December

• I will be getting my liver biopsy on Monday, December 6
• I'll go to the hospital at 7:30 that morning to start getting the fluid drip (I'm still dehydrated)
• They will insert a needle into the largest lesion and take a tissue sample
• On Monday, December 13 at 2:00 pm I will go back to the oncologist to find out the results of the biopsy and what my treatment will be

Hi everyone, this is Kathy. I just wanted to bring you up to date on Mom's day:

• She went in to Mt. Carmel East at 7:15 this morning for the fluid drip, which began at 7:30
• The liver biopsy began at 9:30 am and lasted about an hour
• The radiologist performed a needle biopsy of the largest lesion and wanted to go back for a larger sample but Mom was in a great deal of pain and he had to stop
• Although this was an outpatient procedure, Mom's pain level would not subside so she was admitted overnight for observation
• I spoke with her at 7:00 this evening - Tom was with her and Marlene (her sister) had just left
• She was waiting for her next dose of pain meds, then looking forward to a good night's sleep
• She said the hospital staff was joking about giving her frequent flyer miles for spending so much time in the hospital!
• Tom is spending the night with her in the hospital
• She's hoping to go home in the morning

• I cashed in my frequent flyer miles and caught a flight home at 11:00 this morning!
• I slept most of the day, which worked out well because I wasn't supposed to even sit up for a day after the biopsy
• Whenever I woke up, Tom fed me
• I'm doing fine now, not in any pain, and taking only Tylenol
• Tomorrow I can get up and around again

• Tom and I picked up my biopsy results from the hospital today
• The report said that it was “non-small cell carcinoma” which is good, because small cell carcinoma is the worst kind
• They did find that it was “positive for malignancy” and called it “adenocarcinoma” which means that it more than likely has spread from my breast
• We’ll see Dr. Knapp at 2:00 Monday afternoon to find out what my treatment will be
• Kathy will be flying up Sunday evening and will be here all next week
• She’s researching adenocarcinoma so we can get our questions together before the doctor appointment
• We sure are learning a lot around here!

• So many people have been asking about the liver biopsy that I want to include more information about it
• Procedure
• Liver biopsy is considered minor surgery and so it was done at the hospital. For the biopsy, I layed on a hospital bed on my back with both hands above my head. The physician used an ultrasound image of the liver to help guide the needle to a specific spot. After marking the outline of my liver and injecting a local anesthetic to numb the area, the physician made a small incision in my right side between the ribs in my rib cage, then inserted the biopsy needle and retrieved a sample of liver tissue.
• I had to hold very still so that the physician would not nick the lung or gallbladder, which are close to the liver. The physician asked me to hold my breath for 5 to 10 seconds while he put the needle in my liver. I felt pressure and a dull pain. The entire procedure took about 40 minutes.
• Recovery
  • After the biopsy, the physician put a bandage over the incision and then the severe pain and spasms began in the liver and surrounding organs. The nurse monitored my vital signs and level of pain, on a scale of 1-10, and my pain was 20, with blood pressure 230 over 108. I stayed overnight in the hospital so they could monitor the pain.
  • Tom took me home from the hospital the next morning since I was not allowed to drive. My instructions were that I must go directly home and remain in bed (except to use the bathroom) for the rest of the day. Also, avoid exertion for the next week so that the incision and liver can heal.
  • This pain in my upper right shoulder was caused by irritation of the diaphragm muscle (the pain usually radiates to the shoulder because this is the pressure point for this muscle) and disappeared within a few days. My physician recommended that I take Tylenol for pain, but I must not take aspirin or ibuprofen for the first week after surgery. These medicines decrease blood clotting, which is crucial for healing.

