Chemo: Taxol
Treatment: #10 of 12 of Taxol
Companions: none
Time: 3:40 p.m.
I was just having a discussion with Erin about how it’s better to live life in the moment rather than wait for the other shoe to drop. If there’s anything I’ve learned from this experience with Karla, it is to live in the moment and appreciate every moment that I am given to enjoy. I have been cognizant of the known risks associated with the journey I’m on, but I haven’t dwelled on them. I mean, there is just too much right now to experience, enjoy, and be thankful for. That all said, it was actually slightly refreshing to discuss some questionable news today with Dr. Otero (who filled in for Dr. Pinder today while she’s on vacation for the next couple weeks). It was a nice reminder that although I have been doing my best to live a superhuman life, I really am human.
I may have shared earlier that although the Taxol is generally easier on my body than that crazy Adriamycin/Cytoxin crap, some people on Taxol experience peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage). Most people recover from initial peripheral neuropathy if caught early enough and dealt with, but for some people this condition will be permanent. At its worst, people have difficulty walking because they can’t feel their feet and they have grip issues with their hands because they have lost strength. During every chemo treatment, the first question my doctor asks me is whether I have experienced any tingling or numbness in my hands/fingers or feet/toes. It’s one of the most dangerous side effects of the Taxol because it’s potentially permanent.
Unfortunately, I had to tell Dr. Otero today that I started feeling some tingling in my feet last night. While I was trying to get to sleep last night, I thought perhaps that I ran more than I should have last week or my hike that day was super harsh on my feet. Then when I woke up today and the tingling sensation was still present, I realized that it was probably the Taxol finally catching up with me.
As a result, Dr. Otero decreased my dosage of Taxol by a 1/4. He assured me that decreasing my dosage today would not affect my prognosis because I’m so close to the end of treatment. However, he also warned that if the tingling/numbness continues or gets worse, the doctors may have to decrease my dosage even more, stop me all together (I would then miss my last two chemo treatments), or switch me over to another chemo drug. I’m still feeling a bit of tingling in my feet, so I’m taking it easy today and hoping that the tingling subsides.
I did find a medical abstract that made me giggle about today’s news. Check it at: http://www.springerlink.com/content/b7288×7h8r837j27/. Apparently, being vertically-challenged may have been one of the reasons why it took so long for me to experience any of this nerve damage crap! Something to be thankful for, right? Jesus, I never thought I’d be thankful for being a midget.
Then to end today’s chemo treatment, the nurse who was giving me my Goserelin shot (to protect my ovaries during chemo) gave me a local anesthetic (Lidocaine) but totally missed the area where the Lidocaine was given. Diane, my usual nurse, was on vacation today, so I had a different nurse. I was confused by what was going on and the pain I felt (I mean, what the hell happened to the Lidocaine?), so like an idiot it took me a while to say something to my nurse, who was very slowly shoving that large needle into my side. I ended up just riding out the pain until the dang Goserelin shot was done. Very shitty. Thankfully, although I’ve dropped some weight, I still have a bit of a muffin top around my waist, so the “stabbing” wasn’t fatal. I guess today is the day for unexpected blessings, as I never thought I’d be thankful for my muffin top!
Hi Cat,
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999, initially stage 1, which morphed into Stage 4 within six months. Nine years later, I am holding strong – blessings happen.
I got 4 cycles A/C, followed by 4 cycles Taxol. The Taxol created neuropathy in my feet (less in my hands) that lasted beyond the chemo time. I called it my Little Mermaid syndrome, because it always hurt whenever I had to step onto my feet..
The AC/Taxol regimen was a new one at the time. Doctors did not know about the neuropathy long term effects and didn’t treat for it. Over the years, I got shoe inserts, steroid shots and other futile attempts to help with the pain.
A friend of mine, a Gulf War Veteran with officially diagnosed Gulf Veteran diseases, suffered much worse than I from neuropathy as one of his conditions. He introduced me to MonaVie, an Acai berry juice blend. It helped him, it helped me – I’ve been on the juice for four months now and the difference is amazing. My feet don’t hurt and my joint mobility is so much better.
You might want to ask your oncologist about it. I talked to mine – generally they have heard about MonaVie but don’t really know much. There are several peer-reviewed scientific studies out showing that freeze-dried acai works on the cellular level (my Chinese TCM doctor nowadays is very impressed by my pulse, saying “strong blood”, “good nutrition” and “good energy”). I have given copies of the studies to my oncologist and keep them informed on any new information that is coming out. Hopefully, they will share this with newly diagnosed patients.
MonaVie is only available through network marketing. I became a distributor because I will continue to be on it and wanted the wholesale price.
There is quite a bit of information out on the web on the benefits of the Acai Berry.
I wish you all the best for your own journey!
Sabine Goerke-Shrode
sm.shrode@sbcglobal.net
Comment by Sabine Goerke-Shrode — September 29, 2008 @ 10:33 am |