When I was a science teacher, the first song my students and
I would sing together every year was Science is Real by They Might Be Giants. The
second was Put It to the Test. I’ve been thinking about both songs today throughout
my first day of treatment at MD Anderson. I got into the trial and am a part of
real science!
People have been in and out all day taking so much blood and
doing EKGs and checking my blood pressure (while lying down, while sitting up,
while standing…). I receive the treatment in the Clinical and Translational Research Center, and everything is very regimented, with tests administered and samples collected at exact intervals. I have received two chemo drugs and one immunotherapy drug
today. I will continue to take the immunotherapy
drug in pill form twice a day at home.
I will also continue to receive chemo on a three-week rotation
for the next six months. I’ll come to Houston for treatment Week 1 and Week 2
and take Week 3 off – except for the first cycle, in which I will come all
three weeks. This particular combination of chemo drugs is supposed to be very
tolerable. I won’t lose my hair, and I will likely only feel bad sort of bad for
a couple of days after treatment.
Chemo Selfie
It has been a busy few days leading up to treatment. I’ve
done lab work, EKGs, another CT scan, and another biopsy. During the biopsy, the
front of my right shoulder started to hurt really badly. It has been hurting in
this spot for a couple of weeks, with pain spreading up my neck and down my
arm. I thought I had just slept wrong or something. During the biopsy, I
started sobbing over the extreme shoulder pain, but they were in the middle of sticking
a hollow needle into my liver, so there wasn’t much to be done. The doctor told
me (and another doctor later confirmed) that sometimes liver pain can be felt
in the shoulder. So strange.
My sister-in-law, Suzanne, is with me in Houston today. She
has fetched food for me and even gives me shoulder-to-arm massages. I’m feeling
a little spoiled, but I am so grateful to her for dropping everything to be
with me here.
I think (maybe? I hope?) the most tumultuous time of this
cancer journey is over for now. I have a plan and a schedule and am working on settling
into a routine. Now I just relax and let science do its work.
5 comments:
I’m so glad you got into the trial! I’ve been waiting to hear and I was hoping no news was good news. I love you and I’m praying for you!!!
Gas pain can also be referred to the shoulder. I’m actually not joking. Don’t drink carbonated beverages (especially from a straw) after a C-section! It created created a torture-fest in my right shoulder.
Thanks for the updates!❤️��
Jen, you are amazing! Thank you for sharing your journey. Can those of us cheering for you contribute to the scholarship fund? I’m thinking of you often! Sunshine
Love you lots!! I hate that you are in pain. But so glad Suzanne was there to spoil you. Hang in there girl. Praying daily.
Thank you for sharing, I was fighting my cancer. A week after I turned 45 I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer that spread to my liver. It was a long hard journey but July 19 will be 5 years cancer free after drinking Dr Itua herbal medicine. I wish the best for anyone with cancer and I will recommend Dr Itua to anyone with cancer and Dr Itua will cure you completely. I’m thankful I meant Dr Itua on www.drituaherbalcenter.com. Stay on them about the ox platinum that can leave you with permanent damage. They backed down on mine after drinking dr itua herbal medicine and I don’t have any permanent side effects. Much love from California stays strong . If you have any questions You can write to Dr Itua Herbal Center on drituaherbalcenter@gmail.com.
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