Happy & Gearing up for 5

On Friday I had my bloodwork done in anticipation of chemo treatment number five. Five has a good ring to it because then there are only three left to go of my total eight treatments (16 weeks). Dr. Anderson reports that I am still a bit anemic; but that since the next treatment will be with the new drug, Taxol, which is less likely to cause anemia, we can wait a bit to see if this improves. If it does not, a blood transfusion would be in order. So I am very hopeful that all will be well on this front.

The appointment was filled with good news, in my estimation. On physical exam, the tumor continues to appear to be shrinking. In a few weeks, a new breast MRI will be performed to confirm the size of the tumor and I'll meet with Dr. Elboim to discuss my surgery options so we will be ready to rock and roll with the surgery as soon as possible after the last chemo infusion. Dr. Anderson did caution me that sometimes even though it appears the tumors have lessened in size, the chemo might have attacked the cancer in a swiss-cheese-like fashion (his words), where it kills little pockets of cancer cells. If this is the case, then a mastectomy may still be in order because of the amount of breast tissue that would be removed during surgery. Time will tell on this, and I am not alarmed with this news. I am just glad that the chemotherapy is doing its job and starving the cancer cells. Die, cancer, die!!!

More good news is that many of the side effects I have been experiencing do not necessarily happen with Taxol. So hopefully there will be less fatigue, the rashes will subside, less pain in the hands and feet, etc. Although there may be some neuropathy in hands and feet with the Taxol. Dr. Anderson also indicated that if after the first Taxol treatment I do not have any allergic reactions, we may be able to cut the steroids in half which will help with my insomnia. Considering how anxious I have been that all those symptoms might continue to cover more days as the chemo compounds in my body, this was a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. I mean HUGE! So it was a great appointment!!! 

And this was our first early morning appointment so Mark and I had researched someplace to get breakfast afterwards. And.... we found our new favorite breakfast place in Santa Rosa. Dierk's Parkside Cafe on Santa Rosa Avenue. I had the warm poached egg salad, and Mark had Friday morning Joe's. Yum!!!

We returned home to find Miski walking around the lush green pasture with her brand new baby white cria hobbling around trying to keep up with her. He had just been born and was finding his legs. 

Miski X Memento Cria

My sweet sister-in-law, Marie, arrived about then and watched as we got the new mom and cria settled into their own pen for bonding, gave mom a ration of mineral pellets as a treat, dipped the cria's navel, and weighed the little guy. So our 2nd cria has arrived and one is yet to be born any day now.

Marie brought some yummy sandwiches and stayed to visit for a bit before buying some eggs and heading out. Then a couple of hours later, sister Nancy dropped by for a nice visit and to drop off some great reading material. Nancy is always very helpful with ideas on ways to sell farm product. She was so impressed with the quality and softness of the Basooka Bears that just arrived into inventory, that she took two with her to show the ladies at work (Santa Rosa Memorial Hospice) and see if she might sell a few. Go Nance!

That was our wonderful Friday. AND, did I say it was another glorious sunny Spring day! I was all smiles.

Hugs, Debbie... aka the cancer warrior; AND survivor 

LIVESTRONG: 

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!