Second Chemotherapy Done


Ann had her second chemotherapy on Friday, 3/7/03, as scheduled. There were no problems--or, "adventures," as we prefer to call them--with her chemotherapy but she is quite fatigued and still recuperating at home.

Dr. Merkel, Ann's oncologist, promised only two things, namely that she would lose the hair on her head and that it would grow back. During the week of March 3rd his first promise proved true. Except for a few strands, Ann's hair is gone...she looks like Linus, the Peanuts cartoon character.

Ann had her second chemotherapy on Friday, 3/7/03, as scheduled. There were no problems--or, "adventures," as we prefer to call them--with her chemotherapy but she is quite fatigued and still recuperating at home.

  http://www.cartoon-factory.com/pic/pea/162.01.jpg

She picked up her wig and it looks great. Many kudos to Lori Irsay of Salon 475...if you need a wig, this is the place to go!

She also has several very cute hats that look great on her. Many of these hats were given to her by a cancer survivor from Glencoe who moved to Maryland a week ago. She and Ann keep in contact and this relationship has been a source of strength and comfort to Ann.

We are planning our lives around the ups and downs of Ann's three-week chemotherapy cycles as we understand it from only two treatments thus far. The first week there is no energy to do anything...she is lucky to have the stamina to get to/from work. During the second week she ventures out to her evening activities such as chorus practices with the Melodeers. By the end of the second week and during the third week she is able to do most anything as long as the pace is leisurely. For example, we managed to get to see a garden design exhibit at the Chicago Botanic Garden. And she was very enthusiastic about going to a Jim Brickman concert in Milwaukee, WI with her sister.

  http://www.melodeers.com/
  http://www.chicago-botanic.org/paradise/index.html
  http://www.jimbrickman.com/entry2.htm


Things have slowed down again now that we're at the beginning of the cycle again.

On Friday, 3/7/03, we were very pleased to see that her blood counts were good. During her physical exam we told Dr. Merkel that during her last cycle she had problems with nausea for nearly a week. He responded by prescribing Prevacid, an antacid.

  Prevacid (generic: lansoprazole)
  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a695020.html
  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202787.html

Her chemotherapy proceeded smoothly.

On Friday and Saturday she was tired and we spent the days quietly at home. Sunday she felt good enough to attend a lecture by Mr. Michael Pollan on his recent book, The Botany of Desire. This was the third lecture in this year's Zimmerman lecture series at the Chicago Botanic Garden. (We enjoy these winter lectures very much as a prelude to spring. This year, however, her lumpectomy and first chemotherapy conflicted with the first two lectures; hopefully we can attend the fourth.)

  http://www.chicagobotanic.org/continuinged/zimmerman.html
  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375760393/
  http://www.npr.org/programs/talkingplants/radio/010604.pollan.html
  http://www.pbs.org/newshour/conversation/jan-june01/botany_06-29.html

As with her first cycle, the Monday following her Friday chemotherapy seems to be her low point. She got her Neulasta injection at the Kellogg Cancer Center of Evanston Hospital but she was severely fatigued and light-headed. (As you recall, Neulasta stimulates white blood cell production.) She spent most of the day sleeping but was pleased to attend her cancer support group in the evening (with Nello doing the driving).

Tuesday (3/11/03) she was still too tired to go to work but spent the day working from home. Telecommuting to work via a cable modem connection to the internet is very effective; computer response time is the same as if she were at the office.

Ann expects to head back to the office tomorrow (3/12/03).

Regardless of when she gets back to her regular schedule, however, we are pleased that Ann is having much less nausea and indigestion during this cycle than during her first cycle. Much of this we credit to the Prevacid. However, she has also been much more aggressive in taking her Lorazepam (brand name: Ativan); during her last cycle she took it only after she felt bad but this cycle she has taken it prophylactically every 12 hours. Whatever the cause, we are thankful that her stomach is steady and the burping is gone.

The best news of all is that her temperature is still normal. On her first cycle, she had a low-grade fever during the first week, starting on Tuesday.

With nausea, indigestion, and fever gone the only side effect left is fatigue. During his exam on Friday (3/7/03), Dr. Merkel reinforced that she needs 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 times per week. He claims that clinical studies have shown that this level of exercise will reduce her fatigue. So Ann is re-dedicating herself to getting some aerobic exercise in her schedule (in addition to her exercises for manual lymphatic drain and arm range-of-motion). On Saturday (3/8/03) she got on her Nordic Track cross-country ski machine for the first time since our remodeling last year.

  http://www.nordictrack.com/nt/v5/pop_enlarged.html?sku=NTXC8018

So, all in all things are going well. Most important, Ann has two chemotherapies down...she is one-third of the way done!

The remaining four chemotherapies are scheduled for: 3/28/03, 4/18/03, 5/9/03, and 5/30/03.

We will send our next email update during the week of 3/31/03...remember, no news is good news.

Thanks again for all your support.

Love,

Ann and Nello

Posted: Tue - March 11, 2003 at 11:46 AM        

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