• Tom, Marlene, Kathy, and I went to see the oncologist this afternoon
• The CAT scan taken after the liver biopsy last week showed that the largest tumor had grown a great deal since the CAT scan three weeks ago
• Because of that fast growth, he is going to combine two drugs for my chemo that have shown to be 40-50% effective in shrinking tumors in the liver
• My first chemo will begin at 8:15 Wednesday morning and will last around 3 hours
• The second chemo treatment will be next week and will last about an hour
• I will have no chemo the following week, but will go in for blood to be drawn
• That will be my chemo cycle: Two weeks with chemo and one week off
• The doctor will see me on the first week, but not the second week, and I told him he should be glad!
• After two of these cycles they will do another CAT scan to see if the tumors have gotten smaller
• If they have not responded, different chemo drugs will be used for the next cycle

• I survived my first chemo!
• What a good feeling it is to get started
• Tom and Kathy were in the waiting room for all six hours of the event
• It was only supposed to be four hours, but they had to slow down the drip several times because my blood pressure would creep up
• Marlene came by for a few hours to keep all of us company
• Kathy was in the waiting room crocheting a "wiggie" cap for me so I can turn into a blonde when my red hair goes away
• That wiggie got everyone's attention; people were making copies of the directions and watching her progress all day long!
• Keep your eyes peeled to this web site for a picture of me in the wiggie one of these days
• I'm feeling great - no side effects from the chemo at this point
• Don't get me wrong, I'm not ready to try out for the Olympics - I'm pretty tired and need lots of rest
• I've been warned that I may fall asleep sometimes before I even know I'm tired!
• All in all, I'm in pretty good shape for the shape I'm in

• I had a good night, just a little bit of nausea but the medicine they gave me took care of that
• Some aches and pains, and my face is flushed but they told me to expect those side effects - I'm sure that all will go away soon
• It probably went so well because they treated me like a queen at the oncology center yesterday (I guess they recognized me)
• I go for my second treatment next Wednesday
• Hopefully that one will go as well - I'll let you know how I do

• I guess it was too much to hope that I wouldn't have any side effects from the chemo
• The chemo has settled into every nook and cranny of my body and it's hurting everywhere it's going
• I'm having a lot of bone and muscle pain, taking pain medication but it doesn't seem able to keep up with it
• Hopefully this won't last long
• The bright spot of the day: Kathy finished my first wiggie!
• Wait until you see the next wiggie she's crocheting :-)

• I'm still having very deep pains in my legs, so I'm taking pain meds and lots of naps
• Some of my family from other parts of Ohio and Kentucky came by for a visit this afternoon
• We had a family Christmas tonight while my daughter, Kathy, and her husband, Jeff, are in town
• So, even with the pain, this has been a pretty good day
• My great-granddaughter, Madi, and I modeled the hats Kathy knitted for her and her mom

• Kathy and Jeff flew back to Charleston this afternoon
• My bone and muscle pain is letting up so I'm trying not to taking anything for pain today
• Tomorrow I go to see my family physician about my blood pressure medicine
• I'm still keeping all the doctors busy around here!

• I had my second chemo treatment today
• It was only 1 1/2 hour dripping time for this one
• I had only one day of side effects
  

Merry Christmas everyone!

• Chirstmas was very interesting this year, with an ice storm in our area and two days without power and phone service
• Tom and I had a great time enjoying the day with whoever wanted to stop by for a visit
  

• Now we have one other problem...It's the hair! I'm losing it
• Tom asked me not to take off my hat today while we were grocery shopping
• He was afraid a puff of wind would come by and off would go my red hair to the wild blue yonder!
• Oh what a site this would have been
  

• This week I have a break from chemo
• I just go in tomorrow to have blood drawn
• On January 5th I get the two chemo drugs again to blast me into the New Year

• Here is the beginning of the end of my red hair!
• The bottom has fallen out and the top is on its way
• I like it short like this (but I think it's going to get shorter than I want!)
  
• My hair will be gone by tomorrow the way it is going
• Otherwise, I feel just fine
• I had blood taken today - I would not have been able to take chemo if I had been scheduled because my count is too low
• It should be fine by next week, when I start my chemo cycle again
• So, the new year is on the way in and my hair is on the way out!