9th Treatment

Two weeks down! I'll call it halfway! They were able to reuse the IV in my left hand but it became quite uncomfortable partway through and I wondered whether I would be able to finish. The vein just doesn't seem to hold up well as my hand and arm get colder. Keeping it warm seems to help a little bit. My assignment for the weekend is to try some protein drink samples they had at the office and report back which one I liked the best. I just put the milk chocolate Ensure in the refrigerator, so I guess I'll try that tomorrow. The nurse said that since I'm not eating much that I need to be smart about what I eat and really make it count - in other words, push the protein. The scrambled egg I had this morning was a good example and she also suggested peanut butter toast.

It was nice enough outside that I just sacked out on the patio after treatment and enjoyed the sounds and smells of nature. I even swept a little after my hubby edged the pool bed. It's amazing how much effort it takes to get up and move. I'm hoping to plant a few more flowers this weekend and pull a few more weeds (after eating my PB toast, of course).

9 down, 10 to go

8th Treatment

Okay, 8 treatments done but this is no picnic. I have no appetite at all, and some foods just taste weird. I'm drinking a lot more than I'm eating and that has caused a few intestinal problems if you can guess what I mean. I weighed myself this morning and I've lost 8 pounds. The good news (well, technically, losing 8 pounds is good news to me) is that the side effects haven't been as severe as they were last week. The headache has been the worst part, and even that's bearable. Last night the fever didn't seem to get as high as the night before, and I actually slept rather well. I'm still dealing with lightheadedness which comes and goes. The nurse kept the IV in my hand yesterday with hopes of reusing it today, but it's been bugging me and I'm wondering whether it's going to work. I guess it's really not worth worrying about since there's nothing I can do about it anyway. I'm glad this is it for the week, and I'll be able to call myself halfway through. Really, it's hard to complain too much when I only have to go through this for a month and there are patients at the cancer center who have been going through treatments for years. It could be so much worse. I have to remind myself that I really am one of the lucky ones.

8 down, 11 to go

7th Treatment

Well, it seems that the steroid was the reason for the lack of body aches, fever and chills Tuesday night, and my suggestion that it should become a permanent part of the IV cocktail fell on deaf ears. On the way home from treatment we stocked up on Gatorade and Powerade though I've yet to crack open a bottle. Till we got home, my headache was gearing up to be another good one and I could already feel the body aches starting. I sat in my chair, dozing on and off till 6:00, then headed upstairs for my Tylenol. I saw the bed, and figured I didn't feel like fighting it and crawled in. That was it for the night. I got up once around 10:45 for two more Tylenol and that was it till the alarm went off this morning at 7:00. In bed for 13 hours - no wonder my back is stiff! I can't believe I actually slept that long. I still feel lightheaded and kind of weak, so I plan on staying home this morning to try and get ahead of this hydration plan once and for all. I'm sure that a little food in my stomach will help me feel stronger. I even made a cup of coffee to try to jumpstart my morning.

7 down, 12 to go

6th Treatment

Well, the Memorial Day weekend/holiday was a quiet one. I spent most of Saturday in bed since I was trying to get rid of the rash with Benadryl, and that's where Benadryl puts me. Although I had a slow start on Sunday, I was finally able to get myself going in the afternoon and felt well enough to buy some flowers, go grocery shopping, and even get some flowers planted. Monday I expected to feel even better, but couldn't shake feeling lightheaded and sat more than anything else. Tuesday morning I was back at work, but the lightheadedness persisted and I just couldn't stick it out.

At the treatment, I was told that the lightheadedness was from being dehydrated and I needed to be drinking more. Apparently 1/2 gallon of water a day is not enough and I need to be pushing even more liquids. They said that drinks like Gatorade and Powerade would be alright too, so I'll be adding them after another trip to the grocery store. I had blood work done before treatment, and apparently my numbers all looked really good. They added a steroid to the IV to help with the rash. They kept the IV in my right hand with hopes of re-using it. Even with the liter of fluid I get during the IV, I still felt lightheaded on the way home and even turned down my husband's offer of Rita's. I was fighting a mighty headache and just plopped myself in the family room to wait until my next dose of Tylenol at 6:00. I even kept my sunglasses on till then. I thought I might go to bed around 8:00, but stayed in that same chair until 10:00 when I could take my next dose of Tylenol. You know, I never got the body aches, fever or chills last night! I don't know if it had anything to do with the steroid or not, but I'll be asking. That was quite a gift! Now I need to go drink myself silly (water, of course) to try to get rid of this lightheadedness - enough is enough!

