Scott and I just celebrated 25 years and hopefully we will squeeze another 25 years in. Having too much fun watching and helping my kids become young adults. Leah’s working on building up her clientele, Daniel’s applied to college to study to be a medical tech and Nathan is trucking along with pretty good grades.

Scott’s working hard and God is blessing him with business which is almost unheard of these days. He’s been carrying all the weight around here and has been there for me to lean on. My kids have also been a big help whether it’s been taking me to my doctor appointments, chemo, or just getting me something to eat. I just want you to know how much I appreciate everything. Love you guys!!!

My plan for treatment is pretty much the same. I completed my chemo on the 18th of February which has been almost three weeks. Slowly, I am getting my energy back. My PET scan came back with excellent results showing the cancer is dead in  the lymph node area and only showing a few spots in the breast. Unfortunately I still require surgery, a radical mastectomy, like the old days but with better technology, of course. I completed my biopsies to find clear margins for my surgeon to cut. The skin from my abdomen will be used to close my incision also know as a tram flap. Sometime after the radiation is done I will have reconstructive surgery. At some point I will also need to have my thyroid removed. My mastectomy is schedule for next Thursday, the 18th, at 3:30 in the afternoon at Northside Hospital Atlanta. I will be there for 4 days.

I think I mentioned before Scott is taking me out-of-town for 5 days in sunny California. We leave the 11th and will be back late on the 16th. We’re getting ready to go!

Well, I hope everyone who reads this is doing well and enjoying some warmer weather. Spring is here I hope.

xxoo, Donna

I can’t believe I said I would be back in a few days and it’s been almost 3 months.  I had a nice visit with my Mom and Dad in December and a great Christmas with my family.  In my last entry I was only on my 4th chemo treatment and now I have only 2 chemo treatments left.  It’s been one long winter, with 14 chemo treatments behind me, so ready for spring.

I have been blessed with new friends, nurses and doctors at the Atlanta Cancer Center.  They are taking good care of me.  My tumor and lymph nodes have shrunk considerably with great enthusiasm from my breast surgeon, which is really good news.  Not so good news was finding out I do have cancer in my thyroid.  It’s not breast cancer because breast cancer does not go to the thyroid.  It will be removed at the same time as the mastectomy.

For now, my schedule looks like this.  Finish the last two treatments.  Take a break.  Have a PET/CT scan.  Then get ready for surgery.  During the break, Scott and I are flying out to Redding, CA for a 5 day vacation.  Something nice to look forward to – and life goes on.

P.S.  I’m not bald anymore worse…I’m gray!  My hair is growing back and my boys like to rub my head as if I was a Jeannie bottle.  Gotta love ‘em.

First, I want to tell everyone I had a very cool surprise today.  My Uncle Floyd (who I haven’t seen in a very long time) and his wife Donna just happened to be in Georgia and wanted to stop by.  What a surprise!!!  We had a great visit.  Thanks Uncle Floyd!

So what’s next - chemo treatment #4 tomorrow.  Leah is planning on going with me and keeping me company.

I got a call back from my endocrinologist today.  She told me that my thyroid had switched from hyper to hypo because of my situation.  She is prescribing me a medication that will give me the hormones I need.  This medication is something I will need to take for the rest of my life.  It will not interfere with my treatment but should be beneficial.  They will biopsy my thyroid in 2 months.

For Thanksgiving, Scott, I and the kids will be going out to eat with my sister Stacey and her family.  We have reservations at Mimi’s Cafe.  So I want to wish all of you an early HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

After the 2nd chemo treatment the hair had to go!  So now I’ve added hats to my wardrobe.  I kept Brenda really busy; she went to all my doctor appointments, my bone scan, my chemo treatment, and the shopping trips in between.

I have gotten almost all my tests results back.  This is where I’m at right now:

PET SCAN – came back clean except for two spots.  One behind the right ear and one on my thyroid.  Since the results, I have had the spot behind the ear biopsied and it came back benign, and next week I have the thyroid looked at which I’ve been told has nothing to do with the cancer probably hyperthyroidism.  So that’s all good!

BONE SCAN – came back clean as well, yeah!

The 3rd chemo was this past Thursday and it hit me pretty hard.  I’m feeling better now and I’ve been blessed with friends helping me out with meals.  I guess that’s about it for now.  Taking my journey one day at a time with God by my side.

He always needs our prayers, but today especially.  It started on Wednesday, last week, when he was not feeling well and had to go out-of-town on business.  While he was there his phone quit receiving emails which could not be fixed.  Then, without knowing, he ate some shellfish (which he’s allergic to) so he was sick all night and the next day.  And if that wasn’t enough, this morning he drove over his briefcase that held his laptop, yup, it was crushed.  So I pray protection over you, Scott.  Love You!

Later I really started to dwell on that man and his sign.  Why was he there just when I was driving by?  Was he an angel?  Why did his sign say that?  I don’t know but what I do know is it was a word for me, God’s Word, and I’m taking it as mine.  I know God hears my prayers, but He wants to hear my praises too.  “GOD, YOU’RE AWESOME“!

I’m getting ready for my second round of chemo treatment this Thursday.  Leah is taking me while Scott is out-of-town.

Also, a friend of my parents, Glenda Battle, is a survivor of IBC.  She was on Good Morning, Texas on October 15th informing people about this type of breast cancer.

The first stage is a 20 week plan.  Because this specific type of breast cancer is known to move around the body unpredictably, surgery is the last procedure undergone.  The type of chemotherapy she is going thru is known as A – C – T.  After the chemo she would undergo radiation treatment and ultimately surgery.   This is providing of course that she is not healed somewhere during this process and must go thru a full course of treatment. 

Weeks 1-8:
Weekly – Blood samples are taken to monitor Donna’s white blood cell count (WBC), Neutrophils count (NEUT), red blood cell count (RBC) and platelet count (PC).  WBC’s are mature white blood cells that help to prevent infections, NEUT’s are white blood cells that are first on the scene to fight infection but after ingesting the bad cell they along with the bad cell no longer remain active and are passed out of the body, RBC’s supply oxygen and PC’s are what allow your blood to clot.  Blood samples are taken prior to every chemo session and if any of these counts are low, Donna will skip that week.  If they are too low she could also be given an injection to boost her blood cell production.  WBC production is boosted by an injection of Nuelasta.  She is automatically given this the day after each treatment for the first 4 sessions.  RBC can also be boosted by an injection (don’t know of what yet) but Platelets can not be boosted in this fashion.  If her Platelet count gets too low she will require a Platelet transfusion to get her count back within range.  Since she began on Thursday 10/8/09,  for now, Thursdays will remain her day for these tests and chemo treatments.  

Biweekly – chemotherapy consisting of a blend of Adrimycin + Cytoxan, or AC.  This is the really nasty stuff, if you get it on your skin, it will burn you.  It can also causes hair loss in less than 2 weeks.  The treatment is given thru her port  over a 3 – 3.5 hour period.  Prior to A – C  chemo, Donna is given 3 different premeds, Kytril, Decadron and Emend.  At this stage they are for nausea and anti-inflammatory reasons.  The premeds are given before the chemo thru her port over a 1 – 1.5 hour period.  Typically Donna begins @ 8:30am and can expect to be finished by 2-2:30pm.   After each session she receives 2 tablets of Emend and 1 syringe of Neulasta.  The Emend is taken the day after chemo (day 2) and the day after that (day 3).  The Neulasta is given 24 hours after the chemo treatment, so if she’s done at 2pm Thursday, I give her the injection at 2pm Friday. 

Weeks 9 – 20:
Weekly – chemotherapy consisting of a drug called Taxol, or T.  This is given thru her port  over a 3 – 3.5 hour period.  Prior to T chemo, Donna is given 3 different Premeds, Benadryl, Tagament and Decadron.  At this stage they are for nausea and anti-allergic reasons (apparently Taxol causes an allergic reaction in people).  The premeds are given before the chemo thru her port over a 1 – 1.5 hour period.  Donna should begin @ 9am and can expect to be finished by 2-2:30pm.   Because this is a different type of chemo, she does not receive the Neulasta or the Emend unless needed. 

Diagnostics during this process without a set interval:
PET SCAN – Donna was given her initial PET scan 10/15/09.  This is the baseline scan the doctor will use to determine how far the cancer has progressed and gauge progress.  We should have the results from the first scan by 10/20/09.

Chem2729 – This is a blood test that provides “markers” to determine cancer cell density and in conjunction with the PETS scan aides the doctor in monitoring the treatment’s progress and effectiveness. 

 So far this is all I know, but I’m new at this and really don’t want to become an expert at it…

There are other drugs (nausea, anxiety, headaches, sleep) and tests (MRI, CAT scan, Echo).  I’ll leave these out of the mix unless it provides important information.

I hope by sharing this process, everyone will be able to absorb a little of the “experience” Donna is going thru and by doing this, leave less of the “experience” for her to endure herself.  Scott

10/08/09 – Blood work and First Chemo Treatment – WBC 8.3, RBC 3.93, PC 327, Neut 5.9, these are the baseline numbers prior to any treatment.  We were told they were all very good and the values will help Donna to better tolerate chemo.

10/09/09 – Neulasta injection given to Donna at home -

10/09/09 – Donna takes Emend – Anti Nausea medication Day 2

10/10/09 – Donna takes Emend – Anti Nausea medication Day 3

10/15/09 – Donna receives her first PET Scan at Northside Hospital – This will give us a baseline to measure all further treatments against.  We should have the results by 10/20/09.

10/15/09 – Donna has blood work done  at AcC – This is her weekly scheduled appointment.  Results: WBC 4.1, RBC 4.35, PC 268, Neut 2.3. 

10/22/90 – Donna is scheduled for her second chemo session.  I will be out of town on business from 10/21 thru 10/24  (yes and no and I know),  Leah is going to take Donna and bring her home. 

10/23/09 – Donna is scheduled to have her Neulasta injection – I’ll be returning 10/24, anyone handy with a syringe?