The Story of Cancer

I have thought a lot about this topic. The reason I have decided to write about what has happened to get to this point is that friends I have re-connected with or other who have been picked up along the way might not realize all that has happened. Now in saying I have thought a lot about this means how should I approach telling this story? Counting chemo treatments, telling you what drugs I have taken, or who my doctor was? I have decided this is not the story of cancer. I think the story of cancer is my life and what happened while I was at the same time going through treatment. Another reason I came to that conclusion is many times when interacting with other patients it is all about trading drug names and what kind of cancer you have, I want to shout in those moments, my name is Sharon, and I hate the cancer!

So it begins...November, 2005. I found a lump in my breast, was assured that it couldn't be cancer for various reasons. Haha! They were wrong. I received a call at work about the biopsy, they told me, "they found some cancer cells in the biopsy. We need to hurry you through all of these various steps, chemo, surgeon, blah, blah. Well I thought, weird, doesn't everyone have some cancer cells in them anyway? How could it be bad if there are only some? Ahhhh... the beginning of a journey. Also, who in Normalville calls someone at work and is unclear about the diagnosis and then dumps a crapload of news like that? I went back and sat at my desk and thought. I believe it was about 3:00 in the afternoon. I went home and called my parents. That sucked. Everyone was all good though. I did not cry. I remember actually thinking well this early. I figured I would get cancer later in life, there is an unfortunate amount of cancer that is in my family, I got it early. Oh well.

Now this is where I take my own path. I believe that the natural and homeopathic medicines can be invaluable to life. That is can save and cure, I believe that we were given such gifts with creation, however, there is also wisdom with conventional medicine. So I took my own path, with my parents' blessing and support, and only pursued this medicine. They were (are) ever faithful with their support and it is a rock to me. Anyway, I did no conventional medicine until July, 2006, when I met a naturopathic doctor who was able to open my mind to conventional medicine, and the timing was all God's I needed this doctor to help and God led me right to him. He was able to develop a plan that married the two together and made me feel safe. Off to oncology I went. It sucked. I can't even describe those days. In the end of all their poking, prodding, and scanning, I had a plan. To chemo. The first chemo treatments then began.

It was during all this evaluation I had begun a new job maybe 4 months before, and I had also met Craig that summer. I was a little to caught up with all my mess to really feel a green light to respond to his interest. However, at the end of the chemo #1, I called our mutual friend to see if he would be interested in still going out. Our friend fixed us right up. We went out for the first time in November, 2006, weeks after I finished chemo. I had an awesome comb over that he didn't say anything about, he got many points for that. Also at the time of our first date I told him I had cancer, that I sort of botched in my nervousness, but I remember him saying, that does not change anything. It was in these moments I knew I could marry him. That is a total disaster, but true. And it turns out that he has been incredibly well equipped to deal with this whole debacle as it continues. So Craig and I are dating and life is good.

My father's cancer during January, 2007 turned ugly, and sent him in and out of the hospital. I took Craig much earlier than I had anticipated to meet the parents and much family for the first time, in the hospital. He impressed me with his ability to be in those situations. He was good and kind. He was awarded many more points. In May of 2007, we were engaged, life was still good and exciting. However, my cancer was lurking, and it reintroduced itself in June-July, 2007, as my father still was struggling against his cancer as well.

Life's events which happen in chemo #2 are the worst. Summer was full of sickness. I was in chemotherapy. My father at home sick. Friends were so very good to us, they took me to chemo, and sat with me there, and then they made us so many many meals. Other friends cleaned. Such wonderful people. We lost my father in September. I was still on the chemo. I remember calling oncology and saying I wouldn't be in that week, and they demanded a reason. I skipped that week to have more energy and be at home with my family.

We also were working on planning our wedding as well. We had originally planned to be married in November, but ended up pushing the date back to March, 2008. It worked out perfectly to do that. I ended my chemo I believe in early December, 2007 that year, and had just enough time to grow enough hair to not look like a goober in the wedding pictures. That was a good day.

