HaPpY nEw YeAr!

Pathology Results

Yesterday I went to visit the surgeon for my post-op appointment. I found out that the three lymph nodes that he removed were all clean. Good news. Then he told me that he removed seven millimeters of cancerous cells (about one quarter of an inch) with clean margins. More good news. He said that about 70-80 percent of patients will have some tumor cells remaining after pre-surgery chemotherapy. Now I can truly say that I am cancer free.

During the first week of January I have an appointment with the radiation oncologist and my oncologist. I will be starting the Avastin treatments then if all looks good.

I have truly had a happy holiday with the good report from my surgeon. Hope you do too.

Update

I went to work for half a day the last two days before vacation. I wanted to make sure the students had new books to read for the holidays. My first morning back it was a mob scene in the library. There were several stacks of books three feet high to be returned. I got those books back on the shelves, and the students checked out more. I was also able to unpack about 3 boxes of new books. I brought home my own stack of new titles to read. I have finished two of them. I am glad that I went back early. It was nice to see everyone.

Now I have a two week break from school. I am going to enjoy myself since I finally have energy and feel good.

This afternoon I go to see my surgeon and get the pathology for the tissue that he removed. I will report after I hear from him.

Stayed at Home Today

I thought that I could make it into work for a half day today. I am having some issues, but I don't think that they are connected to the surgery. I am not whining here, just stating the facts. I am having terrible allergy issues: sneezing, sore throat, and dripping nose. It is most unpleasant. I have to carry tissue with me everywhere I go (around the house). I know it is allergy not a cold. I am trying to control the running nose with Benadryl, but it is not working. My other issue is my stomach. I won't go into the icky details, but I took an Immodium this morning. It seems to be working.

I plan to work the mornings only on Thursday and Friday. I know the kids want to see me--I have been getting text messages on my phone and a few emails. I want to see the kids and teachers too. Plus, I have a shipment of $4000 in new books just sitting there. I want some new reads for the holidays!

My First Venture Out

Until this evening, I had not left the house since we returned home from Ochsner Hospital on Wednesday afternoon. I have enjoyed sleeping, reading, and answering the telephone. I haven't even watched that much television, though I caught the movie, Christmas in Connecticut today with Barbara Stanwyck and Sydney Greenstreet. It wasn't very good, but I still enjoyed it.

Steve had to work today, so I decided to walk Josey Brown with him when he came home. I didn't even change out of my flannels. I added a hat and scarf and walking shoes, and we took a short walk with the dog. It felt pretty good to be out.

I sort of like this recuperation gig. It is very relaxing.

Up in the Middle of the Night

I can't sleep, so I am catching up on the emails that I missed today. No, there was nothing that couldn't wait, but I enjoyed hitting the delete button to clean up the trash.

The surgery went so well today. There were two procedures pre-surgery that I thought would be painful. They weren't. The area was numbed before the needles were injected, so neither the wire insertion or the radioactive dye were problems.

I am feeling great! I have slight discomfort but no real pain. I did take a pain pill before I went to sleep, as I did not want to wake up with throbbing at the site of surgery. Instead I have a bit of insomnia.

On Friday afternoon I will be able to take off the dressing and shower. Everything has gone so smoothly that I anticipate not to be disappointed with how I look. Anyway, it has been a difficult battle, and I expected to have some battle scars.

I want to give a shout out of thanks to all who put me in their thoughts and prayers. It worked! I am so pleased with today's outcome.

It's Over

I meant to post this as soon as Elizabeth was out of surgery. Blogging on the ipod touch in the family waiting area at Ocshner Hospital turned out to be more difficult then I expected. But anyway the operation was over by 1:30, and it was a major success. I spoke with the surgeon right after the operation, and he was very pleased with the outcome. Three sentinel lymph nodes were removed, and they were all cancer free. We will find out the pathology of the tissue removed when Elizabeth returns for a follow-up on the 23rd. We would be very surprised if there is any cancer cells present. All things considered this was as good as it could possibly get.

We got home about 4 this afternoon and Elizabeth is feeling pretty good. She's been up and around. We just had a very nice dinner her Mom made for us and now we are about to take it easy for the rest of the night. Thanks to everyone who called and wrote; we really appreciate your concern and your prayers.

It started

Elizabeth was wheeled into surgery at noon today. The operation should take about an hour.

Tomorrow,Tomorrow--the Big Day

I am scheduled for surgery at 11AM tomorrow. There are only two people ahead of me, so maybe I will actually get wheeled into surgery for 11. My first procedure is at 7:45AM at the Breast Center, and then they want me in the hospital as soon as that is finished so that they can start to prep me. Maybe I will be home for 4PM.

Steve plans to post here on the blog when they wheel me into surgery, and then post again after Dr. Corsetti talks to him post-surgery. If you want to know what happens, you can read it here. Almost in real time, Steve will have the iPod Touch, and the mini-keyboard will be a bit of an obstacle.

Wish me luck, or as I have been telling the students at school---you should be wishing the doctor good luck. He will be doing all the work, not me.

Counting Down the Days Until Surgery

Wednesday is the big day. I have a 7:45AM appointment at the breast center. They will insert a wire to mark the site of the tumor. Or should I say, where the tumor use to be. Then I go across the street to surgery. I do not know the time that the surgery is scheduled. I won't know until they call me on Tuesday. Steve will be with me. He will probably get to sit with me until I go into surgery. Then the surgery should take an hour, and I will be sleeping it off for 90 minutes to 2 hours. Steve will be allowed into recovery after that. I won't be staying overnight in the hospital; I will go home that afternoon.

The surgeon did not expect any surprises with my surgery--all routine. For him that is, not for me. I am getting a bit nervous. I know that on Thursday that I will be happy that half of my treatment has been completed.

The surgeon wants me home for a week and a half, so that brings me up to my school's winter break. I will have three and a half weeks to rest and get myself back together before going to work and continuing my treatments. I return to the doctor for radiation treatments a month after the surgery.

My Week Off Was Great!

I haven't written in almost two weeks because I have been so busy. I am back to the land of the living, and it feels great! I had lots to do around the house, and I got some socializing in too during the week. Here is a picture of me on Thansgiving morning toasting the day with a bloody mary.
I have had a handful of drinks over the last six months, as alcohol has tasted so nasty to me. I liked having a holiday devoted to food when I could actually enjoy the taste of it. We served breakfast/brunch at our house that morning then spent the afternoon at the racetrack betting on the horses. No, we did not win anything, but my mother won several races. In the evening we went to my mother's house for turkey sandwiches. My sister was in town with her new boyfriend. So on the Friday after Thanksgiving, we all piled into the car to check out some of the Prospect 1 art around town.

