Tag: #radiation

I’ve Got to do This!

I am slacking recently on my blog posts, and I apologize for this! The last month I have been lucky to have a break from treatment while my care team got things squared away for my chemoradiation treatment that will start this coming week. It was nice to have a few side-effect free weeks to enjoy occasions like Mother’s Day and my future sister-in-law Jenn’s bachelorette party weekend.

Now, I am gearing up to get back to reality… About two weeks ago, I had my radiation simulation and associated CAT scan. They did my tattooing to prepare for where the radiation would be administered. They used ink and a surgical needle to apply the tattoos (which Brian says makes me “super hard core” – LOL). To my dismay they are just three little tiny dots, one at the tip of the tailbone and two in the glute area. I was at least hoping for something more fun like a shamrock. Maybe someday ;).

After reviewing the CT scans, my care team determined they wanted to use a method of radiation called IMRT, or Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy. As Memorial Sloan Kettering defines it, “IMRT is a type of cancer treatment that uses advanced computer programs to calculate and deliver radiation directly to cancer cells from different angles. It allows people with cancer to receive higher, more effective doses of radiation while limiting damage to the healthy tissues and organs around it. This increases your chance for a cure and lessens the likelihood of side effects.” I am excited to be able to benefit from this technology, and glad my insurance company finally approved it.

This coming Tuesday, I will have my first round of IMRT. Along with this, I will take oral chemo pills called Xolota daily. This regimen of treatment will be every week day for six weeks. I understand that side effects for this type of therapy usually start out ok and then worsen overtime – things like fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, and peeling hands and feet. I will admit that I am nervous about this impending treatment. Unlike my chemo, each day will be less predictable in terms of how I feel. I will also be balancing appointments for treatment every day, additional doctor visits, work, and being a mom all at the same time.

But I think my oncologist gave me the best advice in regard to this treatment. He said, “You have to do this.” He urged me not to go to the Internet to read horror stories or get too worked up about side effects because in the end, this is something I have to do to become well. And he is so right. I need to do this. I will do this. I will take it day by day, and promise to keep you all posted along the way.

XO – Mary

PS – Tomorrow I am so excited to be participating in Milan’s Miracle Run in honor of my favorite fellow warrior princess, Langley Lou Schillim 🙂 More on that in my next blog.

My brother Mark and Sister-in-Law Hailey put a love lock on the bridge in Paris for me 🙂

Chemo #5ish

Well, at some point it was probably inevitable that I would face a challenge or a setback in my cancer treatment, and last Friday was that point. About 30-45 minutes into my chemo infusion, I suffered an allergic reaction to the Oxaliplatin (one of the two chemo drugs I am taking). My face became bright red, I was having trouble breathing, and my heart rate was 148! I thought maybe it was just in my head, but then Brian took note of my horribly red face, and I knew something must be off. Luckily I was in the care of great nurses, who knew exactly what they were dealing with. They immediately unhooked my chemo and administered IV Benedryl and steriods. Within minutes, I was feeling better, albeit sleepy and unable to make a sentence with thinking very hard about it first (that IV Benedryl is no joke)!

Some have asked me if this it is normal to have a reaction 5 treatments into the process. I had the same question, and the nurses told me that sometimes it isn’t until the drug has built up in a person’s system after several rounds that they face a reaction like this.

After this episode, they stopped my Oxaliplatin infusion for the day, but I was able to go home with my 5FU pump and at least continue with that part of the treatment. My oncologist happened to also be onsite at the time of the reaction, and he felt it best that we switch gears for a bit. This will mean 6 weeks of radiation treatment 5 days per week. After that, we will finish out my last three rounds of chemo while admitted to the hospital, so I can be carefully monitored. They will infuse the chemo more slowly over 8 hours and administer IV Benedryl and other steroids prior to the treatment.

I will be honest, that it was a little bit mentally hard to switch gears on the treatment plan, but I know this is the best thing. It is also hard to know that I am up against 6 straight weeks of radiation. The side effects could be different from day to day and become more severe over time. I am a bit nervous to think about navigating my work day with radiation and the impending side effects – some of which include some bowel issues. But my co-workers have been VERY supportive, and I will just take it day by day.

I have my consultation with the radiological oncologist on Wednesday and should know a lot more after that. At that point, I will either be more or less nervous. We will see – LOL.

Over the last couple of weeks, there were days that I wished I could forget I have cancer for awhile, but it always seems to be in the back of my mind. However, at the same time, after recovering from my allergic reaction, I have felt pretty good physically. I have been able to enjoy the zoo with my boys, celebrate my friend Katie’s 40th birthday (she was kind enough to bring the “party” to me and didn’t mind that my 4-yr-old joined in), and had an excellent Mother’s Day starting with family time and ending with yoga. For these things, I am grateful. I am choosing to continue to focus on gratitude because at the end of day this could be so much worse and the good moments are still outweighing the bad.

I recently read Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. In this book, he says, “The way in which a man accepts his fate and all the sufferings it entails, the way in which he takes up his cross, gives him ample opportunity – even under the most difficult circumstances – to add a deeper meaning to his life.” In this journey, I am allowing myself to feel sad, angry, and defeated, but I am also putting that in its place. I am thinking hard about how I have accepted this fate and am embracing the opportunity to understand how it will strengthen me and add depth to my life and my being. This is yet to be seen, but I am looking forward to beating this so I can see the result.

XO – Mary

PS – A piece of good news! CT Scan results post Chemo #4, show no metastasis and tumor is stable (so no further growth). Woo hoo!