One week of radiation down! It feels so good to say that! Now I'm just counting down to coming home! The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. So many unknowns, but the Lord continues to renew my hope and my strength and I am so thankful! Right after finding out the results of my CT scan, showing that the chemo treatments were not working like my doctors had hoped, I found out my new treatment plan. I also found out that another scan would be needed, a PET scan, before beginning my new treatments. The CT scan only showed the cancer in my head and neck region, but a PET scan would reveal if the cancer had spread anywhere else in my entire body. The doctor who discussed this with me was confident that the PET scan would not show any spreading, considering the CT scan had shown that the cancer was still localized in the same region as before, but I was still a nervous wreck! Scans tear my nerves up. I am thankful that my doctors are so cautious but the thought of another scan and waiting for more results was a lot to handle. That Friday, April12th, I had my PET scan and that was quite an experience! I've had several PET scans previously so I thought I knew the drill...no food or drinks other than water before the scan. I thought the whole point was that nothing could be in your stomach or it would throw the scan off. Well, I was wrong. I had a piece of gum on the way to my appointment and that caused my appointment to be pushed back four hours! Long story short, you aren't supposed to use your muscles to chew. Clearly I didn't know. Since my first scan was scheduled for 12:30 pm I was already hungry and being a chemo patient I get nauseous easily, so you can imagine to mood I was in. Then the receptionist at the doctor's office kept putting her two cents in when I was trying to talk to mama. After I walked away she asked mama how old I was and told mama she had a daughter my same age. Then she continued by saying "Then why do they continue to act like they're two sometimes?" I hate to admit it, but it's probably a good thing I wasn't around when she made this comment because I would have wanted to let her have it! It made mama highly mad, and she replied by saying something along the lines of, "Well does your daughter have cancer? I think Jenna has the right to act however she wants to right now." You would've thought that guilt trip would have shut her up, but no such luck. Thankfully, I ended up falling asleep in the waiting room which helped the time pass faster and then when it was finally time for my scan I had the sweetest young girl help me. She even remembered me from last time and sat back there and talked to me. People like her belong working in these environments. I would like to weed out a few of these others though! Ha!
During the weekend I tried to stay busy and not focus on beginning my new treatments or the results of my latest scan, but that's always easier said than done. On Monday afternoon I went to the doctor's office for what I thought was my first round of radiation but once I got there I was informed that my radiologist still needed more x-rays because he was still working on my treatment plan. I tried not to let it show until we left the office, but that made me a nervous wreck thinking it had something to do with the results of my PET scan. Little did I know that the main hospital downtown hadn't even read my scan yet, much less sent the results to my doctors. This put me over the edge. I had waited long enough on those results and the little patience I had was wearing thin. I came home and went to sleep. That's all I knew to do to keep from driving myself crazy. A few hours later, late afternoon by this time, mama calls me into the kitchen. One of the doctor's from the clinic I go to here in Katy, not even my doctor but one I have seen a few times when she has been on call, called to let mama know my results. She had been the one to discuss the need for another scan and she knew how worried I was about the results. That was so sweet of her. Just like she thought, the rest of the PET scan was CLEAR! The cancer has NOT spread anywhere else in my body! I felt like I could finally relax and breathe again! God is so good! Once again, He not only took care of me but He continues to restore my hope!
The following morning I went to the clinic to start my new chemo regimen along with my first radiation treatment. Looking back, the devil himself must've been clinging to me and my surroundings early last week because other than the wonderful news from my PET scan nothing was going right. I think the devil just kept throwing things at me trying to make me forget about my good test results and lose focus. This day of chemo was a prime example. My nurse was getting the best of me to say the least. Usually when I go for chemo treatments I sit there, for several hours, and relax. I read, watch TV, sleep, whatever I want, but this time I felt like I was both the nurse and the patient. I knew it was a bad sign when she asked me if this was the right chemo drug to give me! Hellllllo, look at my chart! I'm on a new treatment plan and you're the nurse. How would I know?! Later she asked me what bandage to use to cover my pick line. Are you kidding me? Again, shouldn't she know this instead of me? Needless to say, this kind of thing continued to happen all day and I felt so insecure. She was a sweet lady and mama kept reminding me to be nice, but sometimes I'm sure the look on my face said it all. Not to mention my chemo was supposed to be finished around 3ish so I could go downstairs for radiation, well she didn't finish until 5:30, so when it was time for radiation, my very first treatment might I add, I had to roll my IV downstairs with me and stay hooked up to my chemo drugs while getting radiation. To put it mildly I was irritated. I promised mama I would word it nicely, and I did, but I was determined to let my doctor know that I never wanted this nurse giving me chemo again. The next day when I met with my doctor and he asked how my treatment went I very nicely summed it up for him. At first he laughed a little because of my reaction. By now he knows that I say whatever comes to mind!
After my "interesting" day of chemo therapy things have quieted down a little bit. I have gotten more good news from my doctor, saying that he looked at my scans and the cancer is still in small spots and that he doesn't see or feel any new abnormalities. I have now gone through my first week of radiation as well as the first week of my new chemo. Week two here we come! Let's get this show on the road so I can go home!
"I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you." - 2 Kings 20:5
"Step out on the edge. Don't be afraid of it. When you feel the rain, call His name. He'll find you in the hurricane." - Hurricane by Natalie Grant
No comments:
Post a Comment