Chemotherapy Update

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted.  If you're not familiar with my story, click HERE to learn all about it.

As you may have realized, I've been gone for a while and haven't been updating my blog.  I've been looking for work since April, and due to potential employers looking you up on social media, I needed to temporarily turn off my blog and my YouTube videos so that I wouldn't be discriminated against.  Let's face it; people are nervous when they hear the word CANCER, and I just couldn't risk it.  So along with surgery and chemotherapy, I've also been stressing about finding a job.  It hasn't been easy.  I'm so excited that I found a job teaching 5th grade at a school nearby!  

Needless to say, I'm thrilled to be back!  So many things have happened since my last post.  The rest of round two of Chemotherapy went well, with no big problems.  I ended the school year and was thrilled to no longer have to juggle both work and Chemotherapy since I still had round 3 and 4 left.

The first thing I did to start my summer?  I went to the New Kids on The Block concert!  There's nothing quite like 20,000 screaming fans to get you going!  We had INCREDIBLE seats.  Closer than the last concert, about 8 rows back from the floor.  I've been a fan of New Kids on The Block (NKOTB) since I was 11.  When I was young, I had their posters all over the walls of my bedroom, and tons of merchandise.  When I was 12, I was able to go to one of their concerts when they came to Fresno, California.  They were "nosebleed" seats, and I don't remember much about the concert at all, but I was able to see them.  In 2008 they came back together and began making new music and touring again.  I've now seen them the last 3 times they've come to Salt Lake City.  They know how to feed off of nostalgia and put on a show!  These 5 men, 4 of whom are over 50, work their butts off each night while on tour, and they make it look easy, still sounding fantastic.  I will go to their concerts until they can't move any longer!

The shirt a friend of a friend made for me

My sister and I

Why yes, the band member in the center picture (Danny Wood) is wearing a Han Solo t-shirt!!

 Never Gonna Give You Up!!  

It was a fabulous night, and one that will always be special to me.

OK, back to the health garbage! Round three of chemotherapy brought a few new side effects.  I had the same antibiotic round one and two, and I had no problems with it.  Round three my body decided that it was suddenly allergic to it.  About 10 days into round three I woke up covered in hives.  I could hardly open my eyes, I was swollen and itching all over, and I could hardly sleep.  Luckily I was able to see my oncologist the next day and was given anti-itch and steroid medications to get rid of the hives.  It worked quickly, which was fabulous.  

I also began developing brown spots on my face.  Apparently this is another side effect of chemotherapy. They are very obvious on the sides of my face, and I also have one on an eyelid, and it makes my eye shadow look weird.  My taste buds returned, along with my appetite.  The only food I've found that I still can't stand is potato chips...no matter the brand.  So much for the weight I'd lost.  I'm guessing it won't take long for it to all come back.  Oh well.

You can clearly see the change in my skin tone.  I am NOT happy about this, and I don't think it will go away!

I've always tried to be open and honest with these posts, and share with you whatever this was doing to my body, no matter how gross.  I've debated for a while about sharing the latest, and most frustrating side effect since it is VERY embarrassing, but I figure, why not?  So here we go...

At the end of round two, I began developing hemorrhoids.  Not just your regular hemorrhoids.  I'm talking hemorrhoids on steroids!  When they first started I had to miss a day of work due to the pain I was in.  It hurt to stand, sit, walk, everything.  And it was difficult to sleep.  I went to the Urgent Care and they only told me to do what I already was doing...thanks for that!  Eventually I was able to see a Gastroenterologist and this side effect is pretty much under control.  I will continue to see the doctor so that this doesn't get out of hand again.  Without a doubt, this has been the worst part of my Chemotherapy experience!

My fourth and final round of Chemotherapy was on July 1st.  At the appointment with the oncologist before my treatment, I was told that chemotherapy would send my body into menopause.  Chemotherapy basically puts the ovaries to sleep, stopping the entire process.  I will begin taking anti estrogen pills since estrogen can stimulate breast cancer cells to grow.  Getting rid of the estrogen will help slow down, and even keep the cancer from returning.  The downside?  Hot flashes, and apparently I will begin growing hair on my face, like men do!  The hot flashes began at the end of round 2, and they haven't been fun.  I also had to deal with another round of hives.  So the theory that I'm allergic to the antibiotic doesn't hold now since I was given a different antibiotic after round three when this happened the first time.  I also continued to suffer through hemorrhoids.  "Hives and Hemorrhoids" became the phrase to describe round three and four!

When I left at the end of chemotherapy that day, I was given this bottle of Apple Cider.  I thought it was really sweet of them.  Many people will ring the bell inside the treatment room when they complete their last round of chemotherapy, but I just didn't feel like doing it.  I only had to go through 4 treatments and they were only four hours each, where many people have to go through 8.  I think it should be reserved for those who have to suffer through 8 rounds and are there for 8 hours each time.

So chemotherapy is finished.  Four months went by pretty fast.  I think my body and mind handled it well.  It could've been a lot worse.  Now the process of getting this poison completely out of my body and regrowing my hair begins.  I was lucky and didn't lose my eyebrows, and still have strands of hair on my head.  I also didn't lose many eyelashes.  I'm noticing that the hairs on my head that survived chemotherapy are already growing longer.  What I'm worried about is that I'm not seeing new hair growing in all the other spots of my scalp.  I've read that about 6 weeks after your last round of chemotherapy is when you should start to see hair growth.  Many people have documented their process on YouTube.  Needless to say, by week 3 many people have significant peach fuzz.  If we count July 1st as the first day of my last treatment, I'm already in week 4, and there's no fuzz.  In an attempt to help the process along, I bought a hair growth supplement and a new shampoo and conditioner made specifically for my situation.  I know this is going to take a long time, but I'm still nervous.  It's a little bittersweet.  I absolutely want my hair back, however, it's become very easy to get ready each morning.  I haven't needed to do anything with my hair, and shaving hasn't been necessary for months now!  

I'm half way done with my cancer treatment.  Chemotherapy is done, and radiation begins in a few days.  I'll have another blog post detailing that treatment later.