CANCER: Blessings and Realities in My Cancer Journey - Chemo Round 3 is History!
My third chemo treatment is in the books! Everything went very smooth. My appointment was set for thirty minutes earlier this week. When Ashleigh and I arrived we noticed the waiting room was not nearly as full as usual. I was able to get my blood-work, weigh, blood pressure checked, and get my port hooked up, flushed, and ready for chemo very quickly. I had a great visit with Dr. Bondly, my Oncologist. She said that I am doing fantastic! She also said that my blood work was perfect and that the large tumor in my right breast continues to shrink. Praise God!
All of the nurses are awesome, but my nurse this treatment gave special care when injecting the nausea medicine that is a steroid into my port. She said that if she pushed slow with intervals, it would not cause the extreme discomfort that is usually associated with this medication. She was right! I received both of my chemo medications without any issues.
I told my nurse that Dr. Bondly had written my nausea medicine for 30 pills to cover the month, but that Blue Cross changed the prescription to only 21 pills a month. Actually, I can take up to 3 pills over a 24 hour period. If I did that, the medicine would only last me 7 days. I have two other nausea medicines that Dr. Bondly prescribed me, but I cannot take them and function. The Zofran has worked great for me. I ran out one day early last week and had to pay $11.95 for one pill at Publix to cover me until the next day when Blue Cross would pay for another 21 pills. If I had to pay for the extra 10 pills each month at Publix....that would be $120 a month. Plus, Dr. Bondly said that I will probably have to start taking more than one pill per day as my nausea will get worse. Anyway, my very sweet nurse told me that the pharmacy upstairs - Alabama Oncology - in the Bruno Cancer Center was a private pharmacy for the center and they could probably get something better worked out for me. She immediately had my prescription transferred to the pharmacy upstairs.
I asked one of my nurses about Miss Gwen and she said that she would check on her. We kept looking around to see if we could find her in a chemo bay, but we never saw her. For some reason, the nurse did not know the specifics, but Miss Gwen was not able to take her treatment Tuesday. She was, however, scheduled to come in and see her Oncologist. The nurse took the blanket and "Pray First" bracelet I had for Miss Gwen and was going to hold it at the nurses station. She said that they would watch out for when she checked in at the main desk and they would make sure she received my gifts. I was disappointed that I did not get to see her and talk to her, but more concerned that she was not able to take her chemo treatment. I am praying that it will be a temporary issue and that she will be able to resume. She is 77 years old and fighting colon cancer and liver cancer. She is a bit frail and her battle is a tough one.
I have managed to meet and share "cancer stories" with different patients each time I go. This week I met a very nice couple Glenda and her husband Chuck, who stopped me to ask if they knew me. They said I looked very familiar, but we did not know each other. She has had quite a year as she went through a single mastectomy and reconstruction while on chemo. Glenda has undergone five surgeries mainly because of complications with the chemo not allowing the places to heal, but she seems to be doing much better now. Such a sweet couple. Chuck goes around singing at churches as he is part of a quartet. You meet the nicest people in the cancer center.
Ashleigh and I left and went upstairs to the Alabama Oncology Pharmacy and met with the Pharmacist, Melanie Majerik. She is a Patient Advocate as well and she immediately told me that she had procedures that could be put into place that places like Walgreens, Publix, etc did not have the means to do. Melanie further told me that IF the paperwork she submitted to Blue Cross did not work, she would sell me a 30 pill supply for only $25. WOW! She gave me her card and told me that she would be calling me Wednesday after she heard back from Blue Cross. She called with amazing news! Blue Cross approved a full 30 pill prescription that can be refilled as I need it. If had to use 21 pills in the course of a week, I just go back and get another prescription and I only have to pay $5 per refill. Can I say WOW again! What a blessing!!! God is amazing how He listens and how He works things out with enormous blessings all along the way! I wanted to share this to show how awesome God is as He walks this journey with me, but also if there is anyone who is having problems with your drugs related to chemo or you know someone who is.....perhaps the cancer center where you/they go also has such a pharmacy that can help them.
Wednesday morning the steroid medicine had me wide awake at 5:15 and I went full steam all day! I felt great! I love the nausea medicine with the steroid because I get one day that I have a high energy boost. I am glad it was on Wednesday because I felt great to go to church and it was awesome!
