laurasluck's Cancer Blog
February 17, 2010
Hiya everyone! I know it’s been a while but all is going well so far. I wanted to update on where I’m at with the treatments and the staging. Wonderful news.. the cancer hasn’t spread to any other parts of my body besides my upper chest area. The bone marrow biopsy was negative which put me at Stage 2b. My doctor is adamant that I’ll be cured once the treatments are done. I have to take 12 treatments.. once every 2 weeks. ABVD I believe is the term used for the 4 chemos.
Last Tuesday the 9th was my first chemo treatment. Every thing went well. After giving me the creeps with all the info of the damage the chemo COULD/WOULD cause to my body, the nurse popped the IV into my mediport and started fillin er up! I think the worst part was when they did an allergy test with the … bleomycin? She inserted a small amount under my skin on my arm just to see if I would react to it. That stuff BURNED! It hurt when she injected it and the whole time she had a bandage over it. Just … WOW. I was amazed at how badly that hurt. But luckily no reaction besides my normal wussiness LOL. It took probably 4 hours for the entire treatment. I’m not sure if it was my nervous bladder or the treatments themselves but I had to pee like 5 times while I was hooked up LOL. Which was an adventure all in itself. Getting myself and my “dancing partner” the IV stand to the restroom and back tickled me for some reason. I know, I’m an odd one. Luckily all in all chemo day was uneventful. I felt fine as I went home. A little tired that evening. My stomach did some zips and rolls but no intense nausea. My doctor prescribed 2 kinds of anti nausea meds. Generic forms of Compazine and Phenergan. According to the chemo nurse I should take the Phenergan at night and the Compazine during the day. I dutifully took the Phen. that evening before bed, and woke up the next morning VERY jittery. Now there’s a feeling I truly hate. Like your entire body is shivering uncontrollably but you can’t really see it from the outside. The fatigue seemed to set in that next day for me. I never had any real vomit inducing nausea, just a really unsettled feeling in my stomach. Kinda like you feel when you eat too much and the food sits like a rock at the top of your abdomen. That stayed with me for about 5 days. The compazine helped with it, but I never took the Phenergan again. Basically the whole first week after the treatment was the worst. I was in and out of bed alot, or wrapped up in a blanket on the couch close to the fire that my lovely husband kept going for me. I still was able to help Sabra with homework and cook dinner at night so nothing too life altering. I’m assuming that it’s going to get worse as the treatments go on. My doctor said yesterday that the younger and healthier you are the easier it is so maybe that is why I’ve not felt too too bad. In that first week after chemo, the mouth soreness started. My gums just got really raw feeling. Enough to have me searching for very soft food lol. I got a mouthwash made of hydrocortisone from the pharmacist. I think it’s called “Miracle mouthwash” That seemed to help over a few days but YUCK! I hated the taste and I kept having to spit to get it all out of my mouth. Another thing that bothered me was my teeth seemed to hurt alot. I’ve got cavities but they never bothered me much. But this caused my entire set of teeth to ache.. uggggggggggggg. I also got twinges of pain throughout my body. Felt like little zaps of electricity in really odd areas lol. If i get too excited or start laughing too much my chest starts getting the zaps. Also, where my neck swelled at the lymph node gets the zaps also. Not all the time..
So anywayyyyy…. I’m feeling much better now. Most of my complaints are gone/healed. I was even able to get out there yesterday and enjoy my life! I had my Dr’s appt with my oncologist. I had to ask that question… “So what’s the chances I’ll keep my hair?” It hasn’t started thinning yet.. so I told him .. “my hair’s tough.. it’s survived many years of dyes!” He just laughs… and says we’ll get to see what my original color is LOL.. I told him “Hell with that… I’m gonna try red next!” I do love my Dr. He’s got a great sense of humor and only talks as if I’ll be cured. After the Dr.s I helped Lee hang some gutters and went on an estimate to try to get some more work. Basically I just enjoyed being alive on a beautiful sunny day! Thanks to everyone for keeping up with me.. Lauren1979 thank you sooo much for posting. Hearing from someone post treatments is just too awesome for words. I do wish you had done the mediport as it made the IV so easy. I would not have wanted to go through it the way you did. I’ve gotten used to my port .. it makes me feel kinda like bionic woman LOL I’ll feel it every now and then.. just to amaze myself once again that I’ve got that little device just under the skin. Just another sign of my oddness. Prayers and well wishes to you all! And thanks for caring about me.
