May 11, 2010

The Short Story (it was supposed to be short but got longer)

Here's the short story, without all the drug names and probably with a few mistakes... but it's 2:30am, what do you want?  ;)

Lila has her one year appt today, thank you to Kate for taking her to that with me!  Lot's of shots unfortunately, luckily she tends to handle them pretty well!  She also got a third tooth finally (it's been five months since she got her bottom two)

I have an appt with Dr Dodde today (Tuesday), please pray that these lovely drains are removed.

I have an appt with Dr Hoberman on Wednesday (that I apparently scheduled in an anesthesia fog) and I'm guessing we will discuss inserting a port.

Sometime soon I will have a PET scan ordered (Grand Rapids for that) and a MUGGA test ordered.

Sometime in the next week some scheduling miracles need to happen so that I can meet with my endocronologist.

I have about 15 prescriptions to pick up (small exageration)

If all goes well, I will start my first round of chemo next Tuesday. 

First I will have 4 treatments, every other week that will consist of:
Cytoxan which stops the growth of cancer cells, causing them to die and
Adriamycin which does the same thing.
The day after this treatment I will go back in for an injection of Neulasta which is used to increase the white blood cells

After those treatments I will have 12 more treatments (one per week) of Taxol which stops cell division, resulting in cell death and Herceptin which, long story short, kills the cancer cells (noticing a pattern here?). 

After that I will continue with the Herceptin every three weeks for the remainder of a year and also undergo radiation for 6 weeks (every day).

From there it looks like I will be on an oral pill for 5+ years, although I can't read what that pill is and don't seem to have the information on that, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. 

The doctor did guarantee, w/o a doubt, that I would loose my hair approximately 2 weeks after my first treatment.  That is rough for me.  I'm debating how I want to go about all of this.  I think that I want to cut my hair very short first and donate what hair I have (because I have quite a bit), but I've NEVER been a short haircut type of girl, it just doesn't work well for me.  When it starts to fall out a little I will then shave it all off, I say "I", but that is definately not the plan, someone else is going to have to do that for me, and may have to put up with tears while they do it.  I plan to get a wig that looks similar to what I have now (maybe with a little twist, like bright red or really really curly or something... ha ha ha), unfortunately my insurance does not cover that, but it is important enough to me that we will find the money somewhere for that, I don't care what it takes.  It may seem petty and unimportant, but you just try to picture yourself bald once... how does that feel?

Let me know if you have any opinions on the wigs I linked to... I'd really appreciate the help deciding!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know it will be difficult to loose your hair...I watched my mom go through that and it was rough...but you WILL get through it and you have so much beautiful hair to donate!! If you want help or suggestions I and Stacey would be so willing to help you with those decisions, please let me know!! I also really like the dark haired wig, that looks very similar to what you are now!!
~Lynn~

Amanda said...

Praying for all of your appointments to come together in this next week and for some more clarity and peace for you thru all of this. You are a beautiful woman, and you will be a beautiful woman without hair as well! I do love that first wig the best! They make such great wigs now days too!

Anonymous said...

I dont think it seems petty at all! Eric's grandma went through what you are going through during our wedding and wore a wig in our wedding pictures, you can't even tell at all. A woman from my work wore one the other day (just because) she borrowed it from a friend who buys them at a place in GR who sells them to woman with cancer/lukemia and said the price is not that high. Email me if you want more info and I'll get it from her. Dani Zwagerman :)
zwagdk@hotmail.com

Amy Babinec said...

Lynette,
I've always thought you had beautiful hair (and have been so jealous of it!) but I've also thought you are such a beautiful person with such a beautiful face that you don't need hair to be pretty. You can pull off any look you want, although some of those curly, funky wigs may give you more height :) Remember, we're praying you through this and you will get through it!!

Anonymous said...

Lynette, was just reading your posting. I know the idea of loosing your hair is hard. If you need any help with preparing or as it does grow back let me know. We can look at options a the salon or at your house. Let me know if I can help at all.
Shauna Buchanan