LAST CHEMO #16!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LAST ONE!!!!!!  So relieved!

And I'm breaking out like a teenager....

A new side effect - Red, bumpy skin all over

Kelly in her haz-mat suit getting my Taxol ready

My foot massage :)

I have kept this with me the whole time - from a school friend who's mother battled cancer

I got to RING THE BELL!!!!  And a gift of DORITOS and a certificate!!

The last chemo has finally arrived!!  I was definitely excited!  We dropped the kids off at Brea's and started with the port blood draw.  The Neupogen hasn't been kicking my white blood cells into gear as good as in the past.  Last week's was low for me (5) and today's was only 2.2.  I developed a new side effect - red rashy arms/hands and sores all over my legs and face.  I look like I have some flesh-eating disease!  It is just another side effect of the Taxol and me mowing/weeding seems to make it worse.  My finger nails are crazy terrible.  They have gotten thick, discolored, and are growing funny.  Basically they look like an old man's toe nails.  Haha!  My foot numbness is still a mystery.  It is terrible at night and I can barely walk on it in the morning, but it dissipates after an hour and doesn't bother me for the rest of the day.  Since it wasn't worse than last week, chemo was approved for today!

All went smoothly and it was done before I knew it.  Kelly (my favorite nurse) brought out a bell for me to ring!  She gave me a huge bag of my favorite chemo snack - Doritos!  Ummm...which I started eating promptly in the car!  Between the Doritos and my new favorite vanilla milkshakes - I was relieved when they didn't take my weight!   I will probably gain a million pounds when I can taste food again.  And I am SO EXCITED about the idea of tasting food again!!!!!!!  

The doctor says it will take about 14-21 days for some of these side effects to go away.  Things will get worse, as they always do, Friday through Monday, and then gradually get better after that.  I have to come back in a couple of weeks to have my white blood cell levels checked to see when I can start Tamoxifen pills.  They will be for the next 10+ years.  They also have fun side effects, but I'm going to be optimistic and see what happens.  I will have to come in monthly to have my port flushed with Herapin.  That will continue until I have it removed during my last cosmetic surgery.  Hopefully that will happen this fall.  We'll see if I can find time for a visit with the plastic surgeon.

Dave and I are going out of town for a wedding this weekend.  He is nervous about me getting germs on the plane.  The doctor advised that I wear a mask and bring disinfecting wipes for my seat and tray.  Of course, I forgot to grab a mask at my visit today.  He asked if I could get one last Neupogen shot tomorrow to start building up my white blood cells.  They said it wasn't necessary, but if I would make us feel better, they would schedule it - and they did.  I cannot say enough nice things about the people in that Brockport office.  Dr. Kleiner is knowledgeable and caring.  The office staff bend over backwards to schedule me and reschedule me and tell me it's okay when I'm running late.  The nurses - the BEST!  They make me laugh and answer all my questions.  When I have Nurse Kelly, I know I'm in good hands and I am actually calmer when I have her.  She has been my main nurse all along.  Competent and caring!  The nurse who takes all my vitals always watches out for Will and James when I leave them in the waiting room when I have blood draws and shots.  She gets them cookies and juice and of course, they love coming with me for that!!!

So, I am done.  Radiation has officially been ruled out.  Whew.

And now......I wait.....for my hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows to grow back......