Then in June, 2008 it began again. I believe chemo #3 started in July. You know, I got a lot of good birthday presents with my birthday being in July. Probably had something to do with that chemo. Ha! We didn't let that slow us down. My youngest sister was preparing to be married in October, there were showers and plans to be made. We decided lets buy a house so went to looking. Plus we also got some feedback from the homeopathic doctor that suggested another oncologist so we looked into that. It was a busy fall! My sister was married in October, 2008, and it was great, my wigged head not so great, oh well. I can also be hired to do impressions of John Lennon, blasted crap wig. Anyway, after she was married we were off to Philadelphia and the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). Wow, they easily convinced us to go out there and we thought we had good care here in Columbus. SUPER WRONG. The CTCA had that business cleared up in freaking 6 months where the other doctors had screwed around with this mess for what two years? I had a lumpectomy, and was eligible for a neat little radiation treatment that lasted only a week! That is awesome, other treatments usually last for 6 weeks. So blessed! That gets us to April, 2009. Life was good. Summer was great. We were at our new house, planting flowers, getting a new puppy, traveling, hanging out with friends and family, and it was good.

But we haven't counted number 4 yet. So here we are September, 2009 #4. The crap was trying to rear it's ugly head. The CTCA and naturopathic doctors said no way! Now comes the beating it to a pulp.

I told you so!

Too bad it is not me that was doing the telling! As it turns out I thought I did not need to take claritin before I went to bed. Now it is really important to understand that claritin is used to curb side effects of a drug called neulasta which is given to keep white counts high. It can also cause a bunch of pain, but if you take the claritin it is magical and the pain is well managed. I would say that the pain is what I imagine David Banner feels when he turns into the Hulk. Neulasta makes bone marrow go into hyperdrive to make a bunch of little white cells which just make your bones ache.

So, Craig says to me, don't you think you should take the claritin? I thought, nah, plus I don't want to go and get it. I will just sleep and take it in the morning.

Wrong-o! Big mistake! I think that the pain actually woke me up around 4:00 am. I have discovered that Law and Order Special Victims Unit is on that early in the morning, which is awesome. I have also discovered that our couch is crap. We totally need a new one that doesn't have a bunch of butt dents in it because I cannot sleep on that thing.

I'll have some chemo with a side of...

In keeping with this idea of working harder to keep everyone more informed I figure it is time for an update. It has been 6 days since my infusion of chemo, and the exciting times of side effects have begun.

The side effects got me to thinking about when I go to the oncologist and they always ask so many questions about how I am feeling, and what is going on. Almost every time they ask me some sort of question like, do you see spots, pink elephants, or whatever, things are not even listed one the side effect sheet! Like there aren't enough things to watch out for, at their suggestion I start watching out. No pink elephants yet.

Anyway, the things on the list for this awesome drug I take are: constipation, diarrhea, fingernail and toenail changes, hair loss, headache, hot flashes, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, mouth sores, stomach pain or upset, taste changes, tiredness or weakness. Awesome! I think they actually just have to list every horrible thing to make sure they got it all, could there be anything else?!

Really, life is not even close to that bad, thank goodness! Maybe they list all the stuff out so when you don't have all that stuff you know how blessed you are. I end up being just tired. That's hard. I want to do so much stuff and it is like I have to budget my energy. Also this time I am having a bit of issues with appetite and stomach upset, which is fine, I figure it is the Ixempra diet, I embrace it!

One other thing, so far I haven't lost any hair yet! Watch it all fall out tonight since I said that, but right now I am pretty happy about that. The doctor said that I may not lose it all with this treatment, but really that doesn't matter. I had visions of a bad comb over, and would rather it just fall out if that is the case.

Post Number One!

I got the idea to use the blogging venue from other friends who are keeping their family and friends updated with their life and health issues in a blog. Hopefully this turns out to be nice for everyone.

So it begins, another round of chemotherapy, I actually got my first dose on Tuesday. It went really well. It took a little while to get all the good stuff, probably around 4 hours. They pamper you though, you get a reclining chair, a window, and your own tv, and then whomever comes with you gets the most uncomfortable chair ever, and they get stuck bringing food and drinks. They meaning Craig. He is very, very, very good to me and I appreciate all that he does for me while we go through this, and how he never freaks out. Apparently I am the only one with that job.

Anyway, it would seem chemotherapy equals a bad place, but it doesn't. I would rather not be doing this again, but such is life. The cancer is not gaining ground, but the oncologist says that it was trying to ramp up for a full blown issue. So he is going to use the chemo to stop the cancer that was trying to gain back ground and make itself healthy and then I'll be rid of this mess. The protocol is once every three weeks, six times, so 18 weeks. Then we will reevaluate and determine if more is needed. I always like to do extra credit so I pretty much expect a little extra.