The first 7 days...

It’s been 7 days since my first round of chemo. Monday— Nick and I arrived at Ochsner at 7:30am and left at 3pm. Since I’m getting 4 different medicines it takes a while. Each medicine is about 1.5 hours. Herceptin was the second drug which gave me the most horrible headache I’ve ever experienced. They gave me medicine and it eventually subsided. The chemo room wasn’t as scary as I anticipated. The staff was super sweet to us and wanted to get me whatever I needed but Nick beat them to the punch every time. The experience wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. There’s definitely strangers on the other side of the curtain but there’s a sense of peace in the room. No tears, no bitterness, etc.

So, countdown to the side effects of the chemo drugs. Nausea, bone pain, headache, it’s like you have the flu just 5,675,599 times more. This shit isn’t fun. At some point Wednesday I remember saying I don’t know how many more days I can do this. The bone pain is from the neulasta shot they put on your arm to inject you a day after chemo treatment. The bone pain feels like I just climbed Mount Everest completely out of shape.

Today, I’m a little less nauseated and I can get out of bed briefly. I just get hot flashes so I prefer to be in my bed with a fan blowing in my face. I just keep thinking will these side effects go away? Dr. Du said I should feel ok by 2nd week and 3rd post week of chemo I should be back to my normal levels. Let’s hope this is the case.

I’m still very much so bruised. I have steri strips everywhere that hasn’t come off yet. It looks so awful.

Fourth of July passed, I watched you guys visit family and cook. I was a bit envious. We really take our health for granted most times. I don’t feel like I have a lot of family but the ones I do have really know how to make me feel thought of, loved, and prayed for.

My brain is a bit foggy. I asked Nick to get me my conditioner from the shower. And for the life of me I couldn’t say shower. If you’ve texted me and I didn’t respond please don’t stop texting or feel offended. I read them it’s just sometimes I don’t have the energy to pick up my phone and respond.

I’m just so very tired. Sleeping on my cold floor of my bathroom would be so heavenly.

My next chemo round is July 23rd. I have to have 6 rounds total. Afterwards, my body recooperates for 4-6 weeks and gets prepared for major surgery. I’m removing both breast. Genetic testing might make that decision for me but I’m comfortable saying right now. Remove them both. The chances of it reoccurring when I’m 50 is too high. Genetic testing will determine if my Mom carried the same gene. After surgery then I will start radiation. The projected plan is probably to be done by Feb. 2019.

Every morning I wake up and think it was all just a bad dream. But here I am with stage 2A breast cancer at 36 years old.

 I still have people calling my family, texting or messaging me what I should be doing. No sugar, etc. Stop it right now. You’re not helping me. You’re overwhelming  me with you doctorate from Facebook/google.

The meal train has been excellent. Thank you all who are praying and thinking of me. ❤️💞🥊💁🏼‍♀️💕