Get a cup of coffee, tea or a glass of wine - this is a lengthy post.
Well...where to start. You may have noticed it's been quite awhile since my last entry. One reason is I was feeling so well that I was having a hard time thinking of something to write about - who knew there would be so much pressure in having a blog about yourself? Anyway, on Wednesday, April 30, I went for a Herceptin treatment and felt fine, left there and went to the grocery store, came home made lunch and then it was all downhill from there. In the mid-afternoon, I started having some chest pain and because I can't think of another way to describe it - my throat felt "full". I took some anti-naseau medication and took to the couch. By about 9:30, the pain in my chest was quite intense (but not like heart attack chest pain - I've been trying to describe the pain for a week now and can't quite put it in a way that sounds less scary) so I then took a Percocet. At midnight, I woke up with a very itchy foot and thought I was having an allergic reaction to something so I took a Benedryl and went back to sleep. When I woke up in the morning, I thought something might be wrong and asked Charle if my eyes were swollen. His response was "I think you need to call the doctor."
By the time I talked to someone at the clinic, my temperature was at 100.6 and my eyes were getting worse. My nurse Jean told me to go to the emergency room. This photo was taken when we got to the emergency room at about 9:30 in the morning. The Attending doctor identified my condition as a drug reaction, even though I hadn't taken any new drugs. My oncologist, Dr. Muss, came in at about 11:00 and was very perplexed because allergic reaction/rash (by now I had red blotches beginning to appear at various spots on my body) is not a side effect of any of the drugs I am taking. A nurse arrived to access my port, take a blood sample and inject 50mg of Benedryl (and I now know the rush a Heroin addict must feel - I've never gotten so high so fast). Because I'm a chemotheraphy patient and my temperature was above 100.5, they had to take a blood sample from 2 different places - one from my port and then one from my arm, which as usual, took 2 people 3 tries..... Once this was done, Charlie went to work for a while and they moved me to a private room to sleep off the Benedryl and await the results of the blood tests.
Then mid-afternoon Elizabeth, the medical student from the Oncology/Hematology floor came in to tell me I was being admitted. Next came Dr. Plank from Oncology to tell me that my blood tests had revealed that I Neutropenic - which means the number of cells called neutrophils in my white blood cells was too low. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that fights infection. Having Neutrpenia means I had to be in a room by myself and keep the door closed at all times. Meanwhile, the rash is spreading to more places on my body - my legs, feet, arms, chest and back by now were pretty well covered with red welts, my lips were swollen and I was very itchy. Once I got to my room, I was visited by the Oncology Fellow and then a doctor from Infectious Diseases (just to be sure they said). I started receiving IV antibiotics, and would continue to recieve 2 different types 4 times a day for the next 5 days. Overnight, my hands and wrists became so swollen that I had to remove my hospital idenfication braclet and couldn't interlace my fingers - a intense itch accompanied the swelling. Our hospital here is a teaching hosptial, so of course, Friday morning brought a large gaggle of medical students to view "the rash". Dr. Plank told me it was official - I was a medical mystery!
By Saturday morning, the rash and swelling was subsiding, but my white blood cell count was still low and I was also told I was anemic and there was some talk of a transfusion, but in the end they figured I was young and healthy and didn't need to do that. I was given an injection of Neupragen which is similar to the Neulasta injection I received after my first chemotherapy. Dr. Muss explained that Neulasta is much stronger since it has to work in the body over 10 days, but the Neupragen is a daily injection and I wouldn't have the same painful side effects. I received a Neupragen injection on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Sunday evening at about 6:00 I asked for a couple of Tylenol for a slight headache and by about 7:00 I had a fever, red and burning ears, itching hands and feet - all common symptoms of a drug reaction. This meant two more blood cultures had to be drawn, and I had to stay in the hosptial for at least another 24 hours. Finally, the good news came that my white blood cell count was up and I would go home on Tuesday.
Of course, there was just a little bit more drama before I could get home. By 2:00 I was all processed and ready to go home, just waiting for Charlie to call me when he was leaving the office so I could meet him out front and the vital sign taker arrived. I told her I was going home, but she said as long as I was still in the room, she had to take my vital signs - and I HAD A TEMPERATURE. Fear hit me - after 5 days in the hospital, I wanted to go home. She told me she'd have to tell the nurse. Meanwhile, Charlie called and I attempted to leave, but saw the nurse in the hallway. She took my temperature - in both ears - and get this - each ear provided a different temperature. Off we went to Dr. Plank, who said he didn't think I needed to stay, but he wanted to call the Oncology Fellow just to be sure - he termed my temperature interesting and sent me home with a 7-day perscription for an antibiotic. So even on the way out of the hospital, I continued to be a mystery!
My Herceptin treatment for this week was cancelled, and I'm scheduled to receive my 4th and last chemotherapy treatment next week!
Thanks to my great friends who visited me at the hospital when I looked like an extra from a science fiction movie and didn't say a thing, and to all of you who called and sent cards - knowing you were thinking of me meant so much. Also, thanks again to my wonderful friends who made my quilt - I had it with me right from the emergency room and it made such a difference having the comfort of friends with me at all times - I have to admit, it was a little scary there for a while.
So, it is with this positive thought that I finished my fourth and final treatment yesterday and look forward to continuing my Herceptin treatments for another 10 months and moving on the Hormone treatment after that! I just keep remembering that all these treatments combined contribute to the reduction from 32% to 5% for the chance of a relapse and from 13% to 3% for non-survival over the next ten years. All I have to do is combine that with a dedication for 1/2 hour of daily exercise and 5 servings of fruits and vegetables which according to a recent study will increase my survival rate and I'll be all set!
Started off with a quick line insertion for a blood test (still loving that port), a visit with Dr. Muss, my Oncologist, who reviewed the blood test results and said I was doing great. Back to the South Pacific Pod to take my pre-med’s, which include a 125 gm pill and 2 bags of IV medication. The massage therapist came by and offered a foot massage, to which I happily agreed. Finally started with my first bag of toxins at 11:30 and finished up the third bag at 2:30.
