1/23/09 One down, seven to go.

Myra completed her first chemo treatment on Wednesday. As Doctor H told us before chemo began, it is sort of anticlimactic. He told us that her PET Scan, taken the day before, was ‘gorgeous’ meaning it was clear and he doesn’t see anything on it (not that he expected to). And he reminded Myra to Chill Out.

Joy was our chemo nurse and she was really wonderful explaining everything in detail for us. Here is a picture of her (notice Myra’s new do!)



She began by putting an IV in Myra’s arm. Myra has had a long standing history of troublesome veins and yesterday was no different. The nurses finally got it in but it caused Myra a lot of anxiety and everyone, nurses, Myra and Dr H included, agreed that installing a port would make the treatments much less stressful for Myra since the only part she was concerned about was getting the IV in each time. Once the IV was in, it was relatively straightforward.


Many of you have asked me what it is like. You basically sit in an recliner and let the IV drip! The first 4 cycles (8 weeks) are of the Adriamycin and Cytoxan and are the tougher drugs. For the second 4 cycles, she will receive the Taxol. She starts by taking an anti-nausea pill (Emend) 30 minutes before treatment and then they flush a bag of saline through her system. First she got a small syringe of the adriamycin. It is red (like a merlot or zinfandel) and Myra was warned that it would come out of her the same color (and it did!). She is simultaneously given a steroid (decadron) to help with nausea. After another bag of saline, and then Myra received the cytoxan.
She will have to get (or give herself) a shot of nulasta 24 hours after each treatment to stimulate white blood cells. She is so brave.


Volunteers come in and bring snacks and drinks (Myra had a protein bar and hot chocolate for those of you wondering!) and the entire staff is incredible…smart, funny, warm.


Her hair should fall out in the next ten days. The doctor and nurses told us that the 2nd and 3rd days after chemo tend to be the roughest. And that the nausea medications are pretty darn good (emend, compazine and decadron) now but the fatigue is the biggest factor. She is recovering at her Mom’s with lots of TLC and today continues to feel reasonably well. She is eating three ‘square meals’ a day and has bouts of nausea but if she sits very still she says it passes. She intends to work if she can but is taking this treatment one day at a time to see how her body reacts and how she feels.


The morning of her next cycle (February 4th) she will have the port installed across the street at the hospital and then come in for her treatment.


So far, so good. Keep the prayers coming

1/16/09 Getting in front of the hair loss...

Myra decided to cut her hair short so the hair loss would not feel so drastic. Here are pictures of her before and after and with Tanisha- dear friend and stylist! She's simply stunning.

1/13/09 Treatment time!

As I reported, the surgery went very well – and Myra is recovering nicely. She is feeling good, and is very much looking forward to (hopefully!) getting the drain, which collects fluid from her breast, removed tomorrow at a follow-up appointment with Dr. Atkiss, the plastic surgeon, then being able to take her first “unencumbered” shower of 2009!

Yesterday, Myra and I went for a post-surgery appointment with the oncologist, Dr. Hollister. With surgery behind her, we are faced with the reality that Myra’s battle with cancer really begins now. The truth, we know now, is that surgery was the pre-work and the road ahead will be hard, long and uphill. Two of her 17 lymph nodes came back positive, which means her cancer can and has traveled. Myra will begin aggressive treatment consisting of hormone therapy and chemotherapy to eradicate the cancer cells and give her the best chance to prevent the cancer from reoccurring. The chemotherapy regimen is a combination or ‘cocktail’ of drugs used to destroy the cancer cells. The Hormone therapy is used to block the effect or to lower the levels of estrogen, a hormone that promotes the growth of breast cancer cells.

Because she is in such good health and is physically strong, the doctor feels she can handle the strongest and most aggressive chemotherapy and so Myra will be receiving “Dose Dense” chemotherapy which is a chemo regimen administered on a condensed schedule. Her particular regimen is called ACT which stands for A-Adriamycin, C-Cytoxan, T-Taxol. Here is a link to more about the ACT Chemo Regimen for those of you who want to understand this a little more.

Every two weeks, for the next four months, Myra will get chemo at the The Bendheim Cancer Center at Greenwich Hospital which resides in the same building as Dr. Ward, the surgeon who removed her tumor. We are fortunate to live so close to an outstanding facility that will treat her disease ruthlessly while treating Myra with the utmost humanity, respect and care.

These treatments will become increasingly difficult over time and the effect, particularly the fatigue, is cumulative. She will get medication for the nausea, but our electric Myra may lose her spark temporarily in the process, oh yes and also her hair!. She is planning to cut it short this weekend in preparation as Dr. H said her hair will come out very quickly following first chemo.

Myra asked that I take a picture of her with “Uncle Dickie” yesterday. Please keep this image fresh in your mind.

This is the new power couple who will together conquer this disease and restore Myra’s health and vitality. Dr. H was very direct with us and set our expectations that Myra would be in “chemo jail” over the next 16 weeks. He is very optimistic about her recovery, but wanted Myra to go into this difficult protocol with open eyes. Despite yesterday’s straightforward conversation, Myra is doing exactly what we would expect - she has her sword out and is boldly marching towards her enemy. She never ceases to amaze me.

As I mentioned, Myra’s first chemo treatment starts next Wednesday. Everyone reacts differently and we will see how she responds to the treatment and will have a better idea of what to expect.

Thank you all for your offers of support – I will come back to you in the next weeks to let you know exactly what she needs. Please forward this message to those I might have missed or send me their names to add to my list.

Love,
Robin