Below is my sister, Taffy, standing inside the latex house by Takashi Horisaki at the welcome center for Prospect 1. Click here for a picture of the house.

Surgery Date is Set

I am going into surgery on Wednesday, December 10th. The mass has shrunk to nothing, and I will be able to have a lumpectomy or breast conservation surgery. There was only one bump in facing surgery. I am hoping to have only the sentinel lymph node removed. However, with chemo prior to surgery sometimes the radioactive dye that is used to determine the sentinel lymph node does not do its job. In that case I have to have an axillary lymph node dissection. In that procedure several lymph nodes are removed and tested for cancer. We won't know until the surgery if this will happen. When you have several lymph nodes removed you have to worry about swelling in the arm, and you could have problems with that arm in the future.

I am not looking forward to surgery, but I am ready for it to happen. It is time for the next step.

I Visit the Surgeon Tomorrow

I was starting to get nervous about the MRI. I wanted to make sure that it was readable. Today I called my clinical trial nurse to see if she could pull it up on the computer. She did. There was a comment by the radiologist about movement, but the pictures were readable. There does not seem to be any tumor present. That is exciting news. So far everything that the doctors told me would happen has happened. I am looking forward to my meeting with the surgeon. I hope that he has more good news. Next time that I write, I will have the date of my surgery and how extensive it will be.

Yum Yum

On Friday night we did make it to Kim Son. I knew exactly what I wanted to order when we walked in the door. We would start with imperial rolls and squid salad. Then I would have a shrimp vermicelli bowl for my entree. It was delicious though I had forgotten that the squid salad had some heat to it, and I am still having trouble dealing with too much spiciness in my food. Anyway, I forgot until the end of the meal that I could take a picture with my phone. The first shot shows the salad that we brought home for later noshing, and the second picture shows you how much I enjoyed my entree.

All Clear for Surgery

Today I saw the oncologist. My blood levels were just where they should be, and she gave me the go ahead to schedule my surgery. I told my MRI horror story to my doctor today, and she was pretty confident that it can be read even with some slight movement. MRIs are only done on Wednesdays, and they are read only once a week. So I really will have no clue about the results until I see the surgeon next week. I see the surgeon on Tuesday. As long as the dreaded MRI from yesterday is readable, the surgeon will tell me his plan for my surgery when I see him.

More good news today. I can now eat sushi and raw food when we eat out. I don't have to worry about my immune system. Yea!!! I think that we will go the Vietnamese restaurant Kim Son tomorrow night, so that I can have a vermicelli noodle bowl which is filled with raw veggies. Steve will probably have one too. My favorite dishes at Kim Son all contain raw veggies, so we haven't eaten there much over the last 6 months. It is one of our regular spots. I have sorely missed the flavors of their food, and so has Steve.

Another Way to Spell Hell is MRI

Okay, I guess that I now know that I am claustrophobic. I try to be a good patient. I really do. Today did me in. I had the MUGU test with no problem. You lie down on your back and the machine only covers your left side to take pictures of your heart. You have to be still, but most of your body is out in the open though the machine is very, very close to your body.

I lost it during the MRI. Ochsner has this new machine that has a smaller opening than the older MRI. The radiologist likes her breast patients to use the new machine. I was prepped for the machine with the smaller opening. There is a bit of prep work to get your breasts at just the right position. I was sent through the tube. When the machine moved into position, I just could not take it. I insisted that I be removed. I refused to be put through that machine again, and I asked for the older one. Once I got settled in there, the hot flashes started. I was so hot and that made the whole experience worse. I was sticking to the heavy hospital sheet. Several times I thought about screaming to be freed from the tube. Halfway through they came to see if I was okay because there was movement in my body when the machine was making its loud proclamations. I wasn't moving; I was just breathing heavily because of my anxiety.

They had to repeat some of the pictures because of movement. I may have to repeat the whole thing as they said the radiologist is very picky. Next time, which I hope there is not one, I will demand to be sedated. I can't go through the paces like that again. It was nightmarish. They told me at the beginning that it was 25 minutes for the whole shebang, but since they had to repeat scans I was in there longer.

Cross your fingers for me that the pictures that were taken today are readable because I really, really, really don't want to have to go through that tube with the loud pounding anytime soon.

Tests Tomorrow

Not much to report here. I have been feeling pretty good the last week, but I am still very tired. I have to watch how much energy I expend at work because I have come home a couple of days and just collapsed. I don't necessarily need to sleep, but I do need to rest.

Tomorrow I go in for two tests. One is a MUGU that will test how well my heart is pumping. I had one pre-chemo. This one is to see if all is well post-chemo. The chemo drugs can affect your heart. The other test that I will have is an MRI. This is important because it will give us a measure of what is left of the tumor. Even though I go to see the oncologist on Thursday, I will not know the results of the MRI until I see the surgeon on the 18th.

I have noticed more fuzz on my head. I imagine that it will be several months before I can go hatless, but I like seeing hair grow. It means that I am getting healthier too.

Check out the hair I grew for Halloween

Actually this is the first time that I have put on a wig since I lost my hair. Everyone at school loved the red hair. I don't think that I would ever grow my hair this long again, but it was fun for a day.

Ups and Downs of Chemo

I had my last treatment of the dreaded AC (Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide combo) on Thursday. On Friday I spent the day sleeping. I had good days on Saturday and Sunday. My friend Leslie came by on Saturday for a nice long visit. Steve had decided that he wanted to sit with me for my last treatment, so Leslie came to visit at the house rather than sit with me in the chemo room. It was certainly more pleasant at home and a lot more fun. I was able to do the evening walk with Steve and the dog on Friday through Sunday. That was a step in the right direction. Then around 8PM on Sunday, the drugs started doing their thing. I did not feel good. Luckily, I had medicine to take that alleviated the nasty feeling that I was having.

Today is a gorgeous fall New Orleans day. I don't feel like going outside, but I have all the window treatments open and lots of light coming in to make the house feel cheerful. I can lie in bed and see the wind rustling the crape myrtle tree. Phase I is almost over, and I can't wait.

