My wonderful support team!

Each day comes bearing its own gifts.  Untie the ribbons.  ~Ruth Ann Schabacker

What a gift it is to have 3 of the most important members of my support team here in Florida with me for 10 days!!!  And I'm so lucky to be staying with them at their 2-bedroom suite in Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach!  It is SOOO wonderful!  We're just having some real quality visiting time -- relaxing, hanging out, going to the beach, playing Mexican train, etc. etc.  Last night we even went to the beach again (after spending a few hours there in the afternoon) to see the spectacular full moon over the ocean -- it was so beautiful.  We missed the actual moonrise but got there shortly thereafter, and it was a sight to behold -- supposedly the biggest, brightest full moon in a LONG time, as it was the closest the moon has come to the earth in 18 years.  But you all probably already know that, so I don't need to be putting that trivial info on my blog.....LOL!

Friday's "chemo education" appointment (which Mom, Freeland, and Kenny attended with me) was......I'm not sure of the right word(s)......interesting, depressing, enlightening, scary.  Jackie, the ARNP, was very nice and did a really good job of "laying it on the line" as far as what to expect with the chemotherapy.  Sugarcoating it was not an option.  Although I was aware of a lot of what to expect as far as side effects go, it was a little difficult to have it all spelled out for me, including side effects that I wasn’t aware of or that are rare and hopefully won’t happen, but they have to present them.  I won’t go into all the details because maybe I’ll be extremely lucky and won’t experience ANY side effects!  Not likely!  How can one’s body accept all those toxic poisons and not react in a rebellious manner?!  SOOOO, most assuredly, I will be experiencing nausea, vomiting(?), aches and pains, and total hair loss (Nancy bought me 3 really cute bandanas yesterday, and I’ve also started collecting hats).  Jackie also said that fatigue will be one of the biggest problems – indeed it will be, if it happens, because I’m not used to that at all.  At any rate, I guess I just have to wait and see…..take it one day at a time…..and “keep the positive attitude” going.  I’m still doing very well in that department….fortunately.

The poisons in my chemo protocol are going to be TAC (Taxotere, Adriamycin, and Cytoxan), which is going to be A&C every 21 days for 4 sessions, followed by T every week for 12 weeks.  Within 72 hours of each session of the A/C, I will also get Neulasta (which I believe is an injection).  I think the radiation will start sometime during the Taxotere regimen; it apparently cannot be given along with the A/C regimen. 

Okay, I’m going to stop talking about this now because it’s kind of nauseating me.  I think we need to get outside and enjoy some of the beautiful 80-degree Florida weather.  I need to get my mind off this subject for awhile.  I just wanted to say how happy I am that Mom, Freeland, and Nancy are here!  They are just filled with such love and support, and it’s just what I need right now! 

But I can’t sign off without mentioning the MOST important member of my support team – my wonderful husband!  He is staying in the RV with the dogs, so I can “hang out" with my family (which I’m sure is also a nice break for him).  Perhaps we’ll go have a cookout at the RV this evening and spend some time with Kenny and the doggies, hanging out on the river!