Chemo Infusion #4

Today was fun! I made another chemo buddy. 🙂 This is why I don’t mind the infusion part – it gives me time to get to know folks.

This infusion was about an hour shorter than normal. One of the drugs they gave me in half-time, maybe two of them.

But first, I got there at 8:30 for a blood draw. I was meeting with the oncologist nurse at 9, so the bloodwork got done early (sometimes you have to wait for it to come in). I’ll give you the “bad” news first: my platelets are low, and there’s nothing really we can do for that other than give it more time. Now, the nurse told me she lets patients know when it’s getting low to prepare us if treatment moves (so moving a week out would probably change my surgery date). Good is over 140, I’m at 117. It’s when it gets to under 50 that they’ll turn you away from chemo for a week. Really, at this point in the game, a week isn’t going to make me go nuts. She did tell me I shouldn’t bleed or get bruises – that’s what takes the platelets, I guess. I did have a pretty long bloody nose episode while at Mayo last week. (It’s dry here in Minnesota!) Once it starts, it won’t stop. So that’s probably why it’s so low. That and because I’m getting the treatment two days earlier than normal.

She also reminded me it’s getting slippery, and if I fall, it wouldn’t be a good scenario. I have been pretty careful walking around, even, because I’m more sluggish. But you know, shit happens.

Anyway. The good news. The nurse was laughing about how well I was doing (despite all the stress), that’s always a good sign.

I do feel pretty good this time around. I’ve been drinking a ton of water before, and I’m trying to polish off this gigantic water bottle before I go to bed. Fingers crossed that stays the trend.

After I got home, Mayo called me to solidify the surgery date of January 28th! I asked her about potentially having to move the date if my platelets get too low, she told me they’re usually pretty flexible, especially for patients who have a certain window where we need to have surgery (4-6 weeks after the end of chemotherapy). So that’s great!

There will be two days of appointments before the 28th. So we’ll be there on the 26th for a mammogram and ultrasound to make sure they’ve got the images of the two clips (one in the breast, the other in a node). The 27th will be a COVID swab and a biopsy/seed placement. If I’ve got this right, they have to give me a shot in the left armpit that will light up during surgery to make sure there’s no cancer on the left side. Then they’ll place a tracking seed (she said it’s because the clip isn’t visible during surgery) in the node that has the clip, along with taking another sample. I’m not too worried about the lymph node pokes because it really wasn’t bad last time. Then the 28th is the actual, bilateral total mastectomy. Apparently, you get out the same day, but they want you to stay overnight, just in case.

I’ll have in drains, which I heard are fun. You can take them out at home, I guess, which seems handy.

Oh! While I’m down there, I’ll get an appointment with the radiation folks to set that schedule. Hopefully, if I get lymphedema from the lymph node removal, it’ll be minimal. There is a clinic for that ailment at Mayo, so I’ll be in good hands. Those are just things that compliment or prolong treatment. And keep in mind, I’ll be on the two immunotherapy drugs (Herceptin is one of them, they’re not considered “chemo” drugs) for a year. That’ll mean the port stays in longer, but I’m cool with that. Makes the process easier.

But it’s nice to have an end in sight, even if there’s a small setback. The end is nearer. Four out of six sessions done! I can get through this. 2022 better be my year, dammit!