Another Dose of Cancer Killers on Board!

So far so good today...At least I got a good night's sleep. I finally broke down last night and took something to help me sleep better. You see, they give me steroids before my chemo and I keep taking them for a couple of days after chemo. Those buggers keep me feeling pretty good during the day, but I could stay up all night if I'm not careful.

I'm hoping the unpredictable weather we've had around here (hail and rain yesterday) won't keep my sister from getting here for a quick visit. Poor thing will be out here just when I go off the steroids and the side effects of the $3000 Nuelasta shot really kick in (lots of achiness as my bone marrow is encouraged to make white blood cells).

We have also been treated with a yummy home cooked meal from one of my collegues (thanks Tom!), another box of yummies from Zimmerman's and I got the cutest earrings (just the right accessory for a gal who is slowly but surely losing her hair).

Thanks for all the support we've gotten from everyone (encouraging emails, comments on the blog, facebook notes, hugs, offers of help, and all the things I can't think of!). Knowing we've got so many folks rooting for us helps more than you know!

Good Drip

All done with my second round of chemo. This week I got the whole "cocktail". It went fine, it was a lot quicker than last time (they were less worried about allergic reactions). I was home in less than four hours. I managed to talk them out of the Benedryl this time (I didn't need a crazy nap today!). Some minor side effects from the chemo are creeping in already. My tongue is tingly and things don't taste right. Otherwise I feel fine. I even snuck in a run to Target and Fourth Street! I'm a little less worried this time through because I have a clue about what to expect (yes, it might change, but it isn't a complete unknown).

Warning: I'm going to geek out on the chemicals now. I'm a science teacher (who's not teaching today) so I figure I'm allowed. Stop reading now if you have no interest in how the chemo thing works. Here comes the nerdiness...

I start off my cocktail with premeds of Dexamethasone (steroid) and Emend (miracle anti-nausea stuff). These things are supposed to keep the serious side effects at bay. The next up is an hour long drip of Taxotere. Taxotere was first made from the needles of European Yew trees (now it is synthesized in labs). Taxotere works by binding to microtubules and making it impossible for cells to divide. Taxotere and Taxol are both classified as taxanes (Taxol is the "mother" of all taxanes). Taxol was first discovered back in the 1960's after the National Cancer Institute got together with botanists from the USDA to start screening plants in search of compounds that killed cancer cells. It took about 30 years from its discovery in the 1960's before it was approved in the 1990's (holy cow!). Originally Taxol was derived from the bark of the Pacific Yew. Its use as a chemotherapy drug lead to the harvesting of lots of Pacific Yews (it takes a lot of bark to isolate enough Taxol for a chemo drip!). Not only were Pacific Yews not the most common tree to start with, but they grow in forests where you find spotted owls (a threatened species). This was a problem for the first couple years of use, but by 1995 a method for synthesis of taxol in the lab had been developed and the controversy (helping cancer patients vs. saving the forests and the birds) was over.

The Taxotere is followed by a 1/2 hour drip of Carboplatin (yes, I now have some platinum coursing through my veins). Carboplatin is an alkylating agent. It reacts with my DNA and adds alkyl groups (methyl, ethyl etc). Essentially it causes mutations that will hopefully kill the cell. Like all chemotherapy drugs, neither Taxotere nor Carboplatin can tell the difference between cancerous and non-cancerous cells, so it is killing any cell that is undergoing mitosis. Since cancer cells do this so often, they are killed (hopefully), but there are some civilian casualties as well (hair follicles for one thing- my hair is now starting to come out).

I finish up with Herceptin dripped in over a 1/2 hour or so. I go every week for Herceptin and technically that isn't chemo- it is a targeted therapy that works specifically on the cancerous cells and has very few side effects. My cancer cells have an abundance of HER2 receptors sticking out of their cell membranes. This receptor sends messages to regulate cell division, but in cancer cells like mine the HER2 receptors just keep sending the message to divide the cell. This is no good, it makes tumors! Herceptin binds to the HER2 receptors and stops them from sending out the "divide" message. Once it has bound to the HER2 receptors, my immune system (which according to my blood work is doing fine!) gets rid of the cancer cells. Herceptin (a.k.a. trastuzamab) is a wonder drug for HER2+ folks like me.

Once the Herceptin drips through, they flush my port. The weirdest part of this is that I don't really notice the taste or smell of any of the chemo drugs or the Herceptin, but when they flush my port with saline and Heparin (to keep any clots from forming in it) I can taste both. Saline (which should taste like salt water) tastes very chemically and Heparin tastes like fake citrus flavor, weird. The only explanation I can think of is that they really push that stuff in fast with a syringe (no drip drip here at all!). Anyway, once all that is done, they put a bandage on and I'm outta there.

