Carbo at Emory

Today is chemo day! Since moving to Emory, this will be the first big all day appointment in Atlanta. We started with a pit stop for bagels and made it just on time. We walked into the lab and I was like, “whoa, welcome back to Emory!” There had to be fifty plus people waiting in and along the halls! It was crazy. But we only waited 30 minutes and the port nurse was fantastic. I always wig myself out for those dumb things.

All went well and I checked in to see my doctor which went along very quickly! We talked a lot about my balance and she had me do some things. She is hopeful all is still clear in the LM, but was a little concerned. She said if it is still clear she is not going to worry about it.

Yesterday at the dentist I mentioned about my chattering jaw and painful yawns. They said they had not seen that and it sounded like some nerve damage likely from radiation. Sweet! I’m always a lucky duck!

She approved me for today’s infusion and I’m sitting in the back bays first as I have to get my CSF drawn. The nurse promised me that the provider doing the tap has done a million of these. Eh, doesn’t make it better it’s still a new person!! They don’t have the Dr. Kesari Access kits, they should because they make me feel better about germage. Enough of that!

I’ll let you all know how it goes but hoping for an easy draw, clear results, easy chemo dose and no side effects! There are not giving me nulasta anymore so we have to be super careful about germs again. I’ve been SUPER relaxed about it, but without a white blood cell boost and moving the carbo to every 3 weeks, we have to be good.

Chat soon, CSF is coming soon…

So the CSF draw was one of the better ones I’ve had recently as they usually pinch a little worse. I know now that Paul is on every Thursday and he will be my squishy tapper forever. Yes, Nemo reference. I was good to go with 6cc’s missing and off to infusion I went.

And here I am, four hours later getting my chemo dose. The pharmacist came over making sure I was allergic to Decadron and I explained I could have anything else but that steroid. As he walked away I blurted out, “what is the chemo dose?” No reason I should’ve asked, and I wasn’t even thinking about it, it just came out. He turned around and said 6. I quickly explained I had only had 4 and maybe a 5, and that I needed to consult my doctor in California. This was news to me as I had JUST met with my Dr. and she didn’t think that was an important thing to tell me!! She had already changed how often I got it which I didn’t like. Why change this when things are going good? That’s exactly what she told me 4 weeks ago when I asked her opinion on Opdivo!!! I talked to my NPA in CA and she said they have never given a 6 dose. That says a lot for a doctor who administers Alimta 3 times the normal dosing. She said I would be out of commission on 6 and would be very hard. I have a great quality of life at the moment! Again, why change something that is working. I did understand where she was coming from and why she wanted to, as it is my only chemo drug at the moment, but it’s working. We compromised at 5 and a scan is set for August 28. I’m going to try for an abdominal ultrasound to make sure things are stable or shoot, to verify the cancer is gone in my abdomen. I feel too good to not be confident that things have significantly improved.

I should be leaving soon. I guess a 6 hour infusion wasn’t far off! Thank you for all of those who stepped in to save the day. Ultimately the plan will be to visit CA immediately after the MRI and before I see Gogonini on the 1^st. We will see what happens. God is funny that way and makes things happen for a reason. I was hoping timing would work that we could all go to Cali over fall break, but that isn’t going to happen. Maybe the beach… mmm, the beach.