Chemo - Round Two

I had survived the first treatment. Despite some rocky moments, my body handled the poison well and I even bounced back after about 7 days. By the end of the three weeks, I felt mostly normal. The “my brain is swimming in my head” feeling lasted about a week and a half, and then one day it was gone. Thinking that might part of what people referred to as “chemo brain”, I was really worried that I might be dizzy throughout all of treatment. But chemo brain was something else entirely, and it would be in full effect soon (see future post about the joys of forgetting everything!)

The week before round two was to begin, my fabulous sister-in-law Suzanne had rearranged her schedule, pawned off her children, and flew a grueling flight from Salt Lake City, Utah to be with our family for a few days and help out. Expecting to find me in bed and in need of a nurse, she was surprised to see me up and about, running around and busy as ever. We decided that since there would be multiple family members coming to visit over the next several months, it would be a good idea to get our basement more organized to better accommodate them. We shopped, cleaned, planned and assembled furniture. With her “can’t sit still. EVER.” motto in full effect, the transformation was underway. A Diet Coke and lemon slice in hand, she was down in the basement finishing up old craft projects and decorating and organizing while the rest of my family slept each night. By the time she had worked her magic, our basement went from a cluttered, unorganized space to a room that people actually wanted to be in. There were pictures hanging on the walls. The bookshelves were decorated and they looked amazing. A home office area for Michael was set up. There was a place for everything. My girls room got some much needed decorating as well, and I spent 5 days with one of my most favorite people laughing and eating and forgetting for a short while that I had cancer. Suzy went home with a hurt back and some extreme insomnia, but we will always be grateful for her time and talent to help make our house more of a home.

I had seen the nurse practitioner on day 14 and she commented that she could already tell that the chemo was working. The tumors had softened up a bit (I had noticed a difference, too, but I wasn’t sure if it was real or just my imagination at work. I was STILL having discomfort from the biopsy and the punch gone wrong, and that seemed to lessen as well). I was beyond thrilled. All this misery would be worth it if it actually worked!

Facebook Post from October 17, 2010 at 10:12 pm
“Happy Chemo Eve! Round two tomorrow!!! Round one was a success – dr’s say they can already tell it is working - tumors have already softened up! WOOHOO!!! I was just told about the sweetest prayer offered tonight by one tenderhearted eight year old. "Dear Heavenly Father. Please bless Miss Jenna that she will get better. And that her sickness will go away...the one that no one likes." LOVE IT!!!!”

Round two was Monday, October 18, 2010. Ashley was meeting me at the infusion center, and then Michael would bring lunch when she had leave to pick up her boys from school. She even brought me my favorite smoothie from Smoothie King (no bananas!) to drink during the Adriamycin. Despite Ashley’s morning sickness (she was expecting baby number four) and the fact that I was getting filled up with poison to kill the disease raging in my chest, we had a great morning together.




Facebook Post from October 25, 2010 at 6:58 am
“cold + fever + 7 days past chemo = yucky Monday”

Round two was my first introduction to how my body would handle a cold under these unusual circumstances. A simple head cold with just a stuffy nose felt like I had a full-blown flu. I had fever and chills and couldn’t sleep at all. I went in to the doctor because any fever while on chemo is cause for concern, and mine had almost reached 100. I was told I only had a cold, but was given an antibiotic to fight off infection, and because I wasn’t sleeping, she upped my Ambien dose to hopefully let me sleep. When I picked up my prescription for the antibiotic, I laughed when I read that the primary use of the medicine was to treat anthrax exposure. Lovely.

My symptoms after round two were about the same as what I experienced during the first treatment. Taste became more of an issue, and the juice boxes that I couldn’t get enough of last time no longer tasted good to me. I could only taste the sugar in things, but not the actual flavor. The only exceptions were cinnamon and chocolate. I drank lots of chocolate milk, and cinnamon gum was a lifesaver. The hardest part was that I was always starving, so I was forced to eat even though I couldn’t taste it. Staying on top of my senna laxatives helped in that department, and round two did not see a reoccurrence of the pooping dramas of the past. My family remained patient with me, letting me rest when needed, and be alone when I just couldn’t be near all the noise and hustle that normally felt like home.

It was during this treatment that I noticed I was not comfortable driving in the days following chemo. I felt foggy and slow to respond. I decided I would not drive for at least the first few days just to be safe. The last thing I wanted was to endanger my family or someone else.

Round two also brought out more family and we were thrilled to have my sister Ashley come visit just after my treatment, and my Dad Don came for Halloween. I have been blessed with an incredible family, and it was so great to have them here.

The girls with Auntee Ash!

My Dad watching Norah at a neighborhood Halloween party.

The kids and I at our ward Trunk or Treat. Halloween was wonderful, despite the circumstances!