In related news...there is a "super herceptin" (TDM1) drug that is currently in stage 3 trials that sounds very promising. It combines Herceptin (which binds to the HER2 receptors that my cancer cells have an abundance of) with DM1, a chemotherapy agent. This would get chemotherapy straight to the cancer cells rather than spreading it throughout the body. Who knows when or if I'll ever need this drug, but its existence gives me one more option in the fight!!

Just to give credit where credit is due, the info here came from: my doctors (mostly Dr. Z my breast surgeon), carboplatin.org, taxotere.com, the numerous pamphlets I have been handed by my nurses and The Story of Taxol: Nature and Politics in the Pursuit of an Anti-cancer Drug By Jordan Goodman, Vivien Walsh (the preview on Google).

drip 2 of 6

Off to an on-time start....

Sixteen Days Out and Feeling Perky...

It's been sixteen days since they dripped the toxic cancer killing chemicals into me. I'm feeling almost normal. I think I'm a bit more tired than normal, but not bad. My taste buds returned to normal last weekend, so I've been enjoying eating all sorts of things (so refreshing!).

In other news, I've been totally overwhelmed by the kind words of support from my students. One of them set up a Facebook page called "Mrs Rohmer Get Well" (should be "Ms", really, but whatever...it is totally sweet!!). Reading all of their well wishes and kind words is so touching, and I can't help but tear up. Just one more reason I like my job.

Two more days of work and then I'm off for TWO WEEKS (chemo next week and then spring break is the next week). Yippee!

my sleepy wife.

We had an appointment with the oncologist yesterday, and then Eileen went for her weekly Herceptin drip. As you may already assume, we had to wait a long time for both appointments to commence. (I probably wouldn't be as cranky about it if I could get cell service in the waiting room....I'm a slave to technology. Perhaps I'll bring a paperback next time!)

The onc appointment went well. Her blood and liver numbers are looking very good, so that was a huge relief. We also learned that now she doesn't need to get blood drawn every week as she has been. She only needs to go prior to the chemo mondays. That amounts to 2 less needle sticks- always a good thing!

Once she finally was able to get into the infusion center, the drip went without incident save for one thing; The chemo nurse gave her a small dose of Benedryl. She didn't get that last time (and she mentioned it to him) but it seemed routine. Mind you, I had just gone back to work (after being in the office for more than 1.5hrs at that point...) so I wasn't there to play the heavy. (i.e. "she didn't get that last time, would you please call the doctor to confirm?").

Anyway, not a big deal- we're sure it was fine and all, but holy moly- Eileen was ZONKED last night. I got back home from work around 630, we chatted, ate, and she was out. I took Red for a long walk, she didn't stir. I played music. She only grumbled and rolled over. By 10:30, she finally motored from the couch to the bedroom and slept straight through until 5:30am.

She seemed rather refreshed this morning and in good spirits. Maybe we'll ask about the Benedryl next time- (and by that I mean, "hey man....can you hook us up?")

TGIF

I made it through a full week back at work. I'm tired, but otherwise feeling pretty good.

I went and got my blood drawn today just 'cause. I'm not sure whether I needed to or not, but it seemed easier to go get it done than to call the doctor's office to double check (and I'm kinda curious what my numbers look like). That's pretty stupid, but... I ended up meeting the most fascinating Rainman like character at the lab. He could tell ya all the celebrities born on or near your birthday. It was amazing really. I share a birthday with J-Lo and Barry Bonds. If I was born a day later, I'd share a birthday with Diana Ross. He then went on to people who share the same astrological sign. I don't know how he keeps it all in his head and I really don't know how the receptionist there doesn't go completely berzerk and tell him to shut the hell up!

Knocking on Wood.

I have been knocking on wood all day... I feel back to normal, pre-chemo normal! My stomach has pretty much calmed down and my energy level is great. Being back at work has been really good. It helps me get out of my head. Add to that the fact that the weather here is gorgeous (low 70's and sunny, LOVE IT!). Red (the dog) and I got out for our 2+ miles and could've kept going. I'm doing well (except for the fact that I have FUCKING CANCER, urgh!).

In other news, I have to say I already love my portacath. When they accessed it today it didn't hurt a bit (thanks to a bit of lidocaine). My portacath is this tiny thing about the size of a lifesaver with a tube attached to it. The tube goes straight into my jugular vein. This way I don't have someone poking around trying to get a vein every week! Yippee! Keith and I are both wondering why some IV drug users don't go this route (or maybe they do, who knows right?). It seems way easier than trying to find a vein everytime! (albeit expensive).