Showered with Gifts

On Monday at school I was inundated with gifts that the teachers and students brought to me from the race on Sunday. I got a key chain from one of the students, a scarf was put in my mailbox anonymously, a teacher brought me a pink koozie from Touro Hospital, another teacher ordered a pink lunch bag for me and Peg Martinez (my friend Leslie's sister) sent me her medal that she received after running the Komen race. I also got a box of pink Savon soaps from Steve's sister; as well as a couple of pink ribbon pins from my sister. It is all about the pink during October's breast cancer month. It is very touching that so many are thinking about me now. Thanks to you all--it means a lot. 

Tomorrow is it my last chemo treatment. I don't get to ring the bell though because I will be returning to the chemo room in January for 10 treatments of Avastin. I will receive that drug every three weeks, so my treatment won't be complete until some time in June. Then I get to ring the bell. Thank goodness the side effects of Avastin don't include hair loss and nausea. 

Komen Race for the Cure on the Bayou

Today was the annual Komen Race for the Cure that raises money for breast cancer research. The Taylor Tiger team was over 30 people strong with students, faculty, and the faculty's kids. On Friday at school there was a pink ribbon day to help raise money for the team. I don't know the total, but it was one of the best ever for the school. I did not think that I could make the three mile walk this year, but Steve and I did go out to cheer the team on their way. I saw about half of the students and faculty, as they were spread throughout the mass of runners and walkers. It was a beautiful, cool morning, so it wasn't much of a hardship to hang out on the bayou and wait for the racers. We stood near the end of the bridge that you see in the picture above, then we crossed the bridge to catch the group as they made their way back.

I heard that there were 7500 registered in the race. Here is a shot of the mass making their way to the 2 mile marker. The bayou was filled with youngsters enjoying canoe rides; I don't think that they had any connection to the race.



Below are two of my students from Taylor. They were near the back of the pack. The student on the left was complaining that she couldn't walk the 3 miles. I will find out tomorrow if she made it back to the park.

One Week until LAST Treatment

I shouldn't have gotten so excited about my upcoming appointments. They have been moved to later dates. I found out that to fit the protocol for my clinical trial I must wait 3 to 4 weeks after the last chemotherapy before I can have an MRI. Then it takes several days after the test for the results. I can't see the surgeon until he sees the MRI. This test is key because it will determine the current size of the tumor and whether I am a candidate for a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. Surgery is definitely after November 18th and probably after Thanksgiving. That is what I had originally thought.

I have been at school every day for the last week, but I am not feeling that great. I keep pushing along knowing that this phase of my treatment will soon be behind me.

One week after

Again it has taken me a week to recuperate from my last treatment. I had a pretty good day today. I was even able to run a couple of errands in the neighborhood. I plan to go back to work tomorrow. Next week is Teen Read Week, and I have lots of neat activities to prepare for the library onslaught. Anyway, I hope that there is a library onslaught.

When I started the chemo, I met Judy. She was going to be my chemo nurse every time I went. That didn't exactly happen, but she was my nurse this last time. She has been a cheerleader for me every time that I do visit. I took my picture with her so that you could meet her too.

I cannot believe that there is only one treatment left of the eight. It has been an ordeal. I have made it through so far; there should be no problem with the last one. Though if the doctor said I could skip the last one, you know I would.

Please take a look at my upcoming appointments. I have now started scheduling for phase two of this process. I am on the books to see my surgeon on election day. We will make the appointment for the surgery then. I am so looking forward to moving on and finally getting to eat food that tastes good to me. I haven't talked much of how bad food tastes, but chemo wreaks havoc on the taste buds.

Oh, have I told you about the hot flashes? Something else I am anticipating--the change in seasons to temper my hot flashes. More on that another day.

Time for Another Round

Tomorrow I go back to Ochsner to experience the continued onslaught of drugs. No, I am not looking forward to it, but I know that it is a necessity. If it takes me awhile to post again, then you know that I am feeling down in the dumps.

Here is a picture of some of the Taylor students who walked on Sunday in the annual N.O. AIDS walk near our house. I could not walk the course. However, I went out to cheer them on. That is me on the far left looking out of place as I stand in the street.

Who Knew?

I had decided early on in the summer that I would begin school in August even though I would be in the middle of my chemo treatments. I had accrued over 90 sick days over my 23 years of teaching. I figured that if I needed to take a week off for each of my four treatments and a week for my surgery and then a few days here and there for appointments and/or tests that I wouldn't use anywhere near 90 days. So far, so good.

When I am absent, the library at school is closed for business. I worried about that but decided that I needed to be able to work when I felt good. It was all about me because that is the way I look at life these days. I have to take care of myself to get through the beating that the drugs cause to my body.

However, it isn't all about me, and I learned that lesson over the last few weeks. The other day two junior girls were talking to me. One told me that I was her hero. The other explained that since I am managing so well with the cancer treatment, that has inspired her to be able to do anything. They both could not believe the energy that I have and the interest that I still have in them and books and the library. I realize now that my attending school when I can has been an inspiration to the students. Who knew? I didn't know that my cancer was going to be a teachable moment kind of thing. I have been very honest with the students. When I first announced to them about my illness, I just explained that I would be undergoing medical treatments. I could not get up in front of hundreds to say the C word. For any who have asked, I have been very forthright and explained to them as much as they seem to want to hear. Many have questions for me, and I answer them honestly. Too many of these students will be touched by C in their lives, seeing me go through it may remind them that life puts obstacles in our way but it doesn't mean that we are done.

Belated SHOUT OUT!!!!

I am very remiss in not sending out a shout out of thanks to the Atlantans who harbored us from Hurricane Gustav. My sister, Felicia Michelson, let us crash the first night when we arrived at 2AM. Josey Brown, the greyhound, found a love for tramping around her huge half acre backyard. Then Cathy, Frederic, Adam and Abigail Kahn let us stay in their downstairs room for the duration of our evacuation. Though Josey Brown had some issues, they provided us a safe harbor from the storm.

Thanks again--we certainly appreciated it.

Knocks Me for A Loop

I wasn't expecting that. This chemo treatment hit me hard. By Tuesday the 16th I was starting to feel better, but I also started to feel extremely weak. I could barely get out of bed. I stayed home through Wednesday because I was so tired. I think that on Wednesday I took three separate naps during the course of the day. I also was home awaiting the arrival of the locksmith because our front door dead bolt wouldn't work. Now our lock is in ship shape, and I have 2 weeks to mend before my next go round. Do I really have to do it all over again?

