Another Tuesday

1:00pm - I jut got up around noon.  I'm feeling tired and drained, and in need of some 'me time'.  I was hopeful that I might get to go for a bike ride on the weekend, but if the chemo still starts this week, that won't be the case.  I really don't know what to expect from this.  I think right now I'm feeling numb and confused.  I look at statistics for ovarian cancer and they don't sink in.  I feel like this isn't really happening.  I spoke to my mom around 10 and she said they're hoping to have the results back from the fluid around her lungs today.  It's been seven days.  As I laid in bed, I was hoping that maybe - just maybe - this fluid doesn't contain cancer cells afterall.  If that were the case, maybe this could be downgraded to a stage III cancer.  Wishful thinking perhaps. 

M. kept me company for the night, which was a tremendous help.  I slept through the night without waking up and hadn't taken a sleeping pill either.  We went for a walk around downtown, so it was my first time of actually getting out in the past week.  Life felt like a normal evening.  Thank you for being there!

2:16pm - I keep losing weight even though I'm trying to eat & drink as much as possible.  I sent my jeans through the washer & dryer to try to shrink them and they're still too big.  Time for another new pair.

I'm also looking into having pictures taken so that my mom could have something.

Christmas in Invermere, 2008

Convocation, 2004

Me looking stoned, but at least my mom looks like herself.

2:39pm - K. from HR called me back.  Options for work are:

• Take vacation time - um, nope, this is not vacation for me
  
• Take banked time - already did this for this week
  
• Take unpaid leave - an option
  
• Apply for compassionate care leave - will likely pursue this first, though I'd be thrilled if I could go back to normal work and have my mom healthy again.  This option would give me up to 6 weeks off, but I still need to find out if it would have to be continuous or if I could take the weeks off after chemo and the surgery, for example.
  

3:25pm - Chemo is scheduled to start on Friday and would take 5.5 hours.

9:35pm - We got my mom a visitor pass from the hospital so that she was able to come to my place for dinner.  We had rouladen, fries, lettuce, and fruit salad.  She ate more than she has been lately, so my tactic of giving her home-made food worked.  I also did her hair, which has become a bit of a ritual every couple of days now.  I think it looked especially nice today. They say it'll start falling out two weeks after the first chemo dose.  The hair loss doesn't seem to concern her right now, though I'm sure she cries about it when I'm not around.  My mom seemed really strong today, walking around my place a bit and managing without oxygen as we washed her hair.  As I watched her, I thought it was hard to believe that she's been given this devastating diagnosis.  She seemed so strong today.

I have two full packages of chemo info to sort through tonight and then running errands to get my mom the things she'll need tomorrow:

Chemo prep shopping list:

Hair:

• Go to Canadian Cancer Society to look at wigs (take prescription). 325 Manning Rd. SE., Unit 200. (403) 205-3966.
• Also try Bea's - I think this wig may be a match. 222-17 Avenue SE. (403) 237-8308.

Pharmacy:

• Fill prescriptions for anti-nausea medications (Dexamethasone 4mg, Granisetron [Kytril] 2mg, and Metoclopramide [Maxeran] 10mg).  Also get Vitamin E (400 units) and Vitamin B6 (100mg).

Shopper's:

• For muscle & joint pain: Ibuprufen 400mg (can take every 4-6 hours), Tylenol Extra Strength
• For constipation: Colace (docusate sodium) 200mg, also Senokot, also Lactulose (2 tablespoons), fibre supplement
• For cathartics: Psyllium, Prodiem Plus, or Metamucil
  
• For diarrhea: Imodium (Loeramide HCl) 4mg
  
• For eating challenges: Metaclopramide [Mexeran] - this is same as prescription anti-nausea med
• Surgical gloves (so caretakers do not come in contact with bodily fluids especially for the first 48 hours after injection)
• For mouth care: Extra soft toothbrushes, club soda, very mild toothpaste
• For dry cracked lips: water soluble cream (e.g., Dermabase or Glaxal Base)

Other:

• Look at Blue Cross Options
• Get binder, divider, and pockets for all this medical info
• Fill out compassionate care leave request

Chemo Emergency Contacts:

• Chemotherapy Care/difficulties with side effects (weekdays 8:00am - 4:00pm): (403) 521-3735
• After hours assistance of urgent nature: (403) 944-1110 and ask to speak to Gyne Oncologist on call.
• Chemo nurse - Julie: (403) 521-3157

Type of chemo:

The two chemo drugs are Paclitaxel (Taxol) and Carboplatin

Paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy