Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Day Two

Well, day two has had it's ups and downs already. I was awake at 4:00 a.m. with nausea and try as I might I was unable to be come reacquainted with the porcelain god I knew so well a short 7 and 1/2 months ago. By 8:30 a.m. I was calling the Doctor's office to see if I could safely take the 3rd anti-nausea medication of the day.

At 1:15 Dad Chang and I were in the car on our way to radiation day two. It seemed easier and faster somehow today. Though there is this smell that is indescribable as I lay attached to a table with bright lights flashing all around me.

On my way to the doctor's office I received an amazing call from a friend who's father has recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer. With everything going on in his life he found the time to dial my number just to check in. I don't think he'll ever understand the effect that call had on me. By the time I walked out of the radiation lab I was feeling better -- although I must not have been feeling that good since I passed up a free massage.

When we got home I immediately lay down for a two hour nap. Waking up expecting to feel better was a bit of a disappointment when I couldn't answer the phone due to a scratchy throat. I was able to clear it up and talk briefly with the Prairie Dad who can't get here soon enough. I'm nervous that it is only day two and my throat is already a bit sore, I was hoping for a couple of weeks reprieve on this one.

Up until today I didn't feel sick even though I knew I was. Today may be the best I feel for the next seven weeks so I think I'll savor the hugs from Baby Chang that brighten my day.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Wrapped in Comfort

Day one is done! I am one third of the way through my chemo and 1/35 of the way through radiation.

It was a very long day. Radiation took only 20 minutes but the chemo took from 9:30 to 4:30. Besides the IV chemo they also gave me a huge bag of electrolyte fluid intraveniously.

As I sat there watching anInside the Actors Studio marathon I realized I had unconsciously surounded myself with friends and family. I was wrapped in the "Worlds Softest Blanket" a gift from Little Miss Bossy and Camera Man. The bag that I packed with books and magazines had been a hand me down from the Collegiate Swimmer. Around my kneck I was wearing a black and white scarf from the Scoreboard Seller. I was kept warm by my new North Face jacket a gift from Mom and Dad Chang. Finally I kept busy by trying to learn all about my fancy new camera from the Prairie Dad. Not to mention the chocolate shake the visit by Mom, Dad and Baby Chang.

So, even though it was a long and somewhat nerve-wracking day it was a nice surprise when I realized all my friends and family were with me.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Count Down to Cancer Free

Well tomorrow is the first day of my journey to becoming cancer free. My treatment begins at 7:30 a.m. with the first dose of radiation followed by the first of three chemo treatments. Both will present their own fun cache of side effects yet no one can know exactly how bad they will be. I'm preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

More than likely I will throw up from the chemo but will not lose my hair. I will have a sore throat like never before from the radiation. Probably the one I'm most excited about is the possiblilty that all food will taste like metal. Though the chemo side effects should only last for about 48 hours, it could take months to fully recover from the radiation therapy.

Since being diagnosed with Cancer I think the worst side effect is that as of tonight I have breastfed my daughter for the last time. I never imagined how emotional and hard that last feeding was going to be. I think it was so difficult because neither Baby Chang nor I got to make the decision it was made for us.

I think I will try to focus on the most positive side effect of chemo and radiation that at the end of it all I will be cancer free.

Let the count down begin!

Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas is coming Mr. Chang is getting fat!

Okay so Christmas is here and Mr. Chang is getting fat. The best Doctor's orders I have received thus far is to gain weight. Yes you read correctly I have been advised by two of my three doctors to gain weight. I assure you NEVER in my life has a doctor advised me to gain weight. A number have told me to lose weight, but now when I'm the skinniest I've been as an adult I'm working to put it back on. So, I have been following doctors orders in anticipation of the start of treatment. In an attempt to gain the weight I have
1. Eaten the extra slice of pizza.
2. Eaten more Krispy Kreme donuts than ever before.
3. Turned into a Sugar Cookie (and I'm still going on this one).
4. Used full fat everything in my cooking.
5. Forgotten what fresh fruit looks like.
6. Bought Ice Cream at Babies R Us, they sell it near the register in Houston and Denver.
7. Drank more Egg Nog than is advisable.
8. Consumed as much Blue Moon ice cream as possible.

Today I'm saying BRING ON THE PRIME RIB (and the sugar cookies)!!!!

Over the next couple weeks I will be continuing to follow Doctor's orders by trying to eat all my favorites in a larger quantity than usual. If you'd like to join me in this endeavor let me know it's never fun to eat alone! I'm also taking suggestions on the best dishes that will go straight to my hips.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Will the Real Mr. Chang Please Stand Up

On December 3, 2009 I was informed that I had a very rare form of cancer called Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (if you want to know more go to the American Cancer Society's webpage www.cancer.org). Okay it's rare if you are:
A. A Woman
B. Under 50
C. Living in the US

It's not so rare if you are:
A. A man
B. Over 50
C. Living in China

If you are screaming SERIOUSLY at the top of your lungs join the club (which currently includes a multitude of doctors, family, friends and of course me).

A little background is important here I think. In September of 2008 I discovered I was unexpectedly pregnant. One of the joyous side effects other than throwing up for nine months was severe rhinitis and sinusitis. As the symptoms of continued to worsen I started to go to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) doctor (they are also known as otolaryngologists). Unfortunately she was unable to do much because of the pregnancy. She along with my OB/GYN assured me it was normal and would go away after the baby was born. As my pregnancy progressed so did the congestion, I was unable to breathe through my nose, smell or taste. As my due date drew near I also began to suffer from almost daily bloody noses that would sometimes last all day. Each time I would see my ENT she would remind me that as soon as I had the baby things would get better, there was really nothing she could do and I had the WORST case of pregnancy rhinitis she'd ever seen.

Well, May 14th arrived and I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. There was no change to my nose however. In June I traveled to Minnesota to be with my boyfriend and was referred to another ENT. He prescribed a steroid which seemed like it was heaven sent. It gave me a lot of energy (amazing for a sleep deprived mom) and opened up my nasal passages. Unfortunately once I stopped taking the steroids everything closed back up. When I finally returned to Texas my ENT suggested surgery to clean everything out.

Finally, on November 30th after almost a year of not breathing through my nose I went in for surgery. The plan was to do bilateral endoscopic surgery of my sinuses, correct my deviated septum and remove my adenoids. While in recovery the ENT came in and told me that everything went well, my adenoids were still inflamed so they were sending the tissue to be biopsied. No one was concerned it was just routine at least that was my impression but I can't be held accountable for that I was just waking up from anesthesia.

On December 3rd the call came that I wasn't expecting to receive and the doctor was not expecting to have to make. Not only did I have cancer but it was something mainly asian men got. Apparently multiple pathologists and doctors looked to make sure that the first guy wasn't on crack. I was assured that the diagnosis was correct and totally unexpected.

Well now it's three days before Christmas, and three days after Christmas I will begin my first round of Chemotherapy and begin nearly seven weeks of radiation. The doctors see no reason that at the end of the treatment I won't be in remission if not cured. See though this crazy naso-thing is rare the treatment is highly successful.

I don't know how much I'll be able to post once treatment is in full swing but I hope to keep friends and family up to date here. Once things really get going I will have a killer sore throat so this seemed a better way to communicate than the phone.

I still would like the real Mr. Chang to please stand up and take his rightful place on this journey I'm about to embark on but for now I'll just keep laughing at the ridiculousness of the whole thing.