Today I returned to school. The library was swarming with tweens at 7AM. I was overcome. Pleased because they were excited to have access to the books once again, but overwhelmed to be back at my normal routine which felt anything but normal. The library was abuzz all day long with books in and out. At first I thought that I would not be able to accomplish anything worthwhile, but by the end of the day I actually got some needed work completed. I know that I can make it through Friday with some weekend rest before a whole week in the work force next week.

Had My Treatment

You may have guessed by my lack of posting that I had my 6th treatment on Thursday. My white blood count had a reading of 1122 on Wednesday. It needs to be at 1200 before they will give me my treatment. When I had my blood work done again on Thursday, it was at 1900. So the 24 hours made a big difference. Next time I will not have my blood work the day ahead. I scheduled it that way so I could go in quickly from work on Wednesday to have the blood drawn and then work half a day on Thursday.

I am feeling okay. I haven't made it out the front door since Thursday afternoon, but that is to be expected. I plan to be home on Monday and Tuesday to fully recuperate. Hopefully, my strength will allow me to make it through a full day on Wednesday. The drugs that I am taking to keep away the nausea disrupt my sleep patterns, so if I don't have to worry about getting up to get to school for 7AM then I can sleep and wake as needed.

I explained to the doctor that I went back to school too early after my 5th round of chemo because I couldn't sleep. I figured that if I couldn't sleep then I might as well be at work. She said that even if I can't sleep, my body needs the rest. So I am going to get the rest. It should make it easier to transition back to work if my body has had enough down time. It is hard to know how much down time that I actually need. I will let you know.

Will I or Won't I?

I got my blood work done today for tomorrow's chemo treatment. My white blood count was a bit low, too low to receive a treatment. They want me to go in tomorrow and give more blood to see if 24 hours makes a difference. If my count makes it to the magic number by tomorrow morning, then I will have my treatment as scheduled. If not, then I will have to wait until next week. Oh well, this has happened to many people I know that have undergone chemotherapy. I was just on a roll there and thought that I would get all my treatments as scheduled.

Hurray!!!!!

Power has been restored to our house as of 11:15AM Sunday, Sept 7th. An Entergy man with a long pole arrived to remove the limb from the breaker switch. He had to replace the fuse and flip the breaker, and we were back in business. Steve is sitting on the sofa enjoying the Saints, and I have started the laundry. Now if the refrigerator was full and we had cold drinks, we would be in heaven, but as it stands we are happy for now.

I am trying to blow cool air Ike's way so he moves as far west as possible.

Evacuation Update

We are back in New Orleans as of Friday at 7PM. Our house has no power though there are many houses in our neighborhood with lights. We are staying at my mother's house until we can have A/C at home. It is hot here. We are hopeful that the electricity will be turned on by Sunday evening.

Looking warily at Ike in the Carribean. We are trying to be optimistic about this hurricane veering away from the NOLA area.

On the Road for 20 Hours

I don't think that I can ever do this again. We left home before 5AM heading east. We arrived at my sister's house in Atlanta at 2AM Eastern time. We tried the backroads and county lanes of MS and AL to avoid the bumper to bumper on the Interstate. I don't think that it saved us any time but it was pretty. Our dog was a model evacuee. She slept the entire 20 hours. I drove two legs of the trip, but Steve did the majority of driving. We hate car driving when conditions are good, so this was a hell.

We hope all our friends and family who had to leave too are now safe and sound with electricity.

Time to Go . . .

Okay, we really didn't want to leave. This afternoon when the storm was predicted to hit a category 5 once in the Gulf, that was the moment that the decision was made.
See the light pink dots--that designates a Cat 5, then the hot pink designates a Cat 4. The storm is not to be a direct hit to New Orleans, but the high winds could mean a nasty storm surge.

We have secured the house the best that we could. I have all my medical records neatly filed in a binder. I have also put together all our important papers. We have packed enough clothing for a long haul. We will drive to Atlanta. Since my mother is staying with my sister and my sister only has a two bedroom house, we are going to stay with Frederic and Cathy Kahn. The plan is to leave at 5AM before the majority of evacuees. Hah! Do you think that we will see a traffic jam on I-10 with bumper to bumper cars? Let's hope not. As we would like to get to Atlanta in less than 9 hours. Wish us luck.

Should we stay or should we go?

That is the question on most people's minds in New Orleans right now. Some of my students have already left town, some are packing up right now, others like us are still watching the track and hoping that home will be the safest place.


I am most comfortable at home. Without electricity I might amend that statement, but for now I am into the comfort of my own home. Today we will keep abreast of the news, rest because both of us are exhausted from work (another reason that evacuation sounds uninviting), and move outdoor objects to safety.

At the end of the day, if we need to leave town then we will head eastward to Atlanta before the crack of dawn on Sunday morning. I don't have another treatment due until September 11th, so I do not need require any medical attention before that Thursday.

Back to Work and Gustav

Today was my first full day back after my 5th treatment. I went in to work yesterday for about 4 hours. I was a basketcase after being there 3 hours and barely made it home in the afternoon to crawl into bed. Last night I had a full night's rest, my first since Thursday. It makes a world of difference. I made it through the whole day today. I still made a bee line into the bed when I got home at 3:15PM, but I only needed a short nap to recuperate from the day in the library.

I just want to mention Hurricane Gustav that is headed into the Gulf, so that I have a record of it for the future. Something else to worry about--I am not really thrilled about another worry. Hopefully, this hurricane will steer clear of NOLA, and we will be back to work after Labor Day. I have copies of all my medical records and lists of the medicines that I need to take for my next treatment. if for some reason we are not home.

5th Treatment was on August 21st

Before each chemo treatment I must get blood taken and tested and sometimes urine too. My clinical trial nurse, Melanie, was blown away because all the levels were in the normal range this time. I made a copy of the report for you. The column on the left gives my levels, and the column on the far right gives the normal ranges for each test that was made. I am in the normal range on all levels; no highs or lows on anything.

One of the new drugs that I got this round is called Adriamycin. This drug is not given in a drip like all the others. The nurse must inject it by hand. It is noted by its red color and is sometimes called the red devil. So far this weekend I have been able to tolerate the medication without too much nausea. I am on medication to help that will end tomorrow. I am extremely fatigued, but that is normal. My sleep patterns are all screwed up as I am up some in the night and must nap on and off during the day. I took off on Friday and will do that again tomorrow. We will see if I can make it to school on Tuesday. I am more than half way through the worst part of this ordeal, though I don't feel like celebrating.

