AC chemo #4

This week had what the oncologist called “a bit of a bump in the road.” I had some pain in my upper left arm Sunday night, and figured I bumped it. Monday it was worse, so I looked it up on google (reminder to self: don’t do that) and we called the oncologist. I told her it felt a bit like a mild version of when I’d had a blood clot in my leg after my second child was born. She said that wasn’t likely and to take pain medication and see if it got better. She called us the next night and I noted it was more swollen, but the pain meds were helping.

We also started going to a new location this week. We’d been going to the Yawkey Cancer Center at Dana Farber in downtown Boston, and now we’re going to their Chestnut Hill location. It was beautiful, all the controls on the chairs worked, very quiet, and 10 minutes closer to us.

So when we got there Wednesday, they took my blood from my other arm. The technician also looked at my armpit and said she didn’t think it was a blood clot because it wasn’t all red and swollen. She had to try to insert the IV twice, once in my hand, then my arm. The first one she got in, but there was no blood flow, and she apologized and said maybe I should hydrate more for next time. She heated my arm up and found a good vein there and got one going fine. Remember, they can do two tries if they start in the hand. She was very nice and funny, and told me when I see her next time, I should run!

Then I had a meeting with the nurse practitioner, who explained a lot of stuff about upcoming treatments that I hadn’t understand. This was my last AC treatment, and I’m scheduled to start Taxol in 2 weeks and go every week for 12 weeks. I thought I had 4 Taxol treatments every 2 weeks. I’d get a lower dose since it’s weekly, and that is better tolerated by most. Also found out that the first Taxol infusion is expected to take 6 hours, with others taking 5. Much longer than I’ve been doing with AC.

They plan to give me an MRI in 2 weeks, just before the Taxol, to see if the tumor has shrunk to nothing at all. If so, I won’t need the Taxol. Fingers crossed! She called in the oncologist for the physical exam, and they decided to schedule an ultrasound right away, before the infusion. I did that, then went to the infusion. While waiting for chemo to get going, the NP came in and said I had a deep vein blood clot, but not where I thought there was a bump. More toward the upper arm. Then dr Sheib the oncologist came in and said she was giving me an honorary degree for diagnosing myself right. She said they used to do nothing but elevation and pain management for armpit clots and wait for them to go away, but now they do blood thinners. So it’s not too bad. Different if it’s in your leg - that’s more worrisome.

I got the infusion from Celeste this time, which went well. She was very interesting to talk to, with a blended family of 8 kids! There’s a point where they sit there for 20-30 minutes, pushing in the A part of the chemo, just chatting with us. Got my arm medicine dispenser put on, and went home. This will likely be my last arm dispenser, since Taxol doesn’t affect the white blood cell counts as much.

The whole thing took from leaving our house at 11:30 to returning at 7:30, I think. Before we came home, Frank picked up medicines from their pharmacy for my blood clot and I took them when I got home. By this morning, my arm already felt way better! I only took one pain pill, then decided they weren’t needed. I’m hanging out elevating my arm when I’m sitting. 

Today I went on a walk with a friend for 2.3 miles. Walking up the hills I kept telling him it was his turn to talk, but I made it! 

Piggy playing hide and seek while I snack.  New view from a new building.

                              Piggy helping while I rested.                        Art in the check-in area.