6 down, 13 to go

Note to self

From now on, either stay awake or have someone ready to wake you up four hours after the start of your treatment so you can take another double dose of Tylenol. The same goes for four hours after that. Don't skip it - ever. When the nurse suggests that you take additional Benadryl at home for the rash, don't wait to see how it looks in the morning. Just take it. Never underestimate the power of the interferon. Just because you don't have aches/chills/high fever yet, does not mean they won't be here within minutes. At least consider going to bed at 6:00pm and staying there till the next morning. Continue with the Rita's Italian Ice therapy ;-).

5th Treatment

What a difference a day makes! I dragged myself out of bed this morning and got in another half day at work, and then my hubby drove me to the cancer center for treatment. I had already consumed a quart of water and was working on another pint. I asked them to give me the Benadryl slowly, which they did. I could still feel it go to my head, but not as severely. The nurse used the same vein that was used on Monday, and it burned/stung off and on but there was no swelling this time. I felt tired but good on the ride home, so I asked for a Rita's Italian Ice to celebrate the end of the first week. I was able to really enjoy it without the chills. Once at home I parked myself in front of the TV again and waited for the inevitable. I eventually fell asleep on the sofa before I even felt the aches or fever. I have to remember to haul myself off to the bedroom when I feel that tired so others don't have to tiptoe around me. I woke up around 8:00 with minimal aches, minimal chills, and minimal fever. I'm sure it was the Rita's! Not a bad end to the first week! I'm looking forward to being outside tomorrow.

5 down, 14 to go

4th Treatment

Because my right hand was wrapped in a huge wad of gauze to protect the IV line they kept in, I worked from home today. I think I did more work than drinking my fluids because today's treatment was not the best. They were able to use the same line, but the syringe of Benadryl went straight to my head and I'm sure I could not have walked a straight line. I had a bit of a burning/stinging sensation at the IV site throughout the treatment. When the interferon bag finished and all I had left was what still remained in the bag of fluids, I realized that my fingers on my right hand were swollen. I showed the nurse, and she stopped the IV immediately. I guess they were worried about the line infiltrating but the swelling was above instead of below the site. They checked with a doctor who agreed that infiltration was not happening, and told me I'd have to get the rest of my hydration by mouth instead of IV. I was really glad to have my hubby there to drive me today! I came home by 3:30 and went straight to bed for 4 1/2 hours. I just checked and my temperature is 101 which certainly explains the way I feel. Good to know it's temporary! So, I'm going to drink more tonight and tomorrow, and ask them to inject the Benadryl more slowly tomorrow. Hopefully, the combo will work. Gee, what WILL I do without American Idol tonight ;-). I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the 3-day weekend!

4 down, 15 to go

3rd Treatment

Well, pushing the fluids continues to help. I actually put in a productive 4 1/2 hours at work this morning, but I started to watch the clock towards the end (and I NEVER watch the clock!). We were home by 4:10 today and I had the start of what would become a pesky headache. Once again, the homemade chicken noodle soup was so comforting! It was almost two hours until the body aches started in full force and I could feel the heat of the fever. The chills took a few more hours but they have been minimal. So, tired, achy, and feverish - this is still doable. My eyes burned a lot tonight but I persevered to watch the finals of American Idol. I know, I'm a real trooper ;-). Even my cat left me at that point! I still have the IV in my right hand from today's treatment hoping that it can be reused tomorrow. Say a little prayer. It's way, way past my new bedtime so I'm heading to that soft pillow and pile of blankets.

3 down, 16 to go

2nd Treatment

Day 2 and the treatment went a little faster today, getting us on the road home by 4:00. The body aches started on the ride home but it took about two hours before I could honestly complain about it. It took longer for me to get the chills tonight (also about two hours) and I'm wondering whether that has anything to do with all the liquids I'm drinking. I think I'll throw one of my grandmother's handmade quilts on my side of the bed tonight and make it a bit of a spiritual experience too. I expect that her added warmth will help. My neighbor's generous pot of homemade chicken noodle soup certainly added warmth to me on this rainy, chilly day. It was greatly appreciated! It's 8:45 and I'm off to bed.

2 down, 17 to go

1st Night

Well, I survived - not that I didn't think I would. The chills got as bad as I've ever had with the flu and I was burning with fever. It was hard to sleep because I just couldn't get warm, even with socks, a sweatshirt, and an extra blanket. I took two more Tylenol around 11:00pm. At some point during the night the chills stopped and I could just feel the fever - I was able to take off the sweatshirt. Now, the fever seems to be gone, and I'm just left with a bit of a headache; the body aches are gone. This is doable if it's as bad as it's going to get.