Today, Thursday, I woke up feeling really well again. I am having an issue with my throat off and on. I have to keep a watch on it as chemo can have negative effects on the thyroid. I have been experiencing some terrible coughing spells, but Dr. Bondly prescribed me a pill to take everyday that she said would help ease that. I have only taken it for two days so for and it has almost completely stopped my coughing. I was waking up in the middle of the night with horrible coughing/gagging spells, but now they seem to be gone. YAY!
I am having the usually hiccups and stomach issues after chemo. My taste is almost gone. It is really hard to get any food that taste good or that has much taste at all. I also deal with the metallic taste in my mouth. All in all.....I would say I am doing great and those are small prices to pay in order to have these chemo treatments kill this cancer that wants to kill me. I fill a bit tired tonight, but we shopped all day in Trussville so that is to be expected.
I have a ways to go, but I have no doubt that I will be a breast cancer survivor! I will not only be a survivor, but I will be a winner! There is a spiritual battle going on around us....a battle for our souls, our hearts, and our minds and God does not want us merely to survive this battle. He assures us that with His help we will be victorious. Wounded, but not defeated. Not just surviving....implying I barely made it....but energized by running the race, staying the course, and fighting the good fight. Somehow, some way, I WILL be a better woman because of this experience. Amen!
"I call to God; God will help me. At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh deep sighs - He hears, He rescues. My life is well and whole, secure in the middle of danger." Psalm 55:16-18
Thank you all for your continued prayers! God is listening and He is healing me day by day! Amen!
Miss Gwen's blanket I made her.....Blue and Green. Those colors represent her Colon Cancer and Liver Cancer, but is in a fun print.
All of the nurses are awesome, but my nurse this treatment gave special care when injecting the nausea medicine that is a steroid into my port. She said that if she pushed slow with intervals, it would not cause the extreme discomfort that is usually associated with this medication. She was right! I received both of my chemo medications without any issues.
I told my nurse that Dr. Bondly had written my nausea medicine for 30 pills to cover the month, but that Blue Cross changed the prescription to only 21 pills a month. Actually, I can take up to 3 pills over a 24 hour period. If I did that, the medicine would only last me 7 days. I have two other nausea medicines that Dr. Bondly prescribed me, but I cannot take them and function. The Zofran has worked great for me. I ran out one day early last week and had to pay $11.95 for one pill at Publix to cover me until the next day when Blue Cross would pay for another 21 pills. If I had to pay for the extra 10 pills each month at Publix....that would be $120 a month. Plus, Dr. Bondly said that I will probably have to start taking more than one pill per day as my nausea will get worse. Anyway, my very sweet nurse told me that the pharmacy upstairs - Alabama Oncology - in the Bruno Cancer Center was a private pharmacy for the center and they could probably get something better worked out for me. She immediately had my prescription transferred to the pharmacy upstairs.
I asked one of my nurses about Miss Gwen and she said that she would check on her. We kept looking around to see if we could find her in a chemo bay, but we never saw her. For some reason, the nurse did not know the specifics, but Miss Gwen was not able to take her treatment Tuesday. She was, however, scheduled to come in and see her Oncologist. The nurse took the blanket and "Pray First" bracelet I had for Miss Gwen and was going to hold it at the nurses station. She said that they would watch out for when she checked in at the main desk and they would make sure she received my gifts. I was disappointed that I did not get to see her and talk to her, but more concerned that she was not able to take her chemo treatment. I am praying that it will be a temporary issue and that she will be able to resume. She is 77 years old and fighting colon cancer and liver cancer. She is a bit frail and her battle is a tough one.
I have managed to meet and share "cancer stories" with different patients each time I go. This week I met a very nice couple Glenda and her husband Chuck, who stopped me to ask if they knew me. They said I looked very familiar, but we did not know each other. She has had quite a year as she went through a single mastectomy and reconstruction while on chemo. Glenda has undergone five surgeries mainly because of complications with the chemo not allowing the places to heal, but she seems to be doing much better now. Such a sweet couple. Chuck goes around singing at churches as he is part of a quartet. You meet the nicest people in the cancer center.