New Drugs Tomorrow

My treatment tomorrow means that I will be receiving Adriamycin and Cytoxan. Both of these drugs have been used for breast cancer for many years and other cancers too. One of the most common side effect of these drugs is hair loss. Been there, done that. I guess that I won't be expecting my hair to grow back any time soon. The other common side effect is nausea. I hope the drugs they give me to counteract the nausea will work. I am awaiting the arrival of several pounds of ginger candy that seems to help ease the queasiness for me. World Market use to carry the candy, but they didn't have it during my last few visits there. I went there just to buy that candy and went home disappointed each time. That is why I love the Internet. I found the company that makes Gin Gins, and several bags are on the Fed Ex truck somewhere between California and my house right now.

Today I left school feeling good. I hate the thought that I will be sick again. It is hard to walk into the chemo room knowing that poison is going to be put into my body. As Steve keeps reminding me, we have to kill the C. That is my job right now. With the help of my Ochsner team, we are doing a pretty good job on the battlefield.

I AM A C . . .

I am over the Xeloda!

Here is the last one of the dreaded pills that I hate. I never have to take these again. I didn't think that I would ever reach this point in my treatment.

I had to take these pills for two weeks after the first four of my chemo treatments. Ugh! These pills were part of the clinical trial. They have been used effectively for later stage cancers, but they wanted to see the effectiveness with an early stage like mine. I dreaded each and every pill that I had to put in my mouth. The first two cycles I had to take 1650 mg--which meant four different pills after breakfast and dinner each day for two weeks. They tasted nasty, or maybe it was just the water that tasted nasty. They decreased my dose to 1300 mg for the last two cycles because I was having such awful side effects. That was when it hurt to walk or touch anything. I still had to take 4 pills to get the right dose just smaller tablets.

No more Xeloda for me, as they are not part of my chemical cocktail for the last four cylces of chemotherapy. I am half way through and still kicking.

Treatment number 5 is on Thursday.

Tumor is Changing

I wanted to let you know that we got a glowing report from Dr.Larned, my oncologist, during my visit on the 31st of July. I told her that I can feel the tumor is changing. Yes, to me it seems smaller! She agrees that it is changing. She said that is great news that the tumor is responding to the chemo. She keeps telling us how good it is to go through chemotherapy before surgery. She is very positive that I will get the results I want and be able to have a lumpectomy when it is time for surgery. So far, so good.

I made it through three days of work last week. I think that I over extended myself, as I cannot move off of the sofa today. Sunday is a day of rest for me. I will plan to leave when the bell rings each day after school, so I can nap or rest every afternoon as needed. Steve is encouraging me to do this, and I think that he is right.

Back to Work

I made it through my first day of school for the new year. Hurray!

The first thing that I did this morning was set up my refrigerator in the library so I could have cold drinks in the heat. The rest of the day I sat in meetings, so I sat and listened and worked on my laptop. This didn't call for too much energy. I left school at 2:40PM even though I could have stayed later to work in the library. Reading and a nap were on the afternoon agenda.

I did have some stomach issues today. This could have been nerves because of the start of school or the chemo. Either way I am happy that Immodium solves the stomach issues.

Last year at this time I set up a profile on Librarything.com to catalog all the books that I have read. From August 2007-August 2008 I have read 68 books. I don't know if this is more or less than I usually read. Anyway, if you are interested in seeing what I read this year check out this link.

4th Chemo Treatment -- 4 More to Go!

Before each treatment I have to see the doctor, and before I see the doctor I have to give Miss Cynthia some blood.

Here are the tools of her trade-->

Miss Cynthia is great. You put your arm out, turn your head, and before you know it she has filled the vials with blood for testing. She is amazing. She always has a smile on her face, and I don't mind that she is the first person that I see when I arrive for treatment.

This is Miss Cynthia-->

When I arrive in the chemo room, I have to pick a chair. I like to find one along the wall with windows. Here is a picture of the chair that I have used 3 times. You can see that it is a recliner. They want you to be comfortable.

Mary North, who teaches with me at Pat Taylor, came with me to this treatment.

I feel great! Too bad I have a treatment tomorrow.

I have not been writing so much lately. I tried to use this time when I feel good (better than I have felt all summer actually) to get chores done and run necessary errands. I even went into school today to make sure I will be ready for work next week. By the time I am finished in the afternoons, I am spent and not interested in writing. Steve said that I am like my old self. I feel like my old self. That will all change tomorrow.

Mary North, who teaches with me at Patrick Taylor, will sit with me in the chemo room tomorrow. The treatment should last about 2 and a half hours. I told her to bring her laptop so that she can get some work done (free wi-fi at Ochsner), but we will probably spend most of our time trying to solve the world's problems. Unless I get too tired. They start my drip with benadryl. I get a little loopy at the beginning of the treatment. It is not too bad by the time I leave, though I wouldn't want to drive myself home.

I have only one 14 day course of the dreaded Xeloda pills left to take. That starts tomorrow. Then on August 12th that will be it for me. Thank goodness; I really hate the hand and foot troubles that I have had with that drug. Then I get to find out how my body responds to a whole new set of medicine.

Hey Book Group -- Thanks for the cool cap

I was so touched when I was presented this hat at the June meeting of my book group. It really took me by surprise. I always try to be correct and write thank you notes, but I didn't really know how to deal with thanking a group of people for a gift. So I sent out an email to all the members, since that is how we communicate.

I also thought it would be nice to share this in the blog and let everyone see me wearing my new hat. Thank you Book Group for the hat and support. You all are great!

Smooth Sailing

Okay, it is not totally smooth, but this cycle of treatments has been the easiest so far. I haven't had much to write here because I have felt so much better this third cycle than the first two cycles. I went to the doctor's office today to show them my hands. My condition is considered a grade 2 reaction to the drugs. That means they will lessen the amount of drugs that I will be given during my fourth cycle. I am all for that. These drugs are strong!

Everyone has been so complimentary of my hats and scarves that I wear to cover my bald head. That's nice, but it is hot out there. We just returned from a dog walk, and I wish that I could have gone without a head covering. Now I am hot and miserable. I sort of have a peach fuzz covering my head and to me it is unattractive. I am just not liberated enough to go au naturale.