I decided to stay home from work so I can better gauge how I feel throughout the morning. I had a slow start, and decided to keep it slow; now is not the time to be rushing about trying to beat the clock. I plan to work on a few projects this morning and keep my email open till it's time to leave for the next treatment. If tonight goes the same as yesterday, I plan on going to work tomorrow.

1st Treatment - only 18 more to go

Happy 29th wedding anniversary to us today!!

I started my IV treatment around 2:30 today and was in the car headed home by 4:50. While I was well enough to drive, I really appreciated having my husband there to do the driving duties. Apparently I'm lacking "good" veins and now expect the needle "stick" to be the worst part. They left the IV needle in my arm for tomorrow, so I'm hoping it lasts till the appointment.

With the shawl Mary wove for me in hand, the treatment started with two Tylenol and then a syringe of Benadryl, nausea medicine (lasts for 80 hours - same as what chemo patients get), and fluids. They really stressed fluids and suggested that I start carrying a bottle of water with me everywhere (and drinking it!). Finally, the interferon drip began. I left feeling half decent with a slight headache and quite chilled. They told me that the side effects tend to peak after 4-6 hours, so I plan to be snuggled under the covers by then and sleep through it.

Now, a few hours later, I've just taken two more Tylenol. I can tell that I'm feverish, which explains the chills, and my body is definitely achy. So far it's like the flu without the sore throat and hacking cough, which makes it bearable. Having had the flu a few months ago, I can say that it's not as bad as that experience though I could really use a hot sauna right now!

I'm going to wrap myself in a few blankets to try and get warm. I'm counting on Murphy, my cat, to help me out ;-).

1 down, 18 to go

Timeline of diagnosis & treatment

Visiting my ob/gyn on 8/28/07, the nurse pointed out the mole I had on my right shin to the doctor. She advised me to get it checked out right away. "Right away" happened on October 29th with a visit to a plastic surgeon who agreed that the mole needed to be removed. He removed the mole on December 5th and sent it to pathology. I was back in the plastic surgeon's office on December 17th for the unexpected pathology report of malignant melanoma. The report said that they could not rule out metastatic melanoma and recommended a clinical work-up to rule out other primary sites as well as staging. The largest nodule was 0.8 cm. thick. I thought I had been handed a death sentence.

The round of doctor visits and tests began immediately with a visit to a dermatologist on December 19th. She didn't see anything else suspicious and, with the Christmas holiday right around the corner, was very kind to make herself accessible for questions during the next few days. My first visit to the oncologist was January 3rd (Happy New Year!). Then I had a CAT scan on January 7th, and a bone scan on January 8th. I was back at the oncologist on January 9th who sent me for a PET on January 14th. Then I was back with the oncologist on January 16th to learn that all tests had basically been clear.

At my appointment with the plastic surgeon on January 21st we scheduled the day surgery for removal of the tissue margin around the mole site and a sentinel lymph node mapping and biopsy for February 6th. I missed four days of work after the surgery with an incision in my right groin, and a skin graft from my right hip stapled to cover the new gaping hole in my shin.

I had a post-op visit to the plastic surgeon on February 12th, and on February 21st learned that a few cancer cells were found in one lymph node (the PET scan did NOT pick this up so I'm grateful my surgeon performed the sentinel lymph node biopsy). A right groin lymph node dissection was scheduled for February 27th. This involved an overnight hospital stay, and I went home the next day with a new, much longer incision and a Jackson Pratt drain. Walking was very difficult because I couldn't pick up my right foot, and I stayed on my pain meds pretty regularly those first few days. My entire leg, from the tip of my toes to the top of my leg was wrapped in ace bandages to control swelling. After a few days I was allowed to remove the dressings, shower, and begin wearing a closed-toe compression stocking. I couldn't lie down to sleep because I couldn't get in and out of bed by myself, needed help getting dressed, and could not get the compression stocking on by myself. The trickiest part was getting the stocking up and over my "mole hole" on my shin with the least amount of contact. I was home from work for eleven days and my husband was an absolute saint! I couldn't have been home without his help.

My post-op appointment with the plastic surgeon was on March 5th, where I heard that the preliminary pathology report was negative for malignancy. On the 18th, the drain was removed (thankfully no worse than having a bandaid yanked off) and learned that the pathology report was negative. Follow-up visits followed in close succession: oncologist on March 26th, plastic surgeon on April 15th, oncologist on April 21st, and plastic surgeon on May 6th. I don't have to go back to the plastic surgeon for 3 months!

My next appointment with the oncologist is May 19th to begin the intensive interferon treatment. My oncologist doesn't believe that following the intensive treatment with the long-term interferon treatment would offer any additional benefit for me, so I'll be done within one (miserable) month instead of twelve.