Dream Creator

Dream Creator
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Just a small town Canadian dreamer... This started as the diary of a young woman's experience with breast cancer and continues 5 years later as the diary of a woman, like many other, who has decided to take her lemons and make lemonade. **If reading this blog for the purpose of learning about my breast cancer experience, PLEASE START AT THE OLDEST POST (October 2009) AND WORK YOUR WAY FORWARD**

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

BC Cancer Center

I am back from Kelowna.
My husband and I took a trip up there (4hrs) to have my first meeting with my oncologist. It was fabulous! I was scared, a common feeling for me these days. Fear of the unknown. I am most scared of the fear!! Every now and then a panic attack creeps up on me and it is the worst feeling! I feel sick and dizzy and breathless. Luckily the panic attacks have been fewer and further between.
When we arrived at the cancer center, there was someone playing a grand piano. The sound echoed through the halls. There were hundreds of elderly volunteers smiling and greeting and there to help in anyway. The one thing I didn't like was how busy it was in there...never a good sign. I didn't see anyone who looked really ill. Just a lot of people living with the cards they have been dealt and grateful to have such a wonderful place to feel safe and well taken care of. I filled out forms and waited in the waiting room. The forms were sad. They were multiple choice and had questions like "How often do you eat." and the answers were "My eating habits haven't changed." or "I am only able to take supplements at this time" There were many questions like this, all with a range of answers. I couldn't help think how terrible it would feel to have to answer the questions on the worst end of the spectrum. I am so fortunate.
Every 20 minutes a coffe cart would come around with free coffee, teas, juices, cookies etc. I thought this was a nice touch, though I wondered if this was where all our money was going. Nevertheless, I am glad they had it. It made me feel special, like I was part of the "cancer club" and I get free refreshments and you don't. :)
When I finally got into the room, the oncologist came in. He was about 40 years old and Swiss German. He had a strong accent. He was very nice and he listened to me. We told him how we had had terrible doctors and treatment up until this point. We told him about all the mistakes and run arounds and how no one seemed like someone we could trust! He listened, with caring eyes. I liked him. I liked his energy. He felt good.
He answered our 1000 questions and then told us about my treatment regiment.
I would be starting chemo in the next 10 days...before then I would have an MRI (though the results wouldn't have too much baring on my treatment, more for my peace of mind) My chemo would be 6 cycles with 3 weeks in between each, administered in Nelson. My cocktail consists of
3 cycles of FEC (Epirubicin, Fluorouracil, and Cyclophosphamide) and then 3 cycles of Docetaxel.
The first 3 cycles may have nausea and hair loss side effects, then the last 3, achy bones etc. I will blog as I experience these side effects, as everyone has different responses. After my chemo, I will take about 6 weeks to heal and be back to my regular self. That is when I will go on with my surgery. I will be having a Bilateral (both breasts) mastectomy with reconstruction. My oncologist does not perform this procedure, therefore will refer me to a surgeon along the way and then I will have more info on this treatment. We are still awaiting results from my HER2. This will tell me if I indeed have triple negative basal carcinoma. If the HER2 is negative (along with the Estrogen - and Progesterone-) that makes 3 negatives, hence the name. If I am triple negative, it only means I am unique and they would recommend a mastectomy to prevent mestastisizing and recurrance. Because I am already taking this precaution, it doesn't mean all that much for me, except if I and my daughter have the gene. (which I will find out in a few weeks to a few months). If I am HER2 positive, that means there is a "targeted" treatment for my cancer (a bit higher survival rate) but this means a year of intravenous treatments every couple of weeks. So I will wait on these results, and let you know. I had good news that I won't have to have a "port" or "picline" implanted for my chemo. Sometimes they have to implant these devices into you so they can just pop in the tube of chemo each month. Because I have good veins, I won't have to have that. I will just get an IV each treatment. The first 3 drugs can cause corrosion to my veins, but because they are "good" and it is only the first 3 treatments, they think I am good to go. YAY!!!! I don't want something dangling from my body for 5 months (how sexy).
The doc told me if at anytime I get a fever or feel like I am getting a cold or flu, to go immediately to the ER, as my white cells are low and could cause me to die. That was a bit scary...I also have to avoid germs like crazy...so if my kids are sick, they need to stay away!! Then they told me, I cannot get pregnant during this. I mean , I am able to , but I must not!! that was weird. I can't even imagine having sex during chemo. I mean I probably will, it is 4-5months after all, but thinking about being bald and some people with ports hanging out of their chests, it isn't the ideal image for "love making" :) lol. I know! Too much information!!! Sorry, but like you didn't think about it....hopefully my husband likes bald chicks...haha, sorry, ok, I'll stop. :)
So that's all of the main stuff my oncologist went over with me...the rest is boring and would mean nothing to anyone reading this, unless you have breast cancer, then by all means email any questions and I will answer. Now it's time to prepare myself...I need to prepare as many meals as I can to freeze, so that I won't have to worry about cooking if I feel like shit. I want to get dental work done and anything else before the storm hits. Luckily a good friend of mine cleaned my house for me recently (god bless her soul) so that's not a worry right now. Now is the time I am going to want help from people. If anyone still wants to help out, I would love healthy soups, casseroles and muffins for my freezer. I might need someone to help clean the house here and there while I enter my "sleep coma" (apparantly this concoction makes you sleep A LOT!) I would love someone to help me with dog walking, at least on the days closest to my treatments when I am feeling side effects...all of these things would really help out. I won't ask, of course, but if you ask me, I will gladly accept.
Overall my trip to Kelowna was great, all of my questions were answered, I finally have a competent doctor I can trust, and I also got to visit with my family (cousin and hubby) which was really nice. So, til the next big event, I am signing out to take on my busy week of preparations....don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for a few days....peace out!

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