When I report to school on August 6th, I will be on day 7 of my 4th cycle. Since the students don't arrive until the 11th, I should be able to handle the meetings and low key events that happen before the first day with kids. I will have the 5th through 8th cycle of treatments after school starts. I will be given a different cocktail of drugs than I am taking now. The side effects may be different, and I may or may not be able to tolerate them as well. The doctors cannot tell me how my body will react. I am anxious about it , but everyone says that I should take one day at a time.

My book group chose a book with a character that gets breast cancer. That took me by surprise. Luckily, it was not a major focus of the book because I may not have been able to get through it.

A Week Since Last Treatment

As you can see in the picture my hands are peeling. This only hurts in the places where it is very red like where my thumb meets my palm. Yes, it is very unpleasant and hurts in places on both hands. Ick. Anyway, the doctor has stopped the pills again until my hands improve. I go see her next week to find out if I need to continue to take the Xeloda. I hope that I will be finished for this cycle.

I feel crummy, but Steve keeps reminding me that I am doing so much better than the first two cycles. My stomach seems to be better and I definitely have less queasiness. So maybe this is what I can expect in the next cycles.

I report back to work in three weeks. I hope that I can do it. I hope that working will help me keep my mind off feeling lousy.

Trees Grow in Houston

Here are Chris Cunningham and Jo Ann Moinet standing on the deck outside Jo Ann's Houston apartment. What a gorgeous setting! Who knew you would find this in the concrete jungle known as Houston, TX. The apartment is located in the neighborhood known as the Heights. It was a wonderful neighborhood made up of trees, sidewalks and craftsman cottages. We spent our mini-vacation shopping and visiting and eating. Jo Ann treated me to a dry pedicure which was so relaxing. A full pedicure is one of those luxuries that I cannot indulge in during my chemo treatments. I have to worry about infections.

On Tuesday night we had a delicious Vietnamese dinner at Vietnam on 19th Street in the Heights. Joan sitting at the head of the table
always orders for the group. She did good. Starting on the left and going clockwise around the table are Andy, Rick (Joan's husband), Jo Ann, Annie (who used to live in NOLA), Chris, Joan, Mary Stuart (who used to live in NOLA), me (in my head scarf), and Ryan (Andy's son).

The trip was a great success! I think that we should plan a repeat for next summer, then I can sleep in the closet instead of Chris.

On Thursday, the 10th, I had my third chemo treatment. All went well and today is okay. However, the Saturday after is when it all hits my system, so I am bracing myself for a difficult weekend. I will keep you up to date.

The Kahn Women Are All Survivors!

Here we are: my mother, Felicia Kahn (diagnosed with C 2 years ago), me (diagnosed with C April 11, 2008), and my sister, Felicia "Taffy" Michelson (diagnosed with C 12 years ago and thyroid cancer in 2007). My sister came to spend the holiday weekend in New Orleans with us. The photographer is Pam Knight from Durham, England who was also visiting over the weekend.

We are standing in the patio of Feelings Cafe where we had just enjoyed Sunday brunch.

I'm getting costly cancer drug for free

There was an extensive article about the drug Avastin in the New York Times today.   Click here if you would like to read it. This drug is part of my clinical trial. It has been used on advanced cases of C for years; now they want to see if it works on early stages of C. I am a guinea pig for that. Luckily, I don't have to pay for it. 

ACSCAN Bus visits New Orleans

Yesterday my mother and I went to see the American Cancer Society Community Action Network Bus. The bus is traveling to 48 states before arriving in Washington D. C. on election day. The idea is to raise awareness for the need for congress to provide funding to the fight against cancer. Here is a link to the American Cancer Society website==>http://acscan.org/bus/

We found a small spot left on the side to write a message and sign our names.

Eat whatever you want

My doctor told me that many women gain 8 to 10 pounds while on chemo for C. I haven't exactly figured out how. Between the diarrhea which hit me again and the way food tastes now, it is hard to imagine how one could overeat. I remember pre-chemo enjoying food, well it wasn't really that long ago. 

Now I wonder each time I put something in my mouth how it will actually taste. When we went to North Carolina we were drinking tap water with ice made from tap water. I fixed myself several glasses and drank it. Finally, I asked Steve why we were drinking such awful tasting water. It turned out that I was the only one who thought it tasted bad. I find very few liquids that taste good to me, but I am drinking apple juice and peppermint iced tea with some small enjoyment. (peppermint tea courtesy of Cameron Smith)

Food can taste good one day and not the next. During my stomach upset I lived on bananas and banana bread. I will make sure to always have a loaf in the freezer ready if needed. When I talked to the nurse yesterday she said to eat whatever works. If all I can eat is candy bars and junk food than so be it. Chocolate does not taste so great right now, so I am not going there. I want to eat a healthy diet especially while I am on chemo, but it is a trial. This is the first time in my life that I was told by a doctor not to lose weight. I wish that I could enjoy that thought. 

Also, they gave me some relief for the hand-foot syndrome. I am off the pills from my evening Friday night dose until Monday morning. If my situation improves, then I will resume the pills at a lower dose until Wednesday. For the 3rd cycle I will begin the pills at the lower dosage. Hurrah, they listened to me and gave me a viable solution. I hate the Xeloda. 

Another day in discomfort

No, my  hands and feet aren't better today. The nurse suggested that I put my feet up. Okay, I can do that, but I wish that I didn't have to today. Oh, well. 

Last night I had horrendous diarrhea. You didn't want to know that, but it helps to describe my overall well-being. Not so great. Immodium is a wonder drug though it is so nasty tasting that I could barely get it down. 

If you visit the blog to see that I haven't posted in a number of days, there are two possible explanations. The first is that I am doing so well that I don't have time to stop and write because I am busy enjoying myself out of the house. On the other hand it could be that I am doing so poorly that I don't have the energy or fitness to sit at the computer and type. Since I can bring a laptop to bed, it must be that I am really out of it. 

Side Effects- each day something new appears

For two weeks after the drip I take this pill called Xeloda. On the first day that I received it, they handed me a pile of literature highlighting all the side effects. Then they said don't focus on these because there is a good chance that you won't have any of them. Well, I now have palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (PPE) or in layman's terms hand-foot syndrome. It is not so bad looking-I have redness on the palms of my hand and the bottom of my feet. The reason that I am miserable is because every step that I take is painful, every time I touch something to pick it up it is painful. There is no magic pill to make this go away except a reduction in dosage. I have a call into Ochsner. Hopefully, they will be able to recommend something and I will be able to walk more comfortably tomorrow. 