January 20, 2010
As I gingerly sit forward to avoid the twin spots at the top of my derriere… I realize how thankful I am to have the bone marrow biopsy done. I went in yesterday morning worried that it was going to be absolutely excruciating. As a commenter said of my last post… your mind can make anything seem larger than life and out of your realm of pain endurance. Yes, it was painful. I kinda think hearing the scraping sounds didn’t help. The demerol and adavan (sp?) did nothing it seems except make me a little squiggly eyed. Not having any experience with either drug, I assume that it was normal. The funniest thing about the whole biopsy was the fact that my bones are HARD. My Dr. said to just laugh at any Dr. that tells me I have osteoporosis, as there could be no way. He ended up having to try to take a biopsy from my right hip as well as the left due to the bones being so tough to get into. It took longer than expected, and when he was finally done, the Dr. had to wipe the sweat from his brow from having to work on me so hard. Although after watching the same procedure on youtube… I’m not sure what he did that was the workout! LOL I think the biggest complaint I had was that they wouldn’t let Lee be in the room while it was going on.
There was some really great news tho… the PET scan shows that the cancer hasn’t spread to any other part of my body besides in my chest… if it’s not involved the bone marrow then I’ll be staged as 2b.. if the bone marrow is involved I’ll automatically jump to being stage 4b. Personally I’m pretty certain it’s not in the marrow. None of my blood work has any indications that it might be.
I should be starting chemo within the next few days. I wanted to do it on Friday, but due to me not having insurance the charity hospital is having to check out our income and find the chemo meds from the companies that donate to low income patients.. not sure how long of a delay this is going to take.God Bless everyone, and I’ll be posting more soon.
2 for the price of 1.. bone marrow biopsies that is...., 
8 comments)
Laura, I have been keeping up with this as best as I can with school. If you need ANYTHING, please ask. If you do chemo treatments on Wednesday afternoons or Friday at anytime, I am always…always available to take you so Lee can work. Please call me if you need anything…someone to sit with..to cry to…anything at all. You were there for me when Dan died and I want to be there for you. If Sabra needs a break…we are here also for her. Anyhow..keep your chin up and let me know when or if I can do anything for you. I am praying for you! Misty
Thank you so much sweet, I DO appreciate all you’ve already done and the offer for more. I’m not too prideful to ask for help if I need it, so ya never know when I’ll be giving ya a call. For now.. just keep praying! It’s working! I’m getting the best news possible so far.
Posted on Hugs gorgeous!
Hugs gorgeous!
Huggggs Sentsational!
I always knew you was hard headed but hard hipped? Shouldn’t be a suprise you know… knowing you. :P Hope you are having a good day sweetie. Love y’all.
Karen
Hi Laura,
I, like you, had HL Stage 2A in 2008. I went thru 6 months of ABVD chemo and have been in remission since Jan. 2009. :) It is probably one of the “easier” more treatable cancers to deal with. I went thru the bone marrow extraction as well…yeah – not fun and I didn’t have all that sedation either. You’ll be fine. It’ll seem like a long road to the finish line (and it is when you’re the one going thru it) but at the end you will achieve remission and get rid of this piece of garbage disease! Stay focused and positive. As the chemo treaments go on, you’ll have days where it’ll be hard to cope and deal with the treatment. Just remember: all the discomfort and side effects will be SO worth it once you’re done. Life goes on, hair grows back and all will be well again.
I didn’t have the port put in. I was a stubborn SOB and insisted on just getting stuck with the needles each time. Crazy I know but it was just something in my head that did not want that port. :) You’re much smarter than I was. Hhahaha
Email me with any questions. Lots o’ luck!
Lauren
Posted on Hi Laura,
I just found out about this and I can’t believe it! I saw your comment on your Live page and when I investigated I found this. Please do not hesitate to call me with anything. I know I am in a different state but I would do anything for you! You are truly my longest dearest friend. You will be in my prayers everyday! I would love to talk to you but I can never catch up with you shoot me an email with the times you are home and I will give you a call. I love you and BIG HUGS!
Thanks for your support - 
Laura,
I am happy to hear that you are in good spirits. I hope that you remain with minimal side effects through your treatment. Take care and I keep you in my prayers.
Nancy
hi, laura. sounds like you are doing quite well… all things considered. i hope it continues that way for you through the entire treatment. God bless you. debby