All the appointments
I met with my surgeon yesterday. I'm healing well, everything's fine.
I met with my oncologist today. First I need a MUGA scan that tests my heart. I think to make sure my heart is okay, but also as a baseline because apparently the chemo drugs can cause congestive heart failure. >.> Then I need my portacath put in. Then I...well, start chemo.
Tuesday, 20 October: MUGA scan
Thursday, 22 October - Monday, 26 October: Sarah goes to Chicago! For a vacation!
Wednesday, 28 October: Surgery to place portacath
I presume I'll start chemo soon after the portacath is in place.
I've got four treatments of two combined chemo drugs, two weeks apart, then twelve treatments of another drug, one week apart. Assuming I start treatment the first week in November, and assuming nothing goes wrong, I'll be done with chemo by the middle to end of March. Then six weeks of radiation, so I should be done with everything, hopefully, by the beginning of June.
I could manage the RT convention if I wanted to fly across the country to Las Vegas between finishing chemo and starting radiation...but I think not. But I hope I'll definitely be able to make the RWA convention at the end of July. So that's good.
As for how I'm doing emotionally... During intake today, my oncologist's nurse asked if I was dealing with any stress. I laughed. She asked for a number between 1-10. I said 6. I should have said 9, I think. :-/ But I went to see my counselor today, AND performed some hefty retail therapy (6 dress shirts for $80! And a red velvet sports coat because how could I not?!), and signed an author I've been wanting to sign for months. So that was all good. I'm not doing brilliantly -- it's more that I'm kind of ignoring things in order to be semi-functional -- but at least I don't despise myself tonight. So that's, you know, positive.
And one of the things my counselor keeps saying is that she's never seen anyone with such a large support network before. So it might not be the...intimate partnership I'm desperately missing, but I am so very very thankful for everyone. Last night when I was in crisis, I was SMSing with two people, talking on the phone with another, and IMing with two more, to say nothing of the emails I received and the people I know who were super-concerned but didn't contact me because they didn't want to intrude. And everyone came to me, because I, um, tried to shut everyone out. So I got through last night and I'll get through all the nights to come all with a little help from my friends. And I'm so so SO thankful for all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. <3 <3 <3
I met with my oncologist today. First I need a MUGA scan that tests my heart. I think to make sure my heart is okay, but also as a baseline because apparently the chemo drugs can cause congestive heart failure. >.> Then I need my portacath put in. Then I...well, start chemo.
Tuesday, 20 October: MUGA scan
Thursday, 22 October - Monday, 26 October: Sarah goes to Chicago! For a vacation!
Wednesday, 28 October: Surgery to place portacath
I presume I'll start chemo soon after the portacath is in place.
I've got four treatments of two combined chemo drugs, two weeks apart, then twelve treatments of another drug, one week apart. Assuming I start treatment the first week in November, and assuming nothing goes wrong, I'll be done with chemo by the middle to end of March. Then six weeks of radiation, so I should be done with everything, hopefully, by the beginning of June.
I could manage the RT convention if I wanted to fly across the country to Las Vegas between finishing chemo and starting radiation...but I think not. But I hope I'll definitely be able to make the RWA convention at the end of July. So that's good.
As for how I'm doing emotionally... During intake today, my oncologist's nurse asked if I was dealing with any stress. I laughed. She asked for a number between 1-10. I said 6. I should have said 9, I think. :-/ But I went to see my counselor today, AND performed some hefty retail therapy (6 dress shirts for $80! And a red velvet sports coat because how could I not?!), and signed an author I've been wanting to sign for months. So that was all good. I'm not doing brilliantly -- it's more that I'm kind of ignoring things in order to be semi-functional -- but at least I don't despise myself tonight. So that's, you know, positive.
And one of the things my counselor keeps saying is that she's never seen anyone with such a large support network before. So it might not be the...intimate partnership I'm desperately missing, but I am so very very thankful for everyone. Last night when I was in crisis, I was SMSing with two people, talking on the phone with another, and IMing with two more, to say nothing of the emails I received and the people I know who were super-concerned but didn't contact me because they didn't want to intrude. And everyone came to me, because I, um, tried to shut everyone out. So I got through last night and I'll get through all the nights to come all with a little help from my friends. And I'm so so SO thankful for all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. <3 <3 <3