Chemo is the pits. 

Feeling the effects of the 2nd treatment

I wanted to let you know that I had my hair sheared on Friday. My already very short hair was coming out in handfuls. I went to Kenneth to have him cut it as close as possible. I have about one half inch fuzz all over my head, and he left the hair in front of my ears. I imagine all that is left will eventually fall out. When you see me, I will be in scarf or hat. I did buy a wig, but I am not sure how comfortable I am wearing it. Kenneth has been cutting my hair for over 20 years, and I reminded him that I will be AWOL for awhile. He invited me to visit, but I don't think visiting the hair dresser will be high on my list of to dos. Too depressing, yes I am feeling not so good about the bald head. Though Steve is being very supportive, and if you have met some of the men in my family then you know that bald is a very common look.

My sister visited the traveling Fight Back Cancer Bus while it was in Atlanta. You can see the back of her large straw hat in the picture below. By the way, she has not had two bouts of breast cancer. She is a two time survivor though: breast cancer 12 years ago and thyroid cancer last year. The bus will be in New Orleans on June 30th at the Patrick F. Taylor Hope Lodge on River Road. I plan to make a trek over there to sign it too. Here is a link with information==> http://acscan.org/events/view/event/175

Now to my state of being after the second treatment. Actually, day 3 and 4 of this cycle were better for me than the first cycle. Today is day 5 of the cycle, and I am still house bound. I just don't feel good. I am slightly nauseous and very tired. I have fingertip pain which is a side effect of the drugs and now pain on the bottom of my feet. It hurts to walk. I hope that will be fleeting, but I don't know. Each day is new for me.

Chemo treatment #2

Today Steve and I met my new oncologist, Dr. Larned. Click her picture below to follow a link to her resume. We were very pleased with the way that she handled all my questions about the side effects that I have been having. She had read my file and seemed to get a good sense of what we expected from the treatments. I think that we will be happy with her. She has promised that she will be at Ochsner for the long haul.







My friend Leslie McDermott (15 year C survivor) met us after the doctor visit so Steve could head off to work. She sat with me in the chemo room. As you can see in the picture she did a bit of work while I received the drugs. Ha ha, we actually talked most of the time. Leslie discovered that the woman who ran her C support group is now working as an oncology nurse. They were thrilled to see each other, and it was a happy reunion. Leslie still meets with her group several times a year for social get togethers, and she hoped that Christine will join them next time. I am hoping to go to the next gathering too.


My next treatment is 3 weeks from today. My friend Jo Ann Moinet has offered to sit through the long procedure with me.

Two down, six more to go.

Trip to the Outer Banks of NC

We stayed in Nags Head, NC for four nights. By day Steve and I traveled around seeing the sights. The highlights included the lighthouses at Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island and the Wright Brothers Museum.

Here is Steve standing in front of the Bodie Lighthouse.

In the evenings we shared a meal and spent time with the whole Simon clan. The family was gathered to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of John and Louise. Visiting with the kids was fun because we don't get to see them very often. From left to right: Kieren, Taran, and Bronwyn Smith children of Julie and Cameron who live in Dayton, OH. Bronwyn is holding Dennery Simon; her brother Kaleo is sitting on the far right. They are children of John and Elizabeth who recently moved to Sugarloaf, NY from NYC. Lenka Simon is sitting next to Steve and Nik is on Steve's lap. They are children of Richard and Olgica and live in Oakland, CA.

As you can see, I am now wearing a head covering full time. My hair started shedding a week ago and now needs to be cut off as I am losing hair by the handful.

Leaving town

Tomorrow we are off to Nags Head, NC for a much deserved vacation. We are joining the whole Simon clan on their yearly family summer trip. They will be 8 adults and 7 kids strong. Louise, the matriarch of the family, is a C survivor for about 20 years-give or take a few. We get to see our 4 year old godchild, Kaleo, who we have not seen for way too long, and we finally get to meet his baby sister, Dennery. It should be restful and relaxing.

Don't worry, I am bringing plenty of sun screen and long sleeves and do not plan to hang out in the sun.

Meeting my new clinical trial nurse and battle scars

When you sign on to be part of a clinical trial, you are assigned a nurse who is there to hold your hand through all the phases of treatment. I called my nurse last week to speak to her about some of the side effects that I was having and found out that she no longer works for Ochsner. I was surprised and upset. She had promised to be there for me and now she wouldn't.

I have a new nurse. Her name is Melanie. When I was at Ochsner yesterday to see my surgeon, I made a date to meet Melanie. She was very sweet, and I am sure that she is going to be a big help to me. I just hope that she isn't so overloaded with new patients now and that I will not receive personal treatment. Unfortunately, she will be on vacation when I have my 2nd chemo treatment so someone else will be filling her shoes that day. That should not be a big problem. On the 19th I will be meeting my new oncologist as well as getting my next treatment.

My appointment with the surgeon was just a check up for him to see how the port-a-cath site looks. The port is used to administer the chemotherapy drips and to draw blood. It has already been used, so I know that it is working fine. I won't see Dr. Corsetti again for a few months. He wants me back after my last chemo, which will be around the end of October. He will then schedule my surgery which should happen about a month after my last chemo treatment. We are still hoping that the tumor will shrink and that I will be a candidate for lumpectomy. Dr. Corsetti is very confident that this will occur. I had a number of questions for him about my C, but he said that he will be able to give me answers once he performs the surgery.

Feeling really good these days. I have a week off of meds. Yea! I can eat again too!

It takes a lot of meds to kill C

Here are some of the medications that have been prescribed to me since I was diagnosed April 11th. I have also included some of the helpful over the counter drugs that I have needed. I am not a pill popper so having to take medications on a regular basis is very foreign to me.

Taking time in the garden when feeling good

Another day on chemo

This was another bad day for me. I just didn't feel good this morning, and I didn't want to get out of bed. As a matter of fact I am tapping away on the laptop in bed right now. I did get up and get dressed and make a trek to the store for food that I can eat. The side effects have started. So if you don't want to know about them, don't read any further.

