Round 4 of chemo has officially begun. That means, as of now I have 5 treatments (2 and a half rounds) to go!
I still haven’t received my PET scan results. I spoke with my oncologist this week and she indicated it could still be another few days before we hear back. We talked about my anxiety surrounding but we also talked about how things have improved for me over the course of treatment. She mentioned being able to have my Pleurx catheter removed as proof that things are headed in the right direction. Based on that and my labs as well, she said that clinically speaking, I’m doing much better than when she first saw me. Hearing it in those terms helps to ease my nerves overall and keep me focused on looking ahead. I’m hoping to have an update in the next post!
She did indicate that my labs show that I’m anemic and it’s due to the chemo. That means that my red blood cells or hemoglobin are lower than the normal amount. Those numbers have dropped steadily and she said it’s possible I’d need a blood transfusion somewhere down the line if they get too low. However, she said this is a normal result from chemotherapy and once I’m done with treatment, things will start to improve in that aspect.
During treatment, I got a picture of one of my chemo drugs that is “delightfully” referred to as the red devil.
Unlike the other medications I get which are hung on the IV stand and drip steadily over time, this is a “push” drug that has to be injected manually. As you can see it’s a glaring bright red.
One of the side effects from this medication is that it can turn your bodily fluids pink or red for a few days - meaning you could very alarmingly cry or sweat pink.
After treatment we swung by a plant store and I wanted to share with you all the very cool truck parked outside:
In practice of gratitude and positivity, here are some things that made me happy this week:
Someone told me I got a “good one” and said Jesse was a “good boy” 🐶 (he rushed to hold the elevator open for them)
I bought some new funky headbands which I’m excited to show off
I had a great chat with the nurse who did my PICC line dressing change
More next week - stay safe out there 💚