Ashleigh and I left and went upstairs to the Alabama Oncology Pharmacy and met with the Pharmacist, Melanie Majerik. She is a Patient Advocate as well and she immediately told me that she had procedures that could be put into place that places like Walgreens, Publix, etc did not have the means to do. Melanie further told me that IF the paperwork she submitted to Blue Cross did not work, she would sell me a 30 pill supply for only $25. WOW! She gave me her card and told me that she would be calling me Wednesday after she heard back from Blue Cross. She called with amazing news! Blue Cross approved a full 30 pill prescription that can be refilled as I need it. If had to use 21 pills in the course of a week, I just go back and get another prescription and I only have to pay $5 per refill. Can I say WOW again! What a blessing!!! God is amazing how He listens and how He works things out with enormous blessings all along the way! I wanted to share this to show how awesome God is as He walks this journey with me, but also if there is anyone who is having problems with your drugs related to chemo or you know someone who is.....perhaps the cancer center where you/they go also has such a pharmacy that can help them.
Wednesday morning the steroid medicine had me wide awake at 5:15 and I went full steam all day! I felt great! I love the nausea medicine with the steroid because I get one day that I have a high energy boost. I am glad it was on Wednesday because I felt great to go to church and it was awesome!
Today, Thursday, I woke up feeling really well again. I am having an issue with my throat off and on. I have to keep a watch on it as chemo can have negative effects on the thyroid. I have been experiencing some terrible coughing spells, but Dr. Bondly prescribed me a pill to take everyday that she said would help ease that. I have only taken it for two days so for and it has almost completely stopped my coughing. I was waking up in the middle of the night with horrible coughing/gagging spells, but now they seem to be gone. YAY!
I am having the usually hiccups and stomach issues after chemo. My taste is almost gone. It is really hard to get any food that taste good or that has much taste at all. I also deal with the metallic taste in my mouth. All in all.....I would say I am doing great and those are small prices to pay in order to have these chemo treatments kill this cancer that wants to kill me. I fill a bit tired tonight, but we shopped all day in Trussville so that is to be expected.
I have a ways to go, but I have no doubt that I will be a breast cancer survivor! I will not only be a survivor, but I will be a winner! There is a spiritual battle going on around us....a battle for our souls, our hearts, and our minds and God does not want us merely to survive this battle. He assures us that with His help we will be victorious. Wounded, but not defeated. Not just surviving....implying I barely made it....but energized by running the race, staying the course, and fighting the good fight. Somehow, some way, I WILL be a better woman because of this experience. Amen!
"I call to God; God will help me. At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh deep sighs - He hears, He rescues. My life is well and whole, secure in the middle of danger." Psalm 55:16-18
Thank you all for your continued prayers! God is listening and He is healing me day by day! Amen!
Miss Gwen's blanket I made her.....Blue and Green. Those colors represent her Colon Cancer and Liver Cancer, but is in a fun print.
#GodisLeading #BreastCancer #DoubleMastectomy #IBelieve
#BeatCancer #GodisHealing #PrayforaCure #PrayerWarriors
#BilateralBreastCancer #BreastReconstruction #HeProtectsMe
#WhereHeLeadsIWillFollow #GodisinControl #GodisaGoodGod #PraiseGod #ThankYouJesus
#MyGoalisCancerFree #MyCancerWarisOn #CrushingCancer
#MyGoalisCancerFree #MyCancerWarisOn #CrushingCancer
#CancerWillNotWin #IAmBeingHealed #MyGoalisCancerFree
Oh, how I praise God that your blood work is perfect and the tumor is shrinking! I am so thrilled that you did not have the discomfort from the anti-nausea medications. She inserted it just right.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that they transferred your prescription to upstairs. I am so sorry that you didn’t get to see Miss Gwen this time, but I pray that she got (or will soon get) her gifts from you. She will have so much joy because of your love. We will also keep Glenda and Chuck in our prayers.
I praise God that Melanie can get you your prescriptions from Blue Cross that you need. They came through for you after all.
I am so glad that your are feeling so much better and they are getting your coughing spells under control.
Don’t overdo your shopping sprees. Give yourself enough rest.
You “WILL” not be a breast cancer winner. You already ARE. You are such an inspiration to so many people. You are running an amazing race and I am so thrilled for you and your family.
You will be in my prayers for as long as we know one another. I love you,
Carole
Thank you so much my dear sister friend for being so faithful to me in my journey with cancer. You are awesome and I love you!
DeleteGlad you have the Sweet, Sweet Spirit of the Lord with you, Patricia. I pray several times a day that you will feel His presence, and know He is there, healing you, helping you, along the way. You acknowledging His help is precious. He will get you through. Love to you and your wonderful daughter.
ReplyDeleteCarol
Thank you so much, Carol, for your kind, grace-filled words of loving encouragement. Love to you and thank you for lifting me in prayer daily.
Delete