The Journey Begins - One Day Before

Hi, I'm Lynn. I confess up front, I am not a blogger. I don't keep a journal.  I can barely keep my Facebook profile up-to-date. However, I'm going to give this blogging thing a try. My reason makes it important. Today is the day before my first chemotherapy treatment and the beginning of another leg in my journey to eradicate any possible cancer from my body. With this blog, I aim to capture what it is like to go through this process, day-by-day. I've read about and talked to many cancer survivors, all with their own stories, experiences, and words of wisdom. This will be my story. And it's also a great way to keep my support group of family and friends up to date on my progress.


The chemotherapy I am going through is called TC chemotherapy. It is a common treatment for breast cancer, the cancer I was diagnosed with last September. TC stands for Taxotere and Cytoxan, the two drugs I will be receiving. My therapy consists of 4 treatments, each 3 weeks apart, the first starting tomorrow. The drugs will be infused by IV into a vein in my arm or hand. I sure do hope my veins cooperate. I'm drinking tons of water to plump them up.


Today I began taking my first drugs in preparation for chemotherapy. The day before, the day of treatment, and the day after, I will take Decadron, a pretty strong steroid drug. This drug helps to alleviate the nausea caused by the chemotherapy medications, helps to stimulate my appetite, and prevents and treats inflammation in the body. The drug comes with side effects (what drug doesn't?) but the two doses I took today were uneventful. I do like the way this is starting out.


The exciting part of my day was wig and hat shopping. As can be expected in many chemotherapy treatments, hair loss is a possible side effect. I've been told my combo of drugs will most certainly lead to me losing my hair. So a wig and hats to keep my head warm were a must. I was apprehensive when I walked into the store, and sure I wouldn't find anything I'd like, but as it turned out, I found a really cute wig, a style I would have liked my hairdresser to do with my real hair. The look is definitely me! I have new hats too, one to sleep in, one for around the house, and one for out and about if I don't want to wear my new hair. All in all, a very successful shopping trip that has relieved some of the stress this situation has brought upon me. Now all I have to do is grab a couple of last minute Christmas gifts, grocery shop, gift wrap, and finish up these last Christmas cards. I think it's doable!