PET Progress

I have finally emerged from a cloud of nausea and very uncomfortable bone pain with the hopes of a fresh start for a new week. I'm not really sure where this week went but apparently it happened and I am one treatment closer to being half way done!

For some reason cycle three, or treatment five, chose to declare all out war on my body with debilitating nausea that had me back in the clinic on Wednesday for more fluids and IV medication as well as forcing me to make myself very familiar with my prescription bottles over the past few days. All in all, things are better now and I can't tell you how much I am hoping for an uneventful week off.

Sooooo - on Tuesday, B and I found out the results of my latest PET Scan which admittedly was a little bitter sweet. Apparently my naked-eye estimation of the tumor size was a little overzealous and it has likely only shrunk 25% which I was so disappointed about BUT the good news is that the two other tumors on my left side are gone.

S M.D. was pleased with the scans and said that everything looked good. Obviously I would like for the tumor to be smaller as I candidly expressed to him but he reassured me that the results showed that we were on the right path and more importantly I would not need to have another PET Scan until the end of my treatment. While it's not exactly the result I wanted, at the end of the day I am thankful that things are going the way they should and this ongoing chapter has an end in sight :)

Have a happy Sunday everyone!

Light the Night - In Pictures

Finally! Light the Night pictures are here!

The event went so well and I was so overwhelmed and excited with how many people participated either by walking or donating (or both)! Thank you so much to the State Street team who made it such a special night for me and a success for LLS.

In other news - I was the official winner of the top fundraising college/university team walker and the Alpha Delta Pi team was the official winner of the college challenge. I couldn't be more proud of how much money we raised for such a worthy cause.

Rolling with Radiology

This morning was my second PET scan and much to my surprise is was very simple and easy especially given the relatively low energy I went into it with.

My appointment was at 7 a.m. this morning and as B and I grudgingly shuffled over to the Menino building I kept encouraging him to get a coffee at Dunkin so he could keep me company as I endured the nasty liquid I was about to ingest - I mentally contemplated an ounce for ounce contest, but to my dismay he abandoned the coffee hunt. 

As we walked into the hospital it was like the changing of the guard - swarms of different colored scrubs hustling around the building trying to make it to their posts on time for the morning change of command.

Registration went smoothly and in no time I was in my room debating how I was going to tell the radiology tech I did not want an IV but wanted to use my new port. Unfortunately, he told me that the sugar sticks to the lines and with ports in particular it lumps and can show false tumors on the scans... his convincing argument persuaded me to give in and pony up a battered vein.

After my disappointing news that I couldn't take my port for a spin I was already a bit downtrodden and then out of nowhere, like winning the lottery or a new pair of Louboutins showing up on your doorstep, he tells me that there will be NO nasty liquid and NO power injections of the dye contrast! I was ecstatic to say the least. All I had to do was have the radioactive sugar injected and then lay in the machine for about half the time as before.

At this point I was thanking my doctor in my head for this gift he gave me on a morning I was truly dreading. I should get the results of the scan on Tuesday when I go into see SM.D. and have treatment. I will let you all know how much this puppy has shrunk once I learn more.

Light the Night pictures will be up soon!

xoxo

Light the Night is Finally Here!

Tonight is Light the Night and I couldn't be more excited!!!

The support I have gotten from everyone: family, coworkers, friends, sorority sisters has been incredible.

Thank you all SOOOO much for helping raise money and donating your time to such a worthy cause. I will post pictures from the walk soon!

xoxo

We'll Call It Even

Tiffany: 3 Port: 1

Chemo today went really well compared to last times' adventure that has lovingly left a throbbing track-mark up my right arm. While I have had a bit more experience in the infusion department, see aforementioned score, the port's 1 infusion trumps all of mine.

I had quite a bit of unwarranted anxiety going into today's treatment. I was not looking forward to the customized needle that they would need to access the port spot - especially since I thought the incision was a bit too close to the disk... but it went swimmingly, even if the needle was really big and semi-daunting!

I woke up this morning put on the numbing cream, scurried off to Moakley to secure my new favorite window seat and had the needle put in with little cringing. According to B I actually looked surprised when Nurse N put it in because I was anticipating so much more pain. 

As I mentioned my infusions went really smoothly especially with my dreaded D drug. What typically takes 2 to 2.5 hours took us 55 minutes and some change - with no hot packs, multiple calls to Nurse N or general discomfort. The only downside to the port that I see at this point is I actually have nausea today which I don't typically have.

I think I can trade a little nausea in exchange for a far smoother experience. 

I guess all-in-all, it was a pretty decent day... especially since too many italian food commercials on TV are leaving B and I with takeout from Stella, which in my book is a nice close to a very long day.