1/27/21

Today is Wednesday and I had a full morning of appointments here in Houston at MD Anderson. I need to have physical therapy and I will do that when I’m home. David and I are planning on leaving tomorrow morning and taking the RV back home. I have an oncologist in Tyler and I have an appointment with her on Monday morning. At that time, chemo will be scheduled. It looks like chemo will start in maybe two weeks. I will have a port put in when I get back to Tyler. Chemo will be once every two weeks for the first two months. After that, it will be every week for four more months. So, a total of six months of chemo. Then I will have two or three weeks after chemo before radiation begins. I will have radiation every day, Monday through Friday, for six weeks. My treatments were all extended and altered a little bit after all of the doctors saw my latest pathology report. Radiation will be in several areas, because it is “highly likely” that I have cancer cells in surrounding lymph nodes. It is also “highly likely” that the nodules they found in my lungs have cancer cells, also. They are too small to biopsy at this point, so I will have further CAT scans to keep an eye on things. The hole where my drain tube was removed has almost completely closed and nothing is leaking any longer, so that’s wonderful. Having radiation will improve my success rate by 30%. They are hoping the chemo and radiation will kill off anything lurking. I will begin to lose my hair after the very first chemo treatment, and I will be bald for at least the next six months. I cannot get in my pool or take a bath while I am in radiation. Unfortunately, radiation does increase the chances of lymphedema, which is swelling in my arm, so that is a little dismaying. I will have to be very protective of my left arm for the rest of my life. No cuts, scratches, wear gloves, use bug spray so I can avoid insect bites, etc. I have no lymph nodes to protect my body from infection in that arm. I will burn and have skin discoloration from radiation, but that’s the least of my concerns. I don’t have any more information about chemo treatments until I see the oncologist next week. Big news day, huh? The good news is: I get to go home tomorrow! Hooray!! Life is good.

Comments

  1. KCJanuary 27, 2021 at 2:28 PM

    Rest up and do your PT! Love ya

    ReplyDelete
  2. LeslieJanuary 27, 2021 at 5:38 PM

    Safe travels......know y’all are glad to be coming home!

    ReplyDelete
  3. CMillJanuary 28, 2021 at 12:48 PM

    Sending you our love and lots of prayers sweet Patty!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Shelley RenakerJanuary 30, 2021 at 8:40 AM

    Keep up the fight, Patty! Many prayers, thoughts and well wishes going out to you and your family and your doctors every day.

    ReplyDelete

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