Chemo vacation

I dutifully showed up for my Onc appointment on Wednesday for my 6^th treatment. Honestly, I was not looking forward to it as I still felt run down from my last, but psyched myself up and got ready. To my surprise, Dr Fellin suggested a “chemo vacation”. He gave me the option but steered me toward taking a break from the hard-hitting chemo (taxotere) and just get the antibodies (herceptin and perjecta).  I’d get a break from Zometa as well (every 6 weeks vs. every 3).  He also suggested we wait on the scan, let my body heal and recover and see how it goes. If I got any symptoms back then we’d continue with the regimen (and get scanned).  This way we can see how I do with just the antibodies. He pointed out my labs were all normal (and when my bone mets were active I had high phosphates) and I was not experiencing the symptoms I had before.  Even my echo was normal (EF up to 55-60% which is terrific). He said, spend time with the kids and enjoy- oh it sure is the “little things”. 

So, I only received Herceptin and Perjeta yesterday and boy do I feel terrific today! I agree with him that at this point it’s better to preserve my body and mind. The way I see it I’ll always need some sort of chemo, and as time goes on and the cancer gets smarter and resistant, I’ll need more and more powerful ones. So if I can take a break here and there I should seize the opportunity. So the plan for now is to get hercepton and perjeta every 3 weeks and zometa every 6. Scan if I get symptoms or this regimen stops working.  My hair will stop falling out and the only side effect will be loose stools and occasional diarrhea. I’ll take it! This will be the best vacation I ever had!

On another note, I finally went bra shopping with my new set! I was secretly looking forward to this ever since I had reconstruction last December but was side tracked with all the cancer mets and drama. So off I went to Macy’s…. I did not need forklift support (they pretty much stay up on their own) so I felt like a kid in a candy store- I could literally get ANY type of bra there. I have never-ever in my entire life been able to pick out ANY bra- underwire or none, lace, push-up, demi, strapless, padded, sports ….. they all fit! (And I could even get the cheap ones). I have to admit I had fun.  Again, it sure is the “little things”.

Thanks as always for your love and support,

“Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things” – Robert Brault