The pills that I have to take for 2 weeks, I will have one week with no medication, cause mouth sores or mucositis in doctor-speak. That means it hurts to eat and swallow. My morning grape nuts are a nightmare. The nuts that I enjoyed, well they are out the window. I haven't eaten pudding in years, but it sure works well now. Yogurt that is great too. I am not much on soup, but I guess that I will learn to like it. Jello, well I haven't eaten that in years either, but it is quite soothing to the throat even if it doesn't give much nutritional value. I am trying to eat a healthy diet, but when the main consideration is softness and ease of eating it is hard to find good nutrition. One website suggested baby food, but I don't think that I am there yet.

The up side to all this-I have the time off from school to stay in bed if I choose. Tomorrow I made a lunch date with my friend Deborah Oppenheim, and I hope to feel well enough to go. Deborah is a breast cancer survivor for at least 6 years, maybe more.

Chemo = good, Cancer = bad

I had a revelation of sorts while waiting with Elizabeth in the Chemo room. I looked over at her sitting in the chair with these powerful drugs dripping into her body and realized that chemo isn’t evil; chemo is good.
Chemo is a dreaded experience, one that most people will avoid at any cost. The negative side effects are discussed over and over. Everyone is aware of them. Every Doctor and every Nurse we talk to is constantly warning us about the problems that may develop. No one has spent any time telling us about all the good that will be done. We never hear how these drugs attack the fast growing cancer cells and destroy them. How the tumor inside her body will be eaten away. I find it very odd that chemo is looked upon so negatively. It needs some positive pr. Chemotherapy: happily killing cancer cells 24/7.

In the dumps

Yesterday was not a good day. I woke up queasy. After some ginger candy to settle my stomach, I was able to eat a piece of toast and drink a cup of tea. I barely got out of bed all day. Steve urged me to join him on the evening dog walk, and I was able to manage that. This was the first time since my diagnosis that I actually felt bad.

Today I feel better, but I am very, very tired.

I am taking an oral chemo medication for 2 weeks. Even though the drip was last week, I still have fresh drugs coursing through my body every 12 hours. I get one week off from chemo before the next drip. I sure hope this tiredness does not last.

First Treatment in the Chemotherapy Room

As you can see I got hooked up to my medicine, and I still have a smile on my face. There are windows on one side of the room, and I was lucky to have a chair with some natural light at my back.

The day started early. I had blood drawn at 8:20AM. Then we had a doctor's appointment at 9:30AM. We took a pager from the receptionist so we could sit in the atrium which has a better ambiance than the waiting room in hematology. Since this was my first treatment there was lots of education and lots of explanations of the drugs that I am taking. They didn't hook me up until noon. I was starving as I had eaten breakfast at 6AM. Steve bought us chicken queadillas from the cafeteria, and we enjoyed our lunch in the chemo room.

The drip started with benadryl and some anti-nausea medication. Then there was a 90 minute drip of taxotere. They provided me with the "beautiful" blue blanket you see in the picture below. Then I had another 90 minute drip of Bevacizacumab. I got several gifts today from the drug companies. We thought that was hilarious, but some of the gifts are very useful including the pill dispenser. Along with chemo by vein, I have to take pills of Xeloda for 14 days. I have to take 1650 mg each dose--that's a lot of pills. So using the dispenser is going to help me make sure that I take the right amount.

My cousin's wife , Avery Corenswet, who works at Ochsner came and sat with us twice today. The nurse was impressed that we knew someone in her position in management. We like knowing people in high places. It was nice to have her visit us.

My first side effects: metal taste in my mouth and fatigue. I came home and slept for 3 hours. I have some energy now and am able to stay up and write.

Today at the hospital, I read, worked on a crossword puzzle, surfed the net on my new Ipod Touch(Ochsner has free wi-fi--yea Ochsner), listened to a book on my Ipod, and ate lunch. I would have prefered all of the above to have happened in another location, but I did keep busy.

When I return for another round on June 19th, I meet my new oncologist. Dr. Kardinal is moving to Missouri to teach. I have been assigned to Dr. Zoe Larned. I have heard good things about her, and I look forward to meet her. My friend Leslie McDermott will sit with me for my second treatment. She has been cancer free for 15 years.

Defining C

The doctors have lots of ways to explain exactly what I have growing in my body. The tumor is in my left breast. The MRI showed the right breast as all clear of C.

My tumor is called ILC or invasive lobular carcinoma. They have put me at a stage II, and the tumor is 3.7 cm. I am estrogen and progesterone positive and HER-2 negative.

I started taking steroids today in preparation for tomorrow's chemo treatment. I still have pink spots that began growing last week, and I am hoping the dexamethasone will take care of the spots. Today I am going to buy a wig. I feel the need to be prepared, though I have a bag of hats and scarves.

Our Doctors

Ralph Corsetti

Surgeon

Carl Kardinal

Oncologist

Dr. Corsetti installs the port

This past Monday we arrived at surgery around 1:15PM. It was time for Dr. Corsetti to put in the port that will be used to administer chemotherapy. I got prepped then Steve was able to sit with me until I entered surgery. I clearly heard that they were given me the antibiotic Cipro in my IV. Rmember that, it comes in to play later. The anesthetist tells me that he is serving the margaritas and that I need to put on my party hat. I do remember going into the surgical suite, but after that I am back in recovery talking up a storm. Steve walks in a few minutes later. We can't leave until they take a chest x-ray, and it gets read. That took awhile because the radiologist left the hospital to change for the Hornets game. He came back and gave me the all clear, and we left. After picking up dinner at Picadilly, we arrived home at 6:15. A very long day but I survived my first surgery. I even went to work the next day.

I thought that I would have some time off for the site to heal. On Tuesday I start to notice a pink splotch on my neck. On Wednesday I get a call from Dr. Kardinal that I have a UTI. He wants me to take Cipro. I think that might have been the reason for the pink splotch. Then it turns out I have to go see Dr. Kardinal for a check up. I start the Cipro Wednesday afternoon and wake up Thursday with pink spots on my neck. By late Thursday the spots cover my chest. I make a zillion phone calls back and forth to Dr. Corsetti's nurse and Dr. Kardinal's nurse. They don't think that it is the antibiotic, but they still want me to stop taking it. They will mark my chart with the new allergy. The splotches look exactly like the spots I got when I took pencillin years ago. No more Cipro for me. It is now Saturday and my chest is still covered with itchy pink spots.