infusion center in Tacoma WA. updates to come!

P_A_T_I_E_N_C_E

From Mike:

PATIENCE as opposed to IMPATIENT. I'm naturally the latter (thanks dad for that!)

Mom is still "hanging out" as we wait for more news, which we should have VERY SOON.

Again, the consensus is that mom has "poorly differentiated non-small cell carcinoma that originated in the right ureter (tube that goes from the kidney to the bladder)."

We should have a treatment plan within the next 24 hours.

We will also be getting a second opinion from the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, probably on April 12th. However, we think her treatment might actually start before then.

In the meantime, I'm getting mama a new Mac for her to be able to cruise the 'nets while she's resting.

Also, I'm supposed to be going to Miami FL for a wedding, so that has me stressed out! I will probably be gone for just a few days, but might have to miss one treatment day which makes me sad :(

-Mike