Review 2014

The picture on the left has been on my refrigerator for years. I am the frog.

On Monday of this week, I had my 11th treatment with TDM-1 (Kadcyla). My first appointment --accessing my port in preparation for treatment and gathering several vials of blood for testing-- was the only appointment that went according to schedule. I waited two hours to see a doctor and more than that waiting to be treated. Perhaps the delays were due to patients scheduling their treatments for that Monday since the hospital's treatment center was closed on Thursday (Thanksgiving) and Friday last week. Without me complaining about my extremely long wait-time, my chemotherapy nurse talked to her supervisor and, as an apology, gave me a parking voucher.

On December 22, 2014, I will receive my 29th infusion for the treatment of my disease. It will also be my 12th treatment with TDM-1.

Over the course of this year I have had:  17 infusions, 4 CAT scans of the neck, chest and abdomen, drank 8 bottles of Barium Sulfate for better viewing of  my abdomen during the CAT scan, 1 MRI for the brain, 8 needle pricks into the vein of my left arm (actually 9 because a nurse had to re-do one), 17 pricks to access my port, 4 MUGA scans to make sure my heart is functioning as it should, 72.5 hours of driving to the hospital and back (probably more due to stop-n-go I-40 traffic during the busiest hours), and hours and hours of waiting (so glad I can read).

IT WAS WORTH IT!