Chemo Monday

After three weeks off treatment, today I started another round of Abraxane and Avastin. According to Dr G's plan, I will have several rounds of this chemo combo, until my tumor marker reaches normal (30). Right now it's at 85. Then I'll get a PET/CT scan. If all looks good, then two more rounds of treatment before I get a "vacation."

A round of this combo lasts four weeks and looks like this:
Day 1: Abraxane/Avastin
Day 8: Abraxane only
(Day 9: usually a Neulasta shot to boost white blood cell count)
Day 15: Abraxane/Avastin
Day 22: no treatment; recuperate and get ready to start it all over again the next week

Today I also received a monthly injection of Xgeva to strengthen my bones. This is the third such drug I've been on in the past nine years. For the first few years I had a four-hour monthly infusion of Aredia. Next was a one-hour infusion of Zometa. In comparison, the once monthly shot of Xgeva is a huge improvement, at least in terms of time!

Today's treatment went slowly but smoothly. I checked in at 8 AM and after a few minutes' wait, got my lab orders. I walked down to the lab, where I had a short wait until a nurse could access my port and draw blood. Then back upstairs, was called back quickly into a chemo chair but had to wait another 90 minutes until the lab came through with my test results and Dr G could approve my orders. Around 10:00 I finally started the treatment, which lasted until just past noon. Thankfully my good friend G was there to chat the whole time. I STILL cannot wrap my head around the fact that it takes four hours to get through this whole thing every week.

G and I had a delicious lunch at Cafe Presse. (G: zucchini soup with dill and green olive tapenade garnish and baguette. It smelled heavenly. Me: chicken liver pate with mustard, cornichons and dried cherries, butter lettuce salad with hazelnuts and vinaigrette, plus baguette. YUMMY.) I do prefer, on chemo days, to not limit my diet and I eat anything I want.

This lunch might have been a smidge too rich, because I experienced a bit of a queasy tummy while napping this afternoon. However, all was resolved with a bit of dry cracker. I never know if a queasy tummy is due to food intake or chemo but am always prepared at home with ginger ale, crackers, and of course, ondonsetron (anti-nausea medicine).

Because I'd woken up at 6:15 this morning in order to get to treatment on time, I took a marathon two hour nap this afternoon. I awoke slowly, ate that cracker, then fed and walked the dog. Poor Bob, he was short-changed on the walk front today.

Rik is at an evening meeting and after my enormous lunch, I don't feel hungry for dinner. I believe I will take it easy and watch another in the "Harry Potter" movie series. I'm slowly working my way through all seven movies and then will